Towing with View Profile

Olddud wrote:
I love the View, but noticed the various gross weights indicate it is "only" rated to tow about 4000#. It does say the tow equipment is rated 5000/500#. I guess that means it is not capable of towing a 4200" Wrangler, right? Or am I not understanding the ratings??

Later ones (like mine) have a 5000lb tow rating. The rub is if you are already at max gross weight (about 11,000) you will hit the max combined weight (about 15,000) before you max out the hitch. Effectively your max tow weight is about 4000 if you want to carry a useful payload in the RV.

My '08 View J is only rated to tow 3500#. I tow my Merc Mariner, right under 3500, all over the West with it. Salt River Canyon is no trouble. The 8% grade on AZ 77 going north from Oracle to Globe is tough but not terrible. I lose about 2 mpg towing over not towing.

I love the View, but noticed the various gross weights indicate it is "only" rated to tow about 4000#. It does say the tow equipment is rated 5000/500#. I guess that means it is not capable of towing a 4200" Wrangler, right? Or am I not understanding the ratings??

Wayne Dohnal wrote:
We've towed a Honda Fit (~2500 lbs) behind the class C Sprinter for about 20,000 miles. Been over the Continental Divide including Monarch Pass a few times, and more recently Utah's "notorious" highway 12 through the Escalante Monument, which reportedly has a few 12% grades. With proper mountain driving it's no problem. The worst of the upgrades are taken in 2nd or 3rd gear at about 45 mph. I consider the downgrades more stressful, because even at 40 mph in 2nd gear, some occasional braking is required. If you drift past the redline going downhill the transmission will do you the "favor" of upshifting to make the situation worse. We haven't pulled the big grades when it was really hot outside so I don't know what would happen to the engine or tranny temp in that case. Your trailer hopefully has its own brakes.

I made the same run from Torrey to Escalante on Utah 12. On the descent there was some 14% which was the hairy part. Got to second gear both climbing and descending fully laden with a toad that is just under 3000 lbs. I also didn't do it when really hot out. Highest point is 9600 feet and I bet a V-10 feels that altitude....the Sprinter engine, not so much (loves me a turbo). The hogback ridge on that run you drive one will really get your attention...You can look down (steeply) on both sides of the road. It will have your undivided attention.

Great responses! Thanks, folks. Yes, my 115 lb lab passed away a few years back. Even at 115 he was solid muscle. Made it to 11. Our new dog is also a yellow lab - actually a fox-red variety of yellow.

We've towed a Honda Fit (~2500 lbs) behind the class C Sprinter for about 20,000 miles. Been over the Continental Divide including Monarch Pass a few times, and more recently Utah's "notorious" highway 12 through the Escalante Monument, which reportedly has a few 12% grades. With proper mountain driving it's no problem. The worst of the upgrades are taken in 2nd or 3rd gear at about 45 mph. I consider the downgrades more stressful, because even at 40 mph in 2nd gear, some occasional braking is required. If you drift past the redline going downhill the transmission will do you the "favor" of upshifting to make the situation worse. We haven't pulled the big grades when it was really hot outside so I don't know what would happen to the engine or tranny temp in that case. Your trailer hopefully has its own brakes.

Steve I have a 13 View Profile 24g and plan on towing a 1996 Geo Tracker 2265# curb weight and on my first try out pull I was very pleased. I will be going to Yosemite this coming Monday going up Highway 120 and it has a few pretty good hills. I plan on taken it easy. I'll report NEXT Friday when I get back.

You might want to join this group you will find more View Owners there. The site is hard to navigate at first.

We went from a 38 Diesel Pusher to our View Profile and LOVE it....

I would question the statement above: "Diesels are notorious for having nearly the same performance, loaded or not."

Go to: http://forum.dieselrvclub.org/index.php/topic,6594.0.html

Download/view on-line Caterpillar's "Understanding Coach/RV Performance".

On pages 6 and 7 are the performance numbers/HP requirements for different weight vehicles. You will find that on flat ground, HP demand is much more related to aerodynamic drag. But on grades, weight becomes the overwhelming factor. While the View's Gross Combined Weight is less than the coach examples, the same physics principles apply.

On a different forum a fella said he was pulling a small (presumably single axle) trailer with his large motorcycle in it. He was skeptical about being able to do it at first and was looking at a carrier instead.

After much discussion he agreed to try it, he said afterwards he didn't even know it was back there.

Diesels are notorious for having nearly the same performance, loaded or not.

BTW, what happened to your dog? You put him on a diet? In your profile he's 115 pounds, now he's only 70 pounds. ;)

Hmmmm. 23 views, no responses . . . yet. :)