would you do it ?

stepside454 wrote:
we have a 96 Fleetwood Bounder 36 ft motorhome with a tag axle on a Ford F53 Chassis. The motorhome & tow bar are both rated to tow 3500 lbs.

we also have a 2009 Ford Taurus that we would like to tow behind it. the Taurus weighs 3900 lbs. so my question is, would you tow it ? an experienced buddy of mine ( who I probably shouldn't be doughting) says it wont be an issue, that its underrated .

nope. weight ratings are there for a reason. while you might get away with it for a while I believe that over time you will have issues.

the towbar can be replaced with one with a higher rating.

you say the MH is rated to tow 3500-lbs....do you mean the hitch is rated for 3500-lbs? if so then you have a problem. otherwise...

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

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.