Truck campers and towing CD 25

I am tending back toward the class B's again. There is a nice Pleasure Way 20 footer which has the Ford V10 engine. With the change out of the hitch and rear gear ratio it will tow 10,000 lbs--also has air bag suspension.

You certainly have a point about the weight--At least on the Dodge Dually I would only have 2" clearance thru the driveway gate--even without the camper jack problem. How much width is there in the Lance with the front jacks swung in? I had wondered how one got by the 102" legal width--but the mirrors on my Class A (and the awnings) stick out to make the total width closer to 124" total width, so I had figured that the jacks just stuck out. Makes far more sense to have the jacks swing in.
 
thataway":2m0nntkw said:
I am tending back toward the class B's again. There is a nice Pleasure Way 20 footer which has the Ford V10 engine. With the change out of the hitch and rear gear ratio it will tow 10,000 lbs--also has air bag suspension.
Click to expand...

Can you be more specific about what you would change on the hitch and rear gear ratio to make it 10K# capable? What abut the brakes?

Thanks,
Warren
 
The unit comes with a class III hitch--as do many trucks and vans, no matter what their towing capacity is. For example the stardard chevy 2500 comes with a 5000 lb hitch--same with Ford. A class IV hitch (bolt on) is capable of at least 10,000 lbs tow capacity and tongue weight of 1000 lbs. A Class V hitch (2 1/2" box) is good for up to 15,000 lbs and 1500 lbs (weight distributing hitch--which I am using),.

My concern is the frame--Ford rates these basic frames for 10,000 lbs towing capacity.

Then it boils down to the GVWR (Gross Vehicular Weight Rating)--which is 9500 lbs for this van chassis. The only actual vehicular weight I found was about 8100 lbs. The problem is that this is only a load carrying capacity of 1400 lbs. (Road Treks appear to have a better shot here--and weight of 7700 lbs full of liquids (gas and water) and two 150 lb passangers come in a 7700 lbs, with GVWR of 9800 lbs, giving a load capacity of 2100 lbs. Now, one has to add in gear in the van, and tongue weight (750 lbs).

The Ford specs give a towing capacity of the excell of 10,000 lbs The Gross Combined Vehicular Weight Capacity is 14,500 (vs 16,000 for the Chevy--Road Trek). If the truck weight is 8500 lbs--this would leave only 6,000 lbs tow capacity...so it would be marginal, or under. (Again, your question did force me to actually look up the capacity--rather than take the work of the factor rep. Based on these figures, it seems that the Chevy/Road Trek offers a better towing capacity. (Lets say the loaded truck weight is 8000 lbs, then this leaves a tow capacity of 8,000 lbs.)

As for the rear end-the stardard rear end is 3.73 gears. The factory rep stated that wtih the 4.10 gears, and the V 10 engine, that the towing capacity is 10,000 lbs. (do people tow over the capacity--definately yes--but not a good idea.
As for brakes; I don't see that as a problem, since I have dual disc brakes--and may well go from surge to electric over hyraulic considering the van--which I had been considered anyway. The only real concern with brakes is panic stops. I have been driving big trucks in the mountains (High Sierra and other Calif. mountain roads for over 55 years. I rarely use the brakes going down grade (mostly using engine compression and slower speeds). Panic stops--one relies on good disc brakes, on both trailer axles.

Thanks for the questions, since it did make me re-examine the actual capacities as in the specs on the internet.
 
While exploring through the archives I came across this thread and thought I'd bring it briefly to the surface.

Early in the thread there is mention of a tow hitch extension that one Brat uses. Then it dawned on me - I have one in my shop.

If anyone is interested, I have a rather long extension "truss" type extension that fits a SuperHitch manufactured by Torklift. I used it to tow the CD22 when we had the camper on the truck.

We no longer have the camper - so don't need the extension to tow the CC23.

If anyone's interested; contact me.

Best,
Casey
 
Hi bob about your question about the 2500 if your going to have a camper and pull you boat go with at least a one ton dually. I had 11 foot lance camper with my boat and it was plenty for the dually took it to florida. did fine friend had 2500 chevy the wind accross the midwest about wreck him a couple of time. so the balance with the camper is what will get a 3/4 ton, plus if you ever blow a tire dually is safe like twin motors on your boat.I have a 1 ton now single wheels and for the camper dually is way better. check out the lance camper in montana there very popular. Duff
 
Bob we have a v10 in a one ton 4x4 work van and also a dodge with the cummins the ford is a great rig its given us good service but it will not pull even close to the cummins my chevy with the big block gas wont pull with either one of the other two. its hard on gas and lite on power. hope that helps
Duff
 
The 8.1 is gone. I was surprised that it was available as late as 2007, my understandings was that 2006 was its last year, it must in in some of the GMC Classics.

We had an 8.1 in our Suburban and its my favorite towing engine. We now have a GMC Duramax and its a good rig. Right now its hard to find an 8.1 pickup with low mileage. We found the current truck equipped the way we wanted at a price that was exception and so we now have a diesel.

A properly equipped 6.0 could be a very good tow vehicle.
 
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