I have a 1996 Chevy Astro that has a towing capacity of 5900 lbs. We just purchased a brand new 28' Kenwood Passport that weighs in at 4580lbs dry. When shopping for a new trailer, we asked the dealer to only show us campers that could be pulled by our mini van. We were assured multiple times that our van could handle it.
We went from a Class A 31' Winnebago Chieftan to this new travel trailer and I'm finding that pulling your trailer as opposed to driving it is a whole new ball game. I'm not sure if I have enough towing power in my Astro or I just need time to get used to the feel of pulling our camper.
Do I really have enough vehicle or do I need to consider purchasing a bigger towing truck?
Thanks for any input!
Vinny is right. The dry weight of a trailer has little to do with the actual weight when loaded with "stuff" and propane, water, etc. The dry weight is the starting point heading towards the GVWR of the trailer and doesn't even include the battery(s). IMHO you would be better off considering a different tow vehicle if the weights don't work.
08 Chevy 3500 4X4 LTZ D/A Ext Cab, All the options, TrailerSaver Air Hitch.
07 HitchHiker Discover America 33CK RSB, Quad slide
Its kind of to late to ask now. First of all make sure you get a weight distribution hitch and sway control, properly set up. Load the trailer and the van (like you would for camping), then take it for a test drive. Start off slowly and see how it goes. You should be able to determine for yourself how its working out. Try it with water in the tank, without water, etc., and see how it feels.
I have a 2004 Astro. While it is a good tow vehicle for my setup, I would question the ability to tow the trailer you have in mind. The actual tow rating is less than the 5900lbs listed. It is more or less in the 4100lbs range. The GVRW for my particular year and model is 5900lbs (this is the max the vehicle can weigh) and the GCWR which in my case is 10000lbs (this is the max the vehicle plus the trailer can weight) subtract 10000 from 5900 and you get the actual tow rating - in my case 4100lbs. Now that's the maximum weight of trailer the van can pull. You don't want to be at max so a loaded trailer of around 3800lbs sounds reasonable. Now of course this all depends on how much you load your vehicle. The lighter the vehicle is from the GVWR the heavier the trailer can be. Hope this helps.
If that trailer has common options (AC, microwave etc.) it's probably is 800-1000 pounds heavier empty, than what is listed as the dry weight. I had a 30' Jayco TT that was about 1200 pounds heavier than the listed dry weight.
Also, it's important to know that the "MAX" towing capacity on the Astro, and most 1/2 tons, is based on a base vehicle with only the driver. Any options and passengers or cargo must be deducted from the Max towing capacity.
Finally, the Astro has a very soft rear end, so tongue weight will be a very important consideration, especially if you will be carrying passengers while towing.
IMO - that trailer might be a little much unless you aren't traveling with many passengers, and pack light.
A good trailer setup (ie proper weight distribution, hitch height, sway control etc) should never be stressful or uncomfortable to drive. The fact you don't like pulling it makes me think the Astro is not suitable and/or the trailer and hitch is not set up correctly.
Bryan
2000 Ford E350 DRW Wagon (14-pass all captains chairs)
V10 w/ Banks PowerPack, Diablo Predator, 4.56 LS, 230,000+ miles
Had: Weekend Warrior 41' FSW (still looking for its replacement)
I think you'll be towing right at the top of your Astro's capacity, and it won't be a whole lot of fun, especially in hills or stiff headwinds. It will probably work for you for a while, but definitely do have a good WD hitch, sway control and trailer brake controller - and get trailer mirrors, as the built-in ones on your vehicle will not be enough to see around the trailer.
Dealers - both RV and car - are notorious for assuring folks that their vehicles can tow whatever they are looking at, without actually knowing anything about towing. We have learned this the hard way too, and now look at the trailer's GVWR when deciding whether it's too much for our tow vehicle.
I assume it is a 4.3 liter V6? I had a 95 Safari van that we towed a 24' jayco-jay trailer that was sticker listed at 4500 pounds. But, I did get a 4.10 geared rear end, which although MANY people said was impossible, was an option.
I think the 4.10 gears made a big difference as it did very well up hills, and still got 20-21 mpg on flat ground. I heard newer rigs progressively got poorer fuel economy.
I have a 97 Safari, and I would have to say that your wheelbase is too short for a a trailer that long, just take it easy and see how it does. As far as the weight goes our 21c weighs in at 4600lbs ready to go, our GCWR is just under 10,000lbs. The rear leaf springs on your van are made of fiberglass so you can not add a leaf, or airbags. I checked. Good luck and be careful, only you will know what feels safe to you.
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