Here's what I've been able to find. Help me check the arithmetic please.
I called Freightliner, gave them the VIN and they told me the chasis left their factory with a hitch receiver rated at 10k lbs. I have the BOM which supports their statement.
The GCWR is 42,000 lbs (gotten from rvweb.com). Other weights are taken from an FMCA magazine review which I quote:
The Elite's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is listed at 33,460 pounds. I weighed it at the local moving and storage scale with a full tank of fuel (100 gallons), a full tank of fresh water (103 gallons), and 50.6 gallons of LP gas. The unit tipped the scales at 29,300 pounds, which left an amazing 4,160 pounds for passengers and cargo. The front axle has a gross axle weight rating (GAWR) of 13,460 pounds, and the actual weight for this axle on my test coach was 10,560 pounds. The rear axle has a GAWR of 20,000 pounds, and the actual weight on the test coach was 18,360 pounds. The Elite is rated to tow 10,000 pounds and comes standard with a 10,000-pound receiver hitch.
42,000 - 29,300 = 12,700lbs available for towing, people and cargo.
Since it has a 5k hitch installed I can only assume the owner changed the hitch for some reason, unless he special ordered it with a 5k hitch. That seems illogical to me but....
So, to all of you towing experts out there, what would it take to have this 5k hitch removed and made into a 10k hitch? The receiver should still be attached? What's the cost? Could you please point me in the right direction for sources?
After all of this I'm beginning to wonder about the integrity of CW business manager. Why he would tell me it's ok to tow 8k lbs with a 5k hitch really made me wonder. Of course he retracted and said CW wouldn't sign up to that. Why, according to CW, Forest River's engineer strongly recommended that the coach really wouldn't support 10k also makes me wonder. I do hope I've missed something, or there's a misunderstanding somewhere and my wondering is unfounded.
