Towing weight limit

dougrainer wrote:
The WEIGHT/LOAD limit for the HITCH is what the HITCH is designed for and the Chassis mount/frame is designed for. You CANNOT just add a 10k hitch and think you are OK. Some Chassis/Frames you can install a 10k hitch but you must first find out from the Chassis maker if that is possible. If NOT, you can go to a certified welder and have him beef up the rear chassis/Frame to allow a 10k hitch to be installed. Doug

Well... I was with this all the way UNTIL the foolish idea of taking a coach to a certified welder somehow changes engineered weight ratings. There is not a welder, certified or not on the planet that can re-rate the specifications set by the chassis manufacturer. Additionally, my guess is that most welders don't have enough liability insurance to be able to stand behind their work should there be a serious accident and God forbid, there is a loss of life.

A lot of the nonsense advice given here could well cause someone to get themselves in a great deal of trouble. Unless I missed it reading through these posts (and that is possible), not one mentioned the federal requirements for weight ratings that are posted inside every coach. The one that is important in this case is GCWR or Gross Combined Weight Rating. The definition for that rating is as follows: "GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable combined weight of the tow vehicle and the attached towed vehicle. GCWR assumes that both vehicles have functioning brakes, with exceptions in some cases for very light towed vehicles (less than 1,500 lbs). Check your chassis manual or manufacturer towing guide." Follow the ratings engineered by the chassis manufacturer and stay out of trouble and out of lawsuits. Really pretty simple.