Community Forums

DDDonkey · 04-25-2015, 11:21 AM

Hello All,

I have another question on my new to me coach, I am the third owner, the second owner bought it from lazy days in FL and was not much help with this. I was told after I bought it that it had a motorcycle lift put on by the first owner but that is all they knew, I am trying to figure out what brand lift it was or if it was something else. I have looked on line but the pics I have found have not been too much help so I am turning here.

The coach has 2 'receiver' bars that are 5.5' long, they are welded to the outside of the hitch and the last 2' of the factory frame rails. The holes for the pins are on the top of the rails and the pin holes are 37" center to center. Any help would be great to figure out what brand this was is or if it is something else. Thanks in advance.

FIRE UP · 04-25-2015, 05:35 PM

DDDonkey,
Well Sir, in reality, that mounting system could have been setup for just about anything that would hold more than a conventional hitch receiver would hold. There are at least a couple of M/C lifts on the market that could/would use that type of system though.

One is "Overbuilt" which is a winch/cable operated system. "Cruiserlift" is another one. "BlueOx" even makes a lift that I think that two-receiver system might utilize.

The lift I used was/is called "Hydralift" and, it basically uses a cradle type mounting system but, I've seen some folks use the two-receiver system to adapt to the cradles but, based on the weight I hauled, I'd never do it that way. But, it's a preference thing. But, you can also use those for even light duty motorcycle carriers too. One that would carry say, oh, maybe a 250-400 CC class that you would roll up onto from the side, on a ramp. I had one of those that utilized the two-receiver system.

So, like stated, any number of M/C lifts/carriers could have used it.
Scott

DDDonkey · 04-25-2015, 07:48 PM

Thanks for the reply, FIRE UP. I see what you are saying and have looked at those lifts that you mentioned, I could not see from any of the pictures a lift or hitching system that put the pins in from the top. I never thought about just a single bike carrier back there, I will look around. Thanks again!

FIRE UP · 04-25-2015, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDDonkey

Thanks for the reply, FIRE UP. I see what you are saying and have looked at those lifts that you mentioned, I could not see from any of the pictures a lift or hitching system that put the pins in from the top. I never thought about just a single bike carrier back there, I will look around. Thanks again!

DDDonkey,
May I ask, what exactly are you looking for? Are you intending on hauling a bike on the back of your coach? If so, what size? I've done large and small. My last one, like stated, was the Hydralift and, we hauled our 2008 Honda GL 1800 Goldwing on the back of our present coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with C-7 330HP CAT. It worked flawlessly.

On our previous coach, a '99 Fleetwood Bounder, 34V with the F-53 Chassis and, V-10, I built what's called a "Joe-Hauler". It's basically a rack that utilized only a single receiver and, it hauled our Yamaha TW-200 and, pulled our '04 Jeep Rubicon too. So, if you're looking to haul one, and maybe need some help, surely ask.
Scott

DDDonkey · 04-26-2015, 08:30 AM

FIRE UP,

To tell you the truth I am just trying to figure my future needs. I am thinking of getting a golf car to take with us as the family and I travel. I have seen some tandem tow dollies and am wondering if I should just get one of those or try to get a MC lift and single car dolly. It all comes down to cost and ease of use for me. I like the MC lift and dolly idea and my over all length will be a few feet shorter. I do have the Ford V-10 on the 22,500 lbs chassis, I am very weight conscious, so the old interwebs are my friend as well as all the knowledge here. Thanks again for the help.

Duoglide1 · 04-26-2015, 10:29 AM

I too wanted to use a lift for my Harley-but after axle weighing my coach I realized I could not do it safely or legally. One of the lift builders-Hydralift maybe, has a chart that shows how much weight will be added to the rear axle. It's not just the weight of bike & lift but also weight transferred off front axle. I'm glad I did the research before I hit the buy button.

2005 Country Coach Inspire, C9 CAT

PanJH · 04-26-2015, 01:12 PM

I would call Lazy Days and get the name and contact info for the prior owner and call him/her and find out exactly what they had on there.

FIRE UP · 04-26-2015, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duoglide1

I too wanted to use a lift for my Harley-but after axle weighing my coach I realized I could not do it safely or legally. One of the lift builders-Hydralift maybe, has a chart that shows how much weight will be added to the rear axle. It's not just the weight of bike & lift but also weight transferred off front axle. I'm glad I did the research before I hit the buy button.

2005 Country Coach Inspire, C9 CAT

Duoglide1,
Well Sir, not sure how long your Inspire is but, as stated in my post, ours is a 36' and, a single rear axle. I mounted the Hydralift on our coach and, carried our '08 Honda GL 1800 Goldwing, weighing very close to 900 lbs. The lift hovered around 375 or so. My GAWR of the rear is, 17,500 and the front GAWR is, 10,400. Now, I will admit I was pretty over weight for the over 8,000 miles we hauled the Wing and towed various toads. But, I never had any issues, no ill handling effects, no wandering, no breakages, no damage to the coach or the frame or the suspension, NOTHING!

As for the weight transfer off the front end, when the bike and the lift was on the coach, the front end weighed 200 lbs. less than it did without them on there. Now, there is a fair amount of "leverage" being placed on the rear axle but, trying to lift that front end, by the use of that leverage, over 36' away, was not very successful. My front tires wore just fine and, like stated, there was no ill handling effects what so ever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanJH

I would call Lazy Days and get the name and contact info for the prior owner and call him/her and find out exactly what they had on there.

PanJH,
I'm certainly not a lawyer but, I'm pretty sure one would be hard pressed to be able to obtain prior owner info, through a dealership. We, and many friends who've purchased RVs have tried and, most dealerships will tell you that they "by law" cannot divulge information as to any prior owners of any vehicles they've sold. Now, that does not mean it's not possible, just not through them.

OP,

Mounting any extra heavy duty lift/carrier on the rear of a gas coach, is surely taking a chance. Most of those coaches are built to be able to withstand that kind of additional frame weight, cantilevering off the back like that. There's much to take into consideration in an endeavor like you're thinking about. I knew, way in advance that I'd be over the axle weight limits when I did mine. But, the coach was ours, and, way out of warranty so, it was MINE if I broke it. I'd been metal fabricating for decades had a pretty good sense of what I was doing. I do not recommend what I did.

If you're going to be toting a golf cart along with you on your journeys, I'd look at other means of transportation of it. Maybe the back of a 1500 truck or, a trailer or, maybe even the dolly idea. Good luck.
Scott

DDDonkey · 04-26-2015, 07:18 PM

Thanks for all the replies, I do have a lot of thinking to do and think the lift may just be to much for the coach. I am concerned with the frame flexing, plus I always need a walk. Thanks again!

FIRE UP · 04-26-2015, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDDonkey

Thanks for all the replies, I do have a lot of thinking to do and think the lift may just be to much for the coach. I am concerned with the frame flexing, plus I always need a walk. Thanks again!

DDDonkey,
I usually proof read my own posts so I don't look like a fool misspelling words and not finishing sentences and all that. But, on my last post, I mistakenly omitted a word in one of my sentences that was kind of important to make the proper point. I reads something like "most of those gas coaches are meant to take the additional load of that kind of weight". But, what is should read is, "Most of those gas coaches are NOT meant to take that kind of additional load".

The reason I don't just go in and correct what I typed is, due to the regulations and parameters setup by the moderators of this forum, you can only amend or, edit, your posts, up to one hour after it was originally typed. After that hour is up, your ability to edit, disappears. So, this is why I'm telling you this in this additional comment.
Scott

PanJH · 04-27-2015, 06:22 AM

[QUOTE=FIRE UP;2530101]Duoglide1,

PanJH,
I'm certainly not a lawyer but, I'm pretty sure one would be hard pressed to be able to obtain prior owner info, through a dealership. We, and many friends who've purchased RVs have tried and, most dealerships will tell you that they "by law" cannot divulge information as to any prior owners of any vehicles they've sold. Now, that does not mean it's not possible, just not through them.

[QUOTE]

I have purchased a few used vehicles from dealers in Florida and have always asked for prior owners name and contact info. I have never been denied. A few years ago, we were looking at a used 37'MH from a dealer here in FL and I was concerned that the coach was less than a year old and was wondering why it was on the lot. Of course, you can't trust the salesman's pitch. I got the prior owner's info and called... we had a nice conversation about the coach, why he sold it and talked about service/ maintenance, etc. We ended up buying that unit.
I have also done the same with used cars and boats.

Could be state regs that dictate what can be done.

Duoglide1 · 04-27-2015, 07:57 AM

My post just referenced weight issues. Mine scaled 20300 on the back axle the day I bought it-before we loaded our stuff! No lift for me.

2005 Country Coach Inspire, C9 CAT

FIRE UP · 04-27-2015, 12:20 PM

[QUOTE=PanJH;2530940][QUOTE=FIRE UP;2530101]Duoglide1,

PanJH,
I'm certainly not a lawyer but, I'm pretty sure one would be hard pressed to be able to obtain prior owner info, through a dealership. We, and many friends who've purchased RVs have tried and, most dealerships will tell you that they "by law" cannot divulge information as to any prior owners of any vehicles they've sold. Now, that does not mean it's not possible, just not through them.

Quote:

I have purchased a few used vehicles from dealers in Florida and have always asked for prior owners name and contact info. I have never been denied. A few years ago, we were looking at a used 37'MH from a dealer here in FL and I was concerned that the coach was less than a year old and was wondering why it was on the lot. Of course, you can't trust the salesman's pitch. I got the prior owner's info and called... we had a nice conversation about the coach, why he sold it and talked about service/ maintenance, etc. We ended up buying that unit.
I have also done the same with used cars and boats.

Could be state regs that dictate what can be done.

Pan,
Well, I'd say you're lucky in obtaining info about prior owners. It's really no biggie. In the world we live in, and all the "Privacy" stuff and, Liability stuff too, we've (out here in CA and AZ) just seen where no info will be provided by any dealer, as to prior owners etc. Oh well, you got the info you needed.
Scott

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duoglide1

My post just referenced weight issues. Mine scaled 20300 on the back axle the day I bought it-before we loaded our stuff! No lift for me.
2005 Country Coach Inspire, C9 CAT

Duoglide,
That was a wise decision on your part. I've lived and thought outside the box for decades and, well, like stated earlier, I simply took on the responsibility of coping with any damage that may have incurred due to my actions. We ran with that lift and Goldwing on the back of our '04 36' Itasca for well over 8,000 miles and it was great. I loved that lift. Without a doubt, it's by far, the best lift/carrier on the market.

The only down side was the fact that, if we wanted to ride the bike, we'd have to disconnect the toad, then lower the bike. It was a minor inconvenience. But, I sure liked carrying the bike that way. Yep, it got dirty, no doubt about that. But, that's what soap and water is for. About 10 minutes of cleanup after a day of traveling and, we were riding.
Scott