Forum Discussion

Zigpep's avatar
Zigpep
Explorer
Oct 24, 2014

Tow limits

Ok, you guys and I assume girls have been great with your assistance. I know this topic has been done but I wanted to check on something. We have not used our rv to tow anything yet. We have a 2005 5250 BT cruiser and fell in love with it when we saw it.
We did check the tow capacity before we bought and it is 3500#, our jeep weight will be about 500# over that. We will weigh it before we tow just to make sure.
We were surprised at the low tow rating of our rv since it has plenty of power and is only 28 feet and has a ford 450 engine. After we loaded the rv fully for our trips we were 2000# under the max GVWR. We were 5500 lbs under our GCWR. We weighed it at a certified scale. That would include passengers.
Does the low weight in the rv help us at all when we want to pull something slightly overweight? Our total weight with toad and fully loaded will be about 16000# and our
GCWR is 17550. Again I have weighed the loaded rv but not the jeep, I am overestimating the jeep weight by 400# if I went by the curb weight in the manual.
We are also going to switch our hitch from a class 2 to either a 3 or 4, depends on the price. And yes the current weight includes the class 2 hitch installed,
Bottom line is are we safe being 500# overweight towing capacity for the rv but well under the GCWR. My husband is also a truck driver and he does all the driving.
Thanks zigpep
  • KD4UPL's avatar
    KD4UPL
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    The low tow rating of your RV likely has more to do with weak frame extension and a weak hitch rather than any actual weight ratings.
    What's the weight capacity of your hitch? Can it be upgraded? How was the frame extended on the RV? Is it strong enough?
    From a real world perspective your axles and drive train are clearly up to towing your Jeep. The problem is in the parts used to connect them.
  • mowermech's avatar
    mowermech
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    We had a 29 foot Tioga class C with the Ford 460 engine. I wanted to tow the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited I had at the time. The hitch was rated at 3500 lbs. capacity, and the towbar I had was rated at 5000 lbs.
    I had the hitch reinforced by a highly qualified welder, and he inspected the frame extensions and said I was good to go. I guess he was right, because I towed that slightly modified Jeep up and down mountains, across the Continental Divide, over rough back country roads and on the freeway at 65 MPH for a couple of years. Nothing bent, nothing broke, nobody was injured or died. I have no idea what the Jeep weighed with all the extra iron (and the 30 gallon fuel tank) that was bolted on it. I didn't care, so I never weighed it.
    IMO, success trumps the numbers every time.
    Now, I have a Class A with the Ford V10, and tow the truck in my sig. with a 6000 lb. capacity towbar. It works.
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    Oct 24, 2014
    The ratings on the motorhome and receiver are based on a TRAILER. It's rated for a tongue weight, AND a trailer weight.

    In your case, it will be more of an OR. You will have very little tongue weight to stress the receiver and frame, so it stands to reason that the frame and receiver should be able to handle a much larger "straight pull" load.

    This is only my opinion, but I would have no issues hitching up and hitting the road as-is. Toads are an easy rolling load, have almost no aerodynamic resistance, and have the best "trailer brakes" of anything you could hitch behind a tow vehicle.
  • hotjag1's avatar
    hotjag1
    Explorer II
    Oct 24, 2014
    mkirsch wrote:
    The ratings on the motorhome and receiver are based on a TRAILER. It's rated for a tongue weight, AND a trailer weight.

    In your case, it will be more of an OR. You will have very little tongue weight to stress the receiver and frame, so it stands to reason that the frame and receiver should be able to handle a much larger "straight pull" load.

    This is only my opinion, but I would have no issues hitching up and hitting the road as-is. Toads are an easy rolling load, have almost no aerodynamic resistance, and have the best "trailer brakes" of anything you could hitch behind a tow vehicle.


    I agree. Pulling a vehicle won't be putting vertical stress on the hitch and frame. The vehicle absorbs the bounce effect going down the road.
  • Ron_Gratz's avatar
    Ron_Gratz
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    Zigpep wrote:
    ---We did check the tow capacity before we bought and it is 3500#, our jeep weight will be about 500# over that.---
    This web page lists a 2005 5250 BT Cruiser with a towing capacity of 5000#.

    Perhaps the 3500# capacity is due to having a Class 2 receiver, whereas installing a Class 3 receiver might increase the towing capacity to 5000#.

    Perhaps someone at Gulf Stream could provide a proper answer for your question.
    Or, you might want to ask the moderator to move your thread to the "Class C Motorhome" forum.

    Ron
  • Zigpep's avatar
    Zigpep
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    Thanks for the replies. Just to clarify the BT cruiser chasis tow rating max was 3500 and the class 2 hitch that is already on the rv has a rating of 3500. We are planning on increasing our hitch to a class 3 which gives that rating max at 5000# however the chasis max will still be 3500#. We want to go up to a class 3 hitch just to be on the safe side but I did not consider if this can cause any additional stress on the rv chasis?
    We will be doing a lot of mountain towing and very curvy roads. Go on blue ridge pkway and smokies a lot. So far have been on mountain roads to Townsend and helen ga with no issues with power, not towing anything yet.
    Thanks zigpep
  • Zigpep's avatar
    Zigpep
    Explorer
    Oct 24, 2014
    Also to clarify the tow rating of 3500# for the rv chasis is accurate. The original sticker for all the rv weights and capacities is posted on the inside of the cabinets which is where the owners manual states to obtain the weights. It gives all the weights for the 5250 model BT cruiser including what the rv weighed when it left the factory. We do feel that this is a low tow rating but it is what it is.
    Thanks zigpep
  • RJCorazza's avatar
    RJCorazza
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2014
    A class 2 hitch is rated at 3500 lbs. I understand the comments about toad vs trailer forces, but I do not see any wiggle room on this one. A class 2 hitch I believe has a 1.25" receiver with lighter duty components. Better to upgrade to a class 3 hitch and have someone qualified check out the whole setup. I suspect the rig is available with a 5000lb tow rating with just an upgraded hitch, which could be confirmed by calling the manufacturer.
  • Need-A-Vacation's avatar
    Need-A-Vacation
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2014
    Zigpep wrote:
    Also to clarify the tow rating of 3500# for the rv chasis is accurate. The original sticker for all the rv weights and capacities is posted on the inside of the cabinets which is where the owners manual states to obtain the weights. It gives all the weights for the 5250 model BT cruiser including what the rv weighed when it left the factory. We do feel that this is a low tow rating but it is what it is.
    Thanks zigpep


    It could be possible that the sticker inside the cabinet is vehicle specific in regards to the tow capacity as well. Yours left the factory with a class 2 hitch, so max tow is 3500lbs.

    Find a BT specific forum and ask if any fellow members have your model but with a class 3 hitch from the factory and what their stated max tow capacity is.

    Good luck!
  • timmac's avatar
    timmac
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2014
    RJCorazza wrote:
    A class 2 hitch is rated at 3500 lbs. I understand the comments about toad vs trailer forces, but I do not see any wiggle room on this one. A class 2 hitch I believe has a 1.25" receiver with lighter duty components. Better to upgrade to a class 3 hitch and have someone qualified check out the whole setup. I suspect the rig is available with a 5000lb tow rating with just an upgraded hitch, which could be confirmed by calling the manufacturer.


    Not so true, I have a 3500lb hitch with a 350lb max tongue weight on my Jeep but it has a 2 inch receiver, it depends on who makes it.

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