I have new Class A gas with Ford V -10, 22k chassis, with 5k hitch. We also have a Buick Enclave that I might want to flat tow. It comes in around 4700lbs. Wondering if anyone has a set up like this and what their experience has been? Of course, would have brake system, etc,. Looking mostly at how comfortable it is to tow that close to the max weight, etc.
Thanks
Coachmen Encounter 37FW 2012
Ford Edge 2010, towed with
ReadyBrute Elite w ReadyBrake
we sometimes tow a '10 jeep liberty (4200-lbs). i know that's a bit lighter than your buick but we don't know it's back there. as long as you're MH is not overweight on either axle and your gross combinatio weight rating allows it you should be fine. if you don't know what your MH weighs as it is configured and loaded for travel then do yourself a favor and have it weighed (separate axle weights).
good luck.
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
We tow a similar amount of weight with a new V10 MH as well (see signature). I will tell you that we have been very impressed with the V10 and 5 speed torqueshift tranny in our MH.
We tow a minivan on a dolly. Once you add the weight of the dolly and van, we're at around 4800 lbs. We've found that the MH does not really feel much different power-wise when towing vs not. We have definitely been pleasantly surprised as far as towing power is concerned. I can pretty much hold whatever speed I want to.
Now, one difference is that you have a MH on the 22k chassis, mine is on the 20.5k chassis. Your MH is a bit heavier and a little longer. I'm not sure how big a difference that may make one way or the other.
Its a good thing you're going to flat tow that Buick, because at 4700 lbs, its too heavy to put on a dolly, as the weight of any dolly plus that Buick is going to put you over the 5k limitation of the MH's receiver.
Anyway, good luck with it.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2012 FR Georgetown 351DS on F53 (V10) Chassis Our Rig
Recognize that most F-53 Fords have a combined weight limit of 26,000 lbs (i.e., the maximum weight of loaded coach + what it is towing). That means your actual towing limit is only 4,000 lbs IF you load your coach to the maximum.
We have a 22K F-53. We have weighed our coach fully loaded. It comes in at only 20,000 lbs. That means we can safely tow 5,000 lbs with our current hitch and could even reinforce it and the chassis extension to tow 6,000 lbs (as many club race car drivers do).
Our Fusion Toad weighs only 3100 lbs, so we have quite a bit of spare 'real world' towing capacity.
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Happy Ford F-53 Class A Owner (2008 Gulf Stream)
2010 Ford Fusion Toad (with 6 speed manual transmission - the only way to tow)
Brake Buddy Vantage, Blue Ox Aladdin Tow Bar,
TST RV 507 TPMS, Power Master Voltage Controller
Now, one difference is that you have a MH on the 22k chassis, mine is on the 20.5k chassis. Your MH is a bit heavier and a little longer. I'm not sure how big a difference that may make one way or the other.
There is a difference: your smaller coach has a higher towing capacity. Both can tow a combined maximum of 26,000 lbs. Your coach is lighter, so you can tow more. Similarly, a 16K F-53 can tow still more with a properly reinforced chassis and hitch.
Now, one difference is that you have a MH on the 22k chassis, mine is on the 20.5k chassis. Your MH is a bit heavier and a little longer. I'm not sure how big a difference that may make one way or the other.
There is a difference: your smaller coach has a higher towing capacity. Both can tow a combined maximum of 26,000 lbs. Your coach is lighter, so you can tow more. Similarly, a 16K F-53 can tow still more with a properly reinforced chassis and hitch.
Where can one find out, what to do for chassis and hitch reinforcement?
I have a 16K F-53, but my tow rating is only 3500 lbs! I would like tom tow my Jeep GC.
Now, one difference is that you have a MH on the 22k chassis, mine is on the 20.5k chassis. Your MH is a bit heavier and a little longer. I'm not sure how big a difference that may make one way or the other.
There is a difference: your smaller coach has a higher towing capacity. Both can tow a combined maximum of 26,000 lbs. Your coach is lighter, so you can tow more. Similarly, a 16K F-53 can tow still more with a properly reinforced chassis and hitch.
Where can one find out, what to do for chassis and hitch reinforcement?
I have a 16K F-53, but my tow rating is only 3500 lbs! I would like tom tow my Jeep GC.
I've asked that same question, I want to know whats involved with that as well.
I know of two individuals on here that have done it - 'toolman' and 'dalehelman'. I asked them recently, in THIS thread for more specifics around what they had done, but have not got an answer yet.
I'm curious to know this, also, as I've thought a few times about towing our car on a flatbed trailer. As noted above, our MH has plenty of GCWR to handle 6000, possibly even 7,000 lbs total of trailer. Problem is the tongue weight, as well as the hitch receiver limitation.
The other concern is with overloading the rear axle, since tongue weight can put a LOT of extra weight on the rear wheels of a vehicle like a MH that has a long rear overhang.
The standard F-53 drivetrain and chassis shipped from Ford has a GCWR or combined weight hauling capacity of 26,000 lbs. It doesn't matter if the MH is 28', 31' or 35' (like ours), the combined weight is typically 26,000 lbs. There are exceptions, so find the GCWR number for the model you are looking at.
Now here is where 'being short' pays off. GCWR is the total weight of the MH + wherever it is towing. In general: smaller MH's weigh less. A 28' MH will often weigh 18,000 lbs fully loaded. This leaves up to 8,000 lbs of theoretical towing capacity. In contrast, our 35' MH weighs up to 22,000 lbs fully loaded. That leaves only 4,000 lbs of theoretical towing capacity. FWIW: A 10,000 lb F-450 pickup truck with the same drivetrain as the F-53 MH chassis, has a whopping 16,000 lbs towing capacity!!!
Now here's where it gets interesting. A shorter chassis (with lighter 'house' on top) has lots of towing capacity. Your MH frame and tow hitch DO NOT! All Ford F-53 frames are modified by their respective MH manufacturer. They ALL add a welded frame extension to the rear of the bare chassis. This will affect CVWR. The MH manufacturer also adds a tow hitch that will support towing 5,000 lbs. maximum.
Here's the good news: A reputable towing shop can assess your frame and hitch, and upgrade your MH to maximum theoretical towing capacity for a few hundred dollars. Definitely worth looking into if you want to save $100K or so.
** EDITED ORIGINAL POST after rk911 correctly noted that I used term GVWR when I should have used GCWR. Thanks! **
* This post was
edited 05/04/12 07:53am by ClassAGeek *
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