Towing Weight Limits Isata 3 Series 24FW???

[Coolrvers]

I posted the following info on the Sprinter Chassis forum last night and it was suggested that I re-post it here. I will also contact Mercedes Benz directly.
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We are new owners of a 2019 Dynamax Isata 3 24FW on the Mercedes Benz Sprinter chassis. We have downsized from a 40' diesel motorhome and towed a 2006 Honda CR-V "4-wheels down" that has a Gross Vehicle Weight rating of 4,450 lbs. The Sprinter came equipped with a wired 7-pin electrical plug and a 2" standard hitch but there is a discrepancy on whether or not we can tow.
""Dealer" says the Isata can tow 5,000 which should work with our existing Roadmaster All-Terrain hitch. However, we just sat down with the Sprinter Service Manager at the local Mercedes dealership where we will go for MB service and he says "ABSOLUTELY DON'T TOW". He said there is too much rear end weight from the RV portion on the chassis and there will be suspension and transmission problems if we tow the CR-V.

What have been your experiences? I have seen photos of 24' Dynamax towing Jeeps 4-down. Anyone towing CR-V?

ANY PROBLEMS???

-- "CoolJudy"

[Dr Safety]

Originally Posted by Coolrvers

I posted the following info on the Sprinter Chassis forum last night and it was suggested that I re-post it here. I will also contact Mercedes Benz directly.
====================

We are new owners of a 2019 Dynamax Isata 3 24FW on the Mercedes Benz Sprinter chassis. We have downsized from a 40' diesel motorhome and towed a 2006 Honda CR-V "4-wheels down" that has a Gross Vehicle Weight rating of 4,450 lbs. The Sprinter came equipped with a wired 7-pin electrical plug and a 2" standard hitch but there is a discrepancy on whether or not we can tow.
""Dealer" says the Isata can tow 5,000 which should work with our existing Roadmaster All-Terrain hitch. However, we just sat down with the Sprinter Service Manager at the local Mercedes dealership where we will go for MB service and he says "ABSOLUTELY DON'T TOW". He said there is too much rear end weight from the RV portion on the chassis and there will be suspension and transmission problems if we tow the CR-V.

What have been your experiences? I have seen photos of 24' Dynamax towing Jeeps 4-down. Anyone towing CR-V?

ANY PROBLEMS???

-- "CoolJudy"

Not an Isata 3 owner but from the Dynamax website the GCWR is 15,250 lbs.the GVWR is 11,030 lbs. That leaves 4,230 lbs available for towing if you are fully loaded in the RV. This is the short answer as there are many other factors to consider.

[Webefine]

You list the gross weight of your CRV as 4450, that is the maximum weight that your CRV, occupants and cargo can weigh. The weight your CRV as you would be towing it should be about 3400 pounds.

[milkman55]

We tow a 2014 Honda CR-V behind our 2017 Isata 3 FW. I think the number you want to consider is the “curb” weight, not the “gross” weight of the CR-V. The gross weight is fully loaded with passengers and cargo which you should not have any passengers in the toad, but you may have some cargo. The CR-V curb weight is closer to 3300 lbs, well below the calculated available weight of 4400 lbs (see prior post). We have no issues pulling our CR-V. I specifically chose the CR-V because of the weight factor.

From Honda -
Find detailed specifications and information for your 2014 Honda CR-V.
Curb Weight (lbs): 3305
Width (in): 71.6
Wheelbase (in): 103.1

[Coolrvers]

MilkMan, your explanation makes perfect sense. And thanks for posting the photo. Your tow height set-up between the toad and coach doesn't look "level". Apparently not an issue? What hitch do you use and do you have a supplemental braking system?
Thanks again. -- CoolJudy

[milkman55]

The picture is just skewed because the parking lot is sloping uphill. I need to take a new picture because I have received that comment before. My CR-V tow bar is only about 1-2” below the receiver hitch, well within the tolerances.

I have an all Blue Ox tow system which I installed myself. Got most everything from rvupgradestore.com. The tow bar is the Avail model, a little overkill (10k lbs) but it has a little more length for tight turns and is their newest tow bar. Only weighs 53 lbs, about 12 lbs more than the 6500 lb Alpha model.

I used the Demco (SMI) Stay-N-Play for the supplemental brakes. I much prefer a permanent install as I only need to flip a switch to activate. It one of the few systems that use a vacuum assist proportional braking system.

I went with the Blue Ox wiring harness that uses separate bulbs vs tying into the CR-V wiring harness. There was a post earlier this week about using incandescent bulbs with the LED taillight control module used in the Isata 3. I have not had any issues, but switching the bulb sockets to LED should not be difficult. Blue Ox makes an LED model of the same kit, but some reviews didn’t think the lights were very bright. That’s why I went with incandescent (I usually prefer LED on most everything).

[Coolrvers]

Thanks for clarifying the height question. So, a related question, was the 7-pin wiring plug connected to the front cab or did you have to run a new coach-side harness?
- CoolJudy

[milkman55]

The 7 wire is all hooked up, even the 12v power. I forgot that part, but I added a RVI Battery tender to the Honda and also changed out the battery to the larger group 24F. I order a Honda Odyssey battery box to house the 24F. Drops right in and combined with the RVI tender, I don’t need to pull any fuses for towing like you see recommended by some folks.

There is one pin for a brake controller on the 7 pin that you don’t use, but it runs in to under the driver seat and is just laying there if you have a use. I could hook an indicator to show when the toad brakes engage, but I have not found that to be necessary as I can feel the slight “pull” when the toad brakes engage.

[Coolrvers]

You are so encouraging. It may be another week before we can try out the connections. I am no longer concerned about the weight issues. I will report back on our towing set-up. Gracias, CoolJudy.

[Sandiegodoug]

I was told the hitch was rated for 5000, but the chassis actually was rated for 4200.

[FFred]

"I specifically chose the CR-V because of the weight factor."

We chose the CRV because it can be towed flat with an automatic tranny.

And because the overhead cam is driven by a chain, not a rubber band that requires hundreds to have changed every so often.