Community Forums

hotrodharley · 05-26-2019, 09:31 PM

I do car shows and motel rooms are getting way to expensive and sometimes can't get one if not reserved way ahead of time
I just traded for a 1990 class A winnabago with a 460 fuel injected ford eng with overdrive trans..have a 22 foot open flat bed trailer I haul my nova and golf cart on..car weight is 2500 lb..not sure on cart..
What I need to know is I live in northern Nv so every direction I go is mountains to go over so will my motor home be able to tow my car over the mountains? What kind of fuel mileage can i expect to get towing..Is there anything I need to do to motor home so won't have issues? Please help me out with answers..My first car show is June 15th that i want to use the motor home to get car to it..140 miles away and 3 mountains to go over

oscarvan · 05-26-2019, 09:33 PM

Performance wise....if it was me I would hook it up and take it for a ride...... If you like it go on your trip. If you don't, figure plan B.

As far as mileage..... you'll get less. Possibly quite a bit less. Gassers don't like towing from a fuel consumption standpoint.

As far as issues, make sure you have a good cooler on your tranny, that it's CLEAN and that your tranny fluid is fresh, or at least within it's heavy duty maintenance interval. Same with your radiator and coolant. Pulling is hard work and heat is the by product. If there's marginal cooling things break.

Good luck.

CamJam1 · 05-27-2019, 01:13 AM

I do car shows as well. The car I towed most often (just sold it) was a '69 AMX that weighed just over 3,000 lbs. Trailer is an open steel deck car hauler with an added steel frame and cover that adds about 250 lbs. Total weight of the trailer with the car on it was 5,800 lbs. Problem is, most gas motor homes have only a 4,000 or 5,000 lb hitch. My Dolphin hitch is only 4k, so I towed that car and trailer with my Chrysler Aspen. Even with a hemi the Aspen averaged 12.2 mpg towing it while the Dolphin with my 3,000 lb toad is lucky to do 7 mpg. At my normal 500 miles per day the fuel savings just about pays for a motel.

Don't forget your GCWR and axle ratings, which are likely the real problem. You can add a beefier hitch, but the GCWR is not something you can easily change.

That said, we have the same problem with mountain passes all around us in Northern AZ. My last motorhome was a Ford 460 Class C and it did fine towing if you don't mind the noise while climbing the grades. My present Vortec 8.1 is only slightly better, but we now have much more weight of course.

George Schweikle · 05-27-2019, 08:52 AM

Your chassis is too old to have an OBD2 plug for a scan gauge, so consider investing in a separate transmission temperature gauge. The results of this might prompt you to install a transmission cooler (or to install a second cooler).

Quote:

Originally Posted by oscarvan

Performance wise....if it was me I would hook it up and take it for a ride...... If you like it go on your trip. If you don't, figure plan B.

As far as mileage..... you'll get less. Possibly quite a bit less. Gassers don't like towing from a fuel consumption standpoint.

As far as issues, make sure you have a good cooler on your tranny, that it's CLEAN and that your tranny fluid is fresh, or at least within it's heavy duty maintenance interval. Same with your radiator and coolant. Pulling is hard work and heat is the by product. If there's marginal cooling things break.

Good luck.

MSHappyCampers · 05-27-2019, 10:12 AM

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

I can't add to what others have said, but noticed you are kinda new on IRV2 and wanted to say hello! Have fun and keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

HJLowell · 05-27-2019, 10:19 AM

For ten years we pulled an enclosed 18 ft trailer with a 1988 Classic Airstream motorhome.
454 T400
7 mpg.
Gear vendors option. Loved the gear vendors transmission splitter.

We climbed every mountain.
A few times we were down to 15 mph.

Never overheated.

Like the poster above stated.
Go for a ride.
Fully service your rig.

Go on your trip then make changes, add options as you see fit.

Have fun.

John Wayne · 05-27-2019, 01:39 PM

I'd be worried about the tongue weight. Check where your hitch is mounted to the frame on mine the frame is extended with a smaller material If yours is I'd want to get it up graded. I flat tow and don't have any downward force on my hitch but I did drill and install bolts through my frame rail extensions.

hotrodharley · 05-27-2019, 03:16 PM

...yes.MS HappyCampers.my very first motor home..I am 66 now and never been camping..fishing or hunting..my whole life spent building hot rods so no time for anything else..I now want to slow down(because I came down with a terminal illness that forcing me to)So got this motor home in hopes of going camping and fishing plus use it for car shows where it will also be help to slow down things as to getting into a town and trying to find room and plus help me because mid day I wear down very bad so hopping I can ride golf cart to motor home and lay down for couple hours for body to rest up then back to car show for rest day..If no motor home then I will have to try and stay at show because most time motels are to far away to go to in middle of day