2014 Dodge Grand Caravan as a Tow Vehicle?

[Kardon]

Does anyone out there use a Dodge Grand Caravan as a tow vehicle? We are looking at a 2014 Grand Caravan as a TV. Any pros and cons about this vehicle. We will be towing a 13 ft. Scamp with front bath. We plan to do some extensive cross country traveling. Thank you for any input. Karen and Don.

[Dick & Joanne]

We towed a 17 foot Casita with a 2005 3.8L GC for 5 years with no problems.

[Uplander]

The problems of a few years ago may have been corrected however the company I worked for used these as company vehicles and the failure rate for transmissions was very high...even after replacement there were failures.
Chyrsler mechanics said off the record that if the weight maximums were met by repeated heavy loads they would fail...transmissions could not handle heavy loads as designed.....again this defect may have been corrected in later models.
Check Consumers Reports to see if they have any info on this model.

[Gilles]

We tow with a Bigfoot 17', a 1986 Dodge Journey 2013 with 3.6-liter V6, 6 speed, 3500 pounds capacity.
Last year was the first year with it, we did about 3000 km without any problems.
Photo from Gaspesia.
Good road,

[Chuck G.]

We have towed our 2011 17' Casita with our 2012 Dodge Caravan for over a year now. We have been over the Rocky's and many times over the continental divide with no problems. Way more than enough power and a six speed transmission that has performed flawlessly.

[Kardon]

According to all we have read so far, Dodge now puts a transmission cooler into all of its vans. I assume that this was their fix for the previous transmission problems.

[dogbiskett]

I was towing my 16ft 'Scamp with a 2010 Dodge Caravan for four years with no problems. I am now towing my 2012 16ft. Scamp with a 2014 Dodge Caravan. I keep up with my regular maintenance on both vehicles and have had no problems.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by Kardon

According to all we have read so far, Dodge now puts a transmission cooler into all of its vans. I assume that this was their fix for the previous transmission problems.

What I know is that Dodge before 2002, if you wanted to attach a trailer, it was necessary to add a cooler for transmission, that many other brands still have to add today, if they want to attach a trailer .
Since 2003 Dodge systematically laying the cooler for transmission, which takes away a hassle when we want to use it to attach a trailer.

[trilliumdan]

HI Gilles . I was woundering if you went out west last summer . you look familiar is all ..

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by trilliumdan

HI Gilles . I was woundering if you went out west last summer . you look familiar is all ..

As I understand it, You ask me if I went west last summer?
If that's the question, I went out and bought our Bigfoot in Smith Falls, Ontario in June last year ...

I see you have a Trillium Jubilee 79, We replaced our Trillium Jubilee 80 with a Bigfoot 86. More space but nearly 500 pounds of my weight limit ....

I live near Montreal and last summer with Bigfoot, we went to Prince Edouard Island and then go around the Gaspesia, plus other short trips of 2 to 5 hours drive from home.

Did I understand the question?

[Kai in Seattle]

We have a Dodge Grand Caravan 2014, and will be pulling a 16' amerigo with it; we were told by the dealer that it could handle 3500 pounds MAX but could do a little more with a weight distribution hitch setup. We declined to go heavier than manufacturer's max. Had never heard of the transmission troubles, we've only towed the trailer a few hundred miles. But a 13' scamp, even with a bathroom, ought to be lighter than an amerigo. In fact, we'll have it weighed as soon as we can drag it to a scale (floor needs to be in so the bolts can go through the plywood into the frame). No "real life weights" in the "real life weights" thread for any amerigos, not as of the last time I looked, but lots of scamps.

Check that thread out, "Real Life Weights" for how much your scamp will weigh. My guess
is even fully loaded, it'll be only about half of what your (our) Dodge can handle. Tongue weight counts, but is correlated with the overall weight (often about 1/10)

[Jon in AZ]

I can't speak directly regarding the GC, but I will say, based on experience with a 2000 Toyota Sienna, that minivans make excellent tow vehicles for small egg trailers.

Except for needing a higher clearance vehicle for my work, I would probably still be driving a minivan.

[honda03842]

Here are some videos of a T&C towing Airstreams.

Can-Am RV Centre | Your Towing Experts

[Kardon]

Thanks everyone for your input. Don has always liked minivans, (and they work better for our very large dog) and I think you've helped him decide.

[Kai in Seattle]

One of the reasons we got the Dodge Grand Caravan was the fact that all the seats fold completely away and there are "tie down" D-rings for TWO doggie crates behind the front seats. We LOVE the cargo space and having the girls contained and safe while we're going down the road!

What kind of a very large dog do you have?

Best to you.

[wlknthewoods]

I think you should be fine pulling a 13'. I posted here and on Casita's forum a few weeks ago about pulling a 2016 17' Liberty Dlx with my 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. I knew the engine was plenty strong enough but was concerned with my factory Class II hitch and 3500/350 tongue limitations. The dry tongue weight of the Liberty was 365 lbs. Most who commented discouraged me from towing with my Chrysler. My sales person assured me my hitch with a weight distribution hitch would be fine. However, all of the paperwork I had to sign clearly stated a Class III hitch with a tongue weight of 400/500 lbs and 4000 lb towing capability is required. With so many comments telling me not to do it, and with the requirement written on my paperwork, I sadly cancelled my Casita. Now looking at these reviews I wonder if I should have stuck with it. I love the ability to secure my dog crates in the Town and Country. I travelled out west from Florida and had a blast visiting 15 of our National Parks pulling a tear drop camper. Still trying to figure out what to do. The Casita is over on tongue weight and loaded would be at my max but stick built trailers are way too tall and boxy. Even though lighter, the wind would cause the tail to wag the dog. I'm sure there is a FV trailer that is right for me and my T&C...still looking and hopeful after reading this thread.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by wlknthewoods

I think you should be fine pulling a 13'. I posted here and on Casita's forum a few weeks ago about pulling a 2016 17' Liberty Dlx with my 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. I knew the engine was plenty strong enough but was concerned with my factory Class II hitch and 3500/350 tongue limitations. The dry tongue weight of the Liberty was 365 lbs. Most who commented discouraged me from towing with my Chrysler. My sales person assured me my hitch with a weight distribution hitch would be fine. However, all of the paperwork I had to sign clearly stated a Class III hitch with a tongue weight of 400/500 lbs and 4000 lb towing capability is required. With so many comments telling me not to do it, and with the requirement written on my paperwork, I sadly cancelled my Casita. Now looking at these reviews I wonder if I should have stuck with it. I love the ability to secure my dog crates in the Town and Country. I travelled out west from Florida and had a blast visiting 15 of our National Parks pulling a tear drop camper. Still trying to figure out what to do. The Casita is over on tongue weight and loaded would be at my max but stick built trailers are way too tall and boxy. Even though lighter, the wind would cause the tail to wag the dog. I'm sure there is a FV trailer that is right for me and my T&C...still looking and hopeful after reading this thread.

Are you offput so much by the interior difference between the 17' and the 16' Casita? Because a 16' hitch weight should be just fine.

[DavidG]

I've come in a bit late but it looks like the answers are factual and helpful. But be careful about looking at photographs of a car and trailer at a show. They look cute together but it doesn't mean they are matched. They look pretty and sell books. Occasionally you can even see that they were not actually hooked up ! When I look for a pickup I want it to be servicable for at least 150,000 miles. My Tacomas have done that easily, let's hope my Ranger V6 will do that. David in Fresno and Sonora

[BigT]

Go on the computer and look up CanAm Rv in London Ontario. Andy Tayler has written numerous articles about tow vehicles and they have used the Dodge Caravan. He might have some ideas to make the Caravan even better than the stock van.
We have used him twice with respect to hitch information and he has been spot on.
Take care,
BigT

[Kardon]

Kai, my very large dog's daddy is a bouvier de flander. His mum is a Labrador. The result is 120 pounds with a whole lot of hair. I rescued him from a local shelter when he was 10 months old. He had (and still has) a whole lot of issues but we do love him and he loves us.