New member and first time owner

[EJ Shalaby]

Hello, we purchased our first Thor freedom elite 32' and looking forward to taking it out. I open to any advise, suggestions, warnings etc. I see a lot of RV's tow a small vehicles, the GVWR is rated at 14,000 and the towing capacity os 8,000 it seems a small jeep type vehicle shouldn't be a problem, where do you go to get a vehicle outfitted to tow? how much does the towing capacity impact the GVWR in other words how much less weight can i take?

Appreciate any words of advice.

[coachray]

Congrats and welcome to the forum. I don't tow anything, but there are others that will have towing suggestions for you,

[Jimbo56]

Welcome. We tow a 12 ft tandem axle trailer with a Smart Car on it. About 3200 lbs. if you want to tow 4 down search the topic on this forum. Lots of help.

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by EJ Shalaby

Hello, we purchased our first Thor freedom elite 32' and looking forward to taking it out. I open to any advise, suggestions, warnings etc. I see a lot of RV's tow a small vehicles, the GVWR is rated at 14,000 and the towing capacity os 8,000 it seems a small jeep type vehicle shouldn't be a problem, where do you go to get a vehicle outfitted to tow? how much does the towing capacity impact the GVWR in other words how much less weight can i take?

Appreciate any words of advice.

GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and is about the motorhome and how much the chassis can handle weight wise without exceeding the design. The 8000 number is the difference between the GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) and the GVWR and has a lot to do with how the brakes on the motorhome will hold up. I would look for a vehicle 4000 or less if you are towing 4 down. The Jeep Wrangler is a good choice if it is 4x4 with a transfer case that can be put in neutral. With that setup it is like towing a trailer and you don't worry about the transmission. You can tow it days at a time and not disconnect or start the engine. Most RV dealers will install a baseplate and sell you everything you need to tow. It will be pricey, about $4000. If you are handy you can do it yourself for a lot less. I have done it twice. The last time I had a dealer do it they absolutely screwed it up. Had an air line and wires rubbing against the engine pully where they were cut in half. They also destroyed the air damn and I had to buy a new one. After that experience I started doing my own.

[Bob Denman]

Congratulations on the start of your next great adventure!
We do what Jimbo does...
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1626955050

[EJ Shalaby]

Thanks for the reply, very helpful on the towing information.

another newbie question: my rig has an onboard generator, i assume i use the generator when we are not connected to electricity but dry docking or boon docking, this is to utilize lights fridge etc. the fridge has an auto feature that runs on electricity or propane. I assume when the generator or power is off the fridge automatically switches to propane. I know this may sound obvious but I wanted to ask before I spoil a bunch of food making the wrong assumption.

thank you,

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by EJ Shalaby

Thanks for the reply, very helpful on the towing information.

another newbie question: my rig has an onboard generator, i assume i use the generator when we are not connected to electricity but dry docking or boon docking, this is to utilize lights fridge etc. the fridge has an auto feature that runs on electricity or propane. I assume when the generator or power is off the fridge automatically switches to propane. I know this may sound obvious but I wanted to ask before I spoil a bunch of food making the wrong assumption.

thank you,

If you have fridge set to auto. When you unplug from shore power it will automatically try propane. You need to have bled the air out of your propane line by lighting a burner on you stove for a bit. Experiment in the driveway. Unplug from shore power, make sure your propane is on, then Go outside and make sure you hear burner for the fridge. If not, turn the fridge to off, count to 10, turn on again. You should hear the burner ignite. When your generator is running the fridge will be on electric. BTW- Your inside lights are 12v running off your house batteries.

[EJ Shalaby]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

If you have fridge set to auto. When you unplug from shore power it will automatically try propane. You need to have bled the air out of your propane line by lighting a burner on you stove for a bit. Experiment in the driveway. Unplug from shore power, make sure your propane is on, then Go outside and make sure you hear burner for the fridge. If not, turn the fridge to off, count to 10, turn on again. You should hear the burner ignite. When your generator is running the fridge will be on electric. BTW- Your inside lights are 12v running off your house batteries.

Jimbo56; very helpful and good to know about the inside lights. Obviously when I am driving the fridge will switch back to electricity since the rig engine is running, correct? thanks again for the help.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by EJ Shalaby

Jimbo56; very helpful and good to know about the inside lights. Obviously when I am driving the fridge will switch back to electricity since the rig engine is running, correct? thanks again for the help.

No, the vehicle engine does not affect it. If you’re unplugged from shore power, and not running generator, it will revert to propane. You can drive down the highway with it running on propane. If the inside switch is set to auto.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Welcome to the club! I believe yours is a class C? With a Ford E series front?

We have a class C with that configuration... here's what I do for "trip prep":

We're plugged into 120v at home, so I turn on the refrigerator (on electric) the night before a trip. The next morning, er load up the fridge/freezer.

I make sure the fresh water tank is clean... if it's been sitting awhile, I use a bleach solution to sanitize it. Then I fill the tank. There are PLENTY of posts/threads regarding sanitizing the fresh water tank on the forum.

I always drain/flush the waste tanks immediately after a trip... so those are good to go. I just check to make sure the dump valves are CLOSED.

Make sure the hot water tank drain plug is installed... provided yours isn't "tankless". Fill & "burp" the hot water tank... again, check the forum... this removes the air from the top of the tank.

Make sure the propane valve is open. Then light a stove burner... there's air in the line, so it takes maybe 15 seconds or so to bleed the air. After that, it should light immediately.

Turn on the water pump (part of the "burping" procedure). Then turn on the propane for the hot water tank. Make sure it lights (you can hear a "roar").

I usually run each faucet a bit to bleed the air - until the faucets/shower stops sputtering.

Switch the fridge to "auto", then unplug from electric. Make sure the fridge gas burner lights an is cooling. You SHOULD have a thermometer in your fridge.

There's some other basic maintenance "habit" things I do, like checking tire pressure, oil, washer fluid... etc.

Then... it's OFF WE GO! I suggest making a checklist and referring to it at least for your first year... ESPECIALLY if you plan to flat tow! I flat tow a Wrangler, and believe me... a checklist IS a lifesaver!

HAPPY TRAVELS!!

[EJ Shalaby]

All,

Thank you for the great information, it's been very educational. I read somewhere that you need to turn the LPG tank off when you are refueling with gasoline. is this a standard thing for safety?

thanks,

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by EJ Shalaby

All,

Thank you for the great information, it's been very educational. I read somewhere that you need to turn the LPG tank off when you are refueling with gasoline. is this a standard thing for safety?

thanks,

It is not so much the propane tank but any appliance that runs off propane like the frig or in the winter the furnace. This is because it might start when you are at the pump fueling and the pilot light or some other ignition source could ignite gasoline fumes. Not as important at the all diesel pumps at a truck stop.

[Pete'sMH]

I think turning off gas appliances is recommended when refueling but I don’t do it and haven’t blown up even once. I never leave the gas pump unattended and there are virtually no gas fumes from a modern pump anyway. Also all of my propane appliances are on the opposite side of the coach from the gasoline filler.

[paulwadley]

I just started using a car tow dolly to take our car with us on our trips. It requires you to have a front wheel drive vehicle since the front two wheels are on the tow dolly. No special set ups to use a tow dolly. The tow dolly I have has surge disc brakes so when the motor home stops so does the tow dolly with it's disc brakes. The draw back is that it takes a bit more time to get it set up compared to flat towing(hooking up safety chains, safety wheel straps...). Once you have done it a few times, it isn't so bad.

Paul

[MJC62]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

I think turning off gas appliances is recommended when refueling but I don’t do it and haven’t blown up even once. I never leave the gas pump unattended and there are virtually no gas fumes from a modern pump anyway. Also all of my propane appliances are on the opposite side of the coach from the gasoline filler.

Fridge is the least of your worries. The jagbag next to you has his engine running so the A/C keeps the dog cool and is yacking at his wife on a non intrinsically safe cell phone. Meanwhile the guy two pumps down just lit that Marlboro and at the price of Dukes these days he ain't putting it out just to pump a little gas. Oh and don't forget the kid three pumps down vaping while some rap crap is blaring so loud it's vibrating the cars trunk lid off...
America! What a country!

Oh and welcome aboard EJ

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by MJC62

Fridge is the least of your worries. The jagbag next to you has his engine running so the A/C keeps the dog cool and is yacking at his wife on a non intrinsically safe cell phone. Meanwhile the guy two pumps down just lit that Marlboro and at the price of Dukes these days he ain't putting it out just to pump a little gas. Oh and don't forget the kid three pumps down vaping while some rap crap is blaring so loud it's vibrating the cars trunk lid off...
America! What a country!

Oh and welcome aboard EJ

...and some of these are wannabe pilots.