How heavy can I tow?

Vehicle dry weight may not exceed your hitch or GCWR but you can over load the towed vihicle to excess of hitch or GCWR capability.

kalynzoo wrote:
With the grandkids wanting to travel with us I would like to tow a larger vehicle. My 2005 38ft Adventurer on the Workhorse 8.1 chassis pulls my Saturn Vue around just fine. The Vue weighs 3,900 plus or minus depending on stuff I stick inside. Sits 4 comfortably 5 squish in. I am thinking about a Ford Flex or Chevy Traverse. Both are just under 5,000lbs according to FMCA and Motorhome towing guides. However, after being an RV vacationer for over 35 years I like to ask the experts. How heavy have you guys and gals towed with similar gas engine motorhomes?:@ Your experiences will be most appreciated.

I towed a Flex for over 2 years with my V10 E450 with no problem. I think a lot depends on how you want to tow. If you want to travel 70+ then I recommend you get another toad. If 60 is comfortable then I say go for it!

The 8.1 is a killer motor and has the power. The vehicles you're looking at are right at your tow rating so you're fine. Just make sure you haven't overloaded the coach with a bunch of stuff that puts you past your combined rating.

You'll DEFINITELY need brakes on the tow vehicle. Know your limitations and take it easy on both sides of the Grapevine. I always found going down the Bakersfield side was the toughest to keep the coach under 50-55 mph.

If you are talking about dinghy towing 6000#, I wouldn't worry about a 5000# hitch capacity.

kalynzoo wrote:
With the grandkids wanting to travel with us I would like to tow a larger vehicle. My 2005 38ft Adventurer on the Workhorse 8.1 chassis pulls my Saturn Vue around just fine. The Vue weighs 3,900 plus or minus depending on stuff I stick inside. Sits 4 comfortably 5 squish in. I am thinking about a Ford Flex or Chevy Traverse. Both are just under 5,000lbs according to FMCA and Motorhome towing guides. However, after being an RV vacationer for over 35 years I like to ask the experts. How heavy have you guys and gals towed with similar gas engine motorhomes?:@ Your experiences will be most appreciated.

in general the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow without exceeding the GCWR 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); 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

that being said my buddy hauled a 40' park model with a standard pickup truck a couple of hundred miles. what can be done is not necessarily what should be done.

good luck ad happy miles.

I have a 2005 Itasca Suncruiser 38R.

Do you have the Workhorse W22 or W24 chassis??

The W22 can tow 4000# subject to hitch and weight on the rear axle.

The W24 can tow 6000# subject to hitch and weight on the rear axle.

-Tom

Really hoping to get some life experiences from people who have towed heavy with the Workhorse 8.1, either on the Adventurer or on equivalent gas motorhomes. My GVWR is 24,000lbs, My GCWR is 30,000lbs. The hitch is a 5,000lb hitch with a 350lb tongue weight max. I know the hitch can be strengthened. A 5,000lb toad will put me at the max zone for a "safe load." But I live out here in the West. The first leg of most trips takes me over the Grapevine, 8 mile 5% up and abut the same down. The Adventurer and Saturn handle this with relative ease. Now what if I add a thousand pounds to the load.
Any help you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Blaster Man gave you the correct answer.

Work the numbers, the tow rating is the lower of:

1. GCWR minus tow vehicle's actual weight.

2. Hitch capacity.

3. Coach tow rating.

4. Chassis maker's tow rating.