Community Forums

Mstrobe · 03-09-2015, 09:18 PM

As a newbie, we are still working to figure all this stuff out. I have a 2013 Newmar 3610 (Ford gasser) and we have a Ford Focus Toad (flat). We went on a short trip without and wished we had a vehicle. I own a Piaggio 150 Fly scooter (250 lbs.)so I started researching a carrier for the scooter in lieu of taking the toad. However, I saw the Versahaul carrier and thought I could have the best of both worlds.

Does anyone have experience with doing both behind a gasser? Is there another brand that is just as good but less expensive? Should I just do one or the other?

Thank you,

Mark
_________________________
2013 Canyon Star 3610
2014 Ford Focus (toad)
Central Florida

PbdBlue · 03-09-2015, 09:38 PM

I have a custom made rack that I use to carry a dirt bike and pull the toad. I don't think I would pull a toad with a Versahaul due to it's 3000# max towing capacity. See post #8 in this thread for details on my setup.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/atv-...er-237439.html

GaryKD · 03-10-2015, 04:41 PM

Hi Mstrobe,
The 2013, 3610 has a towing capacity of 4K lbs. This is GCWR minus GVWR. The scooter will add to the hitch weight. Consider before determining the brand of lift, making sure you can put the lift and scooter on the coach and tow the Ford. I say this because the coach has a GVWR of 22K lbs. The unloaded weight is 19.5K lbs. This leaves about 2.5K of people and stuff you can carry. Included in the 2.5K weight is:
1. propane
2. fresh water
3. people
4. stuff (clothes, food, anything you put into the coach and basement, etc.)
5. any options not coming from the factory (washer/dryer?)
6. The carry weight (not the towing weight) put on the receiver/hitch. This would be the carrier and the scooter.
Consider doing the weight calculations for your style of using the coach. Determine the weight carrying rating for the receiver/hitch. This might be called tongue weight. All this is because when we purchase a coach we are buying a truck, not a car. Weight on the chassis is very important.

If the weight is okay to put on the receiver, then total everything out to make sure you are not exceeding the GCWR.
Coach weight with carrier and scooter + Ford weight = total weight. Compare this to 26K GCWR.

Mstrobe · 03-16-2015, 04:45 PM

Thank you for the replies. They were every helpful. We have decided to do either or. We will take our toad or carry the motor scooter.

GaryKD was helpful in helping understand the capabilities for hauling and towing.

FIRE UP · 03-16-2015, 11:00 PM

Well Sir,
You really don't need a "lift" for your scooter. Lifts, like "Hydralift, Cruiserlift, OverBuilt and BlueOx, are for much larger, heavier type motorcycles like full sized Honda Goldwings, Harley FLHTCU, (or any of number of Harley full dress machines) etc. Your scooter will work just fine on a "carrier" that will also work as a link for towing your toad. I've done all that stuff. I've carried a Yamaha TW 200 on a carrier I built that also towed a 4200 lb. Jeep Rubicon. It worked flawless. That bike was about 250-275 lbs.

It was all on the back of a '99 Fleetwood Bounder, 34V with the F-53 Chassis and, the V-10. That particular chassis had a 13' overhang on the back and, there was no ill handling effects, no wandering, no porpoising, nothing.

You can have the best of both worlds with a little forethought. As has been stated, take into account the GAWR of the rear so that you'll know what kind of limits you're at. Good luck.
Scott

krivanj · 03-17-2015, 08:00 AM

We carried a 400 lb Kawasaki KLR on our Versahaul and towed a 3000 lb car behind our class c for 28 000 miles with no problems. Works great! We did have a 5000 lb rated hitch.

jb60 · 04-06-2015, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mstrobe

As a newbie, we are still working to figure all this stuff out. I have a 2013 Newmar 3610 (Ford gasser) and we have a Ford Focus Toad (flat). We went on a short trip without and wished we had a vehicle. I own a Piaggio 150 Fly scooter (250 lbs.)so I started researching a carrier for the scooter in lieu of taking the toad. However, I saw the Versahaul carrier and thought I could have the best of both worlds.

Does anyone have experience with doing both behind a gasser? Is there another brand that is just as good but less expensive? Should I just do one or the other?

Thank you,

Mark
_________________________
2013 Canyon Star 3610
2014 Ford Focus (toad)
Central Florida

I was doing some research on how I could relocate with my RV, my daily driver, and my golf cart, in one trip. I figured I could get my mobility scooter in the back of my daily driver mini-van...

I came across a web site that had a tow dolly, (mini-van can't be flat towed without modifications), with an extra long frame, that accommodated a 'platform' in front of the dolly section, for carrying a golf cart, motorcycle, atv, or just about any other 'toy' one might want to haul in one trip.

I've seen them referred to as, 'tandam tow dollys', among other names. At the time, there was only one company making these, however I'm seeing others out there now.

The first one I looked at was quite expensive, (at least by my standards), at about $5500. And from what I was told, they were custom built depending on exactly what you would be putting on it. I guess it had something with balancing the tongue weight.

I had this on my 'wish list', (in case I won the lottery, lol), until I discovered that my 37 foot, '18,000 pound' beast of a motorhome wouldn't be able to pull it!

With a 4000 pound mini-van, rounding off the golf cart to 1000 pounds, and adding 1000 pounds for the dolly itself, that came up to at least 6000 pounds.

My big Class A gasser, only had a towing capacity of 3500 pounds. So I would then be looking at, 'at least' a couple thousand dollars more, taking and putting my RV into a speciality shop, to weld extra steel to strengthen the extended frame it has.

Then others I talked to mentioned possibly having to beef up the suspension as well. Then, if the extra weight would over strain the engine and transmission.

So 'quite a lot' to think about, especially being dissbled and on a fixed income. Then not to mention, I would be doing all this for 'one trip'.

I'm not a road traveler, just a full timer. I'm only looking for a place to relocate to, park it, and live out my life there.

Someone suggested, (and I would have to totally agree), that it would be a whole lot cheaper, just to pay someone to drive my mini-van for me, (with a trailer for the golf cart), then maybe pay for a plane ticket for them to return on.

Now I've seen newer model diesel pushers hauling full enclosed trailers, nearly as large as the coach itself, behind them! But I guess they were just more designed for such things.

Other style motorhomes, with an extended truck chassis, just weren't made to tow a lot of weight.

If you need some links for these 'tandam tow dollys', do let me know. I still have them bookmarked... But a Google search will bring up numerous possibilities.

Oh, I looked at the 'lift systems' as well, and that could had also involve 'thousands' of dollars in modifications to the coach. Not 'too much' of an issue if carrying a lightweight scooter, but the lift itself is heavy, and 'expensive', and has to be professionally installed. Basically 'welded' to the frame... I wouldn't be surprised if the rear suspension had to be strengthened with these lift systems.

There are newer carriers on the market that are gaining a lot of popularity. They have their own small self-tracking- steering wheels under them. Those do not add a lot of tongue weight that has to be factored in. But you still have to consider the towing weight.