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.

way2roll wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
I must have dumb blind luck.. I never gave any attention to the hitch when I bought our coach. But after reading posts here about hitches I went out and looked.
Our hitch is all welded into the rear frame of the coach and rated at 10K.

Now I believe I know why Newmar has the reputation they do.
Better coach,= less worries.

Most DP's have a 10k hitch.

I'd agree to "some" if you look at ALL DP's on the road. I agree that "most" newer DPs have a 10K hitch.

for the OP...

in general, the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the GCWR (gross combination weight rating) of the MH minus the actual weight of the MH (defined as the sum of the actual weights on each axle) as it is loaded for travel (includes fuel, fresh water, food, clothing, people, pets, supplies, etc).

- the weight rating of your tow bar

- the weight rating of your hitch

this is why it's vital to know what your MH weighs as it is loaded and configure for travel before choosing a toad. Your MH will not collapse if it is overloaded but you will experience handling issues as well as longer braking distances and accelerated wear on suspension, brakes, steering, etc.

some might suggest simply subtracting the GVWR from the GCWR to get your max tow weight. while that's true to a point it also assumes that the actual weight of your MH does not exceed the GVWR. better to know than to assume.

Tom/Barb wrote:
I must have dumb blind luck.. I never gave any attention to the hitch when I bought our coach. But after reading posts here about hitches I went out and looked.
Our hitch is all welded into the rear frame of the coach and rated at 10K.

Now I believe I know why Newmar has the reputation they do.
Better coach,= less worries.

Most DP's have a 10k hitch.

I must have dumb blind luck.. I never gave any attention to the hitch when I bought our coach. But after reading posts here about hitches I went out and looked.
Our hitch is all welded into the rear frame of the coach and rated at 10K.

Now I believe I know why Newmar has the reputation they do.
Better coach,= less worries.

People overload stuff all the time and get away with it. Other people don't get so lucky. I would not go over the manufacturer's tow/haul ratings for any reason. The consequences can be deadly to others or yourself. Can you live with the fact that you killed someone because you thought it was safe because someone else do it?

way2roll wrote:

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I think your question is about a toy hauler not the DP you mentioned. I have no idea what my 32ft Pace tri axel trailer with a door car, atv, generator, etc weighs but I have towed it over 100,000mi behind my 40ft Winnebago DP with a factory hitch and never had any sign of a problem. I check everything closely and often. What I find on this site is often more what you can't do rather than what you can do by experts that have never done it...But I see 7000+lb trailers all over the race tracks many being towed by 1/2 ton pickups and class C motorhomes which I doubt have a class V hitch..Just my thoughts.

Advising someone to ignore and exceed the limits of their equipment is pretty irresponsible. It's likely you have a 10k hitch on yours in which you probably are fine. With a 5k hitch you probably wouldn't be.

Tiffin has a HITCH RECALL on their Ford Chassis motorhomes built since 2011. The reason? IDIOTS towed MORE than the 5000lb hitch rating and the Hitch mount to the chassis separated. HOW did Tiffin know this? The only 2 failures were documented by Tiffin that they were towing about 7500 lbs. So, Tiffin has a recall to install back up plates and larger mount bolts for the hitch and frame rails. Tiffin understands that IDIOTS will not follow the 5000 lb rating and decided to recall and beef up for those that exceed the safety ratings. JUST BECAUSE YOU DO SOMETHING WITH NO ADVERSE AFFECTS DOES NOT MEAN IT IS A SAFE THING TO DO---THINK IDIOTS TEXTING AND OPERATING THEIR CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING. Doug

So just putting a heavier hitch on increases the capability of the MH? Interesting.

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I think your question is about a toy hauler not the DP you mentioned. I have no idea what my 32ft Pace tri axel trailer with a door car, atv, generator, etc weighs but I have towed it over 100,000mi behind my 40ft Winnebago DP with a factory hitch and never had any sign of a problem. I check everything closely and often. What I find on this site is often more what you can't do rather than what you can do by experts that have never done it...But I see 7000+lb trailers all over the race tracks many being towed by 1/2 ton pickups and class C motorhomes which I doubt have a class V hitch..Just my thoughts.

Advising someone to ignore and exceed the limits of their equipment is pretty irresponsible. It's likely you have a 10k hitch on yours in which you probably are fine. With a 5k hitch you probably wouldn't be.

I think your question is about a toy hauler not the DP you mentioned. I have no idea what my 32ft Pace tri axel trailer with a door car, atv, generator, etc weighs but I have towed it over 100,000mi behind my 40ft Winnebago DP with a factory hitch and never had any sign of a problem. I check everything closely and often. What I find on this site is often more what you can't do rather than what you can do by experts that have never done it...But I see 7000+lb trailers all over the race tracks many being towed by 1/2 ton pickups and class C motorhomes which I doubt have a class V hitch..Just my thoughts.

Ductape wrote:
Get a 10k hitch installed.

there may be more to it than just changing the hitch. for one the brakes on your MH are engineered for the GVWR of the MH, not the MH plus the toad. if you decide to do this please consult with a professional who can properly advise you.