Community Forums

OntheRoadNJ · 01-22-2020, 09:20 PM

Hello,

I have a 1997 Fleetwood flair class A 31foot. I want to buy a motorcycle carrier to load my bike on the back of the RV. I don't see any info on the hitch mount set up. I found the owners manual online but I don't see about the class it is or the max tongue weight.

Anyone have any idea how I can find this info or what is the max downward weight I can put on my hitch ? And maybe the max towing capcity ?

Thank you in advance for any info !!

astrnmrtom · 01-22-2020, 10:39 PM

Odds are if you have a common 2" receiver it's a class 3 which is a 600lb tongue and 6000lb towing capacity.

One thing to note is a motorcycle carrier will probably extend a ways behind the hitch which acts as a lever increasing the downward weight on the receiver so it's not as easy as looking at the rating of the hitch and the weight of the bike/carrier.

You also need to calculate the additional load on your rear axle and tires. Use this worksheet here: https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/...%20Rev%203.pdf

I just finished having a lift installed on my diesel pusher and I used the worksheet above. I had a class three hitch orininally, but had to have a class 5 hitch installed to handle my 635lb bike and lift. I don't have the paperwork handy but I think the class Class 5 is around 1600lbs tongue and 15,000 towing capacity, some are more.

Isaac-1 · 01-22-2020, 10:59 PM

Be careful with this idea, I took a picture of a similar model year 28 ft P32 chassis Safari Trek with a home built motorcycle carrier a couple of years ago, which had been in use for about 1,200 miles. This was a fellow Trek Tracks forum member who was passing through my home town when I saw him a couple of blocks from my house, later I found out somewhere in Texas he bent his frame a couple of days later and he had to pay a welding shop to repair and reinforce the chassis frame.

Alan_Hepburn · 01-23-2020, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrnmrtom

Odds are if you have a common 2" receiver it's a class 3 which is a 600lb tongue and 6000lb towing capacity.

Odds are even better that it has a max tongue weight of 350 lbs, with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs...

Tha_Rooster · 01-23-2020, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Odds are even better that it has a max tongue weight of 350 lbs, with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs...

X-2 no way 600- 6000

astrnmrtom · 01-24-2020, 11:04 AM

Info here:

https://www.drawtite-hitches.com/lea...towing-classes

Tha_Rooster · 01-24-2020, 11:55 AM

Hitch rating is base more from MH capacity than the hitch. You could bolt a 10k hitch on it doesn’t mean it can carry it. Many gassers have a 5k hitch but can only carry 3,500 due to carrying capacity.

PbdBlue · 01-24-2020, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OntheRoadNJ

Hello,

I have a 1997 Fleetwood flair class A 31foot. I want to buy a motorcycle carrier to load my bike on the back of the RV. I don't see any info on the hitch mount set up. I found the owners manual online but I don't see about the class it is or the max tongue weight.

Anyone have any idea how I can find this info or what is the max downward weight I can put on my hitch ? And maybe the max towing capcity ?

Thank you in advance for any info !!

First what does the bike weigh? Next go to a scale and get axle weights on the coach fully loaded. If you have enough margin then yes you can carry a small bike provided the hitch has the capacity. Or in my case I haul my dirt bike (~270# wet) but I don't use the receiver. Instead I added two receivers to the end of the frame where the hitch attaches. Then built extensions and a tray to hold the bike. In my case I have 1500# of headroom on the rear axle capacity. Part of the assy includes a hitch extension that I use to pull my toad on occasion as well though I would never tow a trailer or any load that has hitch weight. Have used this setup for >10,000 miles without any issues.

Isaac-1 · 01-24-2020, 02:48 PM

Note the photo I posted above, the motorcycle platform was welded to the frame, not just to the hitch, and as a result bent the frame.

PbdBlue · 01-24-2020, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

Note the photo I posted above, the motorcycle platform was welded to the frame, not just to the hitch, and as a result bent the frame.

That's way too heavy a bike to put on a rack. Even though my setup is very robust and attached to the factory frame (bolted not welded) I would not attempt to put a large street bike on it. With a 270# bike the frame load isn't that high. Certainly not higher than 500# of tongue weight from a trailer. The OP's situation may be different since his is an older coach built when extending the frame was a very common practice.

House Husband · 01-24-2020, 07:49 PM

Your coach came with a 3500 lb. receiver. Capable of carrying 350 lbs.
The big issue is the frame extensions that Fleetwood welded on. The frame extensions are not as wide as the original frame and the welds are scary. Take a look. You'll probably decide to not load up that receiver.

Richard

PbdBlue · 01-25-2020, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by House Husband

Your coach came with a 3500 lb. receiver. Capable of carrying 350 lbs.
The big issue is the frame extensions that Fleetwood welded on. The frame extensions are not as wide as the original frame and the welds are scary. Take a look. You'll probably decide to not load up that receiver.

Richard

I was wondering about that given the vintage of the MH. Good advice. I once saw a similar rig with the hitch bent down to the ground. He was pulling a large enclosed trailer that obviously way exceeded the tongue rating. Some of those frame extensions particularly back in the day are downright scary.