Calculate tow weight

[Learning about RV]

Hello. I plan to get my diesel C class weighed but would appreciate it if anyone has the math formula to determine if I can flat tow a 5,000 lb jeep behind my RV.

The vehicle details provided from Forest River
Dry weight: 9,700 lb
Payload capacity: 1,330 lb
Towing capacity: 5,000 lb
GVWR: 11,030 lb
Hitch weight: 3500 lb

thank you so much!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Since the tow capacity rating is 5000 lbs, the short answer is YES. However, that assumes the weight of you and your gear loaded into the coach is within the Payload spec, i.e.1330. If you exceeded that, the Tow Capacity would be reduced proportionately.

 

[Kirk]

Find the GCWR or gross combined weight rating for the RV and subtract your GVWR from it and that will tell you the maximum it is rated to tow. That will give you an estimate but to be sure you will need the actual weight of the RV when ready for travel and with full tanks. If things go right the scale weight will be less than GVWR and so you then subtract the actual weight from the GCWR and the difference is what you can safely tow.

 

[darsben]

This is the most concerning to me Payload capacity: 1,330 lb
I doubt if you can put more than a few gallons of water in the water tank, fill the propane and load your food,gear and yourselves into the motorhome without exceeding that number.

 

[donn]

Thats the big problem with so many class Cs. The chassis is at or near capacity long before adding personal stuff.

 

[Learning about RV]

Since the tow capacity rating is 5000 lbs, the short answer is YES. However, that assumes the weight of you and your gear loaded into the coach is within the Payload spec, i.e.1330. If you exceeded that, the Tow Capacity would be reduced proportionately.

Thanks
Believe it or not the GCWR is not listed on the vehicle or online technical specifications
I found on the Forest River forum that the GCWR is 15,250. D
Dream dashed, it looks like I won’t be able to tow a 5,000 lb Jeep.

 

[Learning about RV]

Find the GCWR or gross combined weight rating for the RV and subtract your GVWR from it and that will tell you the maximum it is rated to tow. That will give you an estimate but to be sure you will need the actual weight of the RV when ready for travel and with full tanks. If things go right the scale weight will be less than GVWR and so you then subtract the actual weight from the GCWR and the difference is what you can safely tow.

Thanks
Believe it or not the GCWR is not listed on the vehicle or online technical specifications
I found on the Forest River forum that the GCWR is 15,250.
I’m still planning to get it weighed and keeping fingers crossed

 

[darsben]

Thanks
Believe it or not the GCWR is not listed on the vehicle or online technical specifications
I found on the Forest River forum that the GCWR is 15,250.
I’m still planning to get it weighed and keeping fingers crossed

TAke some Tylenol with you

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

What chassis is the coach built on? With a 11,030 GVWR, maybe a Sprinter? Many truck diesel chassis are well above that, with a corresponding big GCWR. You need to be looking at the Forest River Classic models C's if you need a big GCWR - they run to 22,000 lbs. You aren't going to get the same mpg as a Sprinter-based rig, though.

By the way, the Forest River spec I see all list GCWR right under GVWR?

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[Ray-IN]

Your figures: GVWR = 11,030#
GCWR =15,250#
The remainder = 4,220# is the maximum towed vehicle weight you may legally pull when your MH actually weighs 11,030# with everyone aboard.

 

[Isaac-1]

Keep in mind just because it is within the legal weight range it might not be fun to tow. I had that experience towing my wife's 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland edition which weighs in at 4,300 pounds, our coach would pull it, but I did not like the tail wagging the dog feel, so I I bought a cheap 2007 Toyota Yaris which weighs in at just under 2300 pounds to drag around, we are 750 miles into our first trip with it, and I almost don't know it is back there.

 

[Learning about RV]

Your figures: GVWR = 11,030#
GCWR =15,250#
The remainder = 4,220# is the maximum towed vehicle weight you may legally pull when your MH actually weighs 11,030# with everyone aboard.

Thanks so much! No Jeep for me : ( they weigh 5k#

 

[Old_Crow]

Thanks so much! No Jeep for me : ( they weigh 5k#

Well, yeah, if you buy a fancy new 4 door. My '03 Wrangler 2 door has a curb weight of around 3500lbs. I add a couple hundred lbs. for the propane bottles and a couple of other things I carry in the Jeep and my '00 Bounder doesn't hardly know it's back there.

 

[A Traveler]

Here’s the Cat Scale ticket for our coach and the Jeep Grand Cherokee toad. The “Trailer Axle” is the Jeep.

At 31,500 pounds on the coach we are 2,820 pounds under the max coach weight of 34,320 pounds. The combined weight of 36,660 is 7,660 pounds under our 44,320 pound limit.

It’s nice to have all this excess capacity.