Just purchased a 1999 Rexhall Aerbus (XL2900DS) - 30', v10 F53. According to the tag in the hall closet:
UVW = 14320
NCC = 3680
GVWR = 18000
GCWR = 26000
So this is saying I could tow up to 8000? I didn't think gas class A's (at least before 2000) could pull more than 5000.
I havn't checked the reciever to see what its rated at - I don't plan on pulling anything over 5000 anyway - just supprised.
(havn't gone to weigh it yet either to check the actual weight).
This indicates that the chassis is designed to pull 8000# not to exceed a total of 26000#. If your chassis is overloaded then that cuts into your tow allowance. You are correct that the hitch receiver limit should not be exceeded. You need to go to a truck stop with a CAT scale & get an actual weight.
IF, at the same token, if the RV is "underloaded", lets say you travel with only 17,000#, then you can tow 9,000.
NOPE! You can't "transfer" from one to the other. The tow rating is the tow rating, you can't go over the tow rating nor the GCVWR no matter how lightly loaded the RV is.
Receiver can't legally be upgraded unless the MH manufacturer approves it. Usually the limiting factor is NOT the receiver, it could be the frame, brakes, axle, tires, wheels, transmission, etc. It's always the LOWEST rated component that determines the ratings.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
435/1200 ISC Cummins/Banks PowerPak
'08 Honda Civic/dolly
'05 Honda Odyssey/dolly
NRA Benefactor and Recruiter
FMCA f47302s, Life Member: Good Sam, Newmar DP Owners Group
52nd yr of RV'ing
Thanks for the replys!
When I first looked over the rig in my head I calculated 5000lbs - or mayhaps I heard/read something that made me thing 5k, which again is all I was looking for.
Today I was doing some clean up and did a doubletake when I looked at the tag again and saw the above numbers - hence my supprise and my question.
I'm a newbie (first time owning an RV of any type - though I've rented a couple of times), so I'm sure I'll be firing off other questions - hopefully I'll take a deep breath, count to ten, then ask the questions!
If you receiver hitch is bolted/riveted to the actual Ford frame, then you might be able to increase the tow limit to the max chassis limit. MH builders almost always extend the frame longer in the rear, and as Dean said, they must certify the tow limit, as they are the licenced builder, that modified the frame. If you look under the MH, you may find the extention is not anything more than 3" angle iron welded up to extent the frame. The only dumb question, is the one you don't ask. Everybody was a newbe sometime.
Ford advertised a "towing capacity up to 11,300 pounds" for that chassis in that vintage, but never actually listed towing capacity as a separate rating, only the GCWR 26,000 pounds.
It is up to the finished vehicle manufacturer to list a towing capacity for the finished vehicle, based on their modifications and equipment. This does not get listed on the RVIA weight sticker in the closet, RVIA chose not to define or list a towing capacity.
If Rexhall assigned a towing capacity to the finished motorhome, they would have put the information in the Owner's Manual or as a separate document delivered to the original buyer. If you don't have this, you can find out from Rexhall, as they are still in business and have records of the ratings of everything they built; maintaining those is a Federal requirement.
You are likely to find that the towing capacity is reduced to something like 5000 pounds, for the finished vehicle. You no longer have the bare chassis delivered from Ford.
Don't even count on the receiver rating. Winnebago built a lot of A gassers on the F-53 chassis with a 5000/500 pound hitch, and added a separate sticker warning that 5000 pounds was for flat towing, tongue weight was limited to 350 pounds instead of what was on the hitch, and weight distributing hitches were not allowed. All that has to do with the frame extensions to which the hitch is attached.
There are no "laws" related to towing capacity, hitch capacity or anything else, in most places in North America, except for the basic laws that govern all vehicles. BC is an exception, there you are not allowed to exceed the vehicles GVWR as a provincial statute.
This MH is rated to tow up to a combined weight of 26K. If it weighs 16k loaded, it's rated to tow 10K. The GCWR is basically what the chassis can move and still have acceptable performance on the road. But the hitch rating is an issue - it has to be strong enough for the load, and yet again there are no "laws" governing that. the hitch rating is nothing more than what the manufacturer says it will do, it's not a government regulation, it's just their opinion on a sticker. The issues about chassis strength are very real, I know more people who broke off the rear chassis of their Class C towing heavy than didn't, actually! They all broke it, fixed it, and carried on with their lives towing their trailers.
Brian
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab, Hemi, 5 speed manual, 3.73 gears, Tow Beast hitch with 24" extension.
28 ft race car hauler, Lola T440 Formula Ford, NTM MK4 Sports Racer
1980 MCI MC-5C highway coach conversion
Unless you ask for it, I won't go into all the NCC and CCC stuff....But since you describe yourself as a newbie -- make sure that you look at CCC closely and not necessarily the NCC...A large NCC can be very misleading.
2003 Newmar DSDP 4005 dual slide king bed Spartan 350 Cummins 2004 Jeep Liberty 4X4 tow, SeaEagle boat in basement
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