1987 Southwind towing capacity

[Russell E Johnson]

Our 87 Southwind has a listed towing capacity of 3500 pounds.  It has a Chevy chassis with a 454, TH400, and 4.88 axle ratio.  I know that is has a class 3 hitch.  Here is my confusion, the hitch has a weight carrying capacity of 350 pounds tongue weight and 3500 pounds total capacity.  However, if it is set up using a WDH, it has a 500 pound tongue weight and a capacity to tow 5000 pounds.  Why the difference?  Does the hitch handle 3500 pounds or 5000 pounds?  The reason I am asking is that our toad, a 2003 Kia Sedona has a curd weight of 4802 pounds and we use a tow dolly.  So my second question is can my MH  tow our toad?  We pulled it to St Louis once, 210 miles, and I could not detect and reduction in the way the MH acted on the level and only a 5 MPH reduction on the hills.

[david craft]

I concur with the gent onthe rvnet post. I would have a fabricator guy look at what southwind did just to be sure it was sound. I would upgrade to a 6000 pound ball and ballmount. No more than a 4" drop. Be sure to have brakes onthe dolly. Good to just do grades in 2nd gear to get the engine braking on the downhills. Large dingies are heck onbrakes onthe gas rigs.

[Russell E Johnson]

Thank you David, coming from you gives me a greater reassurance on towing our van.

[david craft]

I had a customer with an S10 pickup dingey...wore out his brakes in less than 2 years. He downsized after that. A lot will depend on how you drive and whether you got dolly brakes.

[Russell E Johnson]

We drive 55-60 and always use the engine compression and down shifting to take some of the pressure off the brakes.  I need to look into brakes for the dolly, it doesn't have anything now.  I am tempted to put on Ready Brake's surge brake system on the van and have the rear tires of the van be the brakes for it and the tow dolly.  It is a whole lot cheaper to go that way as opposed to putting a brake setup for the dolly.  

[John "T" Nordhoff]

 I don't know if this is where my response fits, but here goes anyway. This year I'm towing my Chevy Colorado 4X4 PU with a golf cart in its bed 4 down. Therefore, there's no tongue weight all dead pull. I use an inertia activated Brake Buddy in the truck set up for the weight and then I adjust the sensitivity 6/10 as to what it takes to engage the truck brakes. I drive like an old man and hardly ever use much brakes since I slow down gradually in which case the brake buddy never even engages. However in a fast stop you feel them engage and try to hold the RV back. WHATS IMPORTANT IS THE WEIGHT BUT MOSTLY THE SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENT ON THE TRUCKS BRAKE BUDDY. The RV is a 29 ft Class C with Chevy  454 Vortec and 4L80E Overdrive Tranny

Keep safe

John T

[david craft]

I did one of these on a van, long ago. They are intended for 4 tire down operation. In a 4 down application, its a horizontal straight shot for the cable from the ready brake device to the bumper of the toad, Not so with the dolly. I just see so many issues and a 500 dollar tag. Do you have backing plate flanges on the tow dolly? The brake buddy John mentioned may not like the angle of inclination found with a car on a dolly. Did you talk with ready brake directly? Highly advised if you want to go that direction. If you got the flanges then 220 gets you hub and drum assm and backing plates. Another 150 for the brake control and wire. Another 50 for the breakaway kit to be politically correct...the rvnet poster was correct in that electric or hyd brakes would be best. I really like the surge brake idea...prolly no more money than electric. Be sure to get the "free backing" style backing plate.