Forum Discussion

HowellJourney's avatar
HowellJourney
Explorer
Sep 21, 2014

Towing capacity of Sprinter motorhome

My wife and I are evaluating the purchase of a 2015 Winnebago View or Itasca Navion 24J. They in essence are the same motorhome except for color schemes.

We previously full-timed for two years in a 42-foot Monaco Executive but sold the unit ten years ago to built a retirement home. We pulled a 2004 VW Jetta Station wagon TDI with a manual transmission. With the 500 hp Cummins diesel, you never knew it was back there.

We have gone the "big bus" route (which my wife refused to drive) and have decided to go with the Sprinter based Class C to RV on part time basis.

My concern with the Sprinter towing capacity. We are getting ready to trade our five year old Buick Enclave for a smaller vehicle that we can equip and tow four wheels down.

The GCWR of the class C RV we are looking at is 15,250. The GVWR of the RV is 11,030. The wet weight of the RV is around 9,900 lbs. The RV has a tow bar rated at 5,000 lbs.

It is our understanding that we can carry the difference of 11,030 and 9,900 or 1,130 before we are overloaded on the RV itself.

As far as the weight of a potential dingy, would it be the difference of 15,250 and 11,030 or 4,220 lbs? This seems to be very heavy load for this unit. We are currently looking at the 2014 Honda CRV (3424 lbs) or the Chev. Equinox (3777 lbs).

Any input would we appreciated. (If you happen to own a Sprinter based RV, we like to hear what you tow).
Class C
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    Sep 22, 2014
    Are you willing to go for a LIGHT TOAD?

    We started out with a Toyota Tercel, under 2000#
    Then a little Mitsubishi (aka Dodge Ram 50) pickup around 2500#
    Sold both and went with Nissan Frontier nearly 4000#

    Towed Tercel and Mitsu with a 460 then Mitsu and Frontier with V10

    With both RV's we could tell between No Toad and Toad.

    We can feel the difference in towing the extra weight of Frontier over Mitsu.

    All this with big block or V10. Based on this, here's my counsel:

    Get a Toad that weighs (mfr's Curb Weight) less than 3000#. There are very nice vehicles meeting that spec.

    ***OR*** find a Toad with GVWR (door sticker Gross Vehicle Weight) less than 3000#. The Tercel GVWR was 2900-something#. There are a number of subcompacts that meet this also.

    I see this in Cars, Boats, RV's all the time. "Can it do it?" is not the same as "Will I like it?" We have a toad-capable Corolla (manual shift like all the others above are/were) and I'm ready to set it up for towing and save that 1000# or so when we don't want to take the Frontier on our trips.

    You're re-tooling your whole RV operation, so I'd suggest you match toad to new RV and don't try bumping the max in the ratings.
  • neschultz's avatar
    neschultz
    Explorer
    Sep 22, 2014
    Add another desert captain. We couldn't be happier or more satisfied with our Vias towing capability. We never had to slow down going over the Rocky Mountains (due to the Sprinter). And as a bonus, it goes down 5 mile long 6% grades with the cruise control on without having to use the brakes.
  • Butch50's avatar
    Butch50
    Explorer
    Sep 22, 2014
    I ran into many people in Alaska last year that had the MB Sprinter class C MH and a lot of them were towing toads. One of the most popular was the Honda CRV. I asked many of them how they towed the Honda and all were happy with it and had no problem pulling the hills. I was driving my Ford truck with a camper and followed a few on the MB Sprinters up the hills and they sure didn't seem to have any problem.

    I know I'm going to try towing a Subaru Crosstrek with ours. I'm supposed to get it on 10/15/14 so I'm ordering all of my towing gear for it now.
  • Dakzuki's avatar
    Dakzuki
    Explorer
    Sep 22, 2014
    Desert Captain wrote:
    I have yet to speak with an MB owner who was satisfied, much less happy with towing. A 10,000#+ coach with a 3,000 to 5,000# Toad is asking a lot of 188 HP. Wish I had a dollar for every MB with a Toad I have seen lugging up a 6% grade at 35 to 45 with their flashers on. :E

    Don't get me wrong, I think the MB diesel is a great engine but if there is a Toad in your future a big block V-8 or V-10 is going to be a far better choice... unless you are always a flatlander. :B

    As always.... Opinions and YMMV.

    :C


    Now you have. I am perfectly happy.:)

    BTW, think torque, not HP.
  • fortytwo's avatar
    fortytwo
    Explorer
    Sep 22, 2014
    My 08 View was limited to 3500 pounds towing. I pulled a Saturn wagon, loaded with 2 trikes and an inflatable kayak - total 3500 pounds, for over 20,000 miles with no problems. I was in 2nd gear and at 40mph when I climbed to Eisenhour tunnel at 11,500 feet, but I was watching the temp. Drove through most of the northern Rockies in the US and Canada. I usually manually downshifted on steep climbs to manage rpm and temps. You could easily pull a 4,000 pound toad anywhere with the new Sprinter V6's, as long as you're willing to downshift and watch the temps. I highly recommend a Scanguage II.

    Life had now dictated a 5,000 pound toad so I'm driving a Ford 450 with the magnificent V-10. You have choices.
  • Desert_Captain's avatar
    Desert_Captain
    Explorer III
    Sep 22, 2014
    I have yet to speak with an MB owner who was satisfied, much less happy with towing. A 10,000#+ coach with a 3,000 to 5,000# Toad is asking a lot of 188 HP. Wish I had a dollar for every MB with a Toad I have seen lugging up a 6% grade at 35 to 45 with their flashers on. :E

    Don't get me wrong, I think the MB diesel is a great engine but if there is a Toad in your future a big block V-8 or V-10 is going to be a far better choice... unless you are always a flatlander. :B

    As always.... Opinions and YMMV.

    :C
  • HowellJourney's avatar
    HowellJourney
    Explorer
    Sep 22, 2014
    I think the tow rating may have changed on the newer models. Per the Owners Manual for the 2015 Winnebago View available on line, it details a maximum tow rating of 5,000 lbs and a maximum tongue rating of 500 lbs. It then provides a disclosure that the actual tow rating of the actual unit many less.

    I know that I cannot tow 5,000 lbs but want to make sure a Honda CRV at roughly 3,425 or a Chev. Equinox at 3,700 is not too much for the RV.
  • Gonzo42's avatar
    Gonzo42
    Explorer
    Sep 21, 2014
    Per the owner's manual our rig has a towing capacity of 3500 lb max and a tongue weight of 350 lb max.
  • Dakzuki's avatar
    Dakzuki
    Explorer
    Sep 21, 2014
    Your loaded weight of the RV will at max gross...just assume that. That leaves you with about 4,000 lbs to work with for a toad. I tow about 3000 with my toad (and the stuff in it). I am comfortable with that. Others do in fact tow more. I know of somebody towing a Rubicon and hauls it around the Rockies. I would personally not be comfortable with that.

    If you look at the sticker on the driver's door frame, it will have the OCCC number for THAT PARTICULAR RV (including options, etc). OCCC is people, water, cargo, and tongue weight. It assumes full fuel and LP.

    The best resource for View/Navions is here: Skinnie Winnies

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