I would like to install a trailer hitch on the barth . i searched the forums and couldnt find anything on installing a hitch . i will be pulling my 16 ft aluminium boat . i need a hitch on the barth so i can go camping myself without needing another vehicle to pull the boat .
1. does anyone know what hitch will fit on the barth ?

2. should i go with a higher class hitch than i need , incase i would decide later on towing a toad ?

3. is my barth even rated high enough to tow a toad ?

This is my first motorhome and i would like some thoughts on this project before getting started. Any DO's and DONT's would be helpfull .

Thanks, Bob

Bob,

Hitches for RVs like ours are generally fabricated by a hitch or welding shop. It's very straight forward and I would recommend a class III hitch (up to 5000 lb) even though you could probably tow the boat with a class I hitch (2000 lb).

The question of could you tow a toad is more complicated. Just because you may have the hitch capacity, does not mean you have the weight capacity or the power to tow something heavy. Because you have hydraulic brakes means you must also consider aux braking on whatever is pushing you in a stop. The weight of the toad would also be critical, a Smart car is a lot different than an Avalanche.

My immediate answer on toad is you are pushing the limits, but I'm sure people here have done it regardless.

Bob, Installed a 5000 lb Reese hitch on my 86 Regal. Reese mod # V-5 j684, It was a bolt in job, 6 7/16 holes in frame.
I mounted mine in front of bumper and cut 2" hole in bumper. I did not want anything lower than botttom of bumper (31' with long overhang). My chevy chassie is rated at 14,500 gvw and 19,500 gcwr. the gcwr is combined weight of MH + trailer. I think you 25' is on the same chassie. Do you have 19.5" tires? The 454 and th400 is strong combo. I tow a 2500 lb enclosed trailer behind ours about 75% of time. Braking power is more of my concern. Electric brakes highly recomended.
Doorman

Thanks for responding guys , i really appriciate the advice given from ALL .
I am a welder - fitter by trade, so it shouldnt be that big of a job. especially if the hitch doorman says will bolt right on . even if i have to beef it up .
i dont think towing the boat would be any problem (its very light), but a toad is a big concern of mine. i know nothing about the subject of towing a toad.

perhaps someone could chime in to educate me on towing a toad , setup , etc... i drive a 2000 4x4 ford ranger, if possible, this is what i also would be towing .

Doorman , you said your chevy chassie is rated at 14,500 gvw and 19,500 gcwr

Does that mean you can tow something no heavier than 4,000 lbs ? or is that total weight you add to the motorhome(accessories,camping gear,etc..) plus weight of whatever you are towing ?

quote:

Do you have 19.5" tires?

Doorman, i have 7.50R16LT tires , Does that make a difference ?

thanks again , Bob

quote:

perhaps someone could chime in to educate me on towing a toad , setup , etc... i drive a 2000 4x4 ford ranger, if possible, this is what i also would be towing .

To tow a toad or dinghy, you need:

1) A vehicle that has the capacity to tow the weight of the toad
2) A hitch that has the capacity for that weight (tongue weight not a real factor due to the toad hitch design)
3) A hitch (Blue Ox,Demco,Roadmaster)
4) A vehicle equipped so it can be towed (I think your 4X4 Ranger is good to go)
5) Correct wiring to bring safety lighting to the rear of towed vehicle (brake, running, back up, blinkers)
6) An auxiliary braking system for the toad (like Brake Buddy)

When you list it all out, the hitch is the easy part. One nice thing about a toad, it doesn't add substantial tongue weight. I wonder about the ability of your drive-train to pull the weight of a 4X4 truck though. Do you have plenty of reserve power now?

quote:

Originally posted by crouch38:
I would like to install a trailer hitch on the barth . i searched the forums and couldnt find anything on installing a hitch . i will be pulling my 16 ft aluminium boat . i need a hitch on the barth so i can go camping myself without needing another vehicle to pull the boat .
1. does anyone know what hitch will fit on the barth ?

Barths differ back there. Some have gas tanks, some have black tanks, etc. I don't think any one hitch will fit all Barths.

quote:

2. should i go with a higher class hitch than i need , in case i would decide later on towing a toad ?

Yes, even if you don't do toads. The class III hitch has a 2 inch receiver which holds all sorts of things. Bicycle racks, firewood carriers, different height ball mounts (I use different ones for toad or boat), a vise, a winch, you name it. I like mine for when I have to bend something, too. Just stick it in there and pull. I also have a hand winch attached to a slip-in jib crane that lets me unload heavy things from the pickup or pallets, etc.

quote:

3. is my barth even rated high enough to tow a toad ?

Your 25 footer is not very heavy, so the engine and trans will be fine if you have good cooling for them. If you need more power for heavy towing, Thorleys, cold air induction, free-flowing mufflers and an X-pipe will make a big difference.

Do you have drums or disks in the rear? That makes a big difference. I have had two P30s with drums in back and one with all disks. There is a stunning difference, both towing and not. My Barth is heavier than the previous two P30s, but stops better, towing and not. Also, if you do steep downhills, the disks work way longer than the drums, which can't dump the heat as well. In my free and biased opinion, the only decent drum brakes on a car were the Buick Al Fins. My 65 Riv GS stopped as well as it goad. All the way down the mountain.

I never had any drum brakes on a car or bike that didn't need help. I don't know if Velvetouch metallic linings are available any more, but I would look into that (or similar) for a heavy toad if I had drums.

The value of some of this will depend on how much heavy toad downhilling you do. Your boat will probably not make lot of difference.

One more thing, if you do much downhilling, read posts here on brake fluid and bleeding.

Bob, is this the same Regal that Brady and Hilary owned. I thought the data tag on that coach showed a 14,500 lb chassie with 19.5" wheels. I had interest in that coach.(25' with heavy chassie) I am suprised to hear it has 16" wheels. Did they change wheels?
Doorman

When you list it all out, the hitch is the easy part. One nice thing about a toad, it doesn't add substantial tongue weight. I wonder about the ability of your drive-train to pull the weight of a 4X4 truck though. Do you have plenty of reserve power now?

Moonbeam Express , I only drove the Barth 2 times so far. 1st time was on the way home from purchase coming down interstate 79. It wasnt a HUGE hill , but it seemed like the barth had lots of extra power. i was cruising about 62 - 65 mph aproaching the hill & by the time i reached the top speedo was real close to the same speed .
2nd time didnt take on any big hills, i just took it out for a ride to exersise it on a 20 - 25 mile run , then exersised the gen when i got home for about an hour .


Do you have drums or disks in the rear? That makes a big difference.

Bill h , I have drum brakes in the rear & disk in the front.
Also , this summer i probably wont be doing any major downhilling. just trying to get setup for camping with the boat first. probably wont even pull a toad this summer, but in looking at the future i will get the class 3 hitch for both .
i also saved the discussions on brake fluid & bleeding.


Bob, is this the same Regal that Brady and Hilary owned. I thought the data tag on that coach showed a 14,500 lb chassie with 19.5" wheels. I had interest in that coach.(25' with heavy chassie) I am suprised to hear it has 16" wheels. Did they change wheels?

Doorman , Yes its the regal Brady & Hillary owned . and yes the data tag does show 19.5 wheels . you can see the data tag in coaches sold forum . i dont know who changed them ,but i just rechecked & tires are 16 in .
Will the smaller size wheels & tires make a difference ?

I will be going with a class 3 5,000 lb hitch . so i can pull the boat & maybee a toad in the future . But definatly will add the auxiliary brake system before pulling a toad. i got to have the boat when camping at the lake.

You guys are a GREAT wealth of information.
Thanks again for ALL the help , suggestions , and most of all this GREAT website . Bob

I had success with the Reese 37042 kit from Walmart for about $110.

http://barthmobile.com/eve/for...1087061/m/6193968957

good luck!
Matt

quote:

Originally posted by Doorman:
I thought the data tag on that coach showed a 14,500 lb chassie with 19.5" wheels. I had interest in that coach.(25' with heavy chassie) I am suprised to hear it has 16" wheels. Did they change wheels?

Great catch!!! Odd that someone would change it to 16. How's the ground clearance?

quote:

Originally posted by crouch38:
Doorman , Yes its the regal Brady & Hillary owned . and yes the data tag does show 19.5 wheels . you can see the data tag in coaches sold forum .

quote:

Great catch!!! Odd that someone would change it to 16. How's the ground clearance?

Bill NY , it looks ok to me , but this is my first motorhome , soo i dont really have any past experience to base it on . it does look like about the same clearance as on my ford ranger 4x4, which also has 16 in wheels & tires .
Bob

It seems odd that a coach that originally had 19.5 inch wheels would have drum brakes in back.

However, 25 footers did not usually have 19.5 inchers, either.

How many lugs do the front and rear wheels have?

Of course, around the campfire, Barthers beat their drums and chant, "All Barths Are Different"

I am a Luger collector, and there is a complete book titled, LUGER VARIATIONS. There should be one for Barths. But, it would have to be an E book that could be constantly updated, or a new edition every year, like law books.

might be another case of someone flubbing it at the factory.

There could be all sorts of fun answers to this:

1. A special customer order wanting more ground clearance

2. Barth mis-cut a frame so they cut it down and put it on a 25 footer

3. Barth was considering using all large frames with 19.5 tires....I think most companies did that on class A's

Fun to think of the reasoning behind it...

Bob, checking you Vin # (4th pos. J) your brakes are 10,000-14,000 gvw range. ours is K, 14,000-16,000. I have rear disk. I think Barth screwed up your data tag. By the way they also gave me your center consol. 3339 on the back of mine. No you can't have it back. I think you will find that you have the power to tow anything under the 5000 lb. with out any trouble. I would highly recomend a trans temp gauge. Keep a good eye on the water temp.
Doorman.