Towing a motorhome!

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 10:22 AM

Please understand my question. I need to tow a motohome that I purchased. Has any one seen a motorhome being towed? Is there such a device to accomplish this? I do not want to hire a tow truck with a low boy, as these are going to send me to bankruptcy court. Any ideas?
Hidalgo
It is a 1977 20ft Argo with 9,500 lbs GVW.
I have a 2004 Dodge 3500 with towing cap of 16,000.

markdoane · 07-23-2004, 10:41 AM

Do the brakes work? Tail lights and turn signals? How far?

59toaster · 07-23-2004, 10:48 AM

Yep there are tow trucks big enough to handle it and they come with an equaly big bill. You should hear the horror stories of them slamming the rear bumper into the gorund and damaged the body work.

Find you local grading company and see if they have a low boy and could move it for a $200 and you would be doing good.

And the brakes are run off engine Vacuum and I sure as hell wouldn't try tow roping a 12,000 lb vehcile. Now if it's a blown tranny and your only talking a few miles and can run the engine so you have full brakes and power steering....Yeah I would try it then.

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 11:28 AM

The motorhome has been sitting for years and I am hoping to revive it.
I am thinking of using a trailer hefty enought to do the towing.
It is going from Mo to Ca.

bake315 · 07-23-2004, 11:57 AM

If you're going to use a trailer pulled with your truck there are two things I can think of off the top of my head...

Clearance. You'll have to make sure the height of the trailer bed doesn't leave the Argosy too high in the air - hard to know if you'll encounter any low clearance issues over such a long haul. Trailer will have to be pretty low-slung, a la lowboy.

Weight. Have to make sure the combined weight of the Argosy, coupled with the weight of the trailer beefy enough to haul it doesn't exceed the capacity of the truck.

There may be other things that I'm not thinking about as well...

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 12:42 PM

I have checked with the CHP, our California Version of the CHIPs, and they tell me that 14'5''. I think that the argo's height is somewhere between 10-11 ft, this leaves me with a trailer that can at most is 2-3 ft of height.
I will keep an eye open.

swebster · 07-23-2004, 12:46 PM

I think you may find that a trailer low enough to give you the clearance will not allow the unit to be driven up and onto the trailer. (Low Boy for things like construction equipment, etc.). See this link about a blown motor on a TD 310: 310 turbo blown engine

Also, here is a pic of a rig big enough to tow an AS MH. (that is a another member's MH BTW). Is there any chance of reviving it enough in MO to drive it home? (PS - I would suggest the southern route to CA if possible)

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 12:53 PM

Swebster,
Thanks for the link and the picture.
The rig showing towing the motorhome, is quite an expense.
I got a couple of scary numbers, when considering such a move.
I think my limps are worth hanging on to!
Thank You,
Hidalgo

bake315 · 07-23-2004, 01:26 PM

The other thing would be the effects of stiff crosswinds on such a high-profile cargo. Might be iffy if you encounter any severe weather....

So what's the story on your new baby? How bad off? Will it just not run at all? Depending on what's what, you might spend less money in Missouri making it roadworthy enough to get home, than it would cost to tow or haul it there.

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 03:00 PM

Cor.
You are absolutely right!
I am heading out there with a co-pilot and an open mind. Should I find it in a state that only requires tires, battery and a tune up, I may just force the wife into driving one of the two back.
The thought occurred to me that may be a tow-bar, big enough for such an item, what do you think?

bake315 · 07-23-2004, 03:10 PM

Should you go that route, I would really try asking no more of the Argosy's engine and drivetrain than to get itself home. Adding a toad might or might not be too much. That said, if it were me I'd drive one vehicle out, and two vehicles back. Depending on the second vehicle, you might spend less on the gas to drive it both ways than you would for the cost and installation of a towbar.

Of course, if you're thinking of pulling the Argosy with the truck using a towbar - well I just don't know. I dont know of any that are rated to tow something that large... Plus there would be the brake issue that 59Toaster mentioned...

thenewkid64 · 07-23-2004, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hidalgo

Cor.
The thought occurred to me that may be a tow-bar, big enough for such an item, what do you think?

Not ready made, but maybe could be done. See the front bumper is only held on with 4 screws. Take them off and you have the ends of the frame rails right there. Find a welder that is willing and a mobile home delivery guy any you should be set. The mobile home delivery guy cannot lift the mh, but can pull and stop.

Hidalgo · 07-23-2004, 04:22 PM

Thenewkid,
I have to say that your input has proven to be too good to pass up. I will find an old style tow bar, just like the one that Uhaul used to rent ( as these were and are as heavy duty as I have ever seen) and make an adaptation to suit the need. It seems to me that if I strip the bumper and have a direct connect to the chassis, I can easily tow a vehicle that is within the rated limits. What do you think?

swebster · 07-23-2004, 04:51 PM

keep in mind you will be towing 9000 - 15000 pounds depending on the model (not sure I know which one you are looking at). I'm not sure about the old style UHAUL bars but I think most bars designed to pull a car are only rated up to 5500 with a few going to 7000. If you can't find a rated bar you may be in the "custom fabrication" department....Bretts idea about towing the MH down behind a tractor rig could work if you could use the same towing setup that the mobile home guys use.

<soapboxon>This is not the time to use "good enough" engineering. The people traveling behind the rig will thank you for being safe.</soapboxoff>

Just my 2 cents