Class C RVs are sure a joy to drive around the country on an unforgettable adventure. They feel a lot like home, they’re much more affordable than other market options, and they can tow a wide variety of secondary vehicles.
Yet, not everyone knows how much the Class C towing capacity is. Well, Class C motorhomes can pull up to 3,000 to 8,000 lbs. Plus, Super Class C’s have the ability to tow around 30,000 lbs of weight. Isn’t that amazing?
Now that you have a general idea about Class C towing capacity, why don’t we dive a little deeper into this topic?
How to Figure Out the Maximum Towing Capacity for a Class C?
If you’re new to the world of Class C towing, knowing the weight that’s safe enough to pull along may be tricky to determine. Here, you’ll have to understand several towing terms to see if you’ll be able to tow your car or boat.
The values you’ll need to check are:
- Gross trailer weight
- Gross vehicle weight
- Gross combined weight
Let’s walk you through each one of those terms quickly.
Gross Trailer Weight
It’s pretty easy to figure this one out. Gross Trailer Weight refers to the overall weight of your fully-loaded Class C motorhome. So, besides the actual RV, you’ll have to add the weight of anything that you carry inside it, including:
- Passengers
- Animals
- Equipment
- Cargo
- Fluids
After calculating those variables, you can move on to the next weight that you’ll need to check.
Gross Vehicle Weight
As the name suggests, Gross Vehicle Weight is the weight of whatever vehicle you’ll be towing behind your Class C. Again, remember that this includes the weight of any items that you have inside the car or boat you’ll be towing.
Gross Combined Weight
Last but not least, the Gross Combined Weight describes the value you should get after combining the previous two weights.
Now that you get these terms, it should be a piece of cake to find out if you’ll be able to tow your car. Simply, write down the combined weight of both your Class C and your vehicle, then check the recommended Gross Combined Weight for your RV. But where to find this detail anyway?
Thankfully, most Class C RVs come with a sticker on the door of the driver’s seat, which should include this piece of information. If you can’t find it there, you’ll probably discover the sticker on the inside frame instead.
The combined weight must be less than the one printed on that paper. If the weight of your trailer plus the vehicle exceeded the listed weight, it would be a risk to tow that vehicle.
What Type of Vehicle Can I Tow With a Class C?
Of course, the answer to this question depends on the size of your Class C engine and how sturdy the RV’s build is. Yet, the good news is you won’t have to worry much about these two factors.
The manufacturer has already thought about those, done the necessary calculations, and provided you with the recommended weight capacity. You’ll only need to check that to know the suitable weight to pull.
Because of these calculations, we were able to understand the average vehicle weight that a typical engine could pull. In this case, a Class C should comfortably pull:
- Small cars (2,000 lbs)
- SUVs on the smaller side (3,000 lbs)
On the other hand, if you need to haul a pick-up truck, which could weigh up to 4,000 or 5,000 lbs, you’ll need to invest in a Class C RV with a bigger engine. This way, it should have more towing capacity.
If you’re hoping for more pulling power, a Super Class C should be of great help. This beast can safely tow up to 30,000 lbs of weight. Therefore, it may be the best option if you need to pull another trailer.
Can I Tow a Boat With a Class C RV?
The short answer here is yes as long as you stay below the maximum towing capacity. The thing with towing boats, though, is that there are more factors to take into account before attempting to do it.
First of all, don’t forget that a boat will rest on a trailer of its own. For that reason, you’ll have to add the weight of the boat as well as that of the empty trailer to your calculations.
Plus, boats can vary greatly in weight, going from as light as 100 lbs to a roaring 5,000 lbs!
Second of all, fishing equipment isn’t exactly that lightweight either, especially if you’re serious about your fishing trips. Your gear will probably weigh as high as 500 lbs.
Therefore, by combining the weight of the boat trailer, the boat, and the gear, you’ll probably end up with 5,000 lbs of weight to tow. Make sure that your Class C’s capacity exceeds that value by 500 lbs or so.
See, if your Class C’s max towing capacity is exactly 5,000 lbs, in this case, hauling all this weight for long periods of time can take its toll on the engine and transmission. It’s always a good idea to leave some room for a happy and healthy engine!
Final Words
Knowing a Class C’s towing capacity is a must if you intend to stay on the move for months. This way, you’ll be certain that the weight of whatever vehicle you’ll be pulling will be suitable for the capabilities of your RV.
As a result, the engine and chassis of your Class C will be able to breathe and enjoy the road trip almost as much as you will!