allfourwon
Adirondack, NY USA
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Joined: 03/17/2004
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We are looking at buying a 16 foot Fun Finder travel trailer to be pulled by a 1999 Plymouth Voyager. It has a six cylinder engine. Dealer says "Sure you can pull this trailer, no problem" My questions are, is that true and is it necessary to spend 1200.00 on a towing package. Hitch, brakes, stabilizer bar and weight distribution thing? Do we need all of those things added to the van to tow this trailer? The trailer has a GVWR of 3690 pounds. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. We are tenters hoping to move on up in the RV world!
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Jinma seller
PA
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Joined: 05/18/2004
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Have you looked into what the Voyager is rated to pull? I would not think it could tow near that much weight.....but I don't own one.
I would get out the owners manual and look at the specs rather than listen to the person who will profit if it works or not!
Ken
2006 Chevy 3500 dually crew cab D/A
1997 SunnyBrook 30RKF
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allfourwon
Adirondack, NY USA
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Joined: 03/17/2004
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Ken,
We looked at the owner's manual and it made absolutely no sense to us. It talked about total weight of the vehicle and trailer not exceeding 6350 pounds, then had a list of weight based on number of passengers and luggage. What on earth? Guess, I will have to call the van dealer to find out what this thing can pull. Thanks for your help.
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Jinma seller
PA
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The 6350 figure is a gross combination weight rating. In other words, the van incl everything and everyone in it plus fuel and hitch weight + trailer weight must be under 6350 lbs.
6350 GCWR for van
-3690 GVWR for trailer
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2660 This is how much the loaded van can weigh...........
Doesn't look like the sales person cares if it works or not!
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Gunruner
Hurricane, WV, USA
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Joined: 06/13/2004
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I saw a Pontiac Montana van towing a Hi-Lo today. They had all the good hitch stuff like sway and equalizer bars but the van was looking like it was about to expire. These Hi-Lo's are not light and I believe around 6,000lb GVW+-. Van was low in the back and our speed limit is 70MPH and they were having a fit to get 50 up a hill. I've towed a 5,000lb travel trailer with a V6 work truck pickup and HD manual tranny and that wasn't any fun. I'm not trying to be smart or anything but have you guys looked at some of the new pop-ups? We went from tent to pop-up and then onto trailers. Some of the new pop-ups are fully self contained and tow behind a mini-van without a problem. I'd say salesman is the usual type, $$$ driven. Don't do it is my opinion.............Mike
"Ignor Your Rights and They will Go Away"
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robsawatsky
Richmond, BC, Canada
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Joined: 01/11/2003
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What size is your engine and did the vehicle come with the factory towing package? Even if it did, the maximum tow rating is only 3500 lbs for that vehicle and I'd suggest that is quite a strain.
You need tow things: vehicle equipment and towing equipment.
Vehicle equipment is the additional tranny cooler as a minimum and probably a beefed up rear suspension.
Towing equipment is a weight distributing hitch and a electric brake controller plus all the wiring for brakes and lighting.
Rob Sawatsky
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johntank
Oxford, Ms 38655 USA
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allfourwon
Sounds like the TT you are looking at will be too heavy for your van, think max tow on a van like yours is 2,000 lbs. if you do not
have factory tow package. Like Gunruner said, I would take a look at some of the pop-ups out now.
John
2003 Dodge 3500 DRW Quad Cab 4x4 Cummins HO 3:73's auto.
2003 34 ft. Work & Play Toy Box with TOYS
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Dakotas
Waverly, Ohio
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Joined: 07/26/2003
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Here is what I found at Trailer Life
PLYMOUTH
Vehicle Engine Tow Limit (lbs.)
Voyager FWD 3.0 V-6 2,000a,b
Voyager FWD 3.3 V-6 3,500b
NOTE: Trailers more than 1,000 pounds must have brakes.
aFour-speed automatic transmission required. Hitch weight
must be equal to 10 percent of towed weight.
bRequires heavy-duty towing package, frame-mounted hitch
for trailers of 2,000 pounds or more where applicable.
Maximum hitch weight is 15 percent of tow limit.
[url=http://www.dodge.com/dakota/][blue]2001 Quad Cab Dodge Dakota SLT 4.7L [/blue][/url]
[red]2004 Fleetwood Terry Dakota 829S Ultra-Lite
[url=http://www.reese-hitches.com/heavy_duty_round_bar_wd.htm][purple]Reese Round Bar Weight Distr. Hitch [/url]
[url=http://www.monroe.com/products/mp_detail.asp?cat=Monroe%20Reflex&detail=Truck%20Shock%20Absorbers]Monroe Reflex[/url] - Front Shocks
[url=http://www.monroe.com/products/mp_detail.asp?cat=Sensa-Trac&detail=Load%20Adjusting%20Shock%20Absorbers]Monroe Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shock Absorbers[/url] - Rear Shocks
[url=http://www.tekonsha.com/prodig.html]Prodigy Brake Control[/purple][/url]
[url=http://www.mastercrafttires.com/us/en/ProductDetails.asp?ProdType=LtTruck&id=232&title=Light+Truck+Tires]Courser MSR 255/65/R16[/url]
Note: Due to invalid formatting, all formatting has been ignored.
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KSUFB!
Topeka, Kansas
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Joined: 06/19/2004
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Don't do it.....we have a 01 Chrysler T&C with the 3.8 L V-6 and factory tow package, we bought a 16ft enclosed trailer to haul ATV's with. The trailer weighs about 2000lbs and the quads (4) an additional 1200-1500 lbs. The guy who sold us the trailer said sure no problem, well that is true if you only travel on flat road, with no wind and go 55 mph but if there is wind or hills forget it. You will be very unsatisfied if you go any distance or through any mountains or wind.
Just my H.O.
04 Yukon XL Denali (6.0,3.73)
Looking for a ToyHauler or Class C to tow enclosed trailer full of ATV's
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