Tow vehicle

Onyrlef wrote:
In the process of purchasing a 2016 Jayco Alante with V10. Plan to tow a 2011 Frontier (Automatic) after I have the drive shaft disc. installed as well as Blue Ox plates, brake actuator and etc. The tow capacity of the TV is 5k. The Frontier is about 4.25k, if I load it w/ a couple Kayaks and misc gear I'll be pushing up on the tow capacity. Anybody towing a heavier rig like the Frontier with a V10? Any pointers? Transitioning from a Trailmanor, so this will be a different ballgame. Thanks

Do not count on that. Most gasser Motor homes come with a hitch rated for 5K but the actual tow rating is equal to a math equation.

(max combined gross vehicle weight)-(Gross Vehicle Weight)

Example. My Class a had a Max CGVW of 26,000 and a scale weight of 22,000 so it could tow 4,000.. One Chevy Lumina APV (1992) originally (Towed like it was not even there) and later a 2001 Dodge neon (2001) which cost me MPG.

The lumina was 4,000 curb weight, the Neon 2500
Two reasons the Lumina towed easier
1: no tranny drag (Axle lock) v/s tranny drag (Lube Pump)
2: Wind "Spoiling" was better with the lumina

Oh well. RV totaled (Actually that was a good thign) now drive a JEEP (Man does that sucker SIP gasoline. up to 40 MPG at 55 mph (less if I hammer down)

dodge guy wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

Onyrlef wrote:
Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.

Those numbers are from the engineers, not lawyers (I'm an engineer). While there are safety factors it doesn't mean you should ignore them. The lawyers will sue you if you do.

Al

lawyers and bean counters most definitely have a say in stuff like this!

You can believe that if you'd like, but having worked with Attorneys in the liability and insurance fields for over 15 years, I can assure you the ratings for hitches, tow bars, and so on are established by engineers.

Al

And then derated by lawyers! Having worked with manuf I know the real ratings on axle and wheel assemblies. They are far higher than what the bean counters and lawyers last say is!

Then we will just have to agree to disagree. They might have been tested to higher numbers to achieve the necessary safety factor, but de-rated from the design? No, not according to my mechanical engineer who spent years working for Dana.


Al

Never understood the mentality to spend all this money on an Rv, tow vehicle, bars, plates etc, a combo that weights 20-40k lbs rolling down the road and not taking the time to do it the right way. And further to shrug off the engineers who design them and their ratings as the fault of bean counters and lawyers. What agenda does an attorney or accountant have to take the recommendation of an engineer - who could be relied on for expert testimony - ignore that and falsely lower a rating on a MH? Especially given that some RV's have really high tow ratings. It's nothing more than a unsubstantiated excuse for not doing things right. Things happen when you exceed the capacity that wouldn't happen if you didn't. And it's not just yourself you put at risk, it's everyone on the road near you.

The limit is imposed by the MH manufacture, not the chassis manufacture. Slide under the rear of your MH and look at the cobbled-up mess that they used to extend the rear of the chassis for the receiver hitch and to support the rear of the MH.

FloridaRosebud wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

Onyrlef wrote:
Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.

Those numbers are from the engineers, not lawyers (I'm an engineer). While there are safety factors it doesn't mean you should ignore them. The lawyers will sue you if you do.

Al

lawyers and bean counters most definitely have a say in stuff like this!

You can believe that if you'd like, but having worked with Attorneys in the liability and insurance fields for over 15 years, I can assure you the ratings for hitches, tow bars, and so on are established by engineers.

Al

And then derated by lawyers! Having worked with manuf I know the real ratings on axle and wheel assemblies. They are far higher than what the bean counters and lawyers last say is!

dodge guy wrote:

FloridaRosebud wrote:

Onyrlef wrote:
Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.

Those numbers are from the engineers, not lawyers (I'm an engineer). While there are safety factors it doesn't mean you should ignore them. The lawyers will sue you if you do.

Al

lawyers and bean counters most definitely have a say in stuff like this!

You can believe that if you'd like, but having worked with Attorneys in the liability and insurance fields for over 15 years, I can assure you the ratings for hitches, tow bars, and so on are established by engineers.

Al

FloridaRosebud wrote:

Onyrlef wrote:
Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.

Those numbers are from the engineers, not lawyers (I'm an engineer). While there are safety factors it doesn't mean you should ignore them. The lawyers will sue you if you do.

Al

lawyers and bean counters most definitely have a say in stuff like this!

Onyrlef wrote:
Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.

Those numbers are from the engineers, not lawyers (I'm an engineer). While there are safety factors it doesn't mean you should ignore them. The lawyers will sue you if you do.

Al

Onyrlef wrote:
I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some.

They aren't. The limits are are from the engineers. I guess they could be used by lawyers in an accident for being over the limit.

Is your Ranger automatic? If so are you doing the driveshaft disc. or the pump. How are you going to handle braking? Guessing you should be okay on weight even w/the Harley.I've always heard those limits are from the lawyers anyway and you can fudge on them some. Doubt I'd be in TH without a dinghy but I'll definitely use it when towing, it knocks mileage down a bit but is a transmission saver. I don't plan to cruise at over 58 anyway.