Community Forums

camaraderie · 02-12-2014, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

UPDATE:
Called Spartan tonight, The receiver was installed as requested by Newmar for "car towing" purposes only, if I am under the chassis GCWR I am good to go to the class 4 receiver. As long as I stay within the numbers provided I am ok to upgrade to a class 4 receiver. The gentleman said "it is all about the numbers" and as long as you stay within them you can do as you please.

Nice research...this may come in handy for others down the road too. Good luck with it all.
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@cat320... What is the "coach tow rating" you refer to and where does one find it? I agree with your other parameters but don't know what that one is.

Cat320 · 02-12-2014, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

....@cat320... What is the "coach tow rating" you refer to and where does one find it? I agree with your other parameters but don't know what that one is...

Not always, but sometimes there is a coach tow rating...given by the manufacturer, and a tow rating given by the chassis maker.

palehorse89 · 02-13-2014, 03:52 AM

The one thing I am having trouble with is finding one that will work , I have talked to a rep. at Curt Mfg. , not to much help. My receiver now is bolted on, by design, tight to the frame rails where it bolts on with no drop, my bolt holes on each frame rail are 6" apart, 3 on each rail. Can someone with a newer Coach(Newmar) with a class 4 or 5 hitch tell me the brand of hitch and the model number. I would like to find a close replacement in height as the receiver that is on there now comes through the rear flap and I don't want to have to change the flap if I don't have to.

palehorse89 · 02-15-2014, 07:38 AM

BUMP.....
I called Curt Mfg. yesterday and they said that they made them for Spartan, but would not sell me one, they make them for Spartan only per their specs. and are not for sale direct. So then, I called Spartan ,gave them my vin # (again, after last call) and He said, Spartan did not install this receiver hitch, Newmar must have, Called Newmar and they said the only replacement they would have is the 5,000# receiver that I have right now. Newmar's parts man said I was going to have to have one fabed up........ I still believe that a receiver on a couple year newer Spartan MM chassis that came with a 10-12,000# hitch(upgraded after my year) would bolt right on where mine is now.........I just cannot find out what hitch I need.

"007" · 02-15-2014, 09:37 AM

Here is a thread were they talk about a Valley hitch on Spartan chassis and someone's upgrade to it..

Valley hitch's

palehorse89 · 03-04-2014, 02:07 PM

Update: I could not find a custom hitch with a 10,000+ rating that would just bolt on, so......Bought a 15,000# Hitch from Curt Mfg. and my Brother and I are going to custom build a new heavy duty receiver in our shop. I am not ever and can't tow 15,000, but I just wanted to go as heavy as I could for the build project. Here are some photo's of the old receiver and the new one in the planning stages.....Going to make/design it so it is in the same location as the old receiver so it comes out through the rear rock guard/flap on the back of the Coach.

PushedAround · 03-04-2014, 02:36 PM

Good thing that your coach has the capacity to handle the upgrade. I had wondered about mine (also 5K lbs) and it seems like the entire coach is designed around a maximum GCVW of 33K pounds, trans, axle loadings, and spare weight capacity. The only way to pull more is with a bigger (capacity) coach.

palehorse89 · 03-04-2014, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PushedAround

Good thing that your coach has the capacity to handle the upgrade. I had wondered about mine (also 5K lbs) and it seems like the entire coach is designed around a maximum GCVW of 33K pounds, trans, axle loadings, and spare weight capacity. The only way to pull more is with a bigger (capacity) coach.

Have you ever weighed your Coach Larry? What does it weigh loaded? are you up to or over the GVWR of your chassis?

PushedAround · 03-04-2014, 02:45 PM

No I haven't. The previous owner pulled a Jeep Cherokee with it no problems, which is much heavier than our Element, but it is something that I need to get done. We really don't carry all that much so if I am over the GVWR than we really have a problem. From my understanding of the coach, the coach should weigh just under 27,000 lbs, but like I said, I do need to weigh it. It is on my to do list as soon as the weather gets better.

palehorse89 · 03-04-2014, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PushedAround

No I haven't. The previous owner pulled a Jeep Cherokee with it no problems, which is much heavier than our Element, but it is something that I need to get done. We really don't carry all that much so if I am over the GVWR than we really have a problem. From my understanding of the coach, the coach should weigh just under 27,000 lbs, but like I said, I do need to weigh it. It is on my to do list as soon as the weather gets better.

From Tiffin's Brochure, your GVWR IS 29,500# AND YOUR GCWR is 33,000#

palehorse89 · 03-07-2014, 12:44 PM

Some more photo's......

Sky_Boss · 03-07-2014, 12:58 PM

OK...call me stupid...where do you find the data on the hitch? Granted, we are only towing a Honda CRV and thus well below 5000# but if we wanted to go bigger...

I suppose that info is actually on the hitch itself?

palehorse89 · 03-07-2014, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

OK...call me stupid...where do you find the data on the hitch? Granted, we are only towing a Honda CRV and thus well below 5000# but if we wanted to go bigger...

I suppose that info is actually on the hitch itself?

I am going to guess here Don that you mean the new hitch I bought? if so:
Gross Trailer Weight15,000 LB Tongue Weight(TW)1,500
http://www.curtmfg.com/part/15901

And if you are wondering about the one on your Coach, mine had a sticker on it still with the info. on it. You can also go to Newmar's website and go to "Coach specific" and see what your come with.

Sky_Boss · 03-07-2014, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

...
And if you are wondering about the one on your Coach, mine had a sticker on it still with the info. on it. You can also go to Newmar's website and go to "Coach specific" and see what your come with.

Sorry, I was looking to see where you found your original information on your coach and use that info to find mine. I checked the Newmar site and couldn't find it in any of my coach info but I did find it in my owner's guide that it is a 10,000# Class 5 hitch.