I have a family of 5. I want a Class C that can tow my boat which, fully loaded on the trailer, is about 6,500 pounds. We would go to lakes around VA and WV so mountains will be involved.What I'd really like is one of the Super C motor homes built on the Chevy Kodiak chassis but they are rare and the newest ones are 2009. I see some Class C motor homes with 14,500 pound GVWR and a 22,000 GCWR leaving 7,500 pounds of tow capacity.I'm looking for anyone who tows this much with one of these rigs. How does it handle? Are you up against (or over) the GVWR even without the trailer?My suspicion is that loading a 14,500 GVWR Class C for a two week trip with a family of 5 is going to probably put it at or over GVWR anyway. I'm guessing that hooking 6,500 pounds on the hitch will be pushing the limits of the rig to the maximum. By the way, I don't want a Class A. They just aren't set up for families with no overhead bunk. Also, it would drive me crazy not having a drivers' door when hitching, unhitching, launching, retrieving the boat, and getting fuel.My crew cab dually with truck camper worked great for towing but with a family of 5 it was just too small. I wish they made TCs with bunk beds.

KD4UPL wrote:I have a family of 5. I want a Class C that can tow my boat which, fully loaded on the trailer, is about 6,500 pounds. We would go to lakes around VA and WV so mountains will be involved.What I'd really like is one of the Super C motor homes built on the Chevy Kodiak chassis but they are rare and the newest ones are 2009. I see some Class C motor homes with 14,500 pound GVWR and a 22,000 GCWR leaving 7,500 pounds of tow capacity.I'm looking for anyone who tows this much with one of these rigs. How does it handle? Are you up against (or over) the GVWR even without the trailer?My suspicion is that loading a 14,500 GVWR Class C for a two week trip with a family of 5 is going to probably put it at or over GVWR anyway. I'm guessing that hooking 6,500 pounds on the hitch will be pushing the limits of the rig to the maximum. By the way, I don't want a Class A. They just aren't set up for families with no overhead bunk. Also, it would drive me crazy not having a drivers' door when hitching, unhitching, launching, retrieving the boat, and getting fuel.My crew cab dually with truck camper worked great for towing but with a family of 5 it was just too small. I wish they made TCs with bunk beds.I think diesel/Super C is your only safe option. You'll get more GVWR for the 5 people load, and plenty of hitch GCWR for the boat. If you exceed either GVWR/GCWR with any combination, you're endangering yourself and others. Go big, or stay home with a big diesel class C.Agree about the class A, I can't iamgine trying to maneuver one at a boat ramp/launch. It might be possible, but not a great option.

Its not like a tc with 4x4 option as well as ground clearance. You don't want to be dipping the class C overhang into water. At the very least , you should look for a limited slip rear and depending on ramp conditions , you might have to bypass some ramps.Be prepared regarding the expense of a super C’s upkeep.

The new C's with the 7.3 likely fare better than the older ones. I know JAYCO has a couple that meet your requirements.

Start checking yellow stickers. Not all Class Cs are payload-limited. My sisters has 4,500 pounds of carrying capacity, but hers is shorter. Even some of the bigger ones aren't too bad if you skip the full-wall slide (removing an entire load-bearing wall isn't the best idea anyways IMO).The E450 holds up fine at max GCWR. I haven't driven a new 7.3L yet but it should be even better, since it has more quite a bit more power (more than the number suggest, since they also rated under the newer SAE engine-dyno standard). Just watch that payload.The Kodiak wasn't a great a chassis new, aside from the Duramax powertrain. The chassis electrical was problematic, due to brittle connectors and poorly-protected wire-mains. My shop pulled ours out of service because the electrical issues became a driving hazard, but the intermittent nature made it hard to pinpoint, and new harnesses were hard to come by at the time. Possibly impossible now. Any other Super C (as long as it doesn't have the Navistar 6.0/6.4L MaxForce) would be better.

Not recommending this but just my experience...I have a 2002 31ft class C,E450,V10,air bags with 30 lbs. air.Myself and a couple friends go on 2 trips a year,for many years,averaging 1500 miles a trip,sometimes more.The three of us are at least 750 lbs of meat and the RV is loaded for bear.The boat weighs approximately the same as yours,175 lbs of tongue weight.Never had any real issues.Backing the rig at the ramp is way easier than people think.Guys freak out thinking we will tie up the ramp but we're usually faster than everybody.Anyway...Brakes are the biggest thing.Make sure the trailer and chassis brakes work correctly.Don't take any chances with tires and check pressures frequently.You won't pass anybody going up hill but find the gear and keep the V10 wound up.To sum up,this rig goes good and stops good,and it's done it for many miles under many different conditions.

Towing 6,500 pounds with a class C | Good Sam Community

MDKMDK
Explorer
Oct 11, 2021
KD4UPL wrote:
I have a family of 5. I want a Class C that can tow my boat which, fully loaded on the trailer, is about 6,500 pounds. We would go to lakes around VA and WV so mountains will be involved.
What I'd really like is one of the Super C motor homes built on the Chevy Kodiak chassis but they are rare and the newest ones are 2009. I see some Class C motor homes with 14,500 pound GVWR and a 22,000 GCWR leaving 7,500 pounds of tow capacity.
I'm looking for anyone who tows this much with one of these rigs. How does it handle? Are you up against (or over) the GVWR even without the trailer?
My suspicion is that loading a 14,500 GVWR Class C for a two week trip with a family of 5 is going to probably put it at or over GVWR anyway. I'm guessing that hooking 6,500 pounds on the hitch will be pushing the limits of the rig to the maximum.

By the way, I don't want a Class A. They just aren't set up for families with no overhead bunk. Also, it would drive me crazy not having a drivers' door when hitching, unhitching, launching, retrieving the boat, and getting fuel.
My crew cab dually with truck camper worked great for towing but with a family of 5 it was just too small. I wish they made TCs with bunk beds.

I think diesel/Super C is your only safe option. You'll get more GVWR for the 5 people load, and plenty of hitch GCWR for the boat. If you exceed either GVWR/GCWR with any combination, you're endangering yourself and others. Go big, or stay home with a big diesel class C.
Agree about the class A, I can't iamgine trying to maneuver one at a boat ramp/launch. It might be possible, but not a great option.
- Kristopher528
  Explorer
  Jun 08, 2024
  For the money, look at getting a used F-350 with a Lance Camper you can remove or tow with. I use a Chevy 2500HD crew cab for the family with 4x4 for getting up/down the moss covered boat ramps, + 2020 Striper 200 Walk Around fishing boat loaded with gear and fuel around 6000 lbs. I am right at the max on my limits of the Chevy 2500 but it works for flat towing to and from the boat ramp. I even have to back up my boat to my driveway off a steep hill at around 6% grade with some tricks but it works (I have to use a C-clamp on my boat trailer to keep the pin on the brakes from falling out when the boat weight pushes the tongue forward. I have not found a way to do it by electrically disengaging my trailer brakes otherwise they will lock up and I cannot back up a hill.
bobndot
Explorer II
Oct 11, 2021
Its not like a tc with 4x4 option as well as ground clearance. You don't want to be dipping the class C overhang into water.
At the very least , you should look for a limited slip rear and depending on ramp conditions , you might have to bypass some ramps.

Be prepared regarding the expense of a super C’s upkeep.
wanderingaimles
Explorer
Oct 11, 2021
The new C's with the 7.3 likely fare better than the older ones. I know JAYCO has a couple that meet your requirements.
carringb
Explorer
Oct 11, 2021
Start checking yellow stickers. Not all Class Cs are payload-limited. My sisters has 4,500 pounds of carrying capacity, but hers is shorter. Even some of the bigger ones aren't too bad if you skip the full-wall slide (removing an entire load-bearing wall isn't the best idea anyways IMO).

The E450 holds up fine at max GCWR. I haven't driven a new 7.3L yet but it should be even better, since it has more quite a bit more power (more than the number suggest, since they also rated under the newer SAE engine-dyno standard). Just watch that payload.

The Kodiak wasn't a great a chassis new, aside from the Duramax powertrain. The chassis electrical was problematic, due to brittle connectors and poorly-protected wire-mains. My shop pulled ours out of service because the electrical issues became a driving hazard, but the intermittent nature made it hard to pinpoint, and new harnesses were hard to come by at the time. Possibly impossible now. Any other Super C (as long as it doesn't have the Navistar 6.0/6.4L MaxForce) would be better.
30sweeds
Explorer
Oct 11, 2021
Not recommending this but just my experience...I have a 2002 31ft class C,E450,V10,air bags with 30 lbs. air.Myself and a couple friends go on 2 trips a year,for many years,averaging 1500 miles a trip,sometimes more.The three of us are at least 750 lbs of meat and the RV is loaded for bear.The boat weighs approximately the same as yours,175 lbs of tongue weight.Never had any real issues.Backing the rig at the ramp is way easier than people think.Guys freak out thinking we will tie up the ramp but we're usually faster than everybody.Anyway...Brakes are the biggest thing.Make sure the trailer and chassis brakes work correctly.Don't take any chances with tires and check pressures frequently.You won't pass anybody going up hill but find the gear and keep the V10 wound up.To sum up,this rig goes good and stops good,and it's done it for many miles under many different conditions.
Tom_Anderson
Explorer
Oct 12, 2021
We have a 2021 Forest Ranch Sunseeker on an E450 chassis with the 7.3 and 6-speed. It's rated to tow 7500lbs. I tow a lot more than you're planning on towing and it stops, goes, and handles amazingly. I'm seriously impressed with it. And I do quite a bit of mountain driving, too.
RobertRyan
Explorer
Oct 13, 2021
Several Motorhomes are rated to tow 7,700lb on either a Japanese Light Truck or IVECO Daily chassis in Australia' these are roughly 31 to 28-29ft. Do not know about a E450
KD4UPL
Explorer
Oct 13, 2021
Tom,
Have you ever weighed the RV, with and without the trailer? I'd be real curious how your weights compare to the ratings.
Tom_Anderson
Explorer
Oct 13, 2021
KD4UPL wrote:
Tom,
Have you ever weighed the RV, with and without the trailer? I'd be real curious how your weights compare to the ratings.

I haven't had it very long, so I haven't had a chance to weigh it yet. If I had to guess, I would say the RV itself is under GVWR, but I know the trailer is right at the 7500lb. maximum.
bobndot
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2021
KD4UPL, you need to find a floorplan with belted comfortable seating for your passengers.
If long over the road trips are in your plans then you might want to try the comfort of a U-dinette for an hour or so. We found it very uncomfortable for extended time periods and had to alter ours and install gaming chair recliners mounted to the plywood decking of the u-dinette.
However I would not allow people to ride in that kind of stationary setup.