Towing with a Tiffin

donscomp wrote:
Good day all.

Have been RVing for around 10 years but NEVER have had a tow.

I know you will not be able to answer for sure without all information but here goes....

Will a Phaeton 36' tow a Dodge 1500 4x4?

The 2011 Tiffin Phaeton has a 380 Cummins with 1050 torque

Has a GCWR of 42,000 lb
10,000 hitch.

I have weighed the coach full and have the paper in the coach but it is in the shop at this point.

But since I have never towed and the way the new dinghy specs are the Ram 4x4 seemed the best option. FOR a truck anyhow.

Looking at a RAM Bighorn 1500 4x4 and not sure of it's weight yet either.

Any advice would be grateful.

Don

before you buy anything you need to know just how much weight your MH can safely tow without exceeding the various weight ratings...gross combination weight rating (GCWR), gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and each axle's gross axle weight rating (GAWR). you also need to know the curb weight of the vehicle you're planning to buy and whether that curb weight includes a full tank of gas (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't).

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

- the GCWR minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (food, fuel, water, LP, clothing, supplies, pets, people and misc. stuff); OR

- the weight rating of the MH hitch (Class II 3500-lbs, Class III 5000-lbs, Class IV 10,000-lbs) which you already know is 10K; OR

- the weight rating of your towbar

load up the MH as you would for travel and then get individual axle weights at a certified scale. compare those axle weights to the published gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for that motorhome. the actual axle weight must be less than/equal to the rating for that axle. add the two axle weights to arrive at the total rolling weight and then apply the three conditions above. assume nothing.

good luck.