HELP with 2017 Chrysler Pacifica / Casita

[Damoncaravanman]

We have a 17' Casita that is about 2800lbs. We had a 2009 Chrysler Town and Country for a little over a year we used, then moved to a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country with the pentastar 3.6ltr V6 (more hp), and used it to pull the Casita about 80K miles. Just purchased a new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L-Plus with the factory tow package that is rated the same 3600 lbs. as the 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. Now the 2011 Town and Country came standard with the HD radiator, trans cooler etc and so we had only added an aftermarket hitch and had a specail ball mount made to raise the level and add sway bar. The new Pacifica's factory hitch is higher up so, this special ball mount hitch will not work. Anyone know in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area where I can get another ball mount hitch made to go into the 2" receiver? The last place we used in 2011 is now closed. Also, someone told me that the Pacifica wouldn't be able to tow the Casita! I don't know where they would come up with that as it has the same 3600 lb. tow capacity as the 2011 Town and Country it replaced!!!

[redbarron55]

You should be able to just buy a drop hitch (or rise ) at Walmart to put the ball where you want it.
If necessary you can buy one that is adjustable rise or drop to work
The factory hitch on my 2016 T&C works perfectly with a 1" rise on my (admittedly modified) Scamp.
The factory hitch exits higher than the add on hitches, but not by much.
My old Voyager (1998) had an after marker hitch and it had to have a pretty good rise to work with my other trailer.
It shouldn't be hard to find an 2" bar with the rise or drop that you need.
I don't know how much difference in the 2016 T&C and the Pacifica, but my minivan tows well.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

...
It shouldn't be hard to find an 2" bar with the rise or drop that you need.
I don't know how much difference in the 2016 T&C and the Pacifica, but my minivan tows well.

Try finding an 8 inch rise bar locally. Thats what I needed with my van (not a Chrysler however). The hitch receiver is darn low!

If you are in a hurry then good luck. You might have to buy an adjustable if you need that much of a rise. If not in a hurry, e-trailer will ship anything you need (thats where I got my 8 inch rise bar). Do you know what rise or down you need?

[redbarron55]

Are you sure you have the factory hitch?
The factory hitch does not mount from under the van, but rather behind the rear bumper fascia and into the channels of the unit body on either side of the trunk.
I installed the factory hitch on my 2016 because it is higher than the after market hitches.
The pictures I have seen and the vans I have looked at seem to be the same height as mine at around 13 inches to the center of the 2" square receiver.
I have a 1 inch rise ball on a straight bar 0 lower. 1 1/2" rise and a ball with a 1" extension puts it at a total of 18 inches.
The OEM kit requires cutting the bottom of the bumper at least on the 2016 T&C.

[mary and bob]

I think the issue the OP has is he needs the ball for the anti-swaybar welded to whatever ball mount will work for him

[Mike Magee]

Etrailer sells all sorts of adjustable mounts; a quick look showed some with up to 10" drop and 11" rise. And here's a fixed mount with a similar range: https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Bal...E_10_Inch.aspx
And that's just the extreme; there are many other in-between sizes. Then add one of these sway control ball-mount brackets https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...e/RP26003.html and you should be good to go.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Damoncaravanman

...Also, someone told me that the Pacifica wouldn't be able to tow the Casita! I don't know where they would come up with that as it has the same 3600 lb. tow capacity as the 2011 Town and Country it replaced!!!

I'm guessing it has to do with tongue weight, which typically falls in the 400-450 pound range for a loaded Casita 17D. Have you checked on the actual tongue weight of yours and on the tongue weight rating of your van(s)? It doesn't sound like you are using WDH, but it does look like you have some kind of storage box on the rear, which could be reducing your tongue weight.

[redbarron55]

If the Pacifica is like my 2016 T&C the van is rated 3500 lbs if using a WDH and 1800 lbs without

[steve dunham]

According to E- Trailer the Chrysler Pacifica with tow package has a tongue weight limit of 300 Lbs .
The dry tongue weight of a Casita 17 ft is listed at 365 lbs .
My 17 ft Casita with options has a dry tongue weight of approx 380 lbs.
My Casita when loaded for travel has a tongue weight of approx 430 lbs .
" Trailer Weights in the Real World " shows the average tongue weight of a 17 ft Casita at 427 Lbs

If Casita , E- Trailer , Trailer Weight in the Real World and my tongue weight are accurate a 17 ft Casita would have a tongue weight 40 % higher than the allowable tongue weight limit of a Chrysler Pacifica .

The OP can draw his own conclusions

[redbarron55]

Receiver Hitch, Production, Class III
3,600 lb. tow rating, 360 lb. tongue weight when equipped with NMR (Heavy Duty Radiator)
1,500 lb. tow rating, 150 tongue weight when equipped with NHA (standard engine cooling)
2" receiver opening.
- See more at: Chrysler Pacifica Trailer Hitch (Part No: 82214543AC)
I reread you post where you have an aftermarket hitch and this is probably where you have the problem.
The aftermarket hitches are lower, but I would think only a few inches if that.
I prefer the OEM hitch since it ties into the chassis more solidly I think and is higher and probably transfers the weight to the front better than the bottom mount hitches.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by redbarron55

Receiver Hitch, Production, Class III
3,600 lb. tow rating, 360 lb. tongue weight when equipped with NMR (Heavy Duty Radiator)
1,500 lb. tow rating, 150 tongue weight when equipped with NHA (standard engine cooling)
2" receiver opening.
- See more at: Chrysler Pacifica Trailer Hitch (Part No: 82214543AC)

For the life of me I cannot fathom why a heavy duty radiator allows more tongue weight than standard engine cooling. Does the radiator cool the rear springs?

OK, so its just 10% of trailer weight in either case... but it still makes little sense to have the same tongue weight limit based on engine cooling.

OPs post was not clear so we are all guessing. He really needs to go to someone who knows what they are doing to make sure its set up right.

BTW, you left this out when you quoted the mopar parts site, and it is also important but needs the aforementioned person who knows what he is doing to figure it out.

Note that additional parts and/or modifications may be required:

Base models without a valance (having sales code ML2) also require part number 82219030.
Models with a valance (having sales code ML9) also require part number 68284019AB.
If equipped with XZ2 (Hands Free Lift Gate Sensor), part numbers 68275630AD and 06511242AA will also be required.

[redbarron55]

The towing package includes the heavy duty engine water, oil, and transmission cooling along with heavy duty self leveling rear suspension and shocks.
The limit has to do with adequate cooling and the lack of the self adjusting shocks.

[redbarron55]

Also I can't lay hands on my install manual for the OEM hitch, but that is where I found the 1800 lb limit W/O WDH.
The ball limit with this setup was 450 as I recall at 3500 lbs.
The 100 lb difference is if you have stow and go seating in the middle row.

[Radar1]

Here is what the owners manual says about towing with the Pacifica. It's good to have the tow package, otherwise you're limited to 1500 lbs.
The manual also recommends equalizing hitch for heavier loads.
Does the Pacifica provide an option to select lower gears for descending hills?