Class C to tow 7000 lbs.

[mountainsurf]

Looking to buy my first motorhome. I need to be able to tow a 7000 lb. boat/trailer. I've read a lot about towing with a MH but I'm still somewhat confused; is it the hitch and frame that are the main limitations and can that be upgraded?

I hear of lots of people towing similar loads with class c's but from what I've read you need to step up to a Super C. We don't need anything large or luxurious, just something that will tow the boat and give us a place to sleep.

Great forum. Thanks.

[stargirl96]

Some late model Jayco Greyhawks have 7,500 tow capacity

[Olddud]

carringb wrote:
I have been up nearly every steep paved western pass with my van pulling trailers, typically 22,000 pounds combined. I haver never ran out of power even on grades over 25%. At that point, its more of a traction problem and once I had to undue to the weight distribution bars to get enough traction to make it up!

rjstractor and carringb, good to know. I was worried about it too much. I was actually staying away from such places, but will relax now.

[carringb]

I have been up nearly every steep paved western pass with my van pulling trailers, typically 22,000 pounds combined. I haver never ran out of power even on grades over 25%. At that point, its more of a traction problem and once I had to undue to the weight distribution bars to get enough traction to make it up!

[rjstractor]

Olddud wrote:
A car can be unhooked if need be, but what to you do with a boat if you can't make a pass? I guess you could choose your routes more carefully to avoid steep passes.

I can't imagine running into a hill that would flat stall you out so you had to unhook. You just go a little slower. My driveway is 20+%, and my older 265 hp E450 can easily start out on that hill pulling a toad or trailer. I never worry about making up a hill, now matter how slow I have to go.

[Lumpty]

mountainsurf wrote:


Thanks for the info. Do you regularly tow over mountain passes? If so, how does the Sunseeker do?

So far, I've never been west of Ohio, but have towed the trailer all over the northeast, mid-Atlantic and as far south as Georgia. It has gone up several short but sweet hills, including US250 through Rockfish Gap in Virginia, I-80 across PA, I-77 at Fancy Gap, and some local 7% hills. In general, a 4-5% grade will get pulled at around 55 in 4th, occasionally kicking down to 3rd. 6-7% will be 3rd at 45-50. No drama, just some RPM. A V10 will run fine for a long time at 4500rpm.

This combination would not be my first choice for say heading to the Eisenhower Tunnel from Denver west on I-70, but is perfectly fine anywhere in the east or Midwest where altitude is not going to affect performance.

[Olddud]

Talking about mountain passes, something that worries me (and not sure it should), I pull a 4500lb frog behind a Cambria 30C class C, and leaving Centennial, Wy., going west up 130 Hwy, it was all the unit could do to make the pass. It was actually losing speed for several miles, and was grinding away in the lowest gear going about 25 MPH at it's slowest. I say "not sure it should" because I have never needed to stop to unhook. I've been up and down I-70 west of Denver several times, and it only gets worrisome going west up to the Eisenhower tunnel.

A car can be unhooked if need be, but what to you do with a boat if you can't make a pass? I guess you could choose your routes more carefully to avoid steep passes.

[mountainsurf]

Lumpty wrote:
I have a Forest River Sunseeker 2300 on an E450 chassis that weighs 9900lbs empty against a 14,500lb GVW and that big GCWR. I can tow pretty much whatever I want and have. The usual hitch-up is an enclosed 20' trailer with a race car inside along with other "stuff" that weighs in at 7500 to 8000lbs. My GCW is usually right around 20,000lbs. Bought new off a a dealer's lot based on the small house and heavy chassis, it has 17,000 miles on it and handles the load just fine. I did do the normal Ford add-ons of Bilsteins, a larger front anti-roll bar, and an alignment, and it got even better.

Thanks for the info. Do you regularly tow over mountain passes? If so, how does the Sunseeker do?

[MikeRP]

That's what I'm talking about Lumpty! Good to hear real world experiences.

[Handbasket]

At the smaller end of the scale, when I bought my Tiger CX in '06, they advertised towing up to 8,000 lbs. (I think current models are now called the Bengal CX & TX). As pickup chassis' capacity have increased over the years in between, I'm sure the towing capacity has risen, too. Go to www.tigervehicles.com and do some reading. Just be sure you're sitting down when you look at current pricing... ;). Since they're mostly built-to-order, they're scarce on the used market.

Jim, "I drink coffee for _your_ protection."

[Lumpty]

I have a Forest River Sunseeker 2300 on an E450 chassis that weighs 9900lbs empty against a 14,500lb GVW and that big GCWR. I can tow pretty much whatever I want and have. The usual hitch-up is an enclosed 20' trailer with a race car inside along with other "stuff" that weighs in at 7500 to 8000lbs. My GCW is usually right around 20,000lbs. Bought new off a a dealer's lot based on the small house and heavy chassis, it has 17,000 miles on it and handles the load just fine. I did do the normal Ford add-ons of Bilsteins, a larger front anti-roll bar, and an alignment, and it got even better.

[Dune_Hauler]

You could always go Super C 20,000lbs tow capacity 54,000lbs GCWR

[MikeRP]

I'm just upgrading the hitch on my Sunseeker 3010 DS to 7500 lbs. it is rated to tow that by Forest River and the upgrade is a FR part.

How far will you be towing the boat? If you are going through mountains, I'd probably be mildly concerned. If it's a flat land tow, you'll probably be all right as long as you boat trailer brakes are setup properly.

So if I were to tow yours boats on mine, I would weigh 20500 lb versus a max of 22000 lbs.

There are other Sunseeker models that weigh less but have the same towing capability.

So you might get one that weighs 12000 lbs loaded and only be 19000 lbs going down the road, same as me towing 5500. Lbs.

19000 lbs gcvwr is no problem for the e450 ford.

[Bobbo]

For 7,000 pounds, you are likely looking for a Super C.

[carringb]

dalmationlovers wrote:
Unless you go a diesel with a class c I don't think you will find any C that can tow 7500#. Most have a limit at 5000#. You may find some A's that are gas that may tow that but I'm not sure.

GCWR is what matters (along with carrying capacity for the hitch weight). The larger Class As sometimes only have 4,000 pounds of GCWR left because they weight so much!