Dodge Grand Caravan: Towing a Jay Feather?

[Craig in Alberta]

Hello Campers,

My 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan's manual states that its tow capacity ranges between 3,000 pounds (if 7 passengers) and 3,600 pounds (if 2 passengers). However, somebody told me that this was the "best-case-scenario" only if you have a "tow package" installed. I got an after-market hitch and break-controller installed already - isn't that all a "tow package" entails? Is there anything else I need to be aware of? (e.g., engine/transmission modifications)?

Ultimately, I'm just looking to buy a light hybrid trailer (e.g., a Jay Feather or equivalent) that's around 2,600 pounds, which in theory should still leave me adequate room for accessories/cargo/fluids (i.e., I calculate up to 400 pounds if 7 passengers, or up to 1,000 pounds if 2 passengers). From your interpretation and experience, could my minivan do the job as-is? If not, what do you recommend?

Craig

[adsfhjq]

I think a tow package usually also includes a stronger alternator and transmission cooling.

[JFlightRisk]

According to the web, the tow package " includes a Class II receiver hitch, a load-leveling and height-control suspension, and the average four-pin connector wiring harness for the trailer."

[Kim Gass]

Payload of the tow vehicle rules.
What does your door sticker say?
Payload includes the weight of everything carried in the tow vehicle and also the tongue weight which should be 12-15 percent of the weight of the trailer .

This is just a start and I bet that you are over the payload limit already if you really will have 7 passengers. Perhaps even with two depending on what else will be in the minivan. Fuel counts.

Seeing you in the Edmonton area I am betting you will be heading for the mountains.. I would stick to a pop up or get a truck.

[Jerry713]

Not trying to negative or change your mind in any way but the amount of strain you would be putting on your transmission, engine, alternator, drive axles, etc for me wouldn't be worth it. This isn't something I would consider.

[Midnightmoon]

There are actually quite a few people over on the Airstream forum that are towing with all varieties of minivans. So, it is certainly possible within the limits of the vehicle.

Even though you a researching this topic related to Jayco trailers, I recommend jumping over to airforums.com and do some research in their towing, tow vehicles, and hitches section of the forum. You can find it at the following link

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f238/

It is an RV Life forum like this one. So, you should be able to log in using your current login credentials. Let me know if you have any issues and I can help you through the process.

[ependydad]

This is a long one, please bear with me to the end and do the homework.

“What can I tow?” seems like a simple question but honestly the answer gets complex pretty quick. It’s basically adhering to a the least of the maximums when looking at all of the ratings on the tow vehicle.

It starts with some homework. You need to load the truck up like you’re camping and take it to a truck stop to weigh it. It costs about $12 and is more intimidating than it is hard. You’ll want to make sure your truck window lines up with the call box. It can be a stretch to reach the call button OR you can use an app called “Weigh My Truck”.

Once you weigh, you can start to do some calculations:

1, take your truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) minus the loaded truck weight

2, take your truck’s rear gross axles weight rating (GAWR/RAWR) minus the rear axle weight

3, take the weight carrying capacity of the rear tires and add them together

4, subtract the sum of #3 minus the rear axle weight

These numbers are basically what you can start to see how much capacity your truck has for carrying tongue weight from the trailer.

Once you figure out how much your truck can carry, it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re within the truck’s actual tow rating. This isn’t the advertised number as that is defined with a 150 pound driver, 150 pound passenger, and 100 lbs for “towing equipment” but nothing else in the vehicle. You need to check the owner’s manual for the gross combined weight rating (GCWR). You’ll take the GCWR minus the loaded truck weight from your trip to the scales. This tells you the maximum loaded trailer weight that you can pull.

Next thing is going to be on the hitch itself or in your owner’s manual. This is going to describe the maximum tongue weight rating with and without a weight distributing hitch.

Now, you shouldn’t use the dry advertised weights. Your trailer literally is never that weight from the moment it leaves the factory. The dry weight is calculated with no battery and often without propane in the tanks.

So, what do you do? You need to use a tool to estimate the loaded tongue weight by extrapolating from the dry weights:

Estimating Tongue/Pin Weight from Dry Weights - TowingPlanner

[Craig in Alberta]

Hello again all, and thanks for your generosity with your detailed responses.

FYI, and to perhaps assist others reading this thread in the future...

Today I phoned the mechanic shop which installed my after-market hitch and break-controller. Seems you were right regarding the tow "package" - but the good news is that I should be pretty-much good to go anyway. My mechanic looked up my 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan's VIN/serial number, and was advised by a Dodge dealership that all Grand Caravan's have come standard with the transmission cooler some of you referenced for many years. Therefore, that, along with what my mechanic did previously, should suffice to tow the kind of 2,600ish pound trailer I'm considering - given that the minivan can tow between 3,000 and 3,600 pounds depending on number of passengers/cargo in the minivan itself. The mechanic also strongly recommended a weight distribution hitch, and (since I'll be towing close to the max), keep my speeds below 100 km/h, don't be in a rush on steep inclines, and when needed force the automatic 'drive' setting to manually limit it to 5th (not 6th) gear maximum. Those things, plus keeping gear to a minimum (and ideally heavier items placed in the minivan, not the trailer where feasible) should do the trick - as ependydad implies (and I did play with that calculator, thanks)! Ultimately, I can always try things out, and stick closer to home (Edmonton, Alberta) where it's very flat, before venturing further afield to the Rockies. If I need to upgrade the minivan later, so be it. Thanks again everyone for your input.

[LuckyDuck]

Perhaps you are right that your minivan is adequate, and if so, great! But I read from your post that you haven’t really determined your RV’s payload or what tongue weight and cargo load you’ll be carrying. As has been said, tow capacity is not you biggest concern. Keeping speeds down, staying out of OD etc is fine but doesn’t really have any bearing on your payload capacity. And I don’t think packing heavier items in the minivan instead of the trailer is your solution. Short trips on flat terrain may prevent any catastrophes but you can’t ensure you’ll never encounter an obstacle, sudden winds, or other unexpected event.

I don’t mean to rain on your parade and I hope it all works out for you. But your safety, and that of others, is most important. Good luck!

[Craig in Alberta]

Hello again All,

Thanks for your inputs thus far. Another question if I may, subsequent to the points LuckyDuck raised on August 4...

I had completed that Tongue Weight Estimator tool (recommended by Ependydad), and on the surface it initially seemed like I was in good shape (i.e., weight to spare) in every category for both my tow vehicle and my future trailer.

However, although I've concluded that I could indeed haul a 2,600 lbs (dry weight) trailer with my 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan (i.e., which again can tow between 3,000 lbs if 7 passengers + luggage; to 3,600 lbs if 2 passengers +luggage), I just realized the Caravan's user manual also states that the maximum tongue weight ranges from 300 lbs (if 7 passengers +luggage) to 360 lbs (if 2 passengers + luggage).

The trailer I'm looking at purchasing is a 2007 Bantam Flier F-18 hybrid trailer (HERE), which advertises a DRY tongue weight of 254 lbs. If we then add a 50 pound 12V battery and a couple of full propane tanks, the actual tongue weight is likely closer to 364 pounds, slightly over maximum. Would you towing veterans absolutely recommend against this, or, if using a weight distribution hitch, and if being careful to load any heavier cargo items BEHIND the trailer axels or even into my Caravan (as opposed to within the trailer itself), do you think I'll be okay? (FYI, it'll only ever be my wife and I, plus 3 young kids in the Grand Caravan - all weighing less than 450 lbs, combined, and we pack cargo pretty efficiently/minimalistic too).

Craig

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Craig in Alberta

The trailer I'm looking at purchasing is a 2007 Bantam Flier F-18 hybrid trailer (HERE), which advertises a DRY tongue weight of 254 lbs. If we then add a 50 pound 12V battery and a couple of full propane tanks, the actual tongue weight is likely closer to 364 pounds, slightly over maximum. Would you towing veterans absolutely recommend against this, or, if using a weight distribution hitch, and if being careful to load any heavier cargo items into my Caravan (as opposed to within the trailer itself), do you think I'll be okay? (FYI, it'll only ever be my wife and I, plus 3 young kids in the Grand Caravan - all weighing less than 450 lbs, combined, and we pack cargo pretty efficiently/minimalistic too).

Craig

Have you weighed your minivan? This article walks you through the weighing and then the math to see if you'll be within or over on any of your ratings:

Can My Truck/SUV tow that trailer?

[Jerry713]

Craig I personally wouldn't let that borderline over weight number concern me.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Craig in Alberta

Hello again All,

Thanks for your inputs thus far. Another question if I may, subsequent to the points LuckyDuck raised on August 4...

I had completed that Tongue Weight Estimator tool (recommended by Ependydad), and on the surface it initially seemed like I was in good shape (i.e., weight to spare) in every category for both my tow vehicle and my future trailer.

However, although I've concluded that I could indeed haul a 2,600 lbs (dry weight) trailer with my 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan (i.e., which again can tow between 3,000 lbs if 7 passengers + luggage; to 3,600 lbs if 2 passengers +luggage), I just realized the Caravan's user manual also states that the maximum tongue weight ranges from 300 lbs (if 7 passengers +luggage) to 360 lbs (if 2 passengers + luggage).

The trailer I'm looking at purchasing is a 2007 Bantam Flier F-18 hybrid trailer (HERE), which advertises a DRY tongue weight of 254 lbs. If we then add a 50 pound 12V battery and a couple of full propane tanks, the actual tongue weight is likely closer to 364 pounds, slightly over maximum. Would you towing veterans absolutely recommend against this, or, if using a weight distribution hitch, and if being careful to load any heavier cargo items BEHIND the trailer axels or even into my Caravan (as opposed to within the trailer itself), do you think I'll be okay? (FYI, it'll only ever be my wife and I, plus 3 young kids in the Grand Caravan - all weighing less than 450 lbs, combined, and we pack cargo pretty efficiently/minimalistic too).

Craig

Personally, if slightly over the max is the BEST-case scenario, I wouldn’t take the chance. If you are adding a WDH, that would add at least 50 more pounds. As mentioned, you really need to do some weighing under real conditions rather than base it on numbers from a flier. From experience, I’ve found you tend to pack more cargo than you expect (and it weighs more).

[DocBrown]

A couple of thoughts, towing package usually includes a larger capacity alternator and a heavy duty radiator, with aux transmission cooler as well. You'll have to do some digging for your year to find out exactly what constituted the towing package, as it varies from vehicle to vehicle.

Second, you can safely tow a small travel trailer with that van when setup properly. You'll also find it gets tiring watching every pound. And it's not fun to tow. You almost certainly will be getting a larger tow vehicle in 12-18 months.

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

You'll also find it gets tiring watching every pound. And it's not fun to tow. You almost certainly will be getting a larger tow vehicle in 12-18 months.

Couldn't agree more.