Towing capability

F and E Damp · 11-17-2010, 10:46 AM

I can't find anywhere, in the documentation I have, what the GCWR of the 02 F53 chassis is. I do have the GVWR of 22,000. Also, the rig has a Reese hitch and I can't find a part number or a rating on it.

After searching though a lot of posts on here, iRV2 and RV.net, the general consensus seems to be that GCWR is 26,000 pounds.

We have a very occasional use for a toad, not enough to spend the $3K or so for four-down capability, so we were thinking about towing our 03 Kia Sedona on a dolly. I'm beginning to think that, with a GW for the Sedona of 4600 lb, plus the weight of the dolly, we'd be over the top. Also, I'm not sure if any rental dollies come with electric brakes.

Can anyone confirm the GCWR and where can I find the rating for the hitch?

Moderators - I've put this in the Georgetown forum as it seems like a GT question. If you want to move it either to the Ford Chassis or the Towing forum, feel free.

MtnGuy · 11-17-2010, 11:26 AM

Check out this......down at the bottom left: https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...D_F350_550.pdf

Looks like all of the class A motor home chassis were 26,000 GCWR in 2002. With the 22,000 GVWR, that would give you a maximum 4000 lb. tow rating.

jsutherl · 11-17-2010, 11:46 AM

There should be a sticker somewhere inside that tells you the weights as it rolled off the factory floor. That should help you know what you're dealing with too. In my 2008 the sticker is on the back wall of the kitchen cabinet above the sink.

F and E Damp · 11-17-2010, 04:35 PM

mtnguy:

I did a quick weight on the way out on our last trip and was under 20K, so I'd have a bit more towable weight provided the hitch can take it. I'm going to do a more through weighing as we leave on our first trip of next season. There are only two people and two 70-lb Labradors on board and we don't haul a lot of "stuff". Our only indulgence is to take a pretty full tank of Anacortes water, which is among the best in the country!

Nex step is to try and find out about the hitch. I can't find any rating or part numbers on the thing anywhere. The original owner never used it and there isn't even a plug-in with a ball, just the receiver.

LadyWindrider · 11-17-2010, 05:27 PM

Here is the owners manual. I'll let you read it.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../02motog1e.pdf

MtnGuy · 11-17-2010, 05:31 PM

It is strange that by the chart, the lesser GVWR frames can tow more, but all of the frames have a 26,000 lb. rating. I appears that Ford is just subtracting the GVWR from the GCWR to come up with the tow figures......and that is if you are maxed out on the MH weight.

MtnGuy · 11-17-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windrider

Here is the owners manual. I'll let you read it.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../02motog1e.pdf

The link doesn't work for me.

F and E Damp · 11-18-2010, 10:39 AM

I honestly think that the various players in the US market for towing are so scared of lawsuits that they put ridiculously low limits on what you can tow, compared to what the vehicle can really handle.

As one example, our family "barge" is an 03 Kia Sedona and it's rated to tow 3500 lb. That same car, identical except for a slightly smaller engine, is rated in Europe to tow 3000 kg (6600 lb.). The British Caravan Club's choice of "Best tow car" two years in a row is the Subaru Forester, mainly because it's all-wheel drive.

British TT's are a bit lighter than US ones because they don't usually have a/c, some don't have furnaces and they tend to have much smaller house batteries. I remember seeing large TTs being pulled by the 96" wheel base, 2-liter Land Rover some years back. It was the TV of choice until the 3.5 liter Range Rover hit the market. Since I couldn't consider splashing out $80K for a Range Rover, I've never checked its tow rating in this country. It's probably a wimpy 4000 lb or less.

**Herk7769** · 11-18-2010, 10:53 AM

Fifth Wheel Weight Calculator

Is still my "go to source" for these questions. Spend some time learning what the terms mean and how they are determined. There is a tutorial on that subject on the same page.

**Herk7769** · 11-18-2010, 10:55 AM

Windrider, that link is a "pay service" if you would like to share it please download the pdf to your computer (if you can) than upload it to the forum using the attachments button.

LadyWindrider · 11-18-2010, 01:28 PM

Sorry folks. Not a paid service. Try here:

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdi...d=&kevin=rules

and you should be able to load the owners manual for any recent Ford vehicle. Left hand side of the page, owners guides. I would copy it and upload, but don't want the site to mixed up in copy write legalities. Hope this works.

**Herk7769** · 11-18-2010, 01:58 PM

I wound up in the Helm Inc section (paper copies).

The PDFs are there and available for download by anyone.

F and E Damp · 11-19-2010, 09:59 AM

Except the Ford listing doesn't include the F53. It's all cars and pick-up trucks.

LadyWindrider · 11-19-2010, 01:15 PM

Oh but yes it does. If you keep scrolling down under vehicle, you will find the F-53 Motor home Chassis. It will be in with the trucks, f150, f250, f350... until you see f53 motor home. i made sure it was there before I posted.

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