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trickto322
06-28-2009, 05:31 PM
How can you find out how much the tourMaster can tow? We are thinking of getting a 2009 Chevy 1500 crew cab 4X4 short bed. They say it weighs 5500 lbs. empty. The hitch has 10,000 on it and our tow bar is 10,000 lb. but no idea about the Mercedes 330.

rdlamb
06-29-2009, 10:39 PM
Trickto:
Check the Freightliner site. Our TM has the Freightliner frame, with a Cummins engine. While having the coach serviced, at Cummins, I asked that question. The answer was 20,000 lbs, or the limits of the hitch.

David Bott
06-30-2009, 08:43 AM
Our 08 TM can tow 10,000lbs. I think that is how it comes standard for the TM. We tow a 08 Saturn Outlook...4,600lbs. (Hardly know it is their.)


Rick...20,000Lbs! WOW...are you sure? That seems like an awful lot. I do not think I would care to even consider going over 1/3 our weight. LOL

rdlamb
06-30-2009, 09:39 AM
It shocked me as well. The actual towing ability of the frame, engine, and transmission does not surprise me. Freightliner's are meant to haul or tow.

My hitch has a 10,000 limit sticker on it, and I was mainly concerned about being able to tow to that amount. While I was at Cummins, a Monaco (non-tag axle) came in towing a trailer half as big as the coach. Inside trailer was a race car, and its shop. Talking to the owner, I learned that the coach handled the entire load quite well albeit miles to the gallon was poor.

Next to the driver's chair is a sticker, it should have the combined gross vehicle weight. This is the coach weight along with the towed weight.

On a scale, my combined weight was 35,800lbs. Since my Rubicon weights in at 4700, I was happy.

David Bott
06-30-2009, 09:51 AM
Ah, yes, it can handle the load...but you are setup for 10,000lbs. I read it as you were setup for 20,000lbs. :)

trickto322
07-03-2009, 09:22 PM
My total combined weight calls for 32,000 lbs. If I read this right, I should get the coach weighed by itself and what ever is left to add up to 32,000 is what I can tow. :idea:

David Bott
07-03-2009, 09:30 PM
That does not make much sense seeing my TM is 32,000lbs unloaded.

???

rdlamb
07-03-2009, 09:54 PM
Boy, my message was not up to my standards. Sorry, late at night and I was not thinking linearly.

My TM is suppose to have a GVW of 34500 lbs. Since the dry wt is 32K, I can load up to 2500 lbs of personal belongings onto the coach. If my last post went through, then I am in trouble. My wife does not have 2500 lbs of shoes and clothes, just 2100 lbs. The rest is mine.

The GAWR weight listed on my sticker, speaks to the total weight of the coach, including the tongue weight of the towed vehicle. Pull the coach onto the scale, but not the towed vehicle, and weigh the coach. That weight should not exceed this limit. Most towed toads do not add to the tongue weight.

The towing capacity of the coach is not listed on the identification sticker. According to the Freightliner Rep, I can tow up to 20K, depending. The tongue weight cannot exceed the GAWR. Given a double axle trailer or toad that does not add to the coaches weight, then I can tow 20K. Since my hitch is only rated at 10K I can only tow a vehicle that weights that amount or less provided the weight from that towed vehicle does not press down on my hitch more than that amount allowed by the GAWR.

Hopefully, I stated this comprehensibly, then again it is late at night.