What do you tow with your B?

[RoadHogg]

So, we just got our first B motorhome, a 1997 Great West Van Classic Supreme Special Edition on a Dodge B3500 chassis with a 360 cid V8 and 4 speed OD automatic transmission.

We started out in 2010 with a huge 36' 5'er...we loved that beast but it was showing age and it was a beast to haul around. In 2012, we graduated to a 32' Class A...still have it. We really like it too but again, usage is limited due to its size and thirst for hydrocarbons. We decided to try a Class B and is it ever fun traveling the countryside at 17 mpg and parking in almost any lot we choose, camping out in driveways etc. Of course the most obvious downside to a B is, it's very small.

I'm curious what others here tow with their B. We have pulled a toad with our class A, I'm curious how my B would make out with that. I'd love to have more cargo space for just carrying stuff along...I have a small trailer that should do that job just fine. I've even considered the possibility of selling the Class A and buying a travel trailer that I can tow with either my truck or the Class B.

So, there you have it, what do YOU tow with your B and how is that working out for you?

[manualman]

Many B's seem to have virtually no cargo capacity between curb weight (full tanks) and GVWR. I've seen some where there's like 500# allowed for people and stuff!

That said, I always thought a B pulling a popup camper would be my lottery win rig. I've got no desire at all to pilot a monstrous RV, yet the minivan with 5 of us gets fairly cramped after a week or so on the road. B plus the pup would make months long excursions a joy (since I have to win the lottery to get one): the spacious comfort of the pup for multi-day stays, but the instant bathroom and fridge access of a moho while on the road and the ability to just pull in and crash out for overnight stops. Best of both worlds. Except the cost. Man, new Bs are pricey.

[stan909]

You could have them custom made by a machine shop.

[RoadHogg]

Sebtown wrote:
If you already have a Class A and a Class B, you are there! We met a couple in Death Valley last year who's toad was their Class B. They were from Michigan and told us they tow the B with the A. Their A was parked in Arizona for the winter and they used the B for short and medium lenght side trips and as their every day driver.

So I contacted both Roadmaster and Blue-Ox and neither make brackets for a 1997 Dodge B3500. Any suggestions on where I can get brackets? I already have a Blue-Ox Aventa LX (10,000 lb) tow bar.

[RoadHogg]

Sebtown wrote:
If you already have a Class A and a Class B, you are there! We met a couple in Death Valley last year who's toad was their Class B. They were from Michigan and told us they tow the B with the A. Their A was parked in Arizona for the winter and they used the B for short and medium lenght side trips and as their every day driver.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing! I just don't have the tow-bar setup for it at the moment and when I looked for the base plates, I didn't see them listed for the 1997 B3500. I have two tow-bars now but they are 5000 lb and 7500 lb ratings...not enough for the B3500 (8500 lbs...I weighed it) Of course I'd have to deal with the "flat towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission" issues then too.

[RoadHogg]

Snowman9000 wrote:
RoadHogg, another possibility for living space is a screen room at the site. The problem is carrying it in a B. Unless you have surplus storage space now.
HAHAHAHAHAA....

OK, sorry... so then you could haul a small enclosed cargo trailer with all sorts of comfortable goodies. Assuming you would be staying in one place long enough to do that.

Based on my towing experiences, you will not enjoy towing a 7500 lb TT. Can it be done? Sure!

Yes, we want to add a screen room like a "Add-a-room". We would have to install an awning first. Do those fold up pretty flat? Thankfully, our GWV has some storage space up front where the overhead bed is...which we don't use.

We do have a cargo trailer we can tow for hauling anything more. The trailer is a bit bigger so it would hit our MPG a good bit...its a 14' inside, tandem unit. I did just install a nice class V hitch on the van so I can tow that, and my other trailer if I need to...also carry bikes or a cargo rack at the back.

[drsolo]

RoadHogg ... I was doing a lot of moving around the first 4 years so I sorta perfected the 10 minute packup-ready-to-go. Now that I have found a permanent campsite I intend on setting up a screen room, outdoor kitchen and TT I bought to leave there. I will still stay in my B tho and only got the TT for husband, family and friends to visit or I wouldnt have bothered. And I still intend on driving around Florida and camping with the B.
BTW, Snowman9000 , I found this screen room online
Dimensions 10' x 10'. Peak height 6'6". Packed size 34" x 13". Weight Min. wt. 15 lb. 2 oz. That will pack nicely in my B.

[Sebtown]

If you already have a Class A and a Class B, you are there! We met a couple in Death Valley last year who's toad was their Class B. They were from Michigan and told us they tow the B with the A. Their A was parked in Arizona for the winter and they used the B for short and medium lenght side trips and as their every day driver.

[Snowman9000]

drsolo, that's very interesting, thanks.

RoadHogg, another possibility for living space is a screen room at the site. The problem is carrying it in a B. Unless you have surplus storage space now.
HAHAHAHAHAA....

OK, sorry... so then you could haul a small enclosed cargo trailer with all sorts of comfortable goodies. Assuming you would be staying in one place long enough to do that.

Based on my towing experiences, you will not enjoy towing a 7500 lb TT. Can it be done? Sure!

[RoadHogg]

Snowman9000 wrote:
This is a thread that goes to a daydream I have every year. I see it as having a two-part RV. Part One is used for driving around, and Part Two stays at the camp site. And Part One has some minimal RV facilities. This is where the dream becomes fuzzy. Trying to decide which functions to duplicate in both parts, and which functions are exclusive to just one.

This has been exactly my thinking. We have a class A and we like that for camping. We don't like its appetite and it's not convenient to drive around and park just anywhere...the B is very convenient that way...and better MPG. Although we've not yet been "camping" in the B...staying in one campground/site for more than a day...we have been trying to imagine how that goes and we aren't convinced the B alone is the ideal unit.

With the A, we pull a towed...no problem. The A stays put the whole time and we tool around in the towed. With the B, how do we get around? Do we break camp every time we want to so somewhere that's out of cycling range? (we don't cycle far) Do we pull a towed? CAN we pull a towed?

I have two options for towed vehicles...a 1998 Dodge half ton (about 5000 lbs) and a 1996 VW Jetta, (about 2800 lbs). I could probably tow either, the van has a 8500 lb towing capacity, but I'm not sure I want to flat tow something that weighs 60% as much as my B. The Jetta might be a decent alternative...we don't usually license the Jetta though, the half ton is always licensed.

Not only this but, we want to use the B for driving around, having all our facilities with us so a towed is not really a total solution either.

So, the option left is, a TT behind the B. I have an old TT here, it's rather long but the GVWR is in the 7500 lb range so the B should be able to pull that ok. The biggest obstacle to that option is, the TT needs a good renovation...it's old and not in good repair. The trailer part is decent, the inside is just not nice...not something I'd eat or sleep in. So, $$ there too.

One of my quandaries is, if I renovate and update the 1980's TT I have, will I be spending as much or more than just buying a used TT that would suit our needs/wants? Of course, there are so many more things that would affect that decision but in essence, that's what we're looking at.

[drsolo]

Snowman9000 wrote:
This is a thread that goes to a daydream I have every year. I see it as having a two-part RV. Part One is used for driving around, and Part Two stays at the camp site.
Functions:
Transportation (for how many?)
Rest room
Sleeping
Kitchen
Lounging/ Living Room/ TV
And pull it with a cargo van conversion with the basic floorplan of the Winn.

I had that two part dream as well, but mostly to accommodate my DH and then friends when they come to visit. So I actually have two TT, one teardrop for DH and one larger for friends. Click here for my RVan + TT
My RVan functions as a one person RV and has everything I need except shower and laundry.


The large TT has everything.

[RoadHogg]

mkguitar wrote:

RoadHogg wrote:
In general, OD is a marketing scam that has only negative effects on vehicles and consumers.

You can;t be serious.


a driver should be smarter than the vehicle and know how to match gearing to conditions and engine load.

Some vehicles will have a tow/haul mode to change transmission shift points.


Know thy vehicle


Mike

"should be" I agree. What should be has never translated into what drivers actually are. However, I don't follow how my comment relates to your comment about what a driver should be. Help me out? Thanks.

[mkguitar]

RoadHogg wrote:
In general, OD is a marketing scam that has only negative effects on vehicles and consumers.

You can;t be serious.


a driver should be smarter than the vehicle and know how to match gearing to conditions and engine load.

Some vehicles will have a tow/haul mode to change transmission shift points.


Know thy vehicle

Esp for RoadHogg, who lives in a place where if he turns West out his driveway has about 1000 miles of flat road before he sees a hill...or a curve.

BTW There is a CDN trailer similar to the Scamp- the Trillium.




Mike

[Snowman9000]

I disagree with the no OD advice. That depends on the transmission design. There are plenty of vehicles and transmissions that can happily tow in OD.

This is a thread that goes to a daydream I have every year. I see it as having a two-part RV. Part One is used for driving around, and Part Two stays at the camp site. And Part One has some minimal RV facilities. This is where the dream becomes fuzzy. Trying to decide which functions to duplicate in both parts, and which functions are exclusive to just one.

Functions:
Transportation (for how many?)
Rest room
Sleeping
Kitchen
Lounging/ Living Room/ TV

There are places to buy small TT's or toyhaulers anywhere from just a bare shell inside, to fitting them with various RV components. You just have to decide which of the above functions the trailer must do.

I think I'd like the trailer to be the living room, kitchen, dry bath. It should have A/C. Maybe a furnace, maybe not. A nice sofa, an easy chair, television, and eating area. But no beds.

And pull it with a cargo van conversion with the basic floorplan of the Winn. Travato 59K (shown below). The van would have only a cassette toilet or possibly a plumbed toilet with minimal tankage. No kitchen except a plug in cooler. Two good twin beds as shown. Heating and cooling. This would be the camp's bedroom, and would be a great touring camper as well.

[RobertRyan]

It is is a small car or SUV, although you get Motorbikes,attached to the rear bumper