Searching for GCVWR

[Drivingdog]

I'm a newbie and just fat fingered my first attempt at this post.  I'm sorry if I should have searched for this elsewhere but I did a search for GCVWR and Towing.  Got a lot of good information on the calculations but I'm missing one number for my RV.

I have just purchased a 1985 Minnie Winnie (Model WC424RC) which as I understand it is build on the P30 Chevy Chassis and it has the Chevy 350 engine and a 4:10 axle ratio.  I want to determine the towing capacity of my RV and I have obtained a lot of good and useful specs but neither Winnebago nor Chevy can provide me with the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR) which is one of the key values I need.  I've got the tag that Winnebago posts on the door frame and similar information from Winnebago but no luck on GCVWR. 

My obvious question is does anyone know the GCVWR for this chassis or vehicle?

If not, here is what I have and the heart of my question:

GVWR is 10,500 and actual weight with driver and full gas tank is 8,640 so I still have to add 368 lb for 46 gal of fresh waste and allowance for my cargo, passengers, some black water etc. So I'm assuming it will be loaded close to the 10,500 rating once I and the hitch tongue weight.

Winnebago says the Trailer hitch on the vehicle has a 200 lb capacity and a towing Trailer capacity of 2000 lbs. I've seen comments that Winnebago specs 2000 lb because they don't beef up the frame extension, not necessary a reflection of the actual GCVWR.

My Toad weights 1,708 lb with a full gas tank and I need to add allowance for base plate and hitch or a dolly (still deciding)

So I'm going to be  close to the 2000 lb but I really need to add some external storage capacity so I'm considering a hitch mounted storage bin by using an adaptor to provide 2 receivers (advise welcomed on this) so I can mount the bin to the receiver above the Toad hitch receiver.   If I allow 300 lb for the storage bin I need to have a hitch specialist beef up my hitch receiver to a Class III and that is probably doable with some chassis work. 

So my more specific question is:  Can the RV safely tow 2300 lbs. if I beef up the receiver and allowing for the RV being loaded pretty close to the 10,500 GVWR?  If it helps, the vehicle does has air bags added to the rear suspension which I understand adds some the actual capacity.

Thanks for any answers.

[Rickf1985]

Tongue weight is probably more critical than towing weight, Within reason. If you have seen some of the frame extensions you would wonder how the rear end of the vehicle has stayed on let alone tow anything. They did some REALLY bad work on the frame extensions. That can be rectified but it is a lot of work and nine times out of ten the gas tank has to come out since it is in the way and on top of that, welders get real nervous welding right next to a bomb. W% W% W% The frame cannot just be welded straight across and called done and that is the repair that is done a lot. It will crack at some point. It has to be drilled, fishplated, bolted and plug welded. That is a proper repair and the only one I would guarantee.

[M & J]

Life Member right off. Good job and welcome to the asylum.

[eXodus]

according to my table with a 350 and 4.1 rear Axle you have probably a 13.500 lbs GCWR Chassis

But - which transmission do you have ? Makes some difference.

I'm I right that this a 24 feet Mini ? then it should have no Frame extension at all. and you should be fine mounting a real hitch directly to chassis frame. (I wouldn't trust that thing you got on there)

check with the guys at http://www.etrailer.com/ an get a good matching hitch for your chassis.

But as always, double-check , tripple check, it's your safety, crawl under the back and look and make some pictures for us.

[Drivingdog]

That gives me 3000 lbs for towing and tongue weight one I beef up the hitch.  I'll get some photos of the hitch/frame but I looked at it the other day and you are correct, it doesn't look like a chassis extension to me but I'll feel better posting a photo here and having that confirmed.

This has an automatic transmission with transmission cooler and an after market temp gauge.  I don't think this is the Overdrive transmission but I'll count the gears on the shifter when I'm at the storage lot again.  The letters on the shift gear indicator are long since warn off. 

Thanks to all for replies.  I'm so looking to my first long trip.

[Froggy1936]

On my 21 ft Mini Winnie Chevrolet chassis There is a 2 ft extension from Winnebago Fish plated on Welding looks good But i have added a heavy chain to in frt of welds . There is a picture on this site mabey in my gallery  (prepareing for a new computor i have removed all photos)  Your transmission is most likely a Turbo 400 3 speed it is bulletproof if not overheated or run low on fluid  Frank

[eXodus]

Really, a 2000lbs hitch is a joke, I wouldn't even think about beefing this thing up. and it's 30 years old ! Invest the $200 and get a new 3500 or 5000 lbs hitch.

A stronger hitch has more mounting points to the frame, and supports the frame.

I've got a 7500lbs hitch on a 3500lbs frame extensions (beefed up)  and towing a 5000lbs trailer. This is much more safe.

[bluebird]

Better look real close on the frame. Most G30 frames end right behind the rear spring brackets. Most  minnies and even some class As have a very poor frame extension. The welds I've seen from the factory are crappy and I wouldn't trust any of them. I broke a frame on a 24ft minnie several years ago  and it was a bear to repair. The extension was only spot welded, and those didn't even penetrate. I spent a week repairing that, then reinforced the butt welds. When I bought my 80 Itasca I over lapped the splice 2 ft each way and welded it solid. You have to remove the gas tank to do this, but it probably needs new fuel lines anyways. Might as well do it if you haven't done it yet. No sense installing a 5000 lb hitch on a frame that won't take the load. If Winnebago only put on a 2000 lb hitch there IS a reason, and that is because the frame isn't up to parr.   

[eXodus]

yes, my frame extension is also very bad made, did re-weld everything, and thinking about boxing in the channel.

@drivingdog

I have .pdf which says that there was a chassis with the 4.1 axle is 23 feet long. This doesn't mean that they used it or that you have it.
But it could be that they used a shorter chassis and just changed the axle. You never know.

[Drivingdog]

Exodus and others:

Transmission is a simple 3 speed automatic (D, 2, 1) not the overdrive model that would have the 4th option with the D surrounded by a box.

Here are some pictures.  I'm a newbie but I'm betting this is chassis extension which means I'll need a real shop (not UHaul) to drop the gas tank, do a good extension and then install a real hitch.  Would someone just confirm from the photos that this is an extension.  Most likely the reason Winnebago specifies the hitch at 2000 tow/200 lbs. tongue weight?

Can I ask one (really 2) more questions: 

From eXodus' reply earlier I'm going assume the GCVWR is 13,500 lbs unless you come up with a new number.  Given a GVWR of 10,500 and the fact that the loaded vehicle plus tongue weight will likely hit that, I'll assume my max towing is 3000 lbs. which is fine given my Toad vehicle is just a bit over 1700 lbs.

Normally I'd assume a Class 2 hitch receiver (3500 tow/300 tongue) would be fine but:

This RV has no external storage so my plan is to put a 2 receiver extension on the hitch receiver and connect the Toad vehicle to the bottom one and put a wide rack with lockable container in the top one. Is this a reasonable idea or am I crazy to use the 2 receiver extension?

Assuming it is a reasonable idea, am I better to go with a Class 3 hitch receiver (5000 tow/500 tongue), to allow for greater tongue weight from the car and storage combined?

Thanks for all of your responses, you've been a great help for this newbie. 

[eXodus]

since youve got the normall 3 speed i would stick to 13500 and not more.

if this two bolts are the only thing which are holding the hitch i would rather avaoid the extra storage. A 5000lbs hitch is normally 6 bolts and more secure are 8 bolts.

please a picture of the hitch complete underneath and stick your camera through the rear wheel house and get a pic of the rear leafspring mount.

its impossible to see if this is a extension, looks chevy but a rusty c channel could be anything.  get yourself some dirty clothes, and crawl under this thing and follow the channel from the back until the axle.