Towing 16XRB with Dodge Grand Caravan

[Javin]

Hi all,

After camping for many years the wife and i have decided to take the plunge into trailering. Its been a long search which has led us to the 2016 Jay Feather 7 16XRB which we really want to buy. Obviously the entire time we have been searching we have been weary of our 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT as a TV. After contacting the dodge dealership I found out that the heavy duty rad and transmission cooler is now standard on all Grand Caravans just as a side note. If we had hind sight we never would have bought the van but were stuck with it now.

Searching the internet for info on this has been quite a rollercoaster ride with most ppl saying don't do it, vans are not meant for this! With others saying their van has been fine with similar TT's.

Then there is the dealer who says this trailer is meant for vans to pull it coupled by the fact that even on the Jayco website it says minivan towable. Also we have seen on our journeys a few dodge vans pulling very similar trailers. The van is rated for 3600 pounds of towing and the trailer is around 2900 minus propane and battery ect.

I figured I would check here to see if anyone pulls one of these(or similar/X17Z) with a Dodge van. We would be very careful not bring too much stuff with us and even toyed with the idea of taking the microwave and any other unneeded items out of the trailer. We really want a Jayco Hybrid and this is the lightest one that i know of.

thoughts?

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by Javin

Hi all,

After camping for many years the wife and i have decided to take the plunge into trailering. Its been a long search which has led us to the 2016 Jay Feather 7 16XRB which we really want to buy. Obviously the entire time we have been searching we have been weary of our 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT as a TV. After contacting the dodge dealership I found out that the heavy duty rad and transmission cooler is now standard on all Grand Caravans just as a side note. If we had hind sight we never would have bought the van but were stuck with it now.

Searching the internet for info on this has been quite a rollercoaster ride with most ppl saying don't do it, vans are not meant for this! With others saying their van has been fine with similar TT's.

Then there is the dealer who says this trailer is meant for vans to pull it coupled by the fact that even on the Jayco website it says minivan towable. Also we have seen on our journeys a few dodge vans pulling very similar trailers. The van is rated for 3600 pounds of towing and the trailer is around 2900 minus propane and battery ect.

I figured I would check here to see if anyone pulls one of these(or similar/X17Z) with a Dodge van. We would be very careful not bring too much stuff with us and even toyed with the idea of taking the microwave and any other unneeded items out of the trailer. We really want a Jayco Hybrid and this is the lightest one that i know of.

thoughts?

I think most people are going to be hard pressed to recommend it. That 3,600 pound capacity isn't just what you're towing -- it's also everything inside your vehicle, like luggage and people. It *can* be done, but you're going to be near the limit every time you tow, and that's not a recipe for enjoyable or even safe towing.

[Javin]

Ya I'm new to all this so I have no idea what its even like to tow a trailer.

Also I just got off the phone with the financial guy at the rv dealership who said we were approved. When I asked him about this he said they sell this trailer and the the bigger X17Z to minivan owners all the time and have never had a problem or anyone come back with issues. Also once it leaves the parking lot there is no exchanges so I hope we are making the right decision. Like i said we will be packing very light and weighing everything we bring to keep track of the weight.. I am still weary, but dont want a pop up.

[oldmanAZ]

Welcome to the forum.

What SteveMM said. Two things to check carefully; the limits on your Caravan's hitch (I believe there is a sticker on the hitch) and the PAYLOAD capacity for your Caravan (the payload is all of the things IN and ON your Caravan plus the tongue weight of your loaded trailer). The towing capacity is NOT the limit that most encounter first, it is usually the PAYLOAD. Look for a sticker on the driver's door frame to show your vehicle's PAYLOAD.

[hanswarner]

We tow a 2017 16XRB (2900 lbs) with a 2015 Toyota Sienna. Tow rated at 3500lbs. Setup properly with weight distribution hitch, air bags, and electric brake controller it pulled it home last week in 50 mph cross winds pretty well. I had it up to 75mph on the interstate but it's a lot more comfortable at 65mph. Speed contributes greatly to tow rating which is why the same vehicle in another country will sometimes have a 20-30% greater tow capacity. They rate them at a much lower speed. We are under the combined weight rating 8700 by 500 pounds when loaded with gear and kids. Plus we are in the midwest. Rolling hills and no mountain passes. While not perfect this setup works for us. I cannot justify getting a larger TV when 98% of the time we will not be towing anything. I'll just be that guy in the right lane going 65mph not in hurry to go camping.

[Isaacs]

The tongue weight can get pretty heavy on these single axle trailers, especially if they start to tilt forward and are not level. This is all part of your payload!

[RogerR]

We towed popups with our Caravans all over the USA. But when we went up to the 195SLX I went up to the Grand Cherokee Overland. Factory towing of 6200 plus factory hitch tow package gives us a big advantage.

Although our engine is about the same as the total carrying capacity is much higher.

Based on personal experience I would not tow a full height and weight RV with a caravan. People do, but with no real margin of safety.

[Javin]

Hi all, thanks for the tips. Attached is the sticker from my van, not sure if some one can help me de-code/work out the numbers on this as i'm a total noob at this stuff! Also the hitch has yet to be put on my van. I'm planning to do a class 3(not sure on type) with a Husky centre line hitch w/sway control. Any suggestions on all this would be great.

Also the yellow sticker weight of the trailer is 2948 lbs.

thanks again!

[Rustic Eagle]

Javin,

Welcome to JOF

Originally Posted by Javin

snip..... Also the yellow sticker weight of the trailer is 2948 lbs........snip

With a "as-shipped" UVW of 2,948lbs for a 16XRB (3,500lb GVWR) IMO your loaded weight will be close to/if not 3,500lbs..., even with conservative loading. The manufacture's recommend loaded tongue weight range @ 3,500lbs = 350lbs to 525lbs (10% to 15%).

Please refer to your Grand Caravan's Owners Manual in the Towing section. Your manual has some very specific trailer frontal area limits, gross trailer weights, and tongue weight limits based on passenger/cargo loading of the Grand Caravan. The tongue weight specified in the owners manual chart was 300lbs to 360lbs....., depending on Grand Caravan passenger/cargo loading conditions.

It's difficult to see (blurred) what your receiver sticker states..., at least with my eyes.

As mentioned, I would have to agree that a Dodge Caravan isn't an ideal TV for a single axle 3,000lb plus TT. Should one proceed with this type of TV/TT combination proper WDH rating (if allowable) and adjustment is extremely important.

Bob

[Javin]

thanks again for the tips, I will be reviewing the tow section in Caravan manual.
Just to clarify, the sticker basically says....

GAWR
FRONT 2950 LB
REAR 3100 LB

GVWR - 6050 LB

not sure if there are any numbers I'm missing but once again any help decoding/calculating this is appreciated.

I just find it a little misleading on this Jayco web page where it specifically says "Tow rating matches the GVWR of 16XRB only", then goes on to list Dodge Grand Caravan as a TV. Then the internet is full of folks saying don't do it. Being new to this its all very confusing and keeping me up at night. Mean while the salesman keeps patting me on the back saying "its fine buddy, its made to be towed by a Dodge Grand Caravan."

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Javin

snip..... I just find it a little misleading on this Jayco web page where it specifically says "Tow rating matches the GVWR of 16XRB only", then goes on to list Dodge Grand Caravan as a TV.....snip.... Mean while the salesman keeps patting me on the back saying "its fine buddy, its made to be towed by a Dodge Grand Caravan."

I'm sure a Grand Caravan can tow the 16XRB, but under specific conditions....., like the Caravan meets certain base configuration requirements, options, and specific loading considerations (reference your Caravan owners manual it states these conditions there). This is very similar to some RV manufactures (Jayco included) offering 5th wheels that are 1/2 ton truck compatible...., but again under specific conditions.

Unless your salesperson sat down, asked questions and worked the 'numbers' with your Caravan's specified towing weight limits and the 16XRB under loaded weight conditions..., IMO his "its fine buddy" statement goes as far as the RV dealership's lot.

Here's a couple JOF threads referencing the Dodge Caravan and/or similar towing limitations that may be helpful:

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...n-28601-2.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f8...l-26148-2.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...n-23777-5.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...eat-18216.html

In respect to your Caravan's weight limit sticker, do you happen to know what it's GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) is? ....... this is the maximum weight limit of your Caravan and a trailer "combined" under loaded conditions.

Bob

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by Javin

<snip>
Mean while the salesman keeps patting me on the back saying "its fine buddy, its made to be towed by a Dodge Grand Caravan."

You may know this already, but NEVER, EVER, EVER take a salesman's word on what you can or cannot tow. They don't care if it's safe or not. They only care about the sale. Doing your own research, like you're doing here, is the best way to go.

[MNWild]

One thing to remember tires are rated for 65mph

[SteveMM]

Originally Posted by MNWild

One thing to remember tires are rated for 65mph

X1

[Javin]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

I'm sure a Grand Caravan can tow the 16XRB, but under specific conditions....., like the Caravan meets certain base configuration requirements, options, and specific loading considerations (reference your Caravan owners manual it states these conditions there). This is very similar to some RV manufactures (Jayco included) offering 5th wheels that are 1/2 ton truck compatible...., but again under specific conditions.

Unless your salesperson sat down, asked questions and worked the 'numbers' with your Caravan's specified towing weight limits and the 16XRB under loaded weight conditions..., IMO his "its fine buddy" statement goes as far as the RV dealership's lot.

Here's a couple JOF threads referencing the Dodge Caravan and/or similar towing limitations that may be helpful:

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...n-28601-2.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f8...l-26148-2.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...n-23777-5.html

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...eat-18216.html

In respect to your Caravan's weight limit sticker, do you happen to know what it's GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) is? ....... this is the maximum weight limit of your Caravan and a trailer "combined" under loaded conditions.

Bob

thanks everyone once again for the help and suggestions. Attached is the page from caravan manual regarding towing. In case its hard to read the basic info is this.

GCWR- 8750 LBS
FRONTAL AREA- 40 SQ FEET
MAX GTW - UP TO 2 PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE 3500 LBS (SINCE I HAVE FOLD IN SEATS THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED 100 LBS)
MAX TONGUE WEIGHT- 360 LBS

Currently its me, wife and small child. These figures change slightly when 3-5 people are calculated with luggage which may be a higher consideration for our current situation but it is as follows.

GCWR- 8750 LBS
FRONTAL AREA- 40 SQ FEET
MAX GTW - UP TO 3-5 PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE 3250 LBS (SINCE I HAVE FOLD IN SEATS THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED 100 LBS)
MAX TONGUE WEIGHT- 335 LBS

Not sure how these figures interact with the ones from the inside of the door but I'm guessing there is some sort of math to figure it out? I actually had a dream i was in a leaky trailer last night! All this is weighing on my mind quite a bit. Thanks again.

[RPreeb]

Originally Posted by Javin

thanks everyone once again for the help and suggestions. Attached is the page from caravan manual regarding towing. In case its hard to read the basic info is this.

GCWR- 8750 LBS
FRONTAL AREA- 40 SQ FEET
MAX GTW - UP TO 2 PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE 3500 LBS (SINCE I HAVE FOLD IN SEATS THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED 100 LBS)
MAX TONGUE WEIGHT- 360 LBS

Currently its me, wife and small child. These figures change slightly when 3-5 people are calculated with luggage which may be a higher consideration for our current situation but it is as follows.

GCWR- 8750 LBS
FRONTAL AREA- 40 SQ FEET
MAX GTW - UP TO 3-5 PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE 3250 LBS (SINCE I HAVE FOLD IN SEATS THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED 100 LBS)
MAX TONGUE WEIGHT- 335 LBS

Not sure how these figures interact with the ones from the inside of the door but I'm guessing there is some sort of math to figure it out? I actually had a dream i was in a leaky trailer last night! All this is weighing on my mind quite a bit. Thanks again.

That 40 sq ft frontal area is a significant number - basically 8'x5'. That is a lot less than the typical TT, more like a tall popup. Mine is closer to 60 sq ft, and it isn't exactly a big trailer.

[Subaru297]

We need the other sticker on your drivers door jamb. Should be the same sticker that states your recommended tire pressures.

It will have a statement such as "Total weight of all passengers and cargo should not exceed XXlbs"

That is your payload. Also what does your manual say about using a weight distributing hitch?

Cheers

[Javin]

Originally Posted by Subaru297

We need the other sticker on your drivers door jamb. Should be the same sticker that states your recommended tire pressures.

It will have a statement such as "Total weight of all passengers and cargo should not exceed XXlbs"

That is your payload. Also what does your manual say about using a weight distributing hitch?

Cheers

attached are both manual page and door jam sticker, in case door jam sticker is hard to read it says basically...

GAWR
FRONT 2950 LB
REAR 3100 LB

GVWR - 6050 LB

and once again here is the manual page numbers...

GCWR- 8750 LBS
FRONTAL AREA- 40 SQ FEET
MAX GTW - UP TO 3-5 PEOPLE AND LUGGAGE 3250 LBS (SINCE I HAVE FOLD IN SEATS THIS HAS BEEN REDUCED 100 LBS)
MAX TONGUE WEIGHT- 335 LBS

Nothing in manual about WDH that i can find. Not sure if there is a specific one that would optimize my situation. Not sure if you need the specific numbers for the 2016 16XRB? thanks again.

[secal48]

One thing I don't see is which engine do you have in the caravan. We had grand caravans for 25 years towing a jayco pup and then an x17z. But we had the big engine and towing packages. Also look into a class 4 hitch, you be straining with a 3.

[Subaru297]

There should be another different sticker that has the number you need.