Minivan towing Jayco X17z

casinomark · 03-21-2012, 08:02 PM

Does anyone have any experience towing a Jayco x17z with a Minivan.?
Thanks
Mark

Crackshot · 03-21-2012, 09:20 PM

Not sure about the size and weight of that rig but what does the manual say about towing?
Whatt type van?

clutch · 03-21-2012, 10:59 PM

All minivans are not the same. What do you have and what size engine?

bertscampers · 03-22-2012, 02:10 AM

I had this situation exactly a year ago. My Van was a 2006 fordfreestar. I had been pulling a pup but without a tranny cooler. When I upgraded my trailer last year I added a tranny cooler but at the same time notices problems so I had the transmission redone. After pulling the trailer 4 times the van would overheat regularly when under stress. I also noticed that I was was on edge the entire time pulling the trailer. It was really under powered when pulling. In the end I bought a Chevy Traverse. The Traverse pulls much better and I am not on edge the entire time.

My neighbour also bought the same trailer but had a honda minivan. He pulled his trailer about 4 times and had a lot less trouble. He said it was under powered but had no other issues. He would just take his time getting places. Having said that he bought a GMC Acadia.

So with all this in mind. You can pull the trailer with the minivan but it really depends on the model, year and what else you will be carrying with you. There are others that will say its not a problem at all but some of them are mechanically savy and can deal with problems and other still yet are experienced at towing. I believe you can but you really need to really think about it. I will say however, if I had sold my minivan and bought the new tow vehicle first I would have save a lot of money. I would also have bought the 19h as is had duel axels. I do not need more trailer at the moment as storage is a problem when not in use but the double axels would make a difference.

I am sorry if I sound negative about it, I don't mean to. Ask as many questions as you can. Others on this forum have loads of experience and have helped me often.

Best of luck and I hope you figure it out.

mcfarmall · 03-22-2012, 06:44 AM

In my opinion, a small to mid sized popup is all I would tow with a minivan that is equipped with a tranny cooler. The frontal area of a pup vs travel trailer will kill your towing capacity. RV salesmen will tell you anything to seal the deal and although your vehicle may be rated for 3500lbs and the trailer comes in at 2500, you have many, many other factors to consider before declaring a match for your tow vehicle.

nylyon · 03-22-2012, 07:12 AM

It is likely that you will be either maxed out or overweight with the mini-van but with that said. I bought a 2003 Antigua 195CK which weighed empty right around the 3000 lbs mark. The towing capacity of my 2001 Windstar Limited was 3500 lbs. Technically we shouldn't have done this but the combination was extremely stable, I had absolutely ZERO control issues including the ability to panic stop. Even a passing semi didn't give the familiar bow effect that is all so common. The 3.8L V6 had more than enough power to keep the combination at speed up hills. I attribute this to the lower stance of the van vs an SUV of the same size.

We later replaced the van with a Hemi Durango with complete tow package and 3.92 gears. The combination Durango / Antigua was well within the tow ratings, but the Windstar combination felt more solid still.

The van suffered no ill effects (that I am aware of) and I was very pleased with the combination. It was a conscience act on my part to buy the larger Antigua vs the 17' model simply because of the dual axle. Although heavier, I didn't want to have a mini-van with the single axle trailer.

By no means am I advocating exceeding any weight / towing ratings I am simply giving my experience with a similar combination. I will finish by saying that the a Superduty pickup is by far the best tow vehicle that I have had and would always recommend a full sized truck for any combination.

29BHS ECO · 03-22-2012, 07:36 AM

casinomark-- I f your minivan does not have a "factory tow package" I wouldn't tow across the street. It's no so much the weight but the wind resistance. just my .02$ Larry

PhxKim · 03-22-2012, 09:28 AM

I believe the weight of the X17Z is above what any minivan can tow. Especially with passengers and stuff. Our 2010 Toyota Sienna has a V6 with towing package and we make out around 3k lbs. We can pull our little Bayliner boat with it but wouldn't even think of pulling a trailer. Maybe a tiny pop up. We have the slightly larger X18D and a half-ton Chevy Silverado and we can't even maintain the speed limit pulling it up mountains (hills) in AZ. Our friends pull their X17Z with a full-size Tundra like it's a toy.

We'd prefer to have our tow vehicle on the positive side of the GVWR because it's just so much easier in every way. Our last trip out we went down into a bit of a low spot near the lake and spun tires hard to get out of there. Of course the tires were bald so that didn't help. But having more power will help you get in and out of places that you might now otherwise be able to go. Unless you just camp in campgrounds.

Hope that helps! Kim

**Crabman** · 03-22-2012, 04:31 PM

Welcome to the forum casinomark.

Grumpy · 03-22-2012, 06:55 PM

Our son tows one with a Honda mini-van and has had no problems with it.

tlhdoc · 03-22-2012, 07:26 PM

I towed with a mini van (Grand Caravan and Windstar) for 6 years. I towed a 3000 pound PU. I would not want to tow my 17Z with either of the vans.

casinomark · 03-22-2012, 07:53 PM

I have a 2005 Pontiac Montana SV6, 200 horse power full size minivan. I will install a class 3 hitch, sway bar, weight distrabution bar and of course brake contoller. I will also install a trany cooler. Two rv dealers say should be no problem and my GM Mechanic said install a trany cooler and take my time driving. Im a little concerned to say the least, I guess once everything is installed and if it doesnt work then I park the trailer at a camp site for the season and buy a new vehicle next year

29BHS ECO · 03-23-2012, 06:27 AM

casinomark- Check to see if your tires rated for the weight you will be towing . You might also check the stickers on the vans drivers door jam for what it is built to carry just to be on the safe side. Larry

dddire · 03-23-2012, 11:40 PM

We just picked up this exact trailer on Wed.

We have a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan, 3.6 V6, 283hp, 260ftlbs torque, WD Hitch, Trans Cooler and P2 Break controller.

On the half our drive from the dealer home, I think it was about all the van would do. Won't stay in top gear with any grade at all. Trans is hunting all the time.

I'm thinking it will be fine.. but slow on the hills.
Cross winds didn't seem to be an issue, no issue breaking.

We'll make it a short trip to a local camp site once the season opens here in May and see how we do. I would not recommend a trip to the White Mountains with this set up.

tlhdoc · 03-24-2012, 10:18 AM

Have a safe trip, and enjoy your new camper.

mcfarmall · 03-24-2012, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dddire

On the half our drive from the dealer home, I think it was about all the van would do. Won't stay in top gear with any grade at all. Trans is hunting all the time.

I'm thinking it will be fine..

Those 2 statements in the same post don't seem to make sense....just sayin'. Sounds to me like your tow vehicle is waaaay under powered/equipped for what you're asking it to do. Set a few bucks aside for tranny repairs and some extra liability insurance and you'll be fine

It is possible that in the event of an accident you could be found negligent if you have exceeded the GVWR, GCVWR,GAWCGR, GMCVGWR, or any of the other ratings.

Check out the "Can I Tow This?" post in the jokes and humor forum.

knuts1 · 03-24-2012, 01:18 PM

I have a x17z Toyota Sienna and do not have any troubles. I have heard for some reason you do not need to add the weight in the van to the total tow weight but I do try and pack as light as possible anyway. I live in MN so there are not any mountains here and very few hills worth talking about so I have never given it a real test. You can PM me with any questions.

bertscampers · 03-24-2012, 02:13 PM

I remember being in the exact same place last year and I remember all the those negative comments and being really disappointed. This is suppose to be an exciting time for Mark and his family. He is asking for advice lets help him out by explaining our experiences but lets keep it positive.

Cheers

Quahog · 03-24-2012, 02:57 PM

From just the little I see, Mark's van maxes out at 3500 lbs towing capacity... same as the GVWR of th x17Z. That would have me concerned but I would want to know more. What is the GCVWR? What is the tongue weight? How much can the axles tolerate, etc.?

What folks are trying to caution about is that if you exceed your safe towing limits, not only will you put yourself in the position of having to defend yourself should an accident occur but you might also be potentially putting your family's safety at risk. Nobody wants to hear this when they're all excited to get out there on the road with their new camper. But Mark is concerned also and that's why he asked the question in the first place.

go wild · 03-24-2012, 04:38 PM

I have a 17Z and for the past 2 seasons towed it with a 97 Grand Cherokee with the 220hp v8 and tow package. Worked ok, but I didn't push it much over 55-60 mph on the highway. The biggest issues arose with long accending grades and dang cross winds. Even the little 17Z is 18 ft long, 9.5 ft tall, 8 ft wide, and a good wind can test your driving skills.

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