Front hitch recommendation request

[bluesurf]

Hello,

I am looking for a 2" front mount hitch to fit a 2000 Four Winds 31S RV with a Ford E450 cab. The primary purpose will be to mount a motorcycle carrier for a 2007 Yamaha XT225, about 300 pounds total with the carrier and bike.

Has anyone put a front hitch on this vehicle and have a recommendation? It appears that the Draw-Tite 65001 is the appropriate one but I would love to hear real-world user experiences.

Thank you!

[BarneyS]

bluesurf wrote:
Snip...

The vehicle FAWR is 4600, and rear being 9450 for a total of 12,390. NCC is 1660. How do I ascertain out how much of that is the front vs rear axles? My wife and I are ~340 combined, and do not carry much in the front area, so I'm really looking for the overall cab + engine weight and haven't found a source.

https://thormotorcoach.com/media/documents/2000_Four_Winds_Chateau_and_Sport_Class_C_Literature.pdf

Go to a CatScale location and weigh your rig. They are located at most large truck stops.

There are three platforms. You put the front axle on the 1st, rear axle on the 2nd, and trailer axles on the third. In your case you would probably only use the first two platforms. You can weigh any combination of axles you wish.

Just make sure you don't tie up the scales very long if it is busy. Truckers don't mind waiting in line but will get upset if someone ties up the scale for a long time.
Barney

[bluesurf]

LarryJM wrote:

bluesurf wrote:
Hello,

I am looking for a 2" front mount hitch to fit a 2000 Four Winds 31S RV with a Ford E450 cab. The primary purpose will be to mount a motorcycle carrier for a 2007 Yamaha XT225, about 300 pounds total with the carrier and bike.

Has anyone put a front hitch on this vehicle and have a recommendation? It appears that the Draw-Tite 65001 is the appropriate one but I would love to hear real-world user experiences.

Thank you!

You do need to make sure you have the front AWR capacity for whatever carrier and load you intend to hang out on the front tho.

Larry

The vehicle FAWR is 4600, and rear being 9450 for a total of 12,390. NCC is 1660. How do I ascertain out how much of that is the front vs rear axles? My wife and I are ~340 combined, and do not carry much in the front area, so I'm really looking for the overall cab + engine weight and haven't found a source.

https://thormotorcoach.com/media/documents/2000_Four_Winds_Chateau_and_Sport_Class_C_Literature.pdf

[LarryJM]

bluesurf wrote:
Hello,

I am looking for a 2" front mount hitch to fit a 2000 Four Winds 31S RV with a Ford E450 cab. The primary purpose will be to mount a motorcycle carrier for a 2007 Yamaha XT225, about 300 pounds total with the carrier and bike.

Has anyone put a front hitch on this vehicle and have a recommendation? It appears that the Draw-Tite 65001 is the appropriate one but I would love to hear real-world user experiences.

Thank you!

I mounted a Drawtite on my Van a couple of years ago and use a carrier with a ramp similar to what is shown in badercubed photos. I carry a large mobility scooter with a weigh of around 150lbs on it with no issues. I do use two ratchet straps run from each front corner on the carrier back up to the van front at hood level just to stabilize the carrier and prevent any side to side or bouncing movement. I made three round trip trips Fm Va to Fl and one to the Detroit area loaded with the scooter with no issues. I don't have the scooter opened up, nor have the seat on it so its only about 18" high and not an issue with cooling or trans temps.

You do need to make sure you have the front AWR capacity for whatever carrier and load you intend to hang out on the front tho.

Larry

[Bedlam]

You may want to check front actual weight compared to your rating. I believe the vans had smaller front ends than the trucks and you may be exceeding it by hanging 300-400 lbs off the front.

[badercubed]

I notice that if I keep the cargo below the Ford emblem I have no changes in transmission temps when towing. I agree though, it's something to watch for.

[twxsby89]

I put some stuff on a basket I was carrying up front (similar to the picture badercubed posted) , and my transmission temp went up 10*. I can only assume it was because of the blocked air flow. I will only haul bikes up front anymore, the air passes much easier through bikes, than firewood.

[badercubed]

I have a Draw-Tite 65049 mounted on my 2015 F-250. It bolted where the snowplow brackets were and took me maybe 2 hours to install. The hardest part was taking off the plastic on the bottom without breaking the snaps. It's rated for 500lbs and I wouldn't think twice about that much weight on it.

[bluesurf]

Dick_B wrote:
I wouldn't want to hang 300 lbs on a hitch whether in the front or the back. Also, wouldn't a motorcycle block the headlights in the front?
I recently saw a really neat trailer with a motorcycle and two bicycles on it towed behind a motorhome. Can't think of the name but a Google search will find several models.

The hitch supports the weight. We currently transport a DRZ-400 on an MX-Hauler from the rear hitch. The combined weight load is ~350 pounds and there have been no signs of stress. I've also used this setup for years on the back of a Dodge Ram without issue.

The XT225 is small enough that blockage of the headlights doesn't appear to be an issue, but it's a good thought. A trailer is a no-go due to some of our favorite places being fairly tight ones with 35' limits.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Dick_B]

I wouldn't want to hang 300 lbs on a hitch whether in the front or the back. Also, wouldn't a motorcycle block the headlights in the front?
I recently saw a really neat trailer with a motorcycle and two bicycles on it towed behind a motorhome. Can't think of the name but a Google search will find several models.