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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / August 2004Tow Vehicle and other question
Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and were impressed with Trial Manor hybrid, but have some questions. 1. Our vehicle is a 97 Chrysler T&C van with AWD and 3.8L engine. Anyone out there towing with such a vehicle? Any problems to be aware of? 2. In the pop-ups that we have seen on the web. they keep showing a "cassette potti and shower". How do these work for privacy, or is this just a last minute use thing? The pictures we have seen don't appear to give much privacy. Most minivans generally pull #3500 and that is only if they were equipped with an optional tow package. Without that, the figure drops to 2000. That 3500 includes the trailer, any options you add, all your gear both in the trailer and the car, and all your passengers. I am guessing you are overweight. Minivans are fine for towing small pop ups. Laura > Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the > ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and were [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > potti and shower". How do these work for privacy, or is this just a last minute > use thing? The pictures we have seen don't appear to give much privacy. > Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the > ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and were [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > potti and shower". How do these work for privacy, or is this just a last minute > use thing? The pictures we have seen don't appear to give much privacy. I do not know what a Trial Manor hybrid is, but I do have a Trailmanor. Is this what you're referring to? The Trailmanor is not a hybrid, but a hard side folding trailer. It has a full bath enclosed with wood walls all around. Most of the cassette pottys that I've seen have a 2 gal (I think) cassette that has to be emptied quite often. These are usually inside with the shower which is enclosed by a curtain only. Odors and noises are not insulated from the rest of the inside of the trailer. But neither is a porta potty in a standard pop-up. go to www.trailmanor.com and see if this is the unit you're talking about, then send me an email and I'll try to help you out more Happy Camping My mistake on the brand, it is a "Trail Cruiser" from R-Vision. Check it out here http://216.26.167.97/rvision/product.asp?page_id=75 > I do not know what a Trial Manor hybrid is, but I do have a > Trailmanor. Is this what you're referring to? The Trailmanor is not > a hybrid, but a hard side folding trailer. It has a full bath >>Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the >>ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and were >>impressed with Trial Manor hybrid, but have some questions. > My mistake on the brand, it is a "Trail Cruiser" from R-Vision. > Check it out here > > http://216.26.167.97/rvision/product.asp?page_id=75 Uh, I was going to say "no way" with a TrailManor. This one is WORSE for no other reason that it has a full/high profile. With the wind resistance, you'd be lucky to maintain 55 mph on a flat highway on a calm day. This is based on my experience towing a full-height travel trailer with my S10 - 4.3L V6. It wasn't the weight that held us back, it was the wind resistance. It surprised me to learn how fatiguing it is to tow with your foot down on the gas pedal as far as it can go but WITHOUT causing a downshift. Get a nice, smaller popup. Your minivan will last a LOT longer and you'll enjoy the trip. :) JR > > My mistake on the brand, it is a "Trail Cruiser" from R-Vision. > > Check it out here [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > :) > JR Dual axles also tell us something. That rig probably weighs 3500 lbs empty, w/o options. I didn't see the weight listed on the web site. When you add clothes, bedding food and cookware, I don't think you'd be comfortabel pulling it. Just my opinion. > 2. In the pop-ups that we have seen on the web. they keep showing a > "cassette potti and shower". How do these work for privacy, or is this > just a last minute use thing? The pictures we have seen don't appear > to give much privacy. The shower aspect is excellent, especially when the campground showers are far away, dirty, cold, or coin operated. The potti aspect is a little more iffy, as Leon mentioned, they are almost allways enclosed by only a curtain. It is handy though, if it's raining, or if one of you tends to wake at 3am needing to pee. Bob  SignatureDelete the inverse SPAM to reply > The potti aspect is a little more iffy, as Leon mentioned, they are almost > allways enclosed by only a curtain. It is handy though, if it's raining, or > if one of you tends to wake at 3am needing to pee. In defense of those 3am trips across the CGs... When I first started camping, I was always envious of rigs with toilets and I trudged (or hightailed it ) across the CGs at 3am. But after I came out of the bathroom, I would look around - the beautiful night skies and sounds always make me glad I got up. And yes, I have gone in rain, freezing temps and even *very* high winds. Remember- it is camping! Someday we will move up to a hard sided trailer, after the kids grow up, and I am sure I will love the convenience of a toilet, but I will miss those walks. Laura >In defense of those 3am trips across the CGs... > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Laura as someone who spent a LOT of years in tents and tent trailers before going to the dark side and buying a TT, I will guarantee that you won't be getting out to look at the stars at 3am.. (we usually sit outside and do that around the fire til 1am, anyway) It's so cool to be able to brink all the adult beverages you want to around the fire at night, because you know that you can pee without going outside... SO nice to have a real bed and a real bathroom (with miniature toilet that's perfect for potty training kids without needing a step) on trips now... I don't regret a minute of "roughing it", but I wouldn't go back to it... I also think that rv'ers that have camping experience are much more considerate of others than the folks who bought their 40' motor home as their 1st "camping" experience... YMMV Mac > Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the > ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and were [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > potti and shower". How do these work for privacy, or is this just a last minute > use thing? The pictures we have seen don't appear to give much privacy. DO NOT tow that trailer with your minivan. You'll have to carry a spare transmission if you do. The AWD capacity is reduced over the FWD vans by a few hundred pounds, however, anything more than a PUT with virtually any minivan is just asking for trouble. > > Wife and I are considering a pop-up or trailer. Don't want to sleep on the > > ground - too physically demanding on both of us. Have been to a dealer and [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Hi, I'm new to towing. I have a an '87 Buick Regal with a 305 and a 4 speed Tranny. Could you guys tell me what the Maximum trailer weight is that I could safely tow? Thanks a lot, Geoff. > I'm new to towing. I have a an '87 Buick Regal with a 305 and a 4 > speed Tranny. Could you...tell me what the Maximum trailer weight > is that I could safely tow? "Safely" is relative. Then again, I know what you mean. <g> Is that front or rear wheel drive? If it is REAR wheel drive, it was/is PROBABLY rated to tow 5,000-lbs. It is always worth reminding that a tow rating is the weight added to the tow vehicle BEYOND the 150-lb driver: Passengers, luggage, LOADED trailer weight - not just the tongue weight. To begin towing with an 18-year-old car is to risk learning a lot of stuff the HARD way. Your weakest "link" will probably be the cooling system. If you haven't serviced the radiator recently, you had better do so before taking off on any lengthy trip towing ANYTHING. You should have the cooling system thoroughly (professionally?) checked prior to towing. Chances are a new/rebuilt radiator is warranted. You would do best with a LOW-profile trailer - one that pops up for use. I would suggest you consider a nice popup trailer with a 10-ft box. With a rear-wheel-drive car with a GOOD cooling system, a 12-ft box popup, even with a slide-out, would be nice. Good luck! :) JR > > I'm new to towing. I have a an '87 Buick Regal with a 305 and a 4 > > speed Tranny. Could you...tell me what the Maximum trailer weight [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > :) > JR Thanks Jim, The car is in pretty good shape but I will take your advice and get the rad Checked. Geoff > > > I'm new to towing. I have a an '87 Buick Regal with a 305 and a 4 > > > speed Tranny. Could you...tell me what the Maximum trailer weight [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Sorry I forgot... It is rear wheel drive. I had the rad flushed but not checked by a professional. Geoff >> Sorry I forgot... It is rear wheel drive. I had the rad flushed but not >checked by a professional. >Geoff Jim made a good point about the cooling system... I'd also have the transmission drained, inspected and new fluid and filter... 2 main problems you hear about in towing are over heating the engine or tranny... Mac Hi, Sorry to jump in late one this... The other cooling pieces to check/replace on an older vehicle are the thermostat and the fan clutch if so equipped. I learned this the hard way. The 'stat stuck closed on an '86 F250 climbing up out of Lake Billy Chinook CG, about an 8% grade. Blew then end right off of the radiator about the time I crested. The fan clutch appeared OK on my 93 Explorer but it over heated on a friend near Redding CA at 108 in the shade. I replaced the fan clutch and then towed my Starcraft 1224 (2500#+) over passes with temps over 103 w/o a problem. Of course as insurance I put in a can of supercool -40 water wetter. I hate breaking down so I am rather anal about zealous preventative maintenance on my rigs. YMMV Happy Camping, Warren Kafer '96 Starcraft 1224 with everything on it. '93 Explorer 4.0L V6, Prodigy Controller tetons_id at yahoo . com >>>Sorry I forgot... It is rear wheel drive. I had the rad flushed but not >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Mac >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >I hate breaking down so I am rather anal about zealous preventative >maintenance on my rigs. YMMV Murphy's Law has to say somewhere that thermostats always stick open in winter and closed in summer... arggggggggggg Mac >> Hi, I'm new to towing. I have a an '87 Buick Regal with a 305 and a 4 > speed Tranny. > Could you guys tell me what the Maximum trailer weight is that I could > safely tow? Hi. I have a 91 Olds Custom Cruiser with a 305. It's a new engine, new radiator, and I added a trans cooler. The manual says I can tow 5,000 pounds with it. I pull a lot less, probably about 1,500 pounds. It's perfectly fine with my pop-up, but I'm not sure I'd want to go any where near the 5,000 pound limit. > 1. Our vehicle is a 97 Chrysler T&C van with AWD and 3.8L engine. Anyone out > there towing with such a vehicle? Any problems to be aware of? I have towed a 2200lb popup with an 88 dodge caravan 3.0 liter for a two month trip each year for the last five years. It has 175000 miles right now. Each trip was around 5000 miles. So, yes it can be done. Should everyone do it?, no. If you drive like there is a raw egg between your foot and the excelerator that will help. Don't try to maintain interstate speeds on upgrades, just get in line with the trucks and go 15mph. Eventually, the transmission will give out. You are less than $2,000 away from a replacement trans. My trans began slipping this year but we made it home. No regrets. Let me tell you what is really important though. It is stopping. Heck, I'll bet a geo metro would eventually get the popup to the crest of a mtn. But, you see, if your brakes fail on the downgrade, there is no limit to your loss. It is a grim thought. So, when you are thinking about your tow rating, I suggest you at least think about your stop rating. > Let me tell you what is really important though. It is stopping. Heck, > I'll bet a geo metro would eventually get the popup to the crest of a mtn. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > So, when you are thinking about your tow rating, I suggest you at least > think about your stop rating. This is the best advertisement going for having trailer brakes with a good controller. A good controller is no excuse for an inadequate tow vehicle, though. Like all electronics, even the best controller can fail, and when it does, the tow vehicle had better be able to do the job. Austin SignatureColeman Bayside behind a Chevy Astro. No, not without a Reese Mini-350 WDH! There are no X characters in my address Coleman Bayside behind a Chevy Astro. I'm shopping for a Astro/Safari right now! > Coleman Bayside behind a Chevy Astro. > > I'm shopping for a Astro/Safari right now! Despite the 6,000 lb tow rating on our Astro, I wouldn't want to tow anything larger than our Bayside with it. It can pull and it can stop, but I'd like a longer wheelbase for stability. The real culprit may be the Bayside; they are notoriously unstable. Austin SignatureColeman Bayside behind a Chevy Astro. No, not without a Reese Mini-350 WDH! There are no X characters in my address > Despite the 6,000 lb tow rating on our Astro, I wouldn't want to tow > anything larger than our Bayside with it. It can pull and it can stop, but [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Austin Mine is a 1999 Starcraft Starflyer and it has towed very well behind the short wheelbase Caravan SE. My tow hitch is a class II slap-on U-Haul. No WD or anti-sway features. I figure I will be around 60% of the tow rating of an Astro/Safari. |
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