Did you reinforce your frame extensions before towing?

AndyW wrote:
I'm about to pull the trigger on a 2004 Forest River Sunseeker 2900, built on a Ford E450 chassis. My first RV of any type. This unit currently has a class 3 receiver hitch, presumably factory installed, with 500/5000 weight ratings stamped on it. I am planning to tow a small 2 horse trailer that weighs about 4850 lbs fully loaded.

I have had a number of people tell me that I need to

have a body shop reinforce the rear frame extensions before towing our horse trailer.

I've gotten a number of reasons for this:

- "RV manufacturers do a terrible job on this, never trust it"
- "horses are different, they are LIVE weight, and put more strain on a vehicle".
- "RV trailer towing ratings assume you are towing a car, which doesn't have significant tongue weight"
- "you should use a weight distributing hitch, and the hitch and frame extensions aren't set up for that from the factory"

My question is - do people regularly do this, and approximately how much should I expect it to cost?

For what it's worth, I currently tow this trailer with an F150, no weight distributing hitch, and have had zero issues or concerns.

YES.

I bought my Class C from people who showed horses. They had a 2 place slant with full dressing room.

They showed me all what was done to the frame for the hitch and they had a class 7 hitch on it. As you know horses 'scramble' and empty RV trailer does not.

You need to ask that question what your RV requires from "HORSE" people who use their MH's to tow. That know what it means when a horse starts scrambling while you are driving down the road.! :W

Where in Wisconsin are you located?