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1998 GCWR-

Hi everyone!
This is my first post, though I have been lurking for awhile trying to learn about foretravels.  ^.^d
Like many members here, I am considering purchasing a late 90's coach. One concern I have is gcwr on the 1998 coachs. Why does this year have a 5000 tow capacity and 1999 have a 10000? Is there a difference in chassis or suspension?
Any clarification would be appreciated.
Kathy
05 36' U270

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #1 –
99 a year of refinement. They also came standard with doing the windows, smart wheel, and ducted air conditioning. Increased towing capacity was as a result of customer requests. I am not sure what modifications were made to up the towing capacity.
Tim Fiedler    2025 LTV Unity MBL on Order
2000 Chevy Tracker 2 Door Convertible 4WD Now lifted 4.5"
1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston
Murphy Rebel on wheels with 175HP Titan
Cessna P337
1980 48' Westport MY (!/4 Share)

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #2 –
Welcome, kathyg, to active participation in the Forum.  Lurking is OK, but the real fun begins when you start "talking" to us!  8)

Lots of discussion in the Forum archives about all the different factors influencing "tow capacity".  You might try doing a search of different terms, just to see what comes up.  Here is one to get you started:

Foretravel towing capacities
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #3 –
This is a great question which I do not believe anybody has ever definitively answered. I even asked James Triana about it and he didn't know. I have looked at my 99 and my 95 and the running gear seems to be identical as does the performance.
jor
93 225
95 300
97 270
99 320

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #4 –
Could it be as simple as the rating on the axle?
 
Just a thought.
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #5 –
Quote from: jor –
This is a great question which I do not believe anybody has ever definitively answered. I even asked James Triana about it and he didn't know. I have looked at my 99 and my 95 and the running gear seems to be identical as does the performance.
jor


My search for that answer so far has taken me three years. 

On my and other 97 and 98 u320's I surveyed here the CPL (Critical Parts List) for the m11 is 2178.  That parts list sets the power the engine produces to 420 hp and 1050 pound feet of torque.

Not the "advertised" hp of  450 and the torque of 1450. 

Requires a complete top of the motor change out to get to the CPL of 2025 which is the actual 450/1450 set of parts.

The 2025 setup might require a cooling system upgrade.

In other words the power may not be sufficient to tow 10k at altitude up steep grades.

So the tow rating is 6k.

James t. Would should know about the CPL  differences and may respond to a direct question.  I paid my $25 to be able to ask why.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #6 –
 I was under the impression that they beefed up the rear hitch assembly.

Talking with a member that full times and pulls a 24 foot enclosed trailer he had beefed up his 96. I'm thinking he said that's all Foretravel did to increase the towing capacity.

That was about 10 years ago that I had that conversation so ....
BTW, He still has the same 270 plus the trailer, puts on some pretty good miles  traveling from Northern Michigan to SW Arizona each year.
Doug W.
96 36' U270 CSGI #4946
04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
PNW

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #7 –
I emailed FoT tech support asking what I could do to my '97 to upgrade tow rating. Response was a "non-response" suggesting that OEM could not make any changes?? Rance at Extreme thought there was some added bulkhead to frame support but there was no
later model there at the time to compare his theory.
David & DC
97 U320 40' WTBI M11 450 #5153
01 Wrangler Sport
Near Palacios, TX

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
Welcome, kathyg, to active participation in the Forum.  Lurking is OK, but the real fun begins when you start "talking" to us!  8)

Lots of discussion in the Forum archives about all the different factors influencing "tow capacity".  You might try doing a search of different terms, just to see what comes up.  Here is one to get you started:

Foretravel towing capacities


Thanks for all of the responses and the link about tow capacities. Important to be aware of when looking at coaches.
Kathy
05 36' U270

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #9 –
We have looked at my 98 and a 99 parked together, and none of us could find any differences all the steel we checked and measured was the same size, and thickness. 

Then an owner said he had done lots of research, but no one would put in writing anything.  But he was told that the up rating happened as a result of market driven competition.  Other companies had upped their coach ratings, and Foretravel up rated the 99 models.  He had now towed a trailer close to 10K#, for over some 10 years, and many up thousand of miles.

When I look at other brands of coaches I am amazed to find such little steel, and support on the higher rated hitch areas.  I had 2 extra hitch receivers added to my old coach to carry a motorcycle carrier.  The welding shop owner was amazed to find all the steel in and around the engine area.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #10 –
Towing capacity is based on power for pulling, the mechanics of the hitch and braking capability to stop the coach and the towed load.  I don't think power had much to do with it.  The physical parts of the towing mechanism may have been the same size relative to the tension loads while pulling but they may have been beefed up to resist compression and torsional loads while braking.  They may have beefed up the braking capability as well.

Perhaps nothing changed other than the rating which was changed to match what was already there or to meet a market demand.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN
 

Re: 1998 GCWR-

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message 7 years ago

"My 1997 U 320 40' has a 6,000 lb tow capacity, and 600 lb  tongue capacity. James T said that Foretravel could modify my coach,by adding a  few gussets, to match the latter model capacities of 10,000/1,000."


"From a trailer manufactures point of view there should be 10 - 12 Percent of the trailer weight on the tongue, and I know the 96 U270 had a 500 pound hitch weight and could be changed to the 1000# by adding two gussets and welding in a two inch square tube behind the receiver hitch and connect to the member behind the receiver."
Doug W.
96 36' U270 CSGI #4946
04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
PNW