Towing a 2 horse trailer

BiggYella wrote:
I realize that this was a few years ago, but are you open to a few questions about this?

Thanks either way.

ron.dittmer wrote:
If buying a new motor home and favor a class C or B+, consider a shorter/smaller/lighter motor home which would normally be built on an E350 chassis, but instead order it on an E450 chassis, and have the manufacture beef up the frame extension and also have them install a 7000 pound hitch.

Our shorter E350 rig HERE with a main floor double bed is a popular rig for an E450 upgrade. The manufacture Phoenix USA HERE is exceptional for such upgrades including more demanding frame extensions and hitch.

For your particular horse trailer application, I would also get front and rear heavy duty stabilizer bars, a rear trac bar, and a heavy duty front steering stabilizer. All setup properly, you and your 4 legged cargo will be safe, and you'll be driving in full confidence.

I also recommend the same for people who want to tow a serious travel trailer, a car in or on a trailer, or a serious boat. Tongue weight and curb weight is the issue at hand. When towing another vehicle 4 wheels down like we do, it's all good with the standard E350 along with those same suspension upgrades I had mentioned.

I suppose if your travels are consistently an hour or two away, always on flat terrain, then you can get away with much less. I am assuming you are traveling around USA, driving all kinds of paved roads.

Sure, ask away.

I realize that this was a few years ago, but are you open to a few questions about this?

Thanks either way.

ron.dittmer wrote:
If buying a new motor home and favor a class C or B+, consider a shorter/smaller/lighter motor home which would normally be built on an E350 chassis, but instead order it on an E450 chassis, and have the manufacture beef up the frame extension and also have them install a 7000 pound hitch.

Our shorter E350 rig HERE with a main floor double bed is a popular rig for an E450 upgrade. The manufacture Phoenix USA HERE is exceptional for such upgrades including more demanding frame extensions and hitch.

For your particular horse trailer application, I would also get front and rear heavy duty stabilizer bars, a rear trac bar, and a heavy duty front steering stabilizer. All setup properly, you and your 4 legged cargo will be safe, and you'll be driving in full confidence.

I also recommend the same for people who want to tow a serious travel trailer, a car in or on a trailer, or a serious boat. Tongue weight and curb weight is the issue at hand. When towing another vehicle 4 wheels down like we do, it's all good with the standard E350 along with those same suspension upgrades I had mentioned.

I suppose if your travels are consistently an hour or two away, always on flat terrain, then you can get away with much less. I am assuming you are traveling around USA, driving all kinds of paved roads.

As has been stated a number of times many of the newer Class Cs are rated to tow up to the Ford 7,500# rating. What should also be noted is that many new Class As are not rated to tow anywhere near that much.
Assuming you come up with a MH rated to tow 7,000# , whether right from the RV builder, or after-market mods have been made to the hitch and frame extensions that would allow safely towing that much, another factor to consider is tongue weight. With 7,000# of horses and trailer you probably would have 10% (or more) tongue weight. That's 700# or more, added to the load on the motor home. That much weight would probably exceed the rating of a lot of rear axles, if not the whole GVWR. A properly adjusted weight distribution hitch would lessen that issue. Of course a weight distribution hitch should only be used on a MH whose frame and frame extensions have been properly "beefed up", to allow towing that much weight to begin with.

Lots of new class Cs are coming with a 7500lb tow rating. Prior to that 5000 was pretty common, 3500 sometimes as well.

I have an older 30' class C on an E450 that was originally rated for 3500 lbs towing. I took it to a heavy truck shop, had them reinforce the frame and add a 10k hitch, and they said it would be safe up to the GCWR/GVWR and axle ratings. Which comes out to around 7-8k depending on how heavy we pack.

I pull a small two horse that weighs around 5500 lbs fully loaded without issue. If anything, I've noticed that the motorhome is MORE stable with the trailer hooked up.

My biggest problem is ground clearance. I need a 6" drop hitch for my trailer to be level, which hanging waaaay back of the axle means I need to be extremely careful about any large bumps or inclines so that I don't bottom out.

Thanks for the info everyone!

My wife drives a 30' class C and pulls a 2 horse trailer all over Texas with ease. Most of the time with 1 horse but can't tell the difference when she has 2. Ford V-10. We beefed up the frame and hitch and 7,500 miles later no problem. I have her set up with cameras so she can see behind the coach to hook up, behind the trailer to park and inside the trailer to check on the horses while going down the road.

rekoj71 wrote:
I've never seen a regular class C with more than a 5000lb tow rating unless it was a Diesel Super C.

While this may not meet the OP's need for "small", Coachmen has 30'& 32' models on E450 with 7500lb rating.

If buying a new motor home and favor a class C or B+, consider a shorter/smaller/lighter motor home which would normally be built on an E350 chassis, but instead order it on an E450 chassis, and have the manufacture beef up the frame extension and also have them install a 7000 pound hitch.

Our shorter E350 rig HERE with a main floor double bed is a popular rig for an E450 upgrade. The manufacture Phoenix USA HERE is exceptional for such upgrades including more demanding frame extensions and hitch.

For your particular horse trailer application, I would also get front and rear heavy duty stabilizer bars, a rear trac bar, and a heavy duty front steering stabilizer. All setup properly, you and your 4 legged cargo will be safe, and you'll be driving in full confidence.

I also recommend the same for people who want to tow a serious travel trailer, a car in or on a trailer, or a serious boat. Tongue weight and curb weight is the issue at hand. When towing another vehicle 4 wheels down like we do, it's all good with the standard E350 along with those same suspension upgrades I had mentioned.

I suppose if your travels are consistently an hour or two away, always on flat terrain, then you can get away with much less. I am assuming you are traveling around USA, driving all kinds of paved roads.

I pull a 3 horse with my class C. I rarely take 3 horses generally just 2 but it's nice to have the extra space for hay etc... I am meeting more and more people doing the same thing on every trip. I use a weight distribution hitch with sway control, and firestone ride right airbags. I also had the overhang reinforced. It pulls fantastic, I never know the trailer is back there unless I look at the camera :)

If you are going to load it to 7000lbs even most gas class A's will not be rated for that. Most all gas class A's are rated for 5000lbs towing while a lot of diesels are rated for 10,000lbs. Class C's are mixed as some can tow up to 5000 but some can not. I've never seen a regular class C with more than a 5000lb tow rating unless it was a Diesel Super C.
I understand your trailer is rated to 7000lbs but does it need to be loaded to that weight or could you still fit your needs only loaded to 5000?