Towing 10K+ behind an E/J 4500 ?

[someguy]

I'd like to pull a heavy trailer behind an E or J4500. 

Has anyone done this ?  Is the engine cradle still subject to crack on the E/J4500s like it was on the MC8/9s ?

Does MCI make a heavy duty hitch for on an E/J4500 ? 

FWIW, Prevost bolts the hitch to the engine cradle.  They make a heavy duty engine cradle/hitch assembly rated up to 20,000 pounds.

[buswarrior]

Have you asked MCI?

I wouldn't be making plans like that just on the say so of an internet forum?

No, the engine cradles are different from the old days.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[luvrbus]

The MCI entertainers and RV shells when they were making those came with a 17,000 lbs hitch,I never paid any attention on how they were mounted though

[someguy]

The MCI entertainers and RV shells when they were making those came with a 17,000 lbs hitch,I never paid any attention on how they were mounted though

Which model were those ?  Year ?

Does MCI have a hitch for the E/J4500s ?  What is it's rating ?   I know that Greyhound pulled trailers behind their coaches to move freight in 2010 or so.

[someguy]

Here is an image of the rear frame rails on a J2000. 

I captured it from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlryVBTM2V0 at 1:35

The rails look to be about 2x10 or 2x12" tubing.   If you look on the right side,  it appears to be braced with a diagonal to the top of the rear axles assembly.

[someguy]

Here is a close up of the rear sub frame.

[someguy]

I spent a bit of time looking in MCI parts books.

1) The subframe in the pictures above is only used on the most recent J series coaches.  Partly because they use independent suspension on the tag steer axles.  I think that prior to the most recent J series (say 2015) they all used the same rear subframe.  MCI calls them "bogies".

2) The 2002 E4500 parts manual has section 3.79 which is "Trailer Towing Provisions" in section 03.79 in the Index, but there is no 3.79 in the parts manual itself. http://3dparts.mcicoach.com/DownloadFile.aspx?ManualId=85

Attached is a picture of a typical MCI E/J rear bogie and engine rails. 
Source: http://3dparts.mcicoach.com/DownloadFile.aspx?ManualId=187

It looks like a pretty straight forward project to dramatically strengthen this up if needed.   Probably the best way to test it is to put the bus up on jacks and apply increasing down loads to the hitch receiver and see how much the end of the cradle deflects.

[lvmci]

Hi Guy, why don't you call MCI and ask the technicians who answer questions like this?

[someguy]

I will. I wanted to ask here first in case the answer was known or obvious.

I suspect they are going to say max 10K.