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09-25-2013, 05:24 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 8
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Towing tandem
New to all this so I would appreciate any help. Looking at our first trailer and considering PASSPORT 23RB. I want to tow a 14 ft boat & 25 hp motor or an ATV behind ( say1200 pounds). Legal in Wis. Dealer assures me no problem welding on a receiver. TV is F150 ECOBOOST 3.73 with max tow so plenty of towing capacity. Do I believe the dealer or what? Other than careful attention to TT tongue weight any other watch outs?
Mike
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09-25-2013, 05:43 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Fruitland
Posts: 3,357
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If that bumper is anything like RV bumpers here out west, they are sheet metal and do not hold up real well to just the spare tire. I have been behind many rvs and see that spare tire and mount bonceing like crazy over any bumps. I took mine off and carry in the truck bed. I would not weld anything to the bumper. Weld/mount on from the frame. Thats what others have done.
__________________
2013 24RKSWE (27ft TT) Cougar 1/2 ton series SOLD 10-2021
2013 Ford F350 4x4 CC 6.7 engine, 8 ft bed, 3.55 rear end, lariat package
Retired from Oregon State Police in 2011 than worked another 9.5 years as a small town traffic cop:
As of 05-2020, I am all done with 39 years total police work. No more uniforms for me.
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09-25-2013, 07:43 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,995
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I towed our Bass Tracker Tournament TX 175 (about 2000 lbs) behind our Springdale 242 using an F150 FX4. We never had any issues and felt the rig performed well. Gas mileage dropped from about 10MPG to about 9MPG when towing the boat and RV.
As for the back bumper. DON'T rely on it to support any weight. It can barely support the spare tire and many owners have even removed the spare from the bumper.
A custom welded hitch attached to the frame and rated for the load you intend to tow will definitely provide for safe towing. Remember that once you modify the frame, you will void a part of your Keystone warranty, so be careful of when and what you do.
We installed a hitch on our new fifth wheel and have towed the boat about 1000 miles with great results.
Good luck
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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09-26-2013, 02:39 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 8
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Thanks folks. Pardon me for not mentioning it but the dealer would weld the receiver to the fame. As for warranty, guess I'll have to go back to the dealer and ask him. I'm also looking at a Flagstaff micro lite 25KS and that dealer said if they welded a receiver to the frame it wouldn't affect the warrenty. Any more words of wisdom - sure would appreciate it?
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09-26-2013, 02:48 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 10
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No words of wisdom really. But we just bought a Passport 23RB, and we love it! We also have a boat (Sea Ray 200BR), and I wish we could tow it behind the Passport. It's never going to happen, but it would be nice. I hope you get it worked out!
Welcome to the club!
John
__________________
John and Rhinda
Charlotte, NC
2013 Passport 23RB
1999 Chev Silverado
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09-26-2013, 05:56 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Aurora
Posts: 148
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If you are gogin to tow double, you need to check the state laws for all states you are going to travel in.
I know that some states allow it and others don't or require an endorsement on your drivers license.
In Illinois and a few other states, if you are towing double as you propose, it can only be done from a fifth wheel trailer, not a regular travel trailer.
Check to make sure you meet local law requirements and those for states in which you wish to travel.
Just another dimension to this to check out.
__________________
2006 F350 CC Dually 6.0 Powerstroke "the marshmallow"
2017 Montana 3710FL
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09-26-2013, 07:29 AM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paisano
Thanks folks. Pardon me for not mentioning it but the dealer would weld the receiver to the fame. As for warranty, guess I'll have to go back to the dealer and ask him. I'm also looking at a Flagstaff micro lite 25KS and that dealer said if they welded a receiver to the frame it wouldn't affect the warrenty. Any more words of wisdom - sure would appreciate it?
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Paisano -
Perhaps Flagstaff's warranty is different from that of Keystone's but any warranty with Keystone excludes:
Damage or loss caused in whole or in part by the unauthorized attachments, modifications or alterations to the structure, body, pin box or frame of the RV including but not limited to trailer hitches for towing or platforms for supporting cargo.
This would indicated that you would have to get authorization from Keystone before any hitches are welded to the frame to ensure that the warranty would still be valid. If approval was not given then any damage or loss occurred which could be attributed to the welded hitch, would be your responsibility - not Keystone's.
If your dealer is in doubt, ask him to read the Owner's Manual -- it's all there.
The dealer cannot give you authorization to proceed at no risk with the modification you are talking about and; at the same time, adhere to this section of the exclusion outlined above.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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09-26-2013, 06:26 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 8
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Wow - thank you. Guess I need to have another talk with the dealer.
Mike.
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09-26-2013, 06:30 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Deltona, FL
Posts: 123
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If the dealer installs it I don't see how this would affect the warranty. As others have said, make sure they weld it to the frame.
__________________
2011 Palomino Sabre 29CKDS 5th wheel
2016 RAM HD 6.7
Previous:
2005 Keystone Hornet 245RKS
2008 Gulf Stream Trailmaster M220
Cobia 220 Walkaround w/Yamaha 200 OX-66 Fuel injection
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09-26-2013, 06:47 PM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danimal
If the dealer installs it I don't see how this would affect the warranty. As others have said, make sure they weld it to the frame.
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The dealer is only doing what he has been instructed to do . It's not his idea to install the hitch and he can't be held responsible for what follows - unless he was negligent in installing it or was shown to be incompetent.
Chances are, if it is installed properly to the frame, nothing will probably happen that will result in loss or damage. While there is little risk involved in having it welded to the frame, there is some risk nonetheless. So it is up to the owner to either wait a year until the warranty and its exclusions expire or proceed with the installation now and take a chance that nothing will happen.
I wasn't trying to scare Paisano off - merely pointing out to him that there is a warranty exclusion issue to consider - something that he may or may not have been aware of. Also, I am not sure if the dealer knows about this and; if he did, would have he made the buyer aware of it?
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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