Georgetown Flat towing

[Gatorbashr]

So I didn't pay attention to the specs and proceeded with the great idea only to get to the end and realize that I probably shouldn't do that......

We traded our Rockwood in on a 2008 Georgetown in December of 21'. Given that we didn't need the pulling power of the Silverado 2500 and the outrageous price of diesel, I traded it in on a 2019 Ram because it was towable.

Purchased the NSA towbar Hercules package and installed the base plate and Ready Brake system last weekend and ordered some tailgate light strips to create a custom tow lighting package.



Then I read the towing capacity and gross vehicle weight of both the Georgetown and the Ram.....


How hard are those numbers?

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Gatorbashr

So I didn't pay attention to the specs and proceeded with the great idea only to get to the end and realize that I probably shouldn't do that......

We traded our Rockwood in on a 2008 Georgetown in December of 21'. Given that we didn't need the pulling power of the Silverado 2500 and the outrageous price of diesel, I traded it in on a 2019 Ram because it was towable.

Purchased the NSA towbar Hercules package and installed the base plate and Ready Brake system last weekend and ordered some tailgate light strips to create a custom tow lighting package.

Then I read the towing capacity and gross vehicle weight of both the Georgetown and the Ram.....

How hard are those numbers?

The Ram should be the Curb Weight, not the GVWR, because there's no people inside or cargo. https://curbweightfinder.com/ram/1500/2019/ if it's a 1500.

The Georgetown rating is based on the frame, engine, and transmission. Is yours on the Ford F-53 or the Chevy Workhorse chassis? That vintage could have either one, I believe.

What is the Georgetown's GVWR, GCWR, and it's CCC or UVW? Some had really low CCC back then around 1,300 lbs.

[Gatorbashr]

Ford F53 chassis.
Attached are the vehicles

[NXR]

Interesting. The line for GCWR is blank. As far as I know the 22,000 GVWR Ford F-53 chassis has always had a GCWR of 26,000 lbs.

GCWR minus GVWR equals your unrestricted towing capacity, or probably 4,000 lbs.

Yet it appears you may need as much as 5,500 lbs from that curb weight link.

Fortunately you can load the coach to less than its GVWR, for example, 20,500 lbs, and add that extra 1,500 lbs to your towing capacity to get up to 5,500 lbs.

But it's probable that you only have a 5,000 lb hitch so you'll have to go to a qualified hitch or trailer show and get a stronger hitch installed. I think the next size up is 7,500 lbs. A qualified shop will tell you what needs to be done to strengthen the frame to safely tow 5,500 lbs, if that's even possible.

Your next step is to load the motorhome with all of the people you will carry, all of the food, stuff, and fresh water you will ever carry and drive to a CAT Scale. Fill the motorhome with fuel and then weigh the coach.

Then fill the truck with fuel plus whatever you will normally carry and weigh the truck BUT do not have any people in the truck when you do.

Once you've got your actual motorhome and truck weights you will know if you can safely tow the truck. Hopefully your motorhome will be noticeably below 20,500 lbs when "filled to the gills" and the truck will be lighter than 5,500 lbs. Those actual weights will help the people installing the hitch a lot.

The three numbers that truly are NEVER EXCEED are the GVWR, the GCWR and each axle's GAWR. That's why you need actual weights.

Good luck,

Ray

[NXR]

Yes, 26,000 lbs GCWR per the Owners Manual page 43: https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F.../07motog1e.pdf

But...that PDF does not show different ratings for different GVWR's as the current F-53 models do. That may be common for that era; I do not know.

Ray

[Gatorbashr]

Originally Posted by NXR

Yes, 26,000 lbs GCWR per the Owners Manual page 43: https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F.../07motog1e.pdf

But...that PDF does not show different ratings for different GVWR's as the current F-53 models do. That may be common for that era; I do not know.

Ray

Weighed both units and cam in around 24k yesterday. Hooked truck up to RV and drove around a bit and it felt pretty good.
Stripping some weight off both vehicles of stuff we will not need on our trip and we will see how it goes..


Thanks again..


Robert

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Gatorbashr

Weighed both units and cam in around 24k yesterday. Hooked truck up to RV and drove around a bit and it felt pretty good.
Stripping some weight off both vehicles of stuff we will not need on our trip and we will see how it goes.

That's a great finding and I'm sure a relief to you. Just don't forget about that 5,000 lb OEM hitch, if that was being used back then, or you could still have an unpleasant surprise.

Hitches often are abused by people who do not understand their limitations. I'd be taking a very close look at that thing for any cracks or rust. Rust on a weld can indicate a cracked weld. I'd also check the hitch bolt torque. I do that once a year.

We have a Buyers Products 5,000 lb hitch and those get torqued to 80 ft lbs. I have no idea which hitch you have, though.

Also double check that the tow bar is level with the motorhome. I think NSA mandates that there be no more than a 2" difference in height when on level ground. If the tow bar is not level that puts a lot more stress on the tow bar, the baseplate, and the hitch,

Ray

[wolfie53]

Having the tow bar level is very important.

[Gatorbashr]

The truck weighed in at 5600 with a full toolbox, gas tank and myself (230ish) in the cab.
I plan on emptying the toolbox out and run the truck down to about 1/4 tank before we hook up. Other than a perhaps a cooler and a small set of 1/2 tools, it will be right at 5000.

I am looking for a Class 5 hitch to either do beforehand or on the way and I have a dual receiver rated to 10k (currently is 5k) being delivered Tuesday.

Plan on taking it nice and easy.

[wolfie53]

Originally Posted by Gatorbashr

The truck weighed in at 5600 with a full toolbox, gas tank and myself (230ish) in the cab.
I plan on emptying the toolbox out and run the truck down to about 1/4 tank before we hook up. Other than a perhaps a cooler and a small set of 1/2 tools, it will be right at 5000.

I am looking for a Class 5 hitch to either do beforehand or on the way and I have a dual receiver rated to 10k (currently is 5k) being delivered Tuesday.

Plan on taking it nice and easy.

So my rig came with a 7500lb hitch receiver but it was mislabeled at the factory as 5000lb. You could already have what you need. You might want to reach out to FR to confirm what you have already. Could save you some money.

[NXR]

These two pics are both of 5,000 lb Buyers Products hitches. The clean tear (no rust) indicates a rapid failure and the owner said their motorhome was less than two years old and the car was well under 5,000 lbs.

The one with the rusted crack, indicating the crack was there for a while when it was found, is on a Georgetown that is less than a year old. They were towing a Jeep, probably 4,500 - 5,000 lbs.

Buyers Beware.

Ray

[NXR]

Originally Posted by wolfie53

So my rig came with a 7500lb hitch receiver but it was mislabeled at the factory as 5000lb. You could already have what you need. You might want to reach out to FR to confirm what you have already. Could save you some money.

Forest River does not install a hitch larger than 5,000 lbs on the Georgetown because the maximum (GCWR minus GVWR) is 6,000 lbs and that's just the 24,000 GVWR chassis. Their GM stated they do not want anyone thinking they can pull up to the hitch capacity and the next size up from the 5,000 hitch is the 7,500 lb hitch.

Class C's often have more towing capacity because they usually are not on the F-53 chassis. From a brochure I found your GCWR is 22,000 lbs and the GVWR is 14,500. 22,000 minus 14,500 equals 7,500 lbs so that hitch is appropriate for your motorhome.

2015 Forrester 3051S brochure: https://www.forestriverrvsource.com/...1626?year=2015

Ray

[wolfie53]

Originally Posted by NXR

Forest River does not install a hitch larger than 5,000 lbs on the Georgetown because the maximum (GCWR minus GVWR) is 6,000 lbs and that's just the 24,000 GVWR chassis. Their GM stated they do not want anyone thinking they can pull up to the hitch capacity and the next size up from the 5,000 hitch is the 7,500 lb hitch.

Class C's often have more towing capacity because they usually are not on the F-53 chassis. From a brochure I found your GCWR is 22,000 lbs and the GVWR is 14,500. 22,000 minus 14,500 equals 7,500 lbs so that hitch is appropriate for your motorhome.

2015 Forrester 3051S brochure: https://www.forestriverrvsource.com/...1626?year=2015

Ray

Makes sense to me thanks for the explanation.

[Gatorbashr]

Originally Posted by wolfie53

So my rig came with a 7500lb hitch receiver but it was mislabeled at the factory as 5000lb. You could already have what you need. You might want to reach out to FR to confirm what you have already. Could save you some money.

At 14 years old and a bit rusted around the welds, being a bit overweight and requiring a additional adapter to lower it to the proper height, I elected to shop around today.

Found a Class 5 that will mount and has an adjustable receiver so I can put it down at the right height.

[Gatorbashr]

Way more hitch than we need but no other step downs will be required.

Now if the weather will cooperate….

[NXR]

Interesting concept, making the hitch height adjustable with bolts. I take it you used a torque wrench and Loctite, at least Blue, on those four bolts?

In a previous life we often used a marker and drew a line from the bolt over the nut once they were torqued. That was a quick visual check if a bolt had loosened excessively. I did the same on my dolly lug nuts. You still need to check torques annually, though. The lines just help you catch a gross movement.

Ray

[Gatorbashr]

What an amazing time on the trip!