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Old 01-28-2007, 07:31 PM   #21
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As far as the weight of the trailer, you'll be OK. But as for the 430lbs tongue weight, i'm not sure. I have a AWD Chevy Astro with a 3.42. According to the GM owners manual, I can tow up to 4500lbs with my vehicle. If you have a AWD Chevy Astro, with a 3.73, you can tow up to 5000lbs. If you have a two wheel drive Astro with a 3.42, you can tow 5000lbs, and if you have a two wheel drive Astro, with the 3.73, you can tow up to 5500lbs with your vehicle. Yves.
My Astro LT van is 21' long, with 2 sliding side doors, so I wonder how much it will tow ? It just has a 1-1/4" receiver hitch though. Maybe make it into a camper, and not tow one !!! Happy Trails, Penny

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Old 01-28-2007, 08:08 PM   #22
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My Astro LT van is 21' long, with 2 sliding side doors...
Very trick. I've seen the story of a "doubled" VW van, but never an Astro.

It has lots of wheelbase, so it certainly would be stable for towing... if it only had the drivetrain strength to move all that van and a trailer! Definitely more of a camper conversion opportunity.

Penny, is this actually yours? I'm never completely sure when someone's joking around here...
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Old 01-29-2007, 02:33 PM   #23
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FWIW: My Safari was an XLT. The smaller van is definitely a capable tug. BUT, I prefer the longer version.
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Old 01-29-2007, 05:49 PM   #24
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Very trick. I've seen the story of a "doubled" VW van, but never an Astro.

It has lots of wheelbase, so it certainly would be stable for towing... if it only had the drivetrain strength to move all that van and a trailer! Definitely more of a camper conversion opportunity.

Penny, is this actually yours? I'm never completely sure when someone's joking around here...
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Old 01-29-2007, 06:06 PM   #25
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I know this could start a heated debate, but I don't think there should be any reason to use a friction-type sway control with a trailer, and especially not with a tandem-axle design such as the Fiber Stream. I don't use one with my Boler 1700, which is longer, wider, and heavier than the Fiber Stream, and has only a single axle. I tow with a Toyota Sienna, so unless the Astro is a significantly inferior tow vehicle, I would not expect a problem.

If you do use a friction-type sway control, please note that while the operation may be simple, the adjustment is full of potential problems... education is called for.
No heated debate necessary, Brian but with an Astro/Safari there is definitely a use for a friction sway control bar. Sway can be caused by a variety of factors, many of them having to do with the tow vehicle itself, and the Astro/Safari has some of them including tall and generally soft sidewalls on the tires, as well as soft rear suspension. They have high freeboard and are affected by side winds. I towed a 1961 Airstream Bambi 16' trailer with a '98 Astro, and sway control was most definitely in order. It was a great combination for towing, almost ideal; it just needed the proper equipment.

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Old 01-29-2007, 06:39 PM   #26
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Okay Roger, that leads me to an obvious conclusion, bang on the topic of this thread: a stock Astro is indeed a "significantly inferior tow vehicle", compared to a typical modern minivan, at least in some respects.

I agree that the outdated tires (this is an old model of van) are likely culprits, but I think I would upgrade them and add air bags to the rear suspension - to actually improve the vehicle - before I stuck on anything at the hitch. While owner-added items do not change the capacity rating of the van, they can improve the behaviour.

The design is tall and slab-sided, but not really more so than other minivans. I suspect that a bigger issue with yaw control (and thus sway) might be that the wheelbase isn't really long, and the extended version (the later years came only with the extended body) only adds length behind the axle, making the towing situation worse. Maybe Penny's limo Astro is the right setup...
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Old 01-29-2007, 06:52 PM   #27
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I don't think that "inherently inferior" describes it at all. They're very competent when equipped properly. The drivetrain is nearly bullet-proof, they handle well, they have some really nice features (barn-door rear hatch for example), competent all wheel drive, and a full 1/2 truck ladder frame. They're comfortable and have pleasant interior amenities. Frankly, IMHO they're a much more competent minivan than either the Odyssey or Sienna.

Their shortcomings have to do primarily with the rear suspension and the stock tires. I'd guess that a Helwig sway bar and a set of air shocks would do wonders for the suspension, and better tires (read stiffer sidewall) would greatly improve the handling. They're relatively easy and inexpensive mods that turn a good vehicle into a great one.

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Old 01-29-2007, 07:03 PM   #28
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[quote]

I agree that the outdated tires (this is an old model of van) are likely culprits, but I think I would upgrade them and add air bags to the rear suspension - to actually improve the vehicle - before I stuck on anything at the hitch.


I am an old guy that has towed a 6 horse trailer for several years, boat trailers, camp trailers and assorted utility trailers and have never had the need for a sway control.
If I had a sway problem I remedied the problem instead of putting on a band-aid on it.
The sway control, in my opinion, is a band-aid that covers up what could be a very serious problem.

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Old 01-29-2007, 07:17 PM   #29
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I don't think that "inherently inferior" describes it at all...
Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I didn't say "inherently"...

... but we seem now to be thinking in the same direction: improve the tug's ability to tug. The wheelbase can't be fixed (in practical terms), but the tires and suspension can be upgraded.

There was a time when people chose the Astro - and similarly the Ford Aerostar - specifically for their towing capabilities. There certainly should be a great body of related knowledge available. The Wikipedia page for the Astro has some interesting information (such as the use of Caprice front suspension parts) which could also hint at potential tweaks.

There were three different rear door/hatch designs for the Astro/Safari, so anyone who hasn't already bought their's might watch for the one that suits them. There was the upswinging hatch, side hinged double doors (mostly on commercial versions) and a three-piece setup with a glass hatch plus two lower doors... but I don't know which ones were used when.
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Old 01-29-2007, 08:00 PM   #30
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I guess the previous owner of my van fixed all that before I came along. The tires were oversized and the rear had bags.

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Old 01-29-2007, 08:22 PM   #31
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I agree, John, that identifying, locating, and fixing the problems that make a particular tow vehicle/trailer be more prone to sway is appropriate. Once that's done, however, using sway control is also prudent. As in using any equipment, one should know both the benefits and limitations of that equipment, and sway control certainly has some.

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Old 01-29-2007, 08:37 PM   #32
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I don't think there should be any reason to use a friction-type sway control with a trailer, and especially not with a tandem-axle design such as the Fiber Stream.
As a general observation, I concur. Since I tow with a front-wheel drive Odyssey, and since the trailer already included all of the extra equipment (Weight Distributing Hitch and Friction Anti-Sway Bar) when I bought it, I have experimented with several configurations. I find that the Fiber Stream's dual axle design follows quite sedately. I usually do not use the friction bar, [b]except when returning to the coast from the desert on the long mountain climb up the westbound Interstate 8 on a Sunday afternoon. The combination of the 40 - 50 mph cross winds and the testosterone toyboxes all passing me make me feel safer with the friction anti-sway bar installed.
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Old 01-30-2007, 01:38 PM   #33
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I guess the previous owner of my van fixed all that before I came along. The tires were oversized and the rear had bags.

My Van's Particulars
Now that's both interesting and quite relevant.

By the way, although the ad says this is the "extra long wheelbase version", there only one wheelbase... it is extended body length only. Although optional in 1993, at the end of the run they all had the long body. We know what you meant...

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The van sports American AR23 7” wide wheels and Yokohama Aegis tires
Do you happen to know the size of the tires, Benita? (I realize that it is sold now so you can't check). I can read the "Aegis LS4" in the tire photo, but not the size. Since those are 7" wide wheels, the tires look quite wide but near stock diameter. It might be nice for other Astro/Safari owners to know about a specific size which worked well.

According to Yokohama's web site, the Aegis LS4 is an all-season S-rated passenger car tire, and on that wheel width could be from 205 mm to 235 mm wide (i.e. P205/.... to P235/....), anywhere from 65 to 75 aspect ratio (e.g. P205/65, P205/70, P205/75), and fit 14" or 15" wheel diameter (probably 15").
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Old 01-30-2007, 04:02 PM   #34
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Do you happen to know the size of the tires, Benita? (I realize that it is sold now so you can't check). I can read the "Aegis LS4" in the tire photo, but not the size. Since those are 7" wide wheels, the tires look quite wide but near stock diameter. It might be nice for other Astro/Safari owners to know about a specific size which worked well.
I quoted what the seller advertised when I bought the van. All the specifics went with the van to its new owner. The tires were new when I got the van and I never had a need to replace them. The guy I bought the van from got them online from a place that specialized in custom order tires, especially Japanese tires, is all I remember. The receipt was included with the sale and subsequent transfer.
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Old 01-30-2007, 07:49 PM   #35
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Thanks for what you could tell us, Benita. Every bit of experience helps.
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