I am going to re-visit this subject with a little more specificity to my situation. I ordered back in March a 2022 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 36LA with the new to this year liquid spring option. This was before the new brochure and specs were posted and right at the beginning of the take over by Thor.Regarding my towing capacity, I am a bit confused. The brochure for the 36LA with liquid spring option shows a hitch rating of 5000 lbs. and a max trailer weight of 6000 lbs. On the surface, this doesn’t make sense.To further confuse things the GVWR is 26,000 lbs. and the GCWR is 30,000 lbs. according to the brochure. This is a difference of 4000 lbs. So, what weight can I actually tow? 4000, 5000 or 6000 lbs.??By everything I’ve read, I think I am limited to 4000 lbs. If that’s the case I’m kinda screwed because my new Bronco Sport is 3500 lbs. and the aluminum trailer is 1100 lbs. FWIW the non liquid spring version has a 6000 lb. spread between GVWR and GCWR. I may have sacrificed towing capacity for ride/handling quality.

What you have is a standard hitch weight of 5000 pounds. Has nothing to do with your TV. You are limited in your GCWR if you are loaded to your GVWR. You can tow 4000 pounds or less and be within specs. I don't know but is the Bronco four down towable?

Alex and Tee,You said "The brochure for the 36LA with liquid spring option shows a hitch rating of 5000 lbs. and a max trailer weight of 6000 lbs. On the surface, this doesn’t make sense." You are correct. This does NOT make sense. With a 5,000 lb. hitch, you are limited to towing 5,000 lbs. Period. Perhaps there's a misprint on one of the numbers. But perhaps you can call the factory to verify the true towing capacity?If your rig is loaded to the 26,000 lb. GVWR, then you can only tow 4,000 lbs, which puts you at the GCWR of 30,000 lbs. It's the GCWR that is the upper limit. That's what bgum mentioned above.If your rig is loaded to 25,000 lb.s or less, then you can tow up to 5,000 lbs., as your tow bar now limits you to 5,000 lbs. Even if your rig weighs in at 24,000 lbs, with that 5,000 lb. hitch, you will be limited to towing 5,000 lbs., and you will be 1,000 lbs. under your GCWR. Your hitch is limiting your towable weight in this case. You should be OK here, because your trailer and vehicle are 4,600 lbs. By the numbers, that means your rig can weigh up to 25,400 lbs. plus the 4,600 of trailer/vehicle equals the 30,000 lb. GCWR. It's close, but you're within the ratings AS LONG AS the rig is 25,400 lbs. or less, loaded to travel. IF you upgrade the hitch to say 6,000 lbs. by someone who knows what they're doing, your maximum towing capability will be up to 6,000 lbs. This requires that your loaded rig weighs LESS than 24,000 lbs. In other words, your towing capacity is the lesser of:The tow bar rating or GCWR minus weight of the moho loaded for travel.I think you'll be OK. I'm wondering why there's a difference in ratings. Do you know if the rear axle weight ratings are different between the two models? Maybe the new spring system reduces the rear GAWR, which could reduce the hitch weight one is able to put onto the hitch, and to reflect that, they reduced the overall tow rating. For what it's worth, on our rig, it has a GVWR of 22,000 lbs. and a GCWR of 26,000 lbs. Our Honda Odyssey weighs in a bit under 4,500 pounds, so basically I have to keep the rig's travelling weight down to 21,500 lbs. or so. The empty weight of our rig is about 18,700 lbs., so that gives us just about 2,800 lbs. to carry people, food, water & stuff. We've flirted with reaching the 26,000 GVWR a couple of times, on extended trips, but usually we're under it by at least 500 lbs. And we almost always travel with the fresh water tank full (80 gallons). Hope this helps!~Rick

The rear axle is rated at 17,500 with liquid springs, 15,500 without. I think what I need to find out is what the curb weight is so I know what the difference is between that and GVWR. Bronco sport is not dolly or 4 down towable.

Yes, you need to weigh your MH and get, at a minimum, the front and rear axle weights. I have a 2006 National Seabreeze and have a 22,000/26,000 rating. My weight loaded (full water and load) is 18,980, so I'm 7,020 lbs under my max overall. However, my hitch is a class III hitch, but the manual/specs says I can only tow 5,000 lbs. My Acadia is 4,500 lbs so I'm good. As long as your loaded weight is 25,000 lbs or less you're good with what you have.BTW - just because the class III hitch can be rated for 6,000 lbs (https://www.drawtite-hitches.com/learning_center/general-towing-classes) you should follow the manufacturers specs for your motorhome, as it's just not the hitch rating, but the hitch/frame combination.Al

Alex and Tee wrote:The rear axle is rated at 17,500 with liquid springs, 15,500 without. I think what I need to find out is what the curb weight is so I know what the difference is between that and GVWR. Bronco sport is not dolly or 4 down towable.Should have bought a Jeep! ;). The new Bronco are pretty cool looking, and I think it’s good Jeep has some competition.

Towing Capacity | Good Sam Community

31 Replies

willald
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2021
way2roll wrote:
FloridaRosebud wrote:
willald wrote:
Alex and Tee wrote:
...I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.

That is sort of what I did. Did the tow dolly thing for a while when first got the Motorhome back in 2012. Only took one season (about a year) to learn it wasn't for me. Sold the dolly, traded the vehicle in for one that was flat towable, and went to flat towing.

That was about 8 years ago; have flat towed ever since.

At least in your case, if you do decide to go to flat towing, you won't have to trade vehicles. You'll already have the right vehicle for it. :)

If/when you do decide to go to flat towing, take a long, hard look at the Readybrake Elite tow bar. Can be had for around $1500, has built in braking, no need to spend another $1k on a totally separate braking system that you have to keep putting in and taking out. With a Readybrake setup, you can easily set things up completely for flat towing for half of that $6k that guy quoted you. Even with someone else doing the installation work.

So let me ask a question about the Readybrake. One of the reasons for a brake buddy (or whatever brand) is if the Toad becomes detached from the MH the brake buddy will apply the brakes to stop it (in theory). How does that part of the equation work with the Readybrake?

Al

There is a breakaway kit. It's essentially a cable that applies the towed vehicles brakes if it becomes unhooked. Simple, mechanical and very cheap.

...What way2roll said. Readybrake has a very simple, effective cable device for breakaway. It is very cheap, or I believe in some cases they will bundle it with a tow bar purchase (or they used to).

JMHO, but no matter what braking system you use or even if you don't use one at all, a break-away setup of some kind is a must.
way2roll
Navigator II
Jul 22, 2021
FloridaRosebud wrote:
willald wrote:
Alex and Tee wrote:
...I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.

That is sort of what I did. Did the tow dolly thing for a while when first got the Motorhome back in 2012. Only took one season (about a year) to learn it wasn't for me. Sold the dolly, traded the vehicle in for one that was flat towable, and went to flat towing.

That was about 8 years ago; have flat towed ever since.

At least in your case, if you do decide to go to flat towing, you won't have to trade vehicles. You'll already have the right vehicle for it. :)

If/when you do decide to go to flat towing, take a long, hard look at the Readybrake Elite tow bar. Can be had for around $1500, has built in braking, no need to spend another $1k on a totally separate braking system that you have to keep putting in and taking out. With a Readybrake setup, you can easily set things up completely for flat towing for half of that $6k that guy quoted you. Even with someone else doing the installation work.

So let me ask a question about the Readybrake. One of the reasons for a brake buddy (or whatever brand) is if the Toad becomes detached from the MH the brake buddy will apply the brakes to stop it (in theory). How does that part of the equation work with the Readybrake?

Al

There is a breakaway kit. It's essentially a cable that applies the towed vehicles brakes if it becomes unhooked. Simple, mechanical and very cheap.
FloridaRosebud
Explorer
Jul 22, 2021
willald wrote:
Alex and Tee wrote:
...I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.

That is sort of what I did. Did the tow dolly thing for a while when first got the Motorhome back in 2012. Only took one season (about a year) to learn it wasn't for me. Sold the dolly, traded the vehicle in for one that was flat towable, and went to flat towing.

That was about 8 years ago; have flat towed ever since.

At least in your case, if you do decide to go to flat towing, you won't have to trade vehicles. You'll already have the right vehicle for it. :)

If/when you do decide to go to flat towing, take a long, hard look at the Readybrake Elite tow bar. Can be had for around $1500, has built in braking, no need to spend another $1k on a totally separate braking system that you have to keep putting in and taking out. With a Readybrake setup, you can easily set things up completely for flat towing for half of that $6k that guy quoted you. Even with someone else doing the installation work.

So let me ask a question about the Readybrake. One of the reasons for a brake buddy (or whatever brand) is if the Toad becomes detached from the MH the brake buddy will apply the brakes to stop it (in theory). How does that part of the equation work with the Readybrake?

Al
willald
Explorer II
Jul 22, 2021
Alex and Tee wrote:
...I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.

That is sort of what I did. Did the tow dolly thing for a while when first got the Motorhome back in 2012. Only took one season (about a year) to learn it wasn't for me. Sold the dolly, traded the vehicle in for one that was flat towable, and went to flat towing.

That was about 8 years ago; have flat towed ever since.

At least in your case, if you do decide to go to flat towing, you won't have to trade vehicles. You'll already have the right vehicle for it. :)

If/when you do decide to go to flat towing, take a long, hard look at the Readybrake Elite tow bar. Can be had for around $1500, has built in braking, no need to spend another $1k on a totally separate braking system that you have to keep putting in and taking out. With a Readybrake setup, you can easily set things up completely for flat towing for half of that $6k that guy quoted you. Even with someone else doing the installation work.
way2roll
Navigator II
Jul 22, 2021
Alex and Tee wrote:
Not correct Dodge Guy. I checked the owners manual before making the purchase. The Colorado 4x4 can be towed 4 down or dolly towed.

That said, thanks to another poster, I found a dealer locally that has a Master Tow dolly with electric brakes for $1520 plus tax. Still not convinced to flat tow and spend the extra $$ but appreciate everyone’s input. I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.

Nothing wrong with that approach. I started with a dolly and went to flat tow. People snatch up dolly's fast so it's likely if you want to sell it in the future you can probably get near what you paid.

Sounds like you are putting together a nice set up.
Alex_and_Tee
Explorer
Jul 22, 2021
Not correct Dodge Guy. I checked the owners manual before making the purchase. The Colorado 4x4 can be towed 4 down or dolly towed.

That said, thanks to another poster, I found a dealer locally that has a Master Tow dolly with electric brakes for $1520 plus tax. Still not convinced to flat tow and spend the extra $$ but appreciate everyone’s input. I guess I will learn soon enough if my decision was the right one and I can always sell the dolly and go 4 down at any time if it turns out to be the wrong decision.
FloridaRosebud
Explorer
Jul 21, 2021
Alex and Tee wrote:
Regarding flat tow vs. dolly tow, I spoke with one of the service guys awhile back at LaMesa where we are buying our Tiffin and he told me that it would cost around $6k for them to set up a vehicle for flat tow. The parts alone I priced out with Blue Ox and a Stealth brake system and that alone is $2900. The dolly I am looking at is $2250 with brakes and $450 shipping.

Yeah, that's way high. It cost me $1100 installed for the system on my car (Acadia), $1200 for tow bar, and less than $1000 for the brake buddy. So $6,000 is about twice what it should cost, and as others have said, WAY easier to flat tow than use a dolly or trailer.

Al
LouLawrence
Explorer
Jul 21, 2021
Alex and Tee wrote:
Because my wife doesn’t like the Jeep. Happy wife, happy life.

Really? None of them? Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, others (I hate the Wrangler as well).
Of course, Jeep is not the only other option. There are a plethora of cars/SUV's that are towable 4 wheels down.
Sorry, hope this does not distract from the OP's original topic.
Alex_and_Tee
Explorer
Jul 21, 2021
Thank you for your kind offer. I am unable to install this myself as I haven't the place or the tools. I am uncomfortable with buying used. We will have a new RV, new truck and So I want to start with everything new.

I was looking at a dolly that is made by Tow Smart. I was first interested in their stand up dolly but now like the one with the folding tongue. I called Master Tow and they have a dolly with electric brakes for $1900 and a dealer near me so thank you for the heads up on that.
way2roll
Navigator II
Jul 21, 2021
Alex and Tee wrote:
Regarding flat tow vs. dolly tow, I spoke with one of the service guys awhile back at LaMesa where we are buying our Tiffin and he told me that it would cost around $6k for them to set up a vehicle for flat tow. The parts alone I priced out with Blue Ox and a Stealth brake system and that alone is $2900. The dolly I am looking at is $2250 with brakes and $450 shipping.

I set up our CRV to flat tow for about $1700. Ready brute elite tow bars with integrated brakes and blue ox base plates. Of course a shop will cost you more, but a quote of $6k was someone not wanting to do the work. And an RV shop is likely the most expensive place to have it installed. A local auto shop would do it for much less, or do it yourself for free. Taking my time, it was a 6 hour job with basic tools and that was completely removing the front of the car and taking my time. And where are you buying a dolly for $2250 ($2700 total) ? You can get a master tow with built in brakes new for $1600. Cheaper if you look on Craglist or Ebay.

Since we moved to a FW I still have my ready brute elite bars with built in surge brakes that I don't need. I could let them go for much less than you'd pay new. PM me if interested.

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Towing Capacity

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