towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I am thinking of buying a late model gas powered motorhome,30 ft Class A, V-10, Ford chassis unit. I see m/h's this size towing enclosed trailers all the time and was wondering what people do about the hitch or modifications to them. Most of the mh's i have been looking at only suggest pulling a 5000 lb max trailer. Now I know that some of the ones I have seen are heavier than that so what are people doing to the hitch to modify it so it won't ripe the back of the motor home off?

Thanks RJ Sledge

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

>>>"rip the back of the motor home off?"<<<

Is this motorhome gonna have one of your 390's in it???

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

No Bill it won't.....sorta wanted to get there and back!!

RJ

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Rj you have a pm...

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Don't be so self-effacing.... I know those things would move the Empire State Building off its foundation if you just hooked one up...

Excellent choice for a motor home/toter home powerplant!!!.

Just make sure the hitch area is double-wall 4130 and you'll be okay! :)

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Get a hold of Jim Bailey. He sells some frame braces that attach to the hitch and strengthen the frame.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Hi RJ. I do exactly what your looking at doing. I sent you a PM.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

RJ if you get The Motor Home . You can rent the apartment in the trailer .. LOL LOL . Red Le Blanc

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I've been towing with a class c and a 24 ft trailer for better than 3 years with no problems. Most motorhomes have frame extensions which are actually the weakest link. You must visually inspect the frame to check for cracks or broken welds. That being saild I have not had any problems with my setup. The trailer needs to be loaded properly as to shift as much of the weight off the tounge. I believe the tires on the motorhome and trailer will take the most abuse. So purchase the biggest and strongest tires you can fit under your rig

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I highly recommend using a Trailer Toad. Takes all the tongue weight off the motorhome. Call me if you have any questions. 570-323-6649

Wes

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Bill could you copy me on the trailer hitch info?

R.J. Check the model hitch on the motor home. My previous one was a Valley hitch and the cross bar is welded to the side plates in "shear", and that's exactly what it did while towing my 20 encosed trailer. I was just lucky it didn't cause a major accident on the freeway. The welds were defective and they did nothing to stand behind their product.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

trailer toad is the best i have an origial style with the small wheels but they refined them and the new ones are even better call jok 319-404-7001 or website is www.trailertoad.com you wont be disapointed

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Mike, PM sent.

I've thought about a trailer toad and it seems like a good idea. Taking the tongue load off the MH certainly sounds good. I would think that balancing the trailer load would be very important with the toad to make sure there is enough load on the toad for it to track properly. It seems like the trailer would wander all over the place if the toad was lightly loaded. Two more tires to worry about though, and that is about all I think about when towing is how long before I blow a tire.

Aren't toads a pain when you are backing up?

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Best thing you can buy is a Trailer Toad! I've used one for 2 years now won't tow with out it.They have a new one out with 15 inch tires that is working great.Mine has the 12 inch tires and I'm real happy with it.I have a 2002 30 ft.Ford and a 24 ft. trailer 2800# car,golf car,tools,etc.the main thing is to make sure the trailer is level when your ready to go. Call Jok at 319-404-7001. He may have a used one for a good price.Take's about 30 seconds to put the bar in place to back up.If it wanders you don't have the trailer level or the toad is not down a 1 inch and a 1/2 at the front.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Thanks guys, appreciate the good words on the Trailer Toad. Glad they are working out for everyone who has them.

Thanks again,

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Tailer Toad ....Trailer Toad ....Trailer Todd ...'enuf said.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I was wondering about backing up. You have to get out and install or remove a bar every time you change from forward to backing up, and vice versa?

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Okay..Okay... I got the message. Trailer Toad sounds like the way to go. Thanks for all the info.

Later RJ

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Ed, ...yes and no ....., I lock my toad when I'm "jockying" my trailer back and forth in the pits, BUT, I just leave it locked. I only unlock it when I'm leaving for home. Once again, I lock it at home, and unlock it before I leave for a race. It's really simple. However, I'm very cautious, and avoid backing up at Fuel Stops, and the Flying J if at all possible.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

What Jim said. Its not that big of a deal.Just be sure you take the bar out before you head home.Don't drive 20 miles down the road like I did LoL.I keep an eye on mine with my back up camera.I did put a set of bars on mine to take the play out of my hitch,it was a little sloppy from when I use crank up the motor home to hook the load bars.They go between the hitch brackets and the Toad..

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Roger,
You did good to catch it in 20 miles. I left Brainerd, MN last year and 50 miles from home before I noticed the Reverse Bar was still pinned in.... 245 miles! Tires showed some scuffing and alittlre "black dust" on the front of the trailer..oops, my bad. And I am the person who wrote the Instructions!! My excuse is I must have been on the phone, and I'm sticking to it.

Tow safe everyone.

Jok Nicholson

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Ok Sledge, as usual I got to solve your problems. You buy Red Leblanc's conversion. Then you aint got to worry about nothing. And it's only been exposed to Fords. And now all the Ford guys get paved parking and half off entry and don't have to go by the AHFS. The Red can move up to a twin screw. Problem solved.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Thanks Jeff, sounds like a plan......can you get an ole cedar chopper from the Texas Hill Country finianced?? I don't care how much the payment is just don't want to come up with a down payment. I did have a little problem paying some bills not too long ago, but what the Hell, I don't even pay attention most the time.

Later Bud

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I didn't know there was a hill IN Texas...

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

RJ I have a 2005 Endeavor that I promise will pull anything you put behind it. Single trailer be like pulling a fishing BOAT. By the way 400HP

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Thanks Bobby, I know its a nice unit, just doesn't fit in my stack money wise.

RJ

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I HAVE A 34 FOOT FLEETWOOD GAS MH AND A 28 FT CLASSIC TRLR,3000 LB CAR,DRUM OF FUEL,AND A GOLF CART.AFTER ONE YEAR OF TOWING I BROKE THE WELDS ON THE CHEAP FACTORY HITCH,BROKE THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FRAME TO THE BODY ANDTHE FRAME EXTENSIONS FLEXED DOWN ABOUT 3 INCHES AT THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME ... BE CAREFUL!! DONT TRUST THE 3000 LB HITCH WITHOUT SOME BRACING AND DONT TRUST THE FRAME EXTENSIONS,ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE LONG WITHOUT MAJOR BRACING WELDED IN!!
THAT SAID I STILL LIKE THE IDEA OF THE TRAILER TOAD,BUT AFTER A DAY WITH THE WELDER AND SOME 2x2 TUBING I HAVENT HAD ANYMORE PROBLEMS GOOD LUCK
SCOTT

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

A friend of mine borrowed a motorhome that had a Ford E-350 van nose and a 25 foot living quarters. He hooked his 20 ft enclosed trailer on the back of it with his Grand National ,some tools and a bar b q in it, and after a 500 mile tow the hitch was bent down far enough for the bottom of the hitch to be about 1 inch off the ground... He had to park it at the motel he ended up at and I had to go get his trailer and bring it back with my dually. I don't know what you have to do to the back of that motorhome but make darn sure you have it done and done right...

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

Bobby,
Jerry Bennett is looking for a motorhome. Send him pictures to jerrybennett@wk.net..

Is Red looking to sell his conversion? Tell him to send pics to Jerry also.

Patsy

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

To a point it could be a good thing that the smaller motorhomes aren't reinforced too much.You know drag racers give them a foot and they'll take a yard, or more like trying to tow 12,000# with a class c.

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I know the toad is a quality piece..........but I wouldn't have one. If your rig can't handle your load, get something that will. And I'm not rich. My rig is a '77 Dodge 500 series chassis MH with a beefed up frame and air bags. My trailer is 10K lbs. I've spent alot of time and less money getting it right. I have 12 tires already, I don't want 2 more that I have to worry about all the time. 12 inch??!! The 15's are an improvement, but the money for 1 gadget is pretty steep.

You can get a 1 ton dually with a goose or a fifth wheel and be safe too.

No offense to anyone, but these are my views, it's a free country (for a little while longer) and I'm sticking to them.

Many have tried to put 10 lbs. of potatoes in a 5 lb. bag.....you usually end up with a lot of scattered potatoes.

RIP

Re: towing enclosed trlr with motorhome??
 

I have towed an enclosed Goldrush 24 and 26 trailer with Full lenth Class A and Class Cs. There are a couple Class C which have a ford frame all the way to the bumper. Four Seasons is one. We built a cross member at the bumper and 3 feet under with the receiver in the middle from bumper all the way forward to the crossmember.. Used Equilizer Hitch parts with HD bars and no problems. As always check tires before all trips for air pressure and thats it...