Upgrade from 5k hitch to 6k hitch on Allegro 36QBA

[aarong]

The 24k F53 Chassis on the 2012 and newer Tiffin Allegro 35QBA is rated for 6,000 lbs of towing. But the hitch it comes with is only a 5k hitch.

I would like some opinions on upgrading the 5k, Class III hitch to a 6k Class IV hitch.

The GVWR is 24,000 lbs, the GCWR is 30,000 lbs.

So with a 6,000 lbs trailer, I need to allow for 600Lbs of tongue weight on the GVWR.

It seems like it should work. Any advice on this? Any gotchas? I would like to get an enclosed trailer and the weight with cargo is putting me over the 5k hitch limit.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

AaronG

[DegoRed]

When I had a gasser with that same chassis, that is what I did, except I upgraded the hitch to a 16K lbs hitch, even though I was only towing 7,500 lbs. Its very easy to do, and it does not take long. The hitch I upgraded to was $249. IF you do decide to get a trailer, make sure you get one with trailer brakes.

Unfortunately, this is one of those questions that is best not asked in the forums, as some will scold you and accuse you of blasphemy for even suggesting these kind of unpure thoughts. Some take weight limits very literally and some take them as suggested guidelines. Go to some race tracks or off-road events, you will see virtually every MH there with this type of modification done to their MH.

Good luck and don't let the weight police in here scare you.

[aarong]

Thanks. From what I am seeing, this would actually be within the spec limits wouldn't it? The chassis is rated for 6k tow, so I don't see why I couldn't pull a 6k trailer with a 6k (or more) hitch upgrade as long as I am within GVWR and GVCR.

Did you add anything else to your tow setup like a WDH, sway bars, etc?

[frankdamp]

Frankly, the weight freaks really piss me off. My '03 Kia Sedona is rated in Europe to tow 3000Kg. In the US its limited to 3500 lb.

In the UK, people tow 4500 lb trailers with the Land Rover Defender. My uncle towed a 1800 lb trailer all over Europe for over 20 years behind a 55 HP Austin Cambridge sedan (drum brakes all round!) They never had a problem. Sure they couldn't keep up with the traffic most of the time, but that wasn't their problem They were still quicker than most of the "artics" (Brit speak for tractor-trailer rigs - "articulated lorries") I don't think he even had to change a clutch on that stick-shift car in the 20 years they towed their TT.The paranoia in the US must be insurance-related

On one of my familiy's holidays, we were at a CG near Southampton when a 1949 L-head Morris Minor (30 horsepower on a good day) pulled in towing a 32' house trailer. He worked in the electrical generating industry and had left a job on the northern coast of Scotland for one near Southampton. They only had the one car and the trailer was their home.

They'd had to make a couple of diversions because the grades were too steep, but they made it, almost 700 miles!

[aarong]

Below are the weights for the Tiffin 35QBA. Unless I hear a good reason otherwise, I am moving forward with this plan.

I am planning to pull a 27 foot long Haulmark Transport trailer (with the extended tongue), with a 22.5' x 8.5' floor. Inside will be a Yamaha Viking VI six seat SxS, and two Yamaha TW-200 dirt bikes.

All three are street legal, which should make for a decent way to get around towns at slow speed in states where that is allowed. And its a great way to tour with my family in the mountains of Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.

Weight Information 2012 1/2 - 2015 Tiffin 35QBA
Ford F53 24k Chassis - 242" Wheelbase
GVWR - 24,000lbs
GCWR - 30,000lbs
FAWR - 9000lbs
RAWR - 15,500lbs
Chassis Tow Capacity - 6,000lbs
UVW - 20,400 (With Fuel)
NCC - 3565lbs