Class C and towing.

[Lakelady48]

We are in Florida for the winter with our 1500 Silverado truck and have found a motor home we want to buy and bring back home - 1500 miles. The motor home is a Four Winds 24C, Chevy 4500 chassis, V8. My husband wants to stiff hitch the truck home and I flatly refuse, saying it's not safe and can damage the transmission or motor. Just because the motor home has a 5000# hitch, it doesn't necessarily mean it can tow a 4000# truck, especially with an adjustable tow bar from Amazon. Please help.

Sorry, should have posted in towing.

[Bumpyroad]

mkirsch wrote:
If you plan on doing this often, just take the truck to an RV dealer there in Florida and have a driveshaft disconnect device installed so that it can be towed behind the RV.

A device like this: http://www.remcodsc.com/driveShaft.php

had one,
hated it

[mkirsch]

If you plan on doing this often, just take the truck to an RV dealer there in Florida and have a driveshaft disconnect device installed so that it can be towed behind the RV.

A device like this: http://www.remcodsc.com/driveShaft.php

For a one-time tow, the driveshaft will need to be disconnected from the rear axle. In an emergency where you need to drive the truck for some reason, one of you will need to be capable of crawling underneath and reinstalling the driveshaft.

[burningman]

Unless it's a frame-scraping lowered street cruiser, no jacking up needed.
Securing the u-joint caps requires the ability to operate a roll of duct tape.
Securing the driveshaft usually involves advanced techniques with zip ties or rope.
Folks this is easy! No rocket surgery.
If the guy wants to flat-tow his pickup behind a 4500-chassis MH I'm failing to see why he can't. And not because I don't know.

[Bumpyroad]

enblethen wrote:
Little more then four bolts!
I originally suggested disconnecting the drive shaft.
Must be capable to crawl under to disconnect. May take jacking rig up or running up on some sort of ramp.
Disconnect
Secure U-joint caps so they don't get lost or become damaged.
Support drive shaft.

What do you do on homeward trip if you want to use the truck?

yep, they had to drop my driveshaft on my bounder and there were lots of little parts (rods?) stuck in the grease, etc. I can see doing it one time to tow across the country perhaps, but not if there are two drivers and one could drive each vehicle.
bumpy

[enblethen]

Little more then four bolts!
I originally suggested disconnecting the drive shaft.
Must be capable to crawl under to disconnect. May take jacking rig up or running up on some sort of ramp.
Disconnect
Secure U-joint caps so they don't get lost or become damaged.
Support drive shaft.

What do you do on homeward trip if you want to use the truck?

[burningman]

It's four bolts...

[Bumpyroad]

burningman wrote:
I don't see what the problem is. If you pull the driveshaft from the pickup you can flat-tow it and the 4500 chassis MH will pull it.

sure, that wouldn't be a PITA to pull/reinstall the drive shaft

but there are two drivers, why not each drive one vehicle?
bumpy

[burningman]

I don't see what the problem is. If you pull the driveshaft from the pickup you can flat-tow it and the 4500 chassis MH will pull it.

[mowermech]

I towed a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited behind a 1995 Tioga Class C on an E350/460V8 chassis (5000 lb. towing cap.).
The Jeep was lifted, custom bumpers, 30 gallon fuel tank, winch, modified roll bars, engine lift, tummy tuck, etc..
No problems.
I also towed a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 behind our motorhome (5000 lb. towing Cap). I have no idea what the Jeep or the Ram weighed.
However, I will not tow my current truck behind the motorhome. I DO know what it weighs!

[Grit_dog]

Jim-Linda wrote:
Why not one of you drive the C and the other drive the PU, problem solved.

Jim

That would be too easy.

[Grit_dog]

You must have alot of towing experience to form this opinion so strongly......Makes me wonder why you have to ask the audience then.
Personally I would have zero issue flat towing a half ton truck with a 4500chassis with a 6 liter.
May pull from your quiver of weapons against the hubby (poor guy) that a flat or dolly tow will add almost zero tongue weight, so while it may be a bit above the "rated" tow rating, any class 3 or better hitch will flat tow a pickup just fine.
Yes you may have to yank the driveshaft or whatever. Depends on the vehicle.

Or he could send you home on a plane and tow it by himself....

[Jim-Linda]

Why not one of you drive the C and the other drive the PU, problem solved.

Jim

[Bedlam]

You would be better off with a Ford E450 based Class C that has the V10 and 7500 lb tow rating. The GM is overloaded.

[1492]

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