Hello All,
Me and my wife just purchased a 2008 Saturn AWD v-6 to tow behind our 24 Foot Fleetwood Jamboree F-450, does anyone see a problem we might have? The Vue weighs a hefty 4200 Pounds.
Momboy007 wrote: Hello All,
Me and my wife just purchased a 2008 Saturn AWD v-6 to tow behind our 24 Foot Fleetwood Jamboree F-450, does anyone see a problem we might have? The Vue weighs a hefty 4200 Pounds.
Thanks all,
Rick
it all depends on how much your MH weighs, by axle, when loaded for travel (fuel, water, food, clothing, pets, people, stuff, etc.) and the weight ratings of the hitch and towbar.
i say by axle because while you should not exceed the MH's gross vehicle weighr rating (gvwr) the simple fact is that some MHs are overweight on one or both axles when they come off the assembly line or have such low payload factors that one or both axles become overweight when prepared for use. in some cases one axle will be overweight while the other axle will be underweight by the same or greater. we have personal experience with that.
get separate weights for each axle and then compare those weights to the axle rating for that axle (corner weights are best to determine your side-to-side loading). you've cleared the first hurdle if both axles are underweight. if one or both axles are overweight then offload some weight on that axle. the combined weight of each axle is your total vehicle weight. just be sure that the MH is configured for travel as described above when you weigh it.
in general, the maximum amount of weight you can *safely* tow will be the *lesser* of the following:
- the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of the MH minus the total weight of the MH when it is loaded for travel
- the weight rating of the hitch
- the weight rating of your towbar.
good luck to you.
73,
rich, n9dko www.bananaboatbytes.com
I know a guy who's addicted to brake fulid. He says he can stop anytime.
_________________________________
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U
'46 Willys CJ2A
'03 Jeep Wrangler TJ
'10 Jeep Liberty KK
Momboy007 wrote: Hello All,
Me and my wife just purchased a 2008 Saturn AWD v-6 to tow behind our 24 Foot Fleetwood Jamboree F-450, does anyone see a problem we might have? The Vue weighs a hefty 4200 Pounds.
Thanks all,
Rick
If the hitch on your rig is rated @ 3500#, your overweight on the Saturn, and no you shouldn't increase the hitch to a 5000# to accommodate the Saturn. If you have a 5000# rated hitch that came from the factory with your class C, then your good to go. Don't forget to install a supplemental braking kit for your Saturn if everything else checks out. The philosophy of towing is very simple, if you do it, do it right or not at all. Fudging just a little could come back and bite you in the arse when you least expect it.
Our 08 Saturn Vue is the FWD, AT with the 4cyl and weighs in at 3700#. You might also look at this switch as your car most likely will require disabling the ignition switch fuse when towing.(The correct one will be listed in your manual under the receational towing section)We mounted our switch on the center console, passenger side, above the access door to the fuses. This switch will prevent the battery from running down if you forget to pull this fuse and it can/will happen if you should forget http://www.rv-partsplus.com/home/accessories/
The Ready Brake system is what we use for supplemental braking and is pretty bullit proof. http://www.readybrake.com/brake-systems.html
The main thing to keep in mind is try not to exceed 65mph when towing. An occassional overage, I'm sure would be ok, but I wouldn't make it a habit. We run between 63-65 as that is where our best fuel economy is on our mh.
* This post was
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edited 04/25/12 07:34am by JC2 *
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Have towed a Vue for six years. Great vehicle but I would never tow without a supplemental braking system. That's a fair amount of extra weight pushing you and you will feel a significant difference with a toad braking system. Just be sure your hitch is properly rated for your weight and go enjoy!! Remember that you should NOT back up when the car is connected.
We tow our '08 Vue and it tows great but it is one of the most uncomfortable cars we have ever owned. The seats get very uncomfortable after a long trip and the gas mileage s not what I had expected for a 4 cyl. I got much better mileage from my V6 Town and Country that weighed 1200# more. I was about ready for a Ford Escape until they disqualified them for towing. We have had 47 cars in our 53 years of marriage so we have a lot of experience in the comfort area.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, 2008 Saturn Vue, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
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