How Much Can I Really Tow?

[Megastink]

Right now, I have a Dodge Grand Caravan with a 3.3L V6. Its rate up to 3,500#, but can it really handle that? I wish everyday that it was a Ford F-150 with a 5.4L V8, but its not...

Does anyone here know the limits of a van like mine? I dont think it can handle a nitro Z7 (or Z6, for that matter). But what about a Tracker Pro 165? 175?

I think you see where I'm going with this. At what point will my van not be able to pull something out up a wet boat ramp?

Thanks!

-Mega

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Wet boat ramps are not the issue when looking at towing capacity. Transmission longevity, Braking capacity, and stability when traveling down the road are what is important.

I think you would be fine at 3500lbs, and I'll be a Z7 or Z6 fits in that weight range.

You can make a few modifications to really make things feel much better.

Brake pads. NOT parts store brake pads. Hawk brake pads....Online suppliers will have them, and I can recommend the best place to buy them.

An extra transmission cooler. Above and beyond the factory cooler.

Air bags installed in the rear coil springs.

[Glenn]

My buddy had a Ford Aerostar that towed an 18' Skeeter. It did alright, however the you could feel the boat pushing the van whenever we stopped. We got stuck on a boat ramp on 1 or 2 occasions (out of over 100 trips), but considering a fiberglass boat is heavier than the aluminum boats you mention, you should be fine. We even towed up an over mountain passes with it.

[Megastink]

My buddy had a Ford Aerostar that towed an 18' Skeeter. It did alright, however the you could feel the boat pushing the van whenever we stopped. We got stuck on a boat ramp on 1 or 2 occasions (out of over 100 trips), but considering a fiberglass boat is heavier than the aluminum boats you mention, you should be fine. We even towed up an over mountain passes with it.

What kind of motor was in it? Did he ever burn his trans? Was it AWD?

[Fishing Rhino]

When towing, it's not so much a question of how much you can tow. It's how much you can stop.

Brakes should be your first consideration. If you get into a situation where you cannot stop your rig because the brakes aren't adequate, It's going to get a whole lot more expensive, and possibly painful, or worse, than losing a transmission or some other part of the drivetrain.

If the trailer has surge brakes, that will help considerably. If not, the tow vehicle has to handle all the braking.

How the vehicle handles when towing should be your second consideration with towing muscle coming in third.

I've never weighed my Z-7 on the trailer, and loaded with fuel and gear. I'd guess it's over 3500 pounds.

According to the specs, the package (boat, motor and trailer) is listed at 3000 pounds. Add fuel, gear, and anything else you stow in the boat, and you are getting close to, it not over the 3500 pound number.

[freebie]

you should be ok with one of the aluminums you listed but definitely not one of the bigger glass boats. I would think anything over 2500 is pushing it. I know you're rated for 3500 but they always push those numbers. just because it says it can do it doesn't mean you should. Rhino hit the nail on the head when he mentioned safety. it only takes one mishap for someone to get hurt or lose a life.

[smbrule]

I tow a 16' aluminum boat that ready to fish on the trailer weighs in at 1950# (scale weight). Have over 20,000 miles of towing with a 2003 Honda van with a max towing capacity of 3500#. Van has a transmission and power steering cooler. Over half of the towing mileage has been from Iowa to Canada.

I'm comfortable with the van towing my rigs weight but would not want to go 500# more. Most of the time I've only two adults in the van, one time with four adults and a child plus all the extra luggage for the fishing trip I was uncomfortable with the handling of the van, probably partly because of the extra weight in the back of the van.

No matter how many people I have in the van I tow almost all the time 65 mph or less. I'm cognizant of stopping distance with the van but do believe it has better stopping distance when towing than my ten+ year old F150 pickup that put less rubber on the road and did not have rear disc brakes.

[jdw174]

With what you described, I'd have to go with a tin boat. If your van is a FWD, take into consideration that the tongue weight will push down on the rear, thereby lifting the front slightly and taking away from traction at your drive wheels. Tow vehicles rated for higher capacity will have larger brakes, heavier frames, and most of the tow packages include HD alternators, along with tranny coolers. There's a reason for that. I tried towing my rig with a new GMC Terrain, 265HP V6, and a tow package. It was only rated for 3500lb, and my boat/trailer/engine together almost hit that mark, not counting all the gear, batteries, etc. The hitch only had a 1.5" receiver. It pulled the boat (this was a demo tryout), but I didn't feel safe doing it.

[3dees]

a Z6 may be ok. probably at the limit with a Z7. I pulled my 19' tin with a Ford Edge rated for 3500# all last year without any problems including stopping and/or launching. I still wanted a bit more so I bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. don't think you will have problems with any 16 - 19' tins.

[Glenn]

What kind of motor was in it? Did he ever burn his trans? Was it AWD?

It was a V6, not an AWD. The transmission was pretty worn out by time he sold it years later, but it wasn't dead. Again, it was a fiberglass boat, so you should be fine with an aluminum boat.

[Diablos]

I towed my 16ft 1400lb boat/motor/trailer/gear for 2 years with a 210hp Forester 4cyl. I installed all new brake pads before I started to tow with it and never had a problem stopping or accelerating. It was rated up to 2400lbs. I live just a few miles from Fishing Rhino right on the ocean. I'm sure he has seen some great sights of people launching heavy saltwater boats with under powered vehicles.

[bwell]

I have seen quite a few people pulling bass boats with vans.... I don't know what it will do in the long run to the vehicle, but I don't see a problem towing a boat with one...

[TomB]

After 35 years as an engineer in the auto industry (now VP of Engineering for a German company) I find some of the suggestions "interesting."

I would politely suggest that towing drivers please read and follow your vehicle owner's manual and the manufacturer's recommendations. You won't go wrong. The recommendations are conservative to keep drivers out of trouble. Believe me we test our vehicles and know our vehicles.

As for pulling up wet ramps, AWD is best and RWD is worst (very wet tires) so good wet performing tires at the proper inflation with good tread can be important. AA rated traction tires perform best in the wet. Go to safercar.gov/tire and find a tire that is AA rated. Ratings are on the sidewall. Your vehicle's total rubber to road footprint is about the area of a sheet of paper so with RWD your wet contact patch is about half a sheet. Tire compound makes a big difference.

As for safe handling, shocks and steering should be in good condition and inflate tires to the max on the vehicle tire label. Factory brake pads and rotors in good shape will handle the job. Aftermarket might too but one never knows what compound pads are used. Softer pads wear out rotors faster (imbedded dirt in pad) but give better feel and might not be as good when hot.

Above all please follow the towing max load and suggested tongue weights in the vehicle manual.

Hope that helps.

[ctf58]

Use that van for any of those, short of the big glass boat. As TomB put it so well, the vehicles are tested and conservatively rated for safety. Do not go over ratings.

As far as wishing for a F-150 5.4, well I have one. I traded in a Toyota car and a Honda Passport for it because I got tired of changing the shocks on the Passport every year. I towed a 5,000 pound load that had close to 500 pounds on the 12" extended trailer hitch at least 5 times a year. The passport was rated at 3,500 pounds and 250 pound hitch weight. I blew the rear shocks at least once a year because I would hit the brakes and plant the rear end of my Passport.

Now I have a F-150 and I know when I tow the big stuff I know it can handle it. BUT every other day of the year I miss get 26mpg since the Ford gets 10mpg while towing and 13 on the highway

[Wild Bill [NY]]

I am far more concerened with the STOPPING ABILITY of my tow vehicle, than the pulling ability.

Today, people drive like outright sh__heads, and cut you off all the time without a second thought..,,.and you must be able to stop safely in conditions like that.

If you don't have a full sized truck to tow with, make SURE YOU HAVE TRAILER BRAKES.

Many lives could depend on that. including your own.

My buddy used to tow a 17 foot tin Xpress with a 40 HP motor around with a Ford Explorer [no trailer brakes], and I cannot tell you HOW MANY TIMES we got pushed by the boat into the intersections or near collisions in poor weather conditions when he would try to stop quickly..

I pulled that same boat with my Suburban, and it was as if his boat was not even there; no issues whatsoever.

A Suburban is a Truck....and the mini-SUVs and mini-vans are NOT; simple as that.

[Way2slow]

As already mentioned, you have to worry as much about what you can stop as to what you can tow. I towed a 3,200 pound trailer weight boat for a couple of years with a small 4WD Toyota pickup, had no problems but when you have it push you through a red light on a wet road, the pucker factor gets pretty dang high, been there, done that. I installed trailer brakes the following week.

As for the towing part, it depends on how smart you are about it. If you just hook your boat behind it and go hauling 70 mph down the interstate, it won't be long before the transmission shop is going to have a huge grin on their face. Install a good transmission cooler, and a temperature guage for the transmission, a good additive that helps reduce heat and keep it out of overdrive and it will do ok with a mid size tin can rig. A temp guage is critical for that small of a tranmission, it will build heat in a hurry and when it starts, you can slow down and take it a little easier. Hills will make the temp jump in a heartbeat. 205 degrees is about the max you want to see you trans get ( below 200 is prefered) so don't think the engine temp guage will show you when it's working too hard.

I've always trusted LubeGuard and have been using it for at least 20 years but you have to get the one for the type fluid your trans uses. I'm sure there are others, just stay away from the ones that claim they stop leaks. These has seal softners in them that you don't want. You are just trying to protect what you have, not trying to keep a worn out trans going a little while longer.

[ww2farmer]

I tow my boat, a tracker PT170, normaly with a small old Jeep Cherokee...dosen't even know it's back there except on the steepest of hills, then all that it takes is a little more gas. The other day however, I used my wifes Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.3 to tow the boat to the car wash , seems as I had not gotten the chance to wash it last fall, and It was a nice day. It also handled it fine.