Tow question

[Keystone_Rider]

Is it possible my wife's and I 2002 Dodge caravan, 3.3L v6 can pull a 900lb landscaping trailer (6W x 12L) with two quads, gear and misc stuff to other states for the races with no problems? The caravan is not equipped with a tow package, but getting one put on is alot cheaper than buying a 4 door truck or suv. My biggest concern is damaging the transmission or burning up the brakes.
I do have a truck that has a tow package, but only seats two people. My wife and daughter wants to come along to support and watch me race. So I need to know if it's possible using the caravan. Thanks to all who can help me in advance

[99_300ex]

I would be a little concerned I know alot of those caravans had trans problems anyway. But I'm sure it would do fine and I wouldn't really worry about the brakes.

[dxcody]

I dont know if this helps, but i know this local guy that pulls around a 4x8 enclosed trailer with a ford taurus.. Inside the trailer is a can am renegade.. he doesnt bring his tool boxes with him, he said he cant get stopped very easily if he does. I think it would go better if he was pulling the car with the renegade lol

He said he got the car for like $600 tho so he doesnt really care if he rips the tranny out of it.

Im sure the ole van will be fine, but i would hate to see your family vehical get trashed over a race..

[CJM]

Will it tow it, probably..but slowly. Your problem willbe stopping, your brakes cant handle it-course the trans is another concern, if you can shut off overdrive.

I wouldnt recommend it, buy an older truck of some kind like an F150/250. They can be had for 3500 or less. Your van will die a horrible death sooner or later if you tow withit much.

[quad2xtreme]

Does the trailer have brakes? If so, stopping shouldn't be an issue.

Can't help you on the motor or tranny side. I don't know squat about the Caravan.

[CJM]

Originally posted by quad2xtreme
Does the trailer have brakes? If so, stopping shouldn't be an issue.

Can't help you on the motor or tranny side. I don't know squat about the Caravan.

I doubt a small trailer like that would have brakes.

The problem is even further compounded by the fact the vehicle is not designed to tow at all really. My friend has a 4x8 trailer and a CRF250R and a caravan-it BARELY pulls that combo!

[HondaPohl]

It will tow it but it will beat the heck out of your van. Its gonna play hell on your torque converter and trans. And like CJM said, braking will be an issue. I tow a 6X14 landscape with two or three quads with my fullsize chevy tahoe and sometimes I have a hard time braking. The only way to stay from going into the lock up on the trans is to tap the brake when it goes in or keep your foot on the pedal slightly which is a hugh pain in the butt. You can try to wire into the brake pedal to jump it out. At least this is how the dodge trucks work. Good luck!

[witech]

Originally posted by Keystone_Rider
Is it possible my wife's and I 2002 Dodge caravan, 3.3L v6 can pull a 900lb landscaping trailer (6W x 12L) with two quads, gear and misc stuff to other states for the races with no problems? The caravan is not equipped with a tow package, but getting one put on is alot cheaper than buying a 4 door truck or suv. My biggest concern is damaging the transmission or burning up the brakes.
I do have a truck that has a tow package, but only seats two people. My wife and daughter wants to come along to support and watch me race. So I need to know if it's possible using the caravan. Thanks to all who can help me in advance 3.3L V6 can tow 2,000lbs or 3,600lbs with trans cooler and class 3 hitch

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_towing_capacity_of_Dodge_Caravan#ixzz1 diJ1B7jf

Ive been using cars to tow for 25 years . I just recently bought a truck.
Never had an issue with any car .
If your not going to push it by driving 85mph the whole way or go up mountains it wont be an issue. just drive smart .leave extra following distance ,take it slow on long downhills.
Most cars and minivans 2 quads and a lightwieght trailer is no problem.
Most all american made vehicles were designed to tow in some capacity .

[buck440]

i see people tow with cars and vans all the time. is it good to do that? idk.

think of it like this... usually vans can carry 7-8 people. say each person weighed 150lbs...their not from america:)...anywho, 150lbs x7=1050lbs. i would say the max you could safely carry is around 1050lbs give or take a couple hundred.

usually a quad is around 450-500lbs so 2 quads would be 900-1000lbs. i kinda just got a brain fart and lost where i was going with this:huh

[Hornbreaker]

I don't know but from every thing I've read over the years, all the manufacturers say there front wheel drive cars and trucks are not made to tow. Something to do with the strain on the front end and the weight transfer of the stop and go. I think you wrote that you have a truck, then my suggestion to you is tow with the truck and have your wife follow in the van. I know it's double in gas but isn't that better then beating up your van? Good Luck with what ever you do.

[CJM]

Figure his load between people, quads and trailer is more than 2500lbs. You must take into account when they claim the tow ratings they claim with just 1 person in there, no fuel, nada.

Honestly the main reasons why I say its a bad idea is the brakes will be toast and the trans in those things is pretty much junk from the get go.

Small pick up will easily tow stuff. I can tow a fully loaded landscape trailer with my T100 V6 (its the predecessor to a tundra). Figure each of the mowers (we carry 2) weigh easily over 1000lbs, a 48 inch walk behind and gas, weedwackers and such. The trailer Im not sure of the weight but its gotta be about 2000lbs. Towing that load is a bit tough, its only a 1/2 ton truck with a large 6 and good gearing, 1 mower I can handle better.

I have towed 3 quads before on my trailer that weighs approx 800lbs and even that pushes me slightly sometimes.

So trust me when i say this, that vans either gonna cause an accident since your overloading it or your gonna break it.

[finsteratv]

I have friends who pull there pop up trailer with their caravan through the coast range. we had like 5 of us in the van and all of our stuff plus they trailer and it seemed to do okay.