Using drop hitches
Couldn't find an exact answer searching so here goes... I'm wanting to dolly our FWD car behind our Winnebago motorhome. The dolly will require a 10" drop hitch. Winnebago warns no more than 4" drop. ...
Forum Discussion
The current Winnebago cautions are the result of past legal actions. Back in 2013 I had an extended conversation with one of their reps on the same subject. It seems Winnebago has in the past been sued by people involved in accidents that were pulling overweight trailers with either surge brakes or no brakes at all.
The end result was that the trailer either tore the hitch from the frame, the hitch was folded under the frame, or bent the frame extensions due to the force applied. Keep in mind a surge brake system applies pressure to the hitch to activate it. An electric braking system needs a signal, usually from the brake light, in combination with a deceleration signal from the controller to apply the brakes.
Also many motorhomes use frame extensions at the rear of the chassis manufacturers supplied frame to support the house. Often times these extensions are made of smaller, lighter gauge material than the than those supplied by the chassis manufacturer.
As a CYA measure Winnebago has adopted a policy that if followed would not result in any of the above mentioned damage.
I do believe the policy is being reviewed. As far back as 2013 Winnebago started making their own trailer hitches for some models. Their hitches are supposedly 50 percent stronger than the ones they were buying.
In addition on many models frame extensions are no longer added to the rear of the chassis manufacturers supplied frames. They are now split at an existing joint and an additional piece of the same size and gauge as the original is added.
I do not know if these modifications carry through to every model in their lineup. I believe the warnings will stay intact until such time that they do.
As a side note in 2014 the Jeep we were towing behind our 2013 Winnebago Adventurer was rear ended when we were traveling at 65 mph. The Jeep was hit hard enough to inflict over $10,000.00 in damage. Additionally the towbar, Jeep mounted brackets and drop receiver were destroyed. There was absolutely no damage to the Winnebago built trailer hitch, or the motorhome.
The end result was that the trailer either tore the hitch from the frame, the hitch was folded under the frame, or bent the frame extensions due to the force applied. Keep in mind a surge brake system applies pressure to the hitch to activate it. An electric braking system needs a signal, usually from the brake light, in combination with a deceleration signal from the controller to apply the brakes.
Also many motorhomes use frame extensions at the rear of the chassis manufacturers supplied frame to support the house. Often times these extensions are made of smaller, lighter gauge material than the than those supplied by the chassis manufacturer.
As a CYA measure Winnebago has adopted a policy that if followed would not result in any of the above mentioned damage.
I do believe the policy is being reviewed. As far back as 2013 Winnebago started making their own trailer hitches for some models. Their hitches are supposedly 50 percent stronger than the ones they were buying.
In addition on many models frame extensions are no longer added to the rear of the chassis manufacturers supplied frames. They are now split at an existing joint and an additional piece of the same size and gauge as the original is added.
I do not know if these modifications carry through to every model in their lineup. I believe the warnings will stay intact until such time that they do.
As a side note in 2014 the Jeep we were towing behind our 2013 Winnebago Adventurer was rear ended when we were traveling at 65 mph. The Jeep was hit hard enough to inflict over $10,000.00 in damage. Additionally the towbar, Jeep mounted brackets and drop receiver were destroyed. There was absolutely no damage to the Winnebago built trailer hitch, or the motorhome.
