My Chrysler Town&Country is rated at 1800#. So what does the 1800# mean? My understanding it is the total weight of what you're towing plus what is in the van, NOT including the driver. I tow 2 sport quads on a 400# trailer. So that is 1100#, 2 passengers, and say 100# of gear. So that puts me at 1600# and I believe I'm OK. With the driver I would be at 1800#, maybe 1900 at most. The van has the power and suspension to handle it, so it seems OK.

Hey, I got 7/70 powertrain too if the tranny goes!!! The transmission is my concern, and seriously, if I had a problem I bet I would have big issues trying to get the dealer to fix it, cause they would say I caused it.

 

They WILL NOT fix the trans, if there's signs of abuse!(Over weight towing) Trust me, happen to my dad and his Dodge minivan.

but to your question; 1800# should be the towing weight ... the maxium you can tow ... trailer and cargo on the trailer.

Most of the time it's not the engine or trans .... it's your brakes! It my not be able to stop (uncontrol) with a trailer over 1800#

 

On thing to know about tow ratings from manufacturers...they are bunk. You need to find your GCWR, GVWR and GAWR (front and rear) The GVWR and GAWRs are o n the drivers door pillar (or close by.) The owners manual may, or may not, have your GCWR. Weigh your van and find out how much it weighs, with everyone/thing in it that will be in it when trailering. Then subtract that from your GCWR. That's how much you can REALLY tow.

Realise that for every 10 pounds of trailer weight, 1-1.5 lbs of that will (SHOULD) be carried by the tow vehicle via the hitch. Because of the light load, all of the weight will be on the rear axle. So you will need to weight the van axle by axle. (You can add them together to get your total vehicle weight aka GVW).

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im glad your back east . i wound not to with a caravan. start with the tranny is a pice of sh**. replaced ton of then.
2nd reson ft wheel drive if you have to much weight on the rear you do not have the trackion you need or the braking.

 

I hear you mstrquad. With no weight on the front end, I can only envision being all over the road[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] with no steering or stopping[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Always wondered what would happen when towing up hill in rain, with fwd minivan, especially if there was any mud on the road. I go camping with my brothers once a year, we each have tent trailers, one tows with his minivan. If it rains and he goes to leave, he needs a push until he hits the road, and this is on level ground.

 

LOL, I don't know what the heck you guys are all towing with a mini Van, but I towed a 1400 lb boat/trailer/camping gear, kids with an old 2.6L Plymouth Voyager for a number of years and never saw any of the problems you guys are refering to. Fact is, this trailer only adds 140 pounds weight on the hitch. If 140 pounds causes your front to become light, you need to look at another manufacturers mini-van!!
BryceGTX

 

You needed to look at another towing vehicle. With what you listed, I'm positive, you were over GVW[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] You were on borrowed time. Just because it has a hitch, doesn't mean the vehicle was made to tow[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] But, hey, you know what's best for your family.

 

You are going to have to do some legwork on this one if you want the correct answer the GVWR is notthe right weight for your van\

load the van and the trailer up as if you were going on a ride. take it to the nearest truck scale. weigh the van and the trailer together, and compare that to the GCWR. if the weight is over, then you are illegal.

next, unhitch the trailer on the scale and weigh it to get a good idea of what you are really towing

pull the trailer off the scale and weigh just your van loaded. this will be your actual GVWR.

 

I'm with you on this one, Bryce...

I'm towing a 400 Foreman on a 4 x 8 utility trailer, together they weigh about 900 pounds. My tow vehicle, which is incidentally my drive to work vehicle, and just about do-everything-else vehicle, is a Saturn SL2 with 125 raging horses under the hood.

If the quad is loaded right, and a chimpanzee could get it right without too much trouble, the tongue weight on the hitch is about 90 pounds, or about the same as 2 suitcases in the trunk. Scary stuff, that..

The car handles the trailer well, the only time it comes out of 5th is on a fairly steep uphill grade. If I remember correctly, you are supposed to use lower gears for higher loads and lower speeds. Not exactly rocket science, is it? As for braking, you allow a bit of extra braking room and you're fine. I suspect any vehicle will have a longer stopping distance when it's towing a trailer, it's simply a matter of realizing that when you get behind the wheel.

Marky, check the weight distribution on the trailer, you want approximately 10 % of the total trailer weight on the hitch ball. If you have too much, the back of the van will sag. If you have too little, the trailer will fishtail (VERY DANGEROUS). If you're going to tow a lot, consider a transmission cooler, the Dodge tranny's aren't the best, and they really don't like a lot of heat. Keep an eye on the brake condition, if they get worn, replace them right away. And keep to the speed limit or a little under, 10 miles an hour makes a big difference when you're stopping.

This particular car is rated for a towing capacity of 1000 lbs, if you respect that you're fine.

On the flip side of the coin, I don't drive through any mountain passes with this setup, nor do I intend to. I also don't load the car to the roof with everything but the kitchen sink. If you need to carry a ton of stuff with you, and some of us do, get a vehicle that is intended for that. Like Clint says, "A man's got to know his limitations".

I also happen to know a nutcase I work with that loaded close to 3000 lbs of wet hardwood on a converted hardtop camper turned utility trailer, then towed it with his 93 Cavalier with over 300,000 km on the clock. I wouldn't want to share the road with him, either !!

My point is, load it carefully, respect the limits of the vehicle (manufacturer's reommendation) and drive slowly until you see how it acts, then drive sensibly.