W24 Towing Performance

[rickyrocket]

We are in the market for a MH to pull our 24' enclosed trailer (6500#) to the sand dunes. Found one today with all the features we had in mind, except with a gas motor (8.1 L w/ 6 speed Allison, W24 chassis). We live at about 5500' so there will be a couple climbs (5 miles @ 6%)to get home. Anyone have any experience with this setup?

Thanks!

[rickyrocket]

We are in the market for a MH to pull our 24' enclosed trailer (6500#) to the sand dunes. Found one today with all the features we had in mind, except with a gas motor (8.1 L w/ 6 speed Allison, W24 chassis). We live at about 5500' so there will be a couple climbs (5 miles @ 6%)to get home. Anyone have any experience with this setup?

Thanks!

[Corkey]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rickyrocket:
We are in the market for a MH to pull our 24' enclosed trailer (6500#) to the sand dunes. Found one today with all the features we had in mind, except with a gas motor (8.1 L w/ 6 speed Allison, W24 chassis). We live at about 5500' so there will be a couple climbs (5 miles @ 6%)to get home. Anyone have any experience with this setup?

Thanks! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>You don't say how much the trailer will weigh loaded, but I can tell you a 5 mile 6% grade is way too much for your 8.1 and that much weight.

My Blazer weighs 4200#, and the same grade at 5 miles is doable, but at the top I'm down to around 45 mph at best. The scary part would be the downhill run with that much weight. Electric and surge brakes are reactive, and would both require significant coach braking to manage the trailer. Your brakes would be toast at the bottom of the run, as the grade-brake would be ineffective with the added load.

On top of this, most workhorse towing limits don't exceed 5000#. And I believe you are well above the limits.

I'm not an expert, but I've towed my toad all over the mountains of the northwest. My experience is all I have to offer.

[RV Wizard]

rickyrocket, welcome to iRV2.com. We are glad to hav eyou join us here and we look forward to reading of your adventures and experieinces. I am going to move your post to the Workhorse Owners section for better coverage. You need to findout if the weights (as mentioned above) are within the ratings of the coach you are considering first. If they are then you can determine if it will perform accepable to you from those that have a similar coach.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rickyrocket:
We are in the market for a MH to pull our 24' enclosed trailer (6500#) to the sand dunes. Found one today with all the features we had in mind, except with a gas motor (8.1 L w/ 6 speed Allison, W24 chassis). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>It would appear that you were looking for a diesel unit and found a floor plan that you liked on a W24.

What you will need to be aware of is your hitch rating. A W24 has a GVW of 24,000 pounds and a combined rating of 30,000 pounds. With these ratings alone you may be challenged to pull a 6500# trailer weight "unless" you have Class IV towing equipment and you keep your GVW under 23,500 pounds.

I can't think of any better gas powered RV chassis that can meet your goals given that you have found a coach that meets your needs.

The W24 - 8.1L will pull a 5% grade very well and in compression will hold back the load quite remarkably. The best advice here is to keep off the brakes.

[Tom N]

There is no gas motorhome chassis rated to tow more than 6000#s.

The W24 is rated for 6000#s max.

-Tom

[FrontRangeRVer]

It also depends on the hitch rating. Most gas powered chassis' hitches are rated at only 5,000 lbs.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
There is no gas motorhome chassis rated to tow more than 6000#s. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Tom, Yes there is and its called the Workhorse UFO. A UFO will tow any amount of weight up to its GCWR (30,000 pounds) with its optional triple head Blue Ox direct frame mounted hitch rated at 10,000 pounds.

[Tom N]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DriVer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
There is no gas motorhome chassis rated to tow more than 6000#s. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Tom, Yes there is and its called the Workhorse UFO. A UFO will tow any amount of weight up to its GCWR (30,000 pounds) with its optional triple head Blue Ox direct frame mounted hitch rated at 10,000 pounds. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Show me a UFO gas motorhome that weighs 20,000# or less.

I'm not a believer in GCWR-GVWR=towable weight. Because, many other critical factors come into play.

Using your logic a W24 will tow any amount of weight up to its GCWR (30,000 pounds).

rickyrocket, the W24 is rated for 6000#s max.

-Tom

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
I'm not a believer in GCWR-GVWR=towable weight. Because, many other critical factors come into play. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Tom, You also probably don't believe that the world is round.

GCWR - GVW = Towable Weight. It's not Archimedes but it works each and every time.

Would you care to quote but a few "critical factors", Thankx

[rickyrocket]

Thanks for all the great feedback. What we found exactly, is the Fleetwood Fiesta X2. The tow capacity is rated for 8000#. I do understand that we will have to watch what we load in the MH. Lets see, the 2 year old weighs 35# and the 4 year old weighs 42#. If we drop them at Grandmas, we should be OK, right?

[FreshAir]

That X2 is a great unit designed to tow. You'll be fine in cargo capacity and the 22'K limit shouldn't cause you any problems. I have a W24 with the 24K limit and have stuffed it and still weigh in at only 21,940lb. Fully loaded for 3 weeks of dry camping.
On occasion, I pull a 7,200 lb boat/trailer in SW Wyo. at 6/7 thousand ft. on some really BIG hills. I'm not the fastest guy at the top but, often I'm not the slowest either. You'll like that 8.1, it will never shame you. I'm stock, no mod's.
As I'm rated at 6K towing, I know I'm exceeding my chassis hitch rating a bit but it will handle it. I'd like to have that 8K Fiesta X2 hitch rating.
Good luck. Enjoy.

[rickyrocket]

Fresh Air and all others, thanks for the info and I do understand the weight limits, etc. At present we own a 06 F-350 4x4 diesel with a Lance 1191, loaded the gvw of this unit is 15K#'s, the trailer is about 6500#'s and yes we are overloaded but this unit works well other than the limited space! Anyways, from what we are gathering this unit will do what we want it to do and the floorplan suites us better than anything else we have found. We were looking for a diesel and found this floorplan, someone else mentioned this and he was correct. The long and the short of it, I have been towing trailers for 15 years in AZ and using common sense and easy on the braking, I have not had problems. Our real question was the power and it sounds like we will be fine. I do appreciate everyone's comments and concerns.

[rvjer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rickyrocket:
Thanks for all the great feedback. What we found exactly, is the Fleetwood Fiesta X2. The tow capacity is rated for 8000#. I do understand that we will have to watch what we load in the MH. Lets see, the 2 year old weighs 35# and the 4 year old weighs 42#. If we drop them at Grandmas, we should be OK, right? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

And if the DW weighe 1?? then you have room for the keg also!!