Searching for best tow vehicle for Casita 17' - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-24-2003, 03:26 PM   #21
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Towing weights

The owners manual of your vehicle will tell you what you can tow. Look for your GCWR. That is the maximum weight of your vehicle, passengers, cargo, trailer and trailer contents. It will also give the maximum trailer weight you can tow. Keep in mind that the maximum trailer weight is calculated with one 150lb driver, with an empty vehicle and empty trailer. Everything you add above that is deducted from your maximum trailer weight. Most trailer weights are given before options like fridge, AC's, full propane tanks etc.

For example: The axle ratio in our Aerostar 4.0 liter is 3.27 (stated on the tag on the drivers door) This means we can tow from 0 - 3800 lbs with our GCWR being 7,500 lbs. So our Trillium weighs 1000 lbs (icebox, no AC, no furnace). In it we carry about 300 - 400 lbs of stuff. This is common for most people and includes clothes, dishes, lawnchairs, full propane tank, icebox full of food, basic camping necessities. In the van is probably about 2-300 lbs of gear, kid stuff, a 60 lb canoe on the roof and 2 adults with 3 teens. So assuming each passenger weighs 150 lbs, with all this combined we are only slightly more than 1000 lbs under our GCWR. But then if we take the bikes etc..... it adds up really quickly.

So right now with the number of people and the cargo we carry, our 1000 lb Trillium is about the maximum we would feel comfortable towing and still give us some margin for safety.

Suz , Sorry, I hate to disagree with you but having a tow rateing of 15% above your trailer weight doesn't come close to covering what your actual traveling weight will be.

I guess what I am trying to say is that your trailers empty weight is not the only thing you have to consider in this. Read the owners manual thoroughly.

Another consideration that someone on one of the sites mentioned is: if you are in an accident and the insurance company can prove you were overloaded then you probably will not be covered.

So now that I've totally confused everyone, dinner calls.

Nancy



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2003, 03:36 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
2003 Japanese vehicles rated over 4000 pounds

Several manufacturers offer higher tow ratings for the 2003 models than for previous years.

SUVs
The Isuzu Ascender is the same platform as the extended versions of the Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy or Oldsmobile Bravada. Same tow ratings with a lower price and longer warranty. The smaller Isuzu Axiom is rated for 4,500 pounds if there are electric trailer brakes.

Infinity: QX4

Lexus: RX300, IX470, GX470

Mitusbishi: Montero

Nissan: Pathfinder, Xterra V6

Toyota: Sequoyah, 4Runner, Land Crusier

Trucks

Mazda: B4000

Nissan: Frontier FWD

Toyota: Tundra



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2003, 04:33 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
weight

Nancy:

Does your Trillium really weigh 1,000lbs????

Got a Cat scale certified receipt????

Now I went and spoiled yur dinner.



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2003, 04:53 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
This is where I run into questions that can only be answered by people that did the deed so to speak. I read in my manual my Grand Cherokee streight 6 can pull 5000 lbs. But then I have heard from many , not just a few but several folks that it will do the job, but barely, and has overheating problems., even with the V8...This is where this forum really steps up and helps. Given that I will be towing in the Hill Country, in the summer, and I would bring the kitchen sink from home, except most trailers already have one. I am following advice and looking for a larger SUV like the Tahoe or Expedition. I think before buying a vehicle with the intention of towing you need to hear from some folks that really did just that with exactly the vehicle you are considerating. And add a little common sense to balance the guy that towed 40,000 lbs with his Jetta across the Andes.



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2003, 05:13 PM   #25
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Hi PineConeDon
No we haven't had it weighed, but the sticker says 935 lbs. So I say 1000, no furnace, icebox weighs about 10 lbs. I include the propane tank, spare and battery in the 300-400 lbs of stuff we add to the trailer.

So 1000 lbs is probably really close.
Nancy



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2003, 07:00 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Well Folks, I am working up a solution to the tow vehicle delimma.
I spent the day talking to and visiting Chev,GMC,Ford,Dodge, Jeep, and Toyota Dealers.Spent last nite on the web doing my homework.
The answer, well the Dodge sales man told me the Durango would pull easily 10 to 12 thousland lbs. after I pulled out my printouts he said the manufacturer was being very conservative. I left after that . The others were at least honest as to the printed capacities, and looked them up.
From the print outs the Ford Expedition hauls a lot more (8600) lbs compared to Tahoe(7400) And the Yukon states (8600)
But the solution I have devised is to start looking for an Egg now. I can pull it with the Grand Cherokee I have for the summer, feeling, and watching it. I will also try out pulling it with an Expedition a friend owns.
By the end of the summer I will know which way to jump.
I think the convincing factor was all the sales people telling me I needed to hurry before all the incentive financing and good prices went away. It made me work hard for an alternative solution.



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2003, 03:55 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Durango

Quote:
Orginally posted by Charlie Crouchet

Well Folks, I am working up a solution to the tow vehicle delimma..
The answer, well the Dodge sales man told me the Durango would pull easily 10 to 12 thousland lbs. after I pulled out my printouts he said the manufacturer was being very conservative. I left after that . .
Hi Charles, I talked to one of my sons that works in service at a Chrysler dealership and he also told me that the tow on a Durango is high but he said that the salesperson probably quoted you the Gross Combination Vehicle Weight Rating and not the Gross Trailer Weight Rating that you actually wanted to know...I`ll get him to bring me a brochure on it...Benny



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2003, 06:34 PM   #28
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Benny:
Thanks, I looked on the internet before going there, Dodge states 6400 lbs even with the 5.8 engine.
I have been in one form or another of sales or sales training for many years. This sales man was simply telling untruths to try to make a sale.
I expect he did not know the answers and when caught out tried to cover his A%$ . Who knows maybe he has 10 starving kids at home to feed. I made no waves for him I simply left. And after being at over 6 dealers in one day one slightly stupid sales man more or less isn't going to bother me that much. The first thing I try to tell anyone selling for me is the simple expression "I don't know , let me find out" It saves much aggrivation and lowers the lawsuit potential.



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2003, 12:33 AM   #29
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Quote:
Orginally posted by Benny K

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE
Quote:
Orginally posted by Charlie Crouchet

Well Folks, I am working up a solution to the tow vehicle delimma..
The answer, well the Dodge sales man told me the Durango would pull easily 10 to 12 thousland lbs. after I pulled out my printouts he said the manufacturer was being very conservative. I left after that . .
Hi Charles, I talked to one of my sons that works in service at a Chrysler dealership and he also told me that the tow on a Durango is high but he said that the salesperson probably quoted you the Gross Combination Vehicle Weight Rating and not the Gross Trailer Weight Rating that you actually wanted to know...I`ll get him to bring me a brochure on it...Benny[/quote]

Benny is 100 percent correct. I have the actual 2001 Dodge Trailer Towing brochure in front of me as we speak. That saleman was quoting GCWR (12,200) and not GVWR (6400) for a 5.9L engine. He didn't have a clue and this situation seems typical.

Max trailer weight:

4.7L @ 3.55 is 4400 LBS
4.7L @ 3.92 is 5700 LBS
5.9L @ 3.55 is 5600 LBS
5.9L @ 3.92 is 7300 LBS

Not much has changed in the specs since 1998 to the present date. If anyone out there needs info regarding Dodge Trailer Towing in general, this brochure has it all.

For what it's worth:

I own a 1998 Durango with a 5.2L engine. I have absolutley every option available in that year which includes the trailer towing package, Class IV Hitch, HD Battery and HD Alternator, tranny cooler, etc, etc. My axel ratio is 3.92 My Durango is rated somewhere between 6400 and 7200, I can't remember at the moment. The only thing I would have done differently at the time was get the 5.9L for the extra HP. Of course I never thought I would own an RV. It's interesting to note that the 4.7L has the same HP as my 5.2L



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
casita


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.