Mich F wrote:
Although this motor home is considered a 2008, it is built on a 2007 chassis. Ford did make considerable changes to the chassis in their 2008 model year. That being said, it looks like this MH was was rated at 14,050# GVWR (as were all Fords for that and a number of previous years). Fleetwood gave this MH a 19,050 GCWR,(with a 350# tongue weight limit) which should mean with the proper hitch it could pull 5,000#.
For others who might run into the same situation, the easiest way to tell if its a 2008 (or newer) chassis is the considerable differences in the front grill, which were made in the 2008 model year.
Of course there are some manufacturers that will list the specs of the cab manufacturer in their literature, but not equip their motor homes to those specs. An example of that is my 2014 Itasca E450 (on a 2013 chassis built by Ford in 12/12, with house built by Itasca in 1/13). They list the Ford specs of 14,500# GVWR and 22,000# GCWR in their literature, but then put a 5,000# hitch on it along with a sticker saying not to exceed 350# tongue weight. I can understand the tongue weight limit, but not so much the 5,000# hitch. I believe if the frame was stretched to the Ford specs, it should still be rated to tow 7,500#.
That is exactly what happened in this case. The 08 Brochure shows the same front end that the 07 and previous years had. So when I was looking at the 09 Class C's, they all had that new look. Never occurred to me to look at 08 Ford chassis, otherwise I would have saw the new look.
In the end, we'll just upgrade the hitch since my dingy is just over 3500#, we should be well under 5,000#.
