What size motorhome engine to flat tow a full size crew cab truck.

onanysunday

onanysunday

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A little research shows a late model crew cab half ton Chevy truck can be flat towed with the transmission and transfer case in neutral. Looks like those trucks weigh around 5000 lb. Instead of a dually crew cab truck and a toy hauler what about a pusher capable of pulling a pickup flat towed behind. Seems like it might be a better option. How much motor would I need to be reasonable for long distance towing and getting up and down mountains. What about something like this?https://www.facebook.com/share/19RCoQnGg4/
 
Damn dude you are all over the place on this. Didn't you have a motorhome and box trailer already ? You will need at least the same size motor as that one. The truck probably weighs the same or less as the enclosed with rail loaded inside.
 
If you're open to gas a 2008 to 2010 35ft or less with the 8.1 and Allison. Lots of nice floor plans for under 40k. Winnebago / Itasca 35p is a nice one.
 
Hondajimz said:
Damn dude you are all over the place on this. Didn't you have a motorhome and box trailer already ? You will need at least the same size motor as that one. The truck probably weighs the same or less as the enclosed with rail loaded inside.
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I now have a 99 tradewinds 36 foot with a 3126 cat. 300 horsepower. I tow my Funco on an open trailer which weighs total I would guess around 4,500 lb. From Phoenix to the dunes is mostly flat ground so towing is not a problem. Driving this motor home from Phoenix to San Diego with no trailer it does very poorly on the hills. No way I would try tow a trailer that heavy over big mountains. I have had the same rig for quite a few years and it has been pretty much dunes only. Coach had 22,000 when I bought it and now has about 65,000.
 
Dry weight on my current motorhome is around 23,000. I remember weighing the entire rig and it was I think around 28,500 lb.
 
I’ve flat towed my Jeep JKU across the US and plan to do again this summer. It probably weighs close to 5,000 lbs, especially when I load it up with a couple of electric scooters and golf clubs etc.
I have an older 36 foot class A with an 8.1 gas and Allison 5 speed. She’s pretty heavy as I’m a full timer and carry a lot stuff, most of which I don’t need.
IMO the transmission is more important than the motor. I had a previous class A that was smaller, weighed much less and had the same motor but only a 4 speed transmission. It struggled at times.
The more gears the better.
 
What i have found out,
Most of the people i dune with have a Cat C7, i think that is around 1025-TQ, my 2011 6.7 Ford before the Tuner with a 5th wheel around 21,000lbs loaded or even with my WW around 17,000lbs was the same speed as the C7 Phaeton and 24' enclosed trailer,

I now have the same truck with 100lbs of TQ and walk away from the C7 and same speed as a C9 and walk away from the Cummins L9,

So i know everyone jokes around, but if you want to really pull fast and not be patient,
The only way to go is the 450HP with a 12 speed by Mercedes or a 605HP, or you are stuck with a truck

Sandroosten has a newer chevy with a 10 speed, and he can pull his toyhauler up a grade faster than i can tow a flat trailer up a grade, just crazy how much HP and how little braking these trucks have,
 
5,000lbs shouldn't be a problem for really any newer motorhome unless it's a 5.4 powered E-350 base, or one of those Sprinter vans.

I haul a ~7,000lb flatbed (2 buggies, quads, etc) from Glamis to San Diego at least monthly during the season behind my 31' E-450 chassis V10 class C. It struggles, but still maintains 45mph up the steepest part of the grade without flooring it (close at times). Yes, that poor V10 is making lots of noise (3700rpm sounds like 11,000 with that 10 cylinder firing order), but the motor and trans never get hot, even on 115* days.

Towing my Jeep on a flatbed (~5,000lbs) is a lot better up that grade, but 3rd gear is the limitation. 50mph is about all I'll do in 3rd since you're clearing 4500rpm otherwise. I'll just sit at 50 part throttle and cruise up.
 
Rockwood said:
5,000lbs shouldn't be a problem for really any newer motorhome unless it's a 5.4 powered E-350 base, or one of those Sprinter vans.

I haul a ~7,000lb flatbed (2 buggies, quads, etc) from Glamis to San Diego at least monthly during the season behind my 31' E-450 chassis V10 class C. It struggles, but still maintains 45mph up the steepest part of the grade without flooring it (close at times). Yes, that poor V10 is making lots of noise (3700rpm sounds like 11,000 with that 10 cylinder firing order), but the motor and trans never get hot, even on 115* days.

Towing my Jeep on a flatbed (~5,000lbs) is a lot better up that grade, but 3rd gear is the limitation. 50mph is about all I'll do in 3rd since you're clearing 4500rpm otherwise. I'll just sit at 50 part throttle and cruise up.
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My motorhome empty on that grade starts to overheat and I have to shift down and run the RPM above 2000 to keep it cool.
 
onanysunday said:
My motorhome empty on that grade starts to overheat and I have to shift down and run the RPM above 2000 to keep it cool.
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205* was the highest I've seen from my OBD2 gauges. E-450 schnoz isn't the best for airflow either.
 
flat towing is like a dead pull of weight only, no tongue weight persey since the connections are all free to move, no weight load. just dead weight
 
Rockwood said:
205* was the highest I've seen from my OBD2 gauges. E-450 schnoz isn't the best for airflow either.
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What does your trans run at? Mine with the same setup will get to 240 in a hurry on the Scan Gauge.
 
I have flat towed my Raptor (6,000lb) behind my 37' workhorse 8.1 gas with Alison a couple of times, feels pretty much the same as my box trailer loaded with the Funco. Tranny is the key, the more gears the better. Any way you look at it, SD to desert tow is tough on everything.
 
2003 country Coach intrigue. 8.9 Cummins ISL with 400 HP and 1200 ft lb. So far on my way back put about 730 mi on it up and down the hills in Idaho and Utah. Pretty neat drivetrain compared to my 3126 cat. 100 more horsepower and 320 more pound feet of torque. Cruises right along at 65 to 70. 75 down hills with ease. Will be interesting with a truck behind it. Today was a challenge with the heat and the hills. 104 to 105° does not make even a side radiator diesel motorhome happy. I did not let the motor go over 220. Super solid how they build these coaches.
 

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In this video at 19:39 they show how all of the floors walls and ceiling are built from country Coach back in the day. Just driving it back the last couple days I can feel how solid this piece of equipment is. Super nice..
 
onanysunday said:
In this video at 19:39 they show how all of the floors walls and ceiling are built from country Coach back in the day. Just driving it back the last couple days I can feel how solid this piece of equipment is. Super nice..
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Great vid 👀
 
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