That thar is a 413, son... (towing capabilities)

[hose-man]

So the PO told me that Walter has a 440.   I took that as gospel & while the VIN decoder seemed to indicate otherwise there is enough discrepancy between the VIN decoder on this site & the one in the front of the service manual that I was still hoping that I had a 440 on board.   

I finally got around to hunting down the Engine Code on the front of the block & this motor is in fact a 413 cu in motor.   Just like the VIN says.    There is an outside shot, i guess, that the original owner had some engine work done, but there is definitely  no evidence of it.    The motor looks just like it should after 38 years and a meager 40,000 miles.   Dirty & leaky & never taken apart.

I had to change my profile too,        Motor envy.   

Hopefully it still tows the boat as well as I'm hoping.

-J

[LJ-TJ]

How big a boat?  Hm?

[Oz]

I believe the shop manual gives the engine specs for all of the engines available.  You can compare the data for horse power and torque to get numerical idea.  But, I can tell you that my 440 hauled a 24' rig, heavily loaded with seven people, two dogs, all our camping gear for a week and an heavy, 1978, 18' open bow with a heavy, 6 cylinder outboard on a heavy, tandem axle trailer, also loaded to the gunwhals with heavy stuff.  No doubt, I pushed the rig to max of it's capabilities.  I'd be pretty confident your 413 would haul pretty close to what the 440 can. 

Did I mention the stuff I was hauling was heavy?

[hose-man]

How big a boat?  Hm?

22.5 foot wakeboard boat.  Dual axle trailer with surge brakes.   Not sure what the GVW or the tongue weight is on it.   That is on my list of to-dos.

I also plan to box in the frame in the area fore & aft of the frame extension as I don't trust the tinly gusset plates that Winnebago used to strengthen that butt weld.    That is my greatest worry about towing at this point.   I'm sure the 413 will get the job done.   I'll just have to be sure to be in vacation mode & get comfortable going 40-50 mph in hilly terrain when towing the boat.    I'm sure I could go faster but the mpg would suffer.

I'll get some pictures of everything up sooner or later.   -J

[LJ-TJ]

I like your idea of boxing in the frame. Good idea. I don't think your going to have to worry about mileage. Your not going to get any  I would be suprised if you got 5 to 8 but that spoil your fun. I will cost you more to save a gallon of gas than if you just kick back and enjoy it. 

[ibdilbert01]

You'll be fine.   I've pulled my 77 Hammond and its a bit on the heavy side with an inline 6, 250ci chevy engine.    My winnie only has a small block, you should be more than fine with the 413.

A lot of people worry about the gusset plates.   But honestly, if the welds are not rusted at the plates, you'd bend the frame before you'd break the welds.  Had Winnebago just did a butt weld, you'd still bend the frame before breaking the weld.

BTW, You'll have fun at the docks, people will stare.   

[hose-man]

A lot of people worry about the gusset plates.   But honestly, if the welds are not rusted at the plates, you'd bend the frame before you'd break the welds.  Had Winnebago just did a butt weld, you'd still bend the frame before breaking the weld.

It's the bending of the frame that is a problem.   I'm not worried about the frame extension falling off, rather I'm worried about the flex in the frame due to the tongue weight of the boat.    Too much flex will in turn cause delamination and buckling of the 37 year old thermo-panel walls. 

I already have a little evidence of flex and buckle just above the left edge of the generator door.   With out some reinforcement I'm confident that significant and possibly irreparable damage would be result by summer's end.   

[Froggy1936]

instead of welding in box frame use heavy link chain to both side rails  ill post a picture in my gallery of how i did mine  Frank P.S. my 350 chev does not know when i hook up my boat even the MPG stays the same as when its not there   18 ft fiberglass tri hull bowrider w 65 hp  wt unknown but it is heavy.w 20 ft single axel tilt Tee Nee.

[hose-man]

thanks for the suggestion froggy.   I'm not worried about the hitch falling off though.   I'm confident in how well the receiver is attached to the frame.   I am not confident, however, in the sturdiness of the frame itself.   

Yours looks like a good solution for your needs.   Well done.

[Chief Crazy Canoe]

Hose-man,

Did you ever box in the rear frame rails?  I too, have concerns with my 72' Chieftain.  It has the 413 motor/A727 tranny rookie buyer here...PO called it a 440 as well

Tow cap is always a question...but the frame looks like reinforcement will do it well before I tow much of anything with the coach.  I know from building rock crawler chassis and suspensions, that boxing the frame pays off huge in the long run. 

I'll be performing this surgery to my Chieftain this spring before going to Moab with the toys.

-CCC