How much weight do you tow? and with how much motor?

"lewi"......We just sold our 2005 Monaco Diplomat 36' SKT with a 400 ISL. This coach was an absolute rocket. It was exactly 37', bumper to bumper, weighed in loaded at 31000 pounds. I had chipped the motor and changed the engine fan. It was putting out roughly 450 HP.

We routinely towed our 5500 pound Chevy Silverado 4 door all over the country. It would pull any grade, including those through Mount Shasta and Grants Pass at 55 mph.

We also towed the Silverado, on occasion with a 1500 pound RZR in the bed, bringing our weight to 7K. Pulled the Baker into Vegas with the RZR at 55 without issue.

I would find a Cummins ISC 300 HP which will have 1000 ft lbs of torque while it's the ISB 300 HP that only has 660. Many adds do not tell you which 300 HP Cummins the MH has. Compared to the 8.3L ISC the 7.2L Cat (3126/C7) is only OK. Yes I had a 40' DP with a 330 HP 3126.
My gross combined weight is 45K and the ISL 400 (a stroked ISC) does surprising well.

The only 400 I can find to fit my length requirement is in an Western Alpine 34 and they appear tough to come by...and expensive.

Thanks Scott. Just the type of info I'm hoping to get. Do you know the percentage of grade you go up there? I'm not familiar with that area.

Thanks
Eric

We pull a 3200 lb Chevy HHR with a 41ft 400hp Cummins engine with 1200ftlbs of torque. It has a receiver rated at 10,000lbs. GVWR 34,620. GCWR 44,620.

lewi7722 wrote:
I am in the market for an upgrade to my motorhome. Recently bought a 24 foot enclosed trailer and fill it with sand toys up to 10,000 pounds. On a recent trip with just over 9000 pounds my gas rig barely made it home over steep mountain grades here in Far Nothern California (20-25 mph)...it was terrible.

Due to being in California I can't legally be over 65 feet which leaves me a maximum of 36 feet (actual length) for a replacement motorhome. In looking it appears the Cat motor has 850 lb feet of torque and the Cummins is at about 650-700 in the years ranging between 2003-2007 both have about 300 hp. Thinking about a 2006-2007 Fleetwood Expedition 34h with the Cat motor.

Questions is: What speed can I expect going up long 6% grades? What has your experience been towing heavy loads? Thanks for your replies.

ps. i read alot and rarely ever post, not quite the newbie it looks like.

Well Sir,
CAT, in it's last motors for road use before they decided to exit the "over the road" engine production, produced 860 ft. lbs. in both the 3126 (multiple versions of that model) and, the later one I have, the "C-7". Those versions, in road use, came in the 300, 330 and, 350 horse power, all as stated, in 860 ft. lbs.

They're all good motors. Our coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 and, the Allison 3000MH trans, pulls our present toad, an '11 GMC 1500 Extended cab (5,300 lbs.) and, in the bed of it, a 2008 Honda Goldwing, weighing right at, 900 lbs. and, a Rampage Lift, weighing right at 275-300 lbs. So, we're dragging around with us, about 6500 lbs.

The coach does great with that kind of load. Yep, it slows down on grades. On the grade just north of Bishop CA, it will cut down to right at about, 35-38 mph. But, if you've been there, that's a serious grade. Anything less than one like that, we hover between 45-55 mph.

I can't speak for any Cummins 'cause we've not owned one. But, I do have a buddy that's got a '99 Fleetwood Discovery, about a 36' model and, he's got the 275 HP Cummins in it. He's had the "Banks" kit installed now for almost the full time he's owned it and, I don't know what that kit kicks that engine up to in terms of HP and torque but, I will say this, he's real hard to keep up with and, he pulls a fully built Jeep which tops the scales at around 5,000 lbs.

And because most motor home manufacturers don't put large motors in small motor homes, (with very, very few exceptions), that's what you're looking at in terms of HP and torque.

You can go to a larger coach and find bigger motors but, the price tag skyrockets and, so does the length. That motor in ours, does absolutely great with that load. We hovered around 8.0 mpg on our recent 4,000 mile trip. The temp stayed where it was supposed to and all was good.
Scott

I checked all the chassis manufacturer numbers (ford f53) before hand and I was within the Gross combined weight rating for the coach. It wasn't scary but VERY frustrating. It is also a 1993 motorhome we've had for 10 years and use infrequently, it's time for an upgrade. Makes me concerned when I look at the GCWR for the newer coaches though and if I will have a similar outcome.

WOW !!!!!!!!! That is scary !!!!!! Most gassers are only rated for up to 5,000 pounds. Lucky you didn't break something. We tow a 4.000 pound Ford Flex, with a 35 foot Itasca (Ford V10). If I went much heavier, I would definitely be looking at a DP.