Class A motorhomes for towing

R

Ralf

New member
I have been looking at Class A motorhomes now that camping season is about over and have found quite a few bargains. For my budget though, I am looking at 90's gas models since the diesels are 3 times the price.
Now since the gas models don't have the torque of the diesel, I'm a bit worried that I would not be able to tow my 7000 lb enclosed trailer. Most information I have found about towing is open trailers or just vehicles being towed.
So on to the questions.
What is the oldest one should consider?
FORD 460 or GM 454? Why?
What is the most length I should consider?
Thanks
 
The biggest thing to consider is the tounge weight of the trailer. A lot of the smaller Class A and Class C run on extneded rail chassis so while the hitch is a class 3, some of them have a max toung weight of 300#.

As for length, that is purely up to you. But think about combined length and where you can park it as well as turning radius to get into the parking spot.
 
You won't find a "stock" gasser that has a hitch system to handle a trailer like you're proposing, Ralf....but it can be done, as long as it's VERY well reinforced.

I've pulled a 26-foot enclosed trailer "a few" miles (east coast once, Hallett, and several other Midiv tracks) behind our 34-foot gasser and it's been "acceptable". I've got a 454 in mine, 1999 chassis / 2000 MY motorhome.

Just be ready to fix painful little crap all of the time - anything from vacuum lines that change the a/c routing to clips for the closet doors to mechanical stuff.....it's like owning another house, but one that gets the ever loving crap shaken out of it regularly.

If I was smart, I'd sell you mine....but I'm not smart. :D
 
Early 90's diesel pushers should be in the 25k range. Later 90's under 40k. With your trailer would not consider anything else. Any diesel class A will have a 10k hitch rating so no modification. You want a Cummins motor, 8 liter with an Allison 6 speed trans. I traded my 1992 Holiday Rambler Imperial two years ago and got a whopping 10k$ for it. Excellent tow vehicle and got 10 mpg pulling an open trailer. Note...general life expectancy on a 90s gas motor is 45-50k. Diesel....300-500k.
 
What they all said about reinforcing the hitch. I did that with my 440 Winnebago (5 transmissions) and my 454 Southwind (2 transmissions). Neither one ever got more than 5 MPG towing (and very slow at that). No way to keep a light truck trans alive with all that extra weight.
I opted for a mid 90's diesel pusher with Allison tranny and now get about 8 MPG towing a 28 foot enclosed faster. Still have to fix all the house crap all the time though.
 
Are you sure your enclosed trailer only weighs 7000 pounds? That's pretty light.

In gasser-land I'd be shopping for something that (in sort of budget order):

1. Has EFI and a four speed trans. Happened around '91. Remember the chassis can be older than the box.
2. Has a slide. Can't beat the room.
3. Has a '99 newer Ford Chassis, or '01 or newer W-series Workhorse. The '99 F53 was a real, designed for RVs, chassis. Wide track, 4 wheel disc brakes, beefy frame. Workhorse followed with similar stuff on the W series chassis when it came out in '01.

(On the towing / GCWR / hitch stuff, you'll find that the lighter (16K, 18K) GVWR Ford chassis had a 26K GCWR, leaving plenty of room for trailer weight. But you'll need a good hitch, and careful frame inspection.)

On the diesel side, don't fall for a small engined, 4 speed Allison unit with a small tow rating. Do your research...
 
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We ended up going with a shorter class C with a pretty good sized slide, and a longer wheelbase (rather than the very long extensions noted above). It is a 2005 E450 chassis, which is rated at 14,050 GVW and 20,050 GCVW. I went with a short C to minimize the weight of the coach, and leave room for a decent size trailer down the road. This is a long way of saying, don't go with a C unless you can deal with (or in our case want) a shorter MH. The As should have more weight capacity headroom.

Added a reinforced hitch receiver, and it did fine pulling a buddies 26' enclosed on a 5k mile road trip this summer over the rockies and back with a car and parts in it.

The Ford v10 is a good towing motor, and the 05+ trans is decent as well (though I am adding a custom programmer to improve the shifting logic - it holds gear a bit long in tow mode, and does not always use 4th when upshifing).
 
class c for towing

had 28 foot c 89 model with 460 ford od trans and 24 foot enclosed apx weight 8k it pulled it fine on the flat did not dare go anywhere in mountain roads the smallest incline slowed it dramatically ,i did reinforce the hitch. it got no more than 5 to 5.5 mpg !!!. towing or not, it was also very hard to to get into some places, gas stations,crowded padddacks etc definitaly needed a plan before pulling in anywhere. you are pretty much helpless on the highway, getting in the left lane to pass a slow moving veichle was iffy especilly in traffic or if the one you are trying to pass decides to not let you when you get along side.also be prepared to be a handy man , plumbing, elec, carpentry, etc. like a house that moves, everything wants to come loose. sold the trailer and motorhome,purchased an 18 foot enclosed tow weight apx7k ,now tow with a dodge b350 van 360 od trans, converted to camper,much easier to maneuver and gets 8 mpg towing and 15mpg alone only downside less room and strorage
 
tderonne said:
Are you sure your enclosed trailer only weighs 7000 pounds? That's pretty light.
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6960 lbs according to the CAT scales. Its a 20' with a 2'9" V-nose.
If I end up with a motorhome, the murphy bed that I built inside of it will not have to be there and I won't have to carry my generator either. That is probably 400 lbs less weight.
 
Reinforce the hitch.

Go with a diesel. I fried a piston and a torque converter on a 454 Chevy gas motor hailing 20' enclosed
 
I would recommend a class 5 hitch. Way to many people in the paddock have the wrong hitches for the tongue weight we are towing. Remember to look at the height of your receiver and get a riser or drop if you need to. I think most class A come with a class 3 hitch, only good for 500lbs.

Stephen
 
DENIS SCHEMBRI said:
it got no more than 5 to 5.5 mpg !!!.
Click to expand...

The newer transmissions and engines do a bit better (well percentage wise). Our worst tank was 5.8mpg, best was 7.2.

Aug2013roadtriprig_zps052adfb3.jpg
 
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