Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: towing questions (Read 2428 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: towing questions

Reply #50 –
I agree with Kent and Bruce, I bought a 10,000 lb Blue OX hitch I found on craigslist in Plano Tx, for $175, the man told me he was selling it for his Dad, I ask about setting up a time and place to pick it up he ask were I lived and I told him Southeast OK, he said were in Southeast OK, I told him Idabel, he said you want believe this but I will be coming to Idabel  tomorrow going to see my Dad who lives on the AR, OK, State Line I will bring the hitch you can pick it up there about 25 miles from my house. When I got there to pick the hitch up the man said I got a few more items you can have he gave me a complete M&G braking system for a Ford Explorer and a few other items, I needed one for a Chevy Pickup bought one(rebuilt same warranty as new I think $475) used all the other parts he gave me and installed it myself . Bought the base plates off of ebay for $125 and like Kent did all the wiring on the truck. Sorry a long story but I guess I have about $850 invested and it works like a charm. Still have the M&G Cylinder for the Ford if anyone has a need for it.
The selected media item is not currently available.
Bobby & Norma
1992 GV U280
C8.3 Cummins

Re: towing questions

Reply #51 –
It would be great to find stuff used, but chances of it happening here in North Dakota are slim and none.  Since I intend to replace my daily driver with this new toad, I'm thinking I want to stick with the Honda/Toyota/Saturn options.  Actually, my wife has a Jeep, but its the full size variety, and will need replacing soon so wouldn't make sense to set it up.
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: towing questions

Reply #52 –
Gayland, do your research before you buy your towed. While some vehicles can be towed, the installation of the brackets can be pricey. A Friend if mine has a late model Saturn ( the SUV what ever model that is), to install the brackets on it you have to remove the grill, bumper cover, and so on. A couple of local hitch shops have quoted him $1000.00 labor only just for the bracket install, ouch!
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: towing questions

Reply #53 –
Quote from: bbeane –
Gayland, do your research before you buy your towed. While some vehicles can be towed, the installation of the brackets can be pricey. A Friend if mine has a late model Saturn ( the SUV what ever model that is), to install the brackets on it you have to remove the grill, bumper cover, and so on. A couple of local hitch shops have quoted him $1000.00 labor only just for the bracket install, ouch!

Good tip if you can't do the install yourself.  Many of the newer models require quite a bit of disassembly to install the base plate. 
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: towing questions

Reply #54 –
Very true.  We bought a 2011 GMC Terrain and it seems that MOT had to take the whole front off the car to attach base plate. Why our cost was so high. 

Also, FMCA has a yearly list of towable autos and trucks, plus any modifications you have to do to be able to tow.- Pull fuse, run through gears, stop and run engine every 250 miles, etc.

Good luck
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: towing questions

Reply #55 –
THe Roadmaster installation instructions are so detailed, it took my wife and I just 6 hours to put the baseplate on our 2004 Acura MDX.  We did have to remove nearly everything in front of the radiator, including the bumper fascia, the headlights and even the windshield washer bottle on one side and the airbox on the other!  Most of the manuals are available online for the baseplates, so it might be a good idea just to look at the instructions and then decide if you can/want to install them yourself.

I generally always add extra lightbulbs instead of using diodes for the lighting.  Both my last toad (2003 Chevy S-10) and this MDX had plenty of room in the taillight to use a dremel tool and drill out a place to install a new socket ($6 for 2 on ebay).  Then it is a simple matter to use a trailer wiring kit (about $12) to run the wires underneath to the front of the car and terminate them in either a flat 4 or a round 4 connector.  I know there can be no diode failure with this method, and I don't have ugly mag-mount lights that could come loose.
The selected media item is not currently available.Brad & Christine Slaughter
Was:  1990 U280 36'
Was:  2002 U270 36' (With a bathroom door) Build #5981
Is:  2021 Leisure Travel Van Wonder 24RL
2015 Jeep JKU, 2003 S10 QC 4x4 or 2017 C-Max
Lake Havasu City, AZ (or Gillette, WY)

Re: towing questions

Reply #56 –
I, of course, jumped the gun and bought the second car I looked at.  Fortunately, it's a very nice Honda CR-V, which I note others have.  From a dealer so paid way to much, but also worked in the installation of the tow stuff so anyway it will all be done and I can quit worrying about it.  I've just got to much going on right now to try to do it myself.  Thanks everybody for your suggestions and experience.
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: Tow capacity

Reply #57 –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle?  I owned a smaller class C, so I have very limited experience.....this is our first DP and am not familiar with such engines or their good and bad qualities, and especially what the limits are on towing.  Thanks for any insights.
Mike
2001 U320 4010 Build 5878 (Gus)
Wrangle Unlimited Toad
Nacogdoches

Re: towing questions

Reply #58 –
Quote from: Nutravlr –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle?  I owned a smaller class C, so I have very limited experience.....this is our first DP and am not familiar with such engines or their good and bad qualities, and especially what the limits are on towing.  Thanks for any insights.

Your tow rating will be determined by your hitch rating for FT.  The newer ones have 18K the older ones are 10K.  I am only going back as far as 99 as that is the oldest I have owned but I think all the Unihomes are the same.  The Nimbus and Phenix are the higher ones.  I have a U 320 and do not know the tow is behind me and never new it on my 350 either.  For the record, I can feel the jeep push me when I take my foot off the throttle in the Born Free so I understand what you are saying.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Tow capacity

Reply #59 –
Quote from: Nutravlr –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle? 

Quite a few of the spec sheets on this website.  You can probably look yours up on the following page (it's year/model dependent).

Foretravel Specifications, Floor Plans, Photos & Brochures by Year

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: towing questions

Reply #60 –
Quote from: Nutravlr –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle?  I owned a smaller class C, so I have very limited experience.....this is our first DP and am not familiar with such engines or their good and bad qualities, and especially what the limits are on towing.  Thanks for any insights.

Welcome Nutrvlr. There are many of us here that are relatively new DP owners. I bought my first motorhome three years ago and knew Zero about a Foretravel. Its amazing what you can learn by reading posts on this forum and asking questions if there is anything you want to know.

The reference by Michelle to Barry's web site will provide you with the answers to almost anything you want to know about your Foretravel if it was published by anyone. There are dozens of other little questions that will come up like what is this knob or where is that valve. If you can't easily find the info, just ask on the forum. Good answers are usually forthcoming right away.

You will want to let others know what year, model and roughly your geographical location so that they can provide you with the best answers possible.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: towing questions

Reply #61 –
Quote from: Steve & Michelle –
Quote from: Nutravlr –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle? 

Barry has quite a few of the spec sheets on his website.  You can probably look yours up on the following page (it's year/model dependent).

Foretravel Specifications, Floor Plans, Photos & Brochures by Year

Michelle

The link above can be very helpful. I just reviewed (again) the specifications for our 1997 U295 with Cummins C8.3 325 engine. The specifications don't give hitch capacity, but they do list GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) at 36,000#. We have weighed our coach when loaded at about 28,000#. That means we could safely tow up to 8,000# if the hitch and towing gear have sufficient capacity. We usually tow a Jeep Grand Cherokee that weighs 4,260#. Towing the Jeep imposes a slight penalty in acceleration, but is worth it. We have a brake installation on the Jeep that will activate the brakes on a hard stop, or on a breakaway.

Get your specifications, weigh your coach, and calculate what is safe to tow. Get the specifications for your towed vehicle, or weigh it to see if it is suitable. If the combination is within safety specifications, the coach will handle the load.

Welcome, and best wishes on your new adventure.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: towing questions

Reply #62 –
Quote from: Nutravlr –
We just bought a used Foretravel that has an ISL02 400 hp cummins engine.  What is a safe toad weight to pull with this vehicle?  I owned a smaller class C, so I have very limited experience.....this is our first DP and am not familiar with such engines or their good and bad qualities, and especially what the limits are on towing.  Thanks for any insights.
I'll make an assumption that the "ISL02" you are referring to is a 2002 Foretravel with a Cummins 400 ISL.  Ergo, a U270 or a U295.  My 2002 U270 has a 10,000 lb hitch (1,000 lb tongue weight) and has a gross weight rating of 33,000 lbs.  The gross COMBINED weight rating is 43,000 lbs, allowing for a 10,000 lb toad/trailer.
The selected media item is not currently available.Brad & Christine Slaughter
Was:  1990 U280 36'
Was:  2002 U270 36' (With a bathroom door) Build #5981
Is:  2021 Leisure Travel Van Wonder 24RL
2015 Jeep JKU, 2003 S10 QC 4x4 or 2017 C-Max
Lake Havasu City, AZ (or Gillette, WY)

Re: towing questions

Reply #63 –
JD,
When I purchased my coach I left very confused.  Some at the Tennessee store told me the hitch rating was 6,000 lbs. per the specs.  Yet others told me that I could tow a greater amount up to 10,000 lbs (that's the hitch rating and not necessarily whay you could tow safely.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: towing questions

Reply #64 –
Look on your plate by the drivers seat. It will tell you there.  You will  have to have it to register your coach anyway. What you need is  your GVW (gross vehicle weight) and CGVW (Combined Gross Vehicle Weight).  THe difference is what you are allowed to tow.

The first is what the vehicle can carry with all of its tires and axles. The second is what it can tow and stop.  It also must be noted if you have a trailer you will add to the GVW we call it tongue weight but it will load up the coach. If you tow four down there is no extra weight placed on the coach so you have the total amount to play with.

If you still do not understand it. Take a picture of the plate and post it, we can figure it out for you from there.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: towing questions

Reply #65 –
Least strong component determines the towing capacity of any rig.

That could be the hitch, brakes, transmission, etc.

So, check both GCWR minus coach loaded weight AND the rating on the hitch-- lesser determines capacity.

Brett
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020