Towing with class C motorhome

[r3meyer]

I have had the Super C (Gulfstream) setup with the 8.1 and the Allison. Seneca copy.  I hated every minute of it.  Because the ass end hangs out so far over those rear tires you get alot a sway when you start to hit the trucker ruts or they pass you.  If I was going to pass a trucker I would slam the gas, start the pass and then hang on for dear life until I got around them.  It would be fine with a lighter trailer setup, but not with what your wanting to tow.

For your budget of 30-45 you can easily find an older Monaco 97-02 pusher or a quality like brand that is already setup to tow 10k. The reliable cummins ISC and Allison combo.   I went from the Super C to the pusher and it was night and day.  It was a 98 Monaco Windsor with the 300HP.  All of these come with a 10K tow rating from the factory.

The next issue will be your holding tanks.  Those smaller class C's don't hold much water due to weight.

 

[Dockmaster]

I recently bought a 2022 Jayco Redhawk 31F. It’s there largest class C that isn’t a Super C. It comes in right at 32 ft long. It has the new Ford 7.3 in it and has a tow capacity of 7500lbs. I tow a 20ft enclosed with a 4 seat RZR and 4 quads. Right around 6,400 lbs and it tows great. Takes a bit to get up to speed but once you’re there, it does well. 
 

Only picture I have of the set up. 
View attachment 27749

Off topic for this thread but I gotta ask; how are you fitting a 4 seat RZR and four quads in a 20' enclosed?? Are all four of the quads little kids' quads? 

 

[Rorschach]

Off topic for this thread but I gotta ask; how are you fitting a 4 seat RZR and four quads in a 20' enclosed?? Are all four of the quads little kids' quads? 

Good question. I get 2 quads and a 2 seat SxS in my 24'. I could get one more quad if I took less gear but no way in a 20'. 

That pic looks like it came out of an add for Jayco.

 

[FENDERFAB]

Thank you guys for all the replies.

After alot of thoughts and going back and forth i think safety wise and longevity wise i am going to go with r3meyer advice and look into the monaco diplomats.  i have found a few already that are nice and in my price range.  the 10k towing capacity is comforting and allows me to upgrade to an enclosed in the future.  My end goal is to get an enclosed trailer thats a full 98" width inside with drive over fenders that i can fit my truck in.  

I am sure with this recent fuel price gouging the market for used rvs will continue to open up and many more rigs will come on the market.  With that said is there anything i should be on the lookout for as far as issues with these?  My only hesitation is obviously im looking at an older rig- i found this one in san diego 1999 Monaco Diplomat - rvs - by owner - vehicle automotive sale (craigslist.org)

 

[ElCaminoManT]

We went from a 38' 5th wheel to a 35' Four Winds 34G super C on the 5500 Kodiak chassis with the Duramax. Power and brakes were amazing, ride and handling were awful. I pulled a 16' flatbed with a Jeep ZJ on it, scaled about 6500lbs so total combined was just shy of 26K lbs. Problem with most all class C mohos is the huge asses they have = overloaded rear axle and underloaded front axle when towing any weight. Mine was rated at 13,500 out back but always scaled close to 15,500 and it was all over the road. Sold that after 1.5 years and went to a slightly older Winnebago diesel pusher that had a proper wheelbase and weight placement. It's a night and day difference. Ride quality, stability, brakes, comfort, etc. Unless it is insanely windy, I don't even notice it. With the super C it was all over the road when any vehicle of size passed by, even going by concrete k-rail was scary AF. I only miss the maneuverability of it, but that was because of the comically short wheelbase.

Oh, holding tank capacities too. Super Cs have decent tanks but still smaller than most all DP mohos. Traditional class C tanks are comical.

 

[wapawekka]

Off topic for this thread but I gotta ask; how are you fitting a 4 seat RZR and four quads in a 20' enclosed?? Are all four of the quads little kids' quads? 

It’s a tight fit. For starters, it’s a 2011 RZR 4 so it’s not the behemoth wheel bases they have now. You can see it parked behind my son in the pic. Up front sideways is a Honda 250r. Then the RZR and LT80 right behind that longways, then my daughters 250ex and my sons 400ex. Here’s a pic a few years ago with  different quads but the same idea. So only 1 kid quad. Don’t know what I’m going to do when he outgrows it and goes to a full size quad. 26 ft trailer probably. 

 

[wapawekka]

I will also add a comment about tank capacities. We came from a Monoco Knight DP that had 90 gallons of water and I believe 45 gallons each of black and grey. Never had to worry about water with a family of 6.

With the Jayco, we have to be more conscious of water use. 47 fresh with 6 gallons in the hot water heater tank, 41 grey and 31 black. One of the downfalls of a regular class C. Just food for thought. 

 

[r3meyer]

Thank you guys for all the replies.

After alot of thoughts and going back and forth i think safety wise and longevity wise i am going to go with r3meyer advice and look into the monaco diplomats.  i have found a few already that are nice and in my price range.  the 10k towing capacity is comforting and allows me to upgrade to an enclosed in the future.  My end goal is to get an enclosed trailer thats a full 98" width inside with drive over fenders that i can fit my truck in.  

I am sure with this recent fuel price gouging the market for used rvs will continue to open up and many more rigs will come on the market.  With that said is there anything i should be on the lookout for as far as issues with these?  My only hesitation is obviously im looking at an older rig- i found this one in san diego 1999 Monaco Diplomat - rvs - by owner - vehicle automotive sale (craigslist.org)

The only thing I dont like about the Diplomats is that they are rear radiators so engine work is a PITA. If you do a Diplomat get rid of the rear mud flap.  It kicks up rocks and then the fan shoots them into the radiator. Try to find a Windsor or better.  Monaco hierarchy is

1. Signature
   
2. Executive
   
3. Dynasty
   
4. Windsor
   
5. Camelot
   
6. Diplomat
   
7. Knight
   
8. Cayman
   

Once you identify what you want then its easy to spot a great deal.  My 98 windsor was awesome.  Got a smoking deal on it because it still had the factory blue carpet.  Ripped it out and put LVP.  

Lots of Monaco support out there.  Great facebook group also.

 

[r3meyer]

duplicate

 

[Dockmaster]

Shop around and do your homework. Vast differences in models, capacities and tow ratings out there.  Some C's have ridiculous rear overhang. My last Super C on the Kodiak c5500 had what I would call a medium rear overhang. I added Super Springs to it and it towed my 10k trailer just fine with no white knuckle rides. However, the tail swing was a problem for my wife. She took off someone's side  view mirror in tight lanes getting on a ferry, then battled a tree backing out of our shop. Clearly these issues were the fault of the RV and not the driver.  :classic_biggrin:

Water and tank capacities also vary a lot. My last C held 75 gal of water, my new one holds 150