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AGC's avatar
AGC
Explorer
Feb 11, 2015

Help with CCC

Need your help in calculating how much weight I can take with me. I'm looking at buying a 2007 Ford E450 B+ and trying to figure out if I'm correctly calculating the carrying capacity.

2007 Ford E450 GVWR = 14,050 lbs
Unloaded weight with full tank of gas = 12,545 lbs
44 gallons of water @ 8lbs/gallon = 365 lbs
11 gallons of lp gas @ 4.2lbs/gallon = 48 lbs
Adults @ 170 lbs/adult = 340 lbs
Kids @ 110 lbs/kid = 220 lbs

Does this mean I can only bring 500 lbs worth of stuff?

If the GCWR is 18,500 and hitch rating is 5,000 lbs, what's my limit for my toad, do I need to worry about tongue weight?
  • dodge guy wrote:
    That's the problem with class C's. Very low CCC. The other thing is do you really need a full fresh water tank on a trip? I only travel with about 8 gallons or so. Just enough to flush and wash hands. If I'm camping with no hookups, I'll fill the fresh water tank when I get to the campground.


    not the OP but we always travel with a full tank of fresh water. had a bad experience doing as the Dodge Guy does one night. pulled into a CG late at nite and during registration we learned that the health dept had shut down the water system due to e-coli contamination. since then we always travel with a full or near full tank cuz you just never know. but dumping some of the water would gain the OP some additional weight. before doing that I'd do as I wrote earlier...load it up and have it weighed. better to know than assume.
  • That's the problem with class C's. Very low CCC. The other thing is do you really need a full fresh water tank on a trip? I only travel with about 8 gallons or so. Just enough to flush and wash hands. If I'm camping with no hookups, I'll fill the fresh water tank when I get to the campground.
  • rk911 wrote:
    AGC wrote:
    Need your help in calculating how much weight I can take with me. I'm looking at buying a 2007 Ford E450 B+ and trying to figure out if I'm correctly calculating the carrying capacity.

    2007 Ford E450 GVWR = 14,050 lbs
    Unloaded weight with full tank of gas = 12,545 lbs
    44 gallons of water @ 8lbs/gallon = 365 lbs
    11 gallons of lp gas @ 4.2lbs/gallon = 48 lbs
    Adults @ 170 lbs/adult = 340 lbs
    Kids @ 110 lbs/kid = 220 lbs

    Does this mean I can only bring 500 lbs worth of stuff?

    If the GCWR is 18,500 and hitch rating is 5,000 lbs, what's my limit for my toad, do I need to worry about tongue weight?


    using your figures, yes. but there's more to that story. you need to determine if either or both axles are overweight. the GVWR of a MH is generally the sum of the front and rear GAWRs (gross axle weight ratings). it is entirely possible for the MH to actually weigh less than the GVWR with one of the axles exceeding it's GAWR. I know...it happened to us when we were shopping for a new MH years ago.

    You need to load the MH as you would for travel with fuel, food, water, pets, clothing, people and other stuff and then get individual weights for each axle...4-individual corner weights is better. then you'll know for certain if your MH is safe to travel. if you find that one axle is overweight you need to remove weight from that axle.

    re the GCWR....in general, the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

    • the GCWR (gross combination weight rating) of the MH minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (includes fuel, fresh water, food, clothing, people, pets, supplies, etc.)

    • the weight rating of your tow bar

    • the weight rating of your hitch

    tongue weight is usually 10% of the total hitch capacity but if you flat tow the tongue weight is negligible. assume your MH actually weighs in at the max GVWR and neither axle is overweight. your max tow weight would be 4450-lbs, the GCWR of 18,500 less the actual weight of the MH @ 14050.

    this is why it's vital to know what your MH weighs as it is loaded and configure for travel before choosing a toad. Your MH will not collapse if it is overloaded but you will experience handling issues as well as longer braking distances and accelerated wear on suspension, brakes, steering, etc.
  • It does appear, you are calculating correctly.

    Your are 532 lbs away from GVWR and 4982 lbs (remaining tow capacity) away from GCVWR.

    Weight of groceries and stuff will come out of both numbers, as will any weight the tow bar places on the tow vehicle.
  • Sounds about right! The sad fact is once it is loaded up ready to travel there simply might not be any room left for anything, especially a toad.

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