Hitch capacity

[RFC Chaplain]

Does anyone know what the weight capacity is for my hitch on my 2013 Anthem 42DEQ? I cannot find the spec for this anywhere. I want to make sure I’m not carrying too much tongue weight on my trailer. Thanks

[kladner]

Originally Posted by RFC Chaplain

Does anyone know what the weight capacity is for my hitch on my 2013 Anthem 42DEQ? I cannot find the spec for this anywhere. I want to make sure I’m not carrying too much tongue weight on my trailer. Thanks

This is the owners manual I found using the Entegra app.

[BobG88]

As a side-note: who needs those pesky safety chains - just do what this idiot does: he pulled in next to us using the bungy cords in the picture in lieu of safety chains for the SUV he was towing.

When I asked him (in a very polite way) if he understood that was dangerous, he told me to mind my own business. [He was also very illegal in TN - no aux brake.]

Would be funny, if not so very scary... Thanks,

BG

[philnail]

The hitch weight is 15,000 pounds and I have a 2013 Anthem

[philnail]

Bob that guy is crazy. He will be the type that kills someone when things disconnect

[Cutch]

Unfortunately they are among us.

[RiverBurt]

Originally Posted by Cutch

Unfortunately they are among us.

And they enable others.

[Matt D]

But Bob, those pesky safety chains are so heavy and yucky!

Wow.

-Matt

[brobox]

I see things like that and I am more convinced that a Class A MH licenses, nation wide should be required.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by Matt D

But Bob, those pesky safety chains are so heavy and yucky!

Wow.

-Matt

But, they are so necessary. I'm living proof.
I bought our first camper from an insurance company as a total vehicle. The camper had turned onto it's side in Pennsylvania on it's way back from Florida in the spring of 1976. Repairs were made to the trailer so it would be towable to the town I live in a couple hundred miles away.
After I bought the trailer I stripped the outside on the side it landed on and replaced the studding which was damaged. Replaced the aluminum siding with factory panels. Removed, repaired inside cabinets etc., straightened the hitch and frame etc. When I got done you couldn't tell the trailer ever had a scratch on it. The trailer was a 1974 Mallard 19'.
I bought and repaired the trailer to sell and make a few dollars with no intention of using it to go camping with. My brother had a camper as well as my sister and brother in law. They convinced me to go camping on the 4th. of July weekend.
I gave in and prepared my pick up to haul the camper. I worked late into the night installing a platform hitch, made up a slide in hitch for the camper and while I was at it I made up a hitch to haul my snowmobile trailer. The Mallard used a 2" ball while my sled trailer used a 1 7/8" ball.
The next afternoon I hooked the Mallard to my pick up, we were all packed up and excited about our first camping experience. The campground we were going to was only 22 miles from our home.
We headed out with my wife and our kids in the truck and about 1/2 way we ran into road construction. The blacktop turned to gravel. We topped a hill and there was a bump right at the top of the hill. When I hit the bump I heard a crash and could hear a scraping noise. Through the rear view mirror I could see the front of the Mallard was low and swaying from side to side. I realized the Mallard had become disconnected. I applied the trailer brakes manually and got the truck and trailer stopped with no contact between the truck and trailer. Now I'm sitting in the road just over the crest of a blind hill and feeling helpless. The trailer was resting on the jack but the jack was bent so it wouldn't turn to lift the trailer. I had my wife and kids get out of the truck and go out into the field away from the truck and trailer. I then went to the top of the hill to stop and to warn anyone coming over the hill there was a truck and trailer in the driving lane just over the hill. Luckily a car came along with three stout young fellows in it and they offered to help me out. One fellow stayed on the top of the hill while the other two went to the trailer with me. We moved everything we could from the front of the trailer to the rear to make the front as light as possible. I had my wife operate the trailer brake controller so the trailer wouldn't roll until we wanted it to. The two helpers lifted the trailer and we eased the trailer down hill enough so we could drop the hitch onto the trailer ball.
I thanked the fellows for their help, loaded the wife and kids up and drove slowly to the campground. When we got there we met up with the rest of my family and proceeded to unhook the trailer. I used the jack out of my truck and a couple wood blocks my brother had in his pick up. After we had the trailer disconnected that is when i discovered when I installed the slide in hitch with the ball attached I had used the wrong hitch. The trailer required a 2" ball and I had installed a 1 7/8" ball. Stupid me. The 2" ball set up was behind the seat of my pick up.
I had to replace the crank up jack. Luckily there was a Farm Supply store a mile from the campground and they had a replacement right there.
I swore I'd never go camping again but before the weekend was over I was hooked on camping. This was in 1976 and we have had several campers since.
My whole point to this story is if I hadn't had my safety chains hooked up I don't know where my camper might have gone to. Probably off the road into the ditch and over onto it's side again.
Lynn

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by brobox

I see things like that and I am more convinced that a Class A MH licenses, nation wide should be required.

I don't believe a license would help anything. I see big rig drivers being cited all the time at D.O.T. inspections for violations like brake chambers unhooked and tires worn below tread depth limits, cracked frames and broken springs. I have ridden with a buddy of mine who owns a road service business and have seen a lot of dumb things drivers and trucking companies have done just to stay on the highway.
Lynn

[Gary.Jones]

Bob

What brand was that coach?

Also, I see safety chains there on the left.... were the bungee cords really what connected to his toad?

Gary

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

But, they are so necessary. I'm living proof.

I bought our first camper from an insurance company as a total vehicle. The camper had turned onto it's side in Pennsylvania on it's way back from Florida in the spring of 1976. Repairs were made to the trailer so it would be towable to the town I live in a couple hundred miles away.

After I bought the trailer I stripped the outside on the side it landed on and replaced the studding which was damaged. Replaced the aluminum siding with factory panels. Removed, repaired inside cabinets etc., straightened the hitch and frame etc. When I got done you couldn't tell the trailer ever had a scratch on it. The trailer was a 1974 Mallard 19'.

I bought and repaired the trailer to sell and make a few dollars with no intention of using it to go camping with. My brother had a camper as well as my sister and brother in law. They convinced me to go camping on the 4th. of July weekend.

I gave in and prepared my pick up to haul the camper. I worked late into the night installing a platform hitch, made up a slide in hitch for the camper and while I was at it I made up a hitch to haul my snowmobile trailer. The Mallard used a 2" ball while my sled trailer used a 1 7/8" ball.

The next afternoon I hooked the Mallard to my pick up, we were all packed up and excited about our first camping experience. The campground we were going to was only 22 miles from our home.

We headed out with my wife and our kids in the truck and about 1/2 way we ran into road construction. The blacktop turned to gravel. We topped a hill and there was a bump right at the top of the hill. When I hit the bump I heard a crash and could hear a scraping noise. Through the rear view mirror I could see the front of the Mallard was low and swaying from side to side. I realized the Mallard had become disconnected. I applied the trailer brakes manually and got the truck and trailer stopped with no contact between the truck and trailer. Now I'm sitting in the road just over the crest of a blind hill and feeling helpless. The trailer was resting on the jack but the jack was bent so it wouldn't turn to lift the trailer. I had my wife and kids get out of the truck and go out into the field away from the truck and trailer. I then went to the top of the hill to stop and to warn anyone coming over the hill there was a truck and trailer in the driving lane just over the hill. Luckily a car came along with three stout young fellows in it and they offered to help me out. One fellow stayed on the top of the hill while the other two went to the trailer with me. We moved everything we could from the front of the trailer to the rear to make the front as light as possible. I had my wife operate the trailer brake controller so the trailer wouldn't roll until we wanted it to. The two helpers lifted the trailer and we eased the trailer down hill enough so we could drop the hitch onto the trailer ball.

I thanked the fellows for their help, loaded the wife and kids up and drove slowly to the campground. When we got there we met up with the rest of my family and proceeded to unhook the trailer. I used the jack out of my truck and a couple wood blocks my brother had in his pick up. After we had the trailer disconnected that is when i discovered when I installed the slide in hitch with the ball attached I had used the wrong hitch. The trailer required a 2" ball and I had installed a 1 7/8" ball. Stupid me. The 2" ball set up was behind the seat of my pick up.

I had to replace the crank up jack. Luckily there was a Farm Supply store a mile from the campground and they had a replacement right there.

I swore I'd never go camping again but before the weekend was over I was hooked on camping. This was in 1976 and we have had several campers since.

My whole point to this story is if I hadn't had my safety chains hooked up I don't know where my camper might have gone to. Probably off the road into the ditch and over onto it's side again.

Lynn

Will never forget when camping as a youngster this happened to our family as well.

Driving through New Jersey on their turnpike or some multi lane highway we hit one of those road bumps.

Of course we were towing a pop up with an opel cadet (for those old enough to remember it was the one they pulled an elephant with in the commercial). So anyhow, the bottom of the trailer jack hit and popped the trailer off the hitch. Dug up a nice gouge in the blacktop and stopped us pretty quick.

Thankfully the chains held. No telling how many lanes that thing would have crossed and damage done to individuals and vehicles if they didn’t.

Within weights where you don’t “legally need breakaway braking” etc or not I’ll never tow without it based on that one experience.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

I don't believe a license would help anything. I see big rig drivers being cited all the time at D.O.T. inspections for violations like brake chambers unhooked and tires worn below tread depth limits, cracked frames and broken springs. I have ridden with a buddy of mine who owns a road service business and have seen a lot of dumb things drivers and trucking companies have done just to stay on the highway.
Lynn

You can't fix stupid, but with having to pass a license as least the intelligent drives would have some kind of an education. As it is now many, don't have a clue. The number of posts on the forums is proof with the number of coach looking for or coming out of body shops.