planetchad
Louisiana
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I am considering buying a trailer to tow using my Concorde. The manual says that the maximum trailer weight is 1,500 lbs for Concordes with the 2.7L engine and 2,000 lbs with the 3.2L engine. Mine has the 2.7L engine. The trailer I was looking at weighs 1,800 lbs empty. Do you think that my car could safely tow it? Why would the larger engine be able to handle more? My car is around 200 hp, so I'm thinking that should be enough power. Has anybody had any experience towing campers with this car? If so, what size can it tow? Also, I don't want a pop up.
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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planetchad wrote:I am considering buying a trailer to tow using my Concorde. The manual says that the maximum trailer weight is 1,500 lbs for Concordes with the 2.7L engine and 2,000 lbs with the 3.2L engine. Mine has the 2.7L engine. The trailer I was looking at weighs 1,800 lbs empty. Do you think that my car could safely tow it? Why would the larger engine be able to handle more? My car is around 200 hp, so I'm thinking that should be enough power. Has anybody had any experience towing campers with this car? If so, what size can it tow? Also, I don't want a pop up. By the time you load the trailer or even put water in it you'll be over your limit. It's not just HP that determines how much you can tow, it's axle, transmission, weight of the TV, BUT usually braking. Does the TT have brakes?
Personaly I wouldn't do it, just too close to your limit
Deen - Vancouver, WA
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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So....the specs say your considered trailer weighs more EMPTY than you can tow and you want to know if you can safely tow it loaded? A 1500 lb. tow rating is DCs way to tell you "don't tow with it". That figure would have to be reduced by any weight you put IN your car also so with a couple of passengers and a box lunch you can easily knock off another 300 lb. from that rating.
All of that being said, in case you actually serious, tow ratings are warranty issues not safety issues. They denote the weight the manufacturer believes they can allow and still maintain your warranty. GVWR and axle ratings are the only SAFETY ratings you need to be concerned about but I suspect you'll also be over on one or both of those.
Good luck / Skip
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twins89
Walworth, NY
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Don't even consider it. You don't want a popup and can't tow anything safely with that car. Look into a good used tow vehicle (suburban or pick up) that you could get a good deal on due to the cost of gas and the influx on the used car market. Then look at what you can tow safely; adding in the passengers, gear and the camping unit. Remember to use the unladen weight as the starting weight, add in passengers, gear, water, propane, etc. Take this figure and make sure it is less than what your vehicle can tow. Doing this will allow for many safe miles of travel and an enjoyable camping trip. What ever you do don't believe the salesperson when they say " sure you can pull it." Do your own homework - check here; you'll get honest answers, maybe what you dont want to hear; but honest ones!
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
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skipnchar wrote:So....the specs say your considered trailer weighs more EMPTY than you can tow and you want to know if you can safely tow it loaded? A 1500 lb. tow rating is DCs way to tell you "don't tow with it". That figure would have to be reduced by any weight you put IN your car also so with a couple of passengers and a box lunch you can easily knock off another 300 lb. from that rating.
All of that being said, in case you actually serious, tow ratings are warranty issues not safety issues. They denote the weight the manufacturer believes they can allow and still maintain your warranty. GVWR and axle ratings are the only SAFETY ratings you need to be concerned about but I suspect you'll also be over on one or both of those.
Good luck / Skip It is a safety issue if it's the brakes that limit the towing weight.
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Hornet28BHDS
Parker, PA
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I wouldn't tow anything more than a small PUP with your Concorde. It sounds like it's time to upgrade TV's.
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mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
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The biggest factor is the barn door effect. With the 2.7L engine you'd be very hard pressed to get to 55 mph towing a full height TT. Not to mention if you turned on the A/C the car and trailer would slow down.
Also as was posted earlier no one ever towed a trailer at it's dry weight. Until you can get a true scale weight you should use the GVWR for considering a trailer.
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husker 2
Sequim WA
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You have to be kidding!!!!!!!!! The Chrysler is suited for towing period.
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husker 2
Sequim WA
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Is NOT suited
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AlbertF
Western Canada
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planetchad wrote:I am considering buying a trailer to tow using my Concorde. The manual says that the maximum trailer weight is 1,500 lbs for Concordes with the 2.7L engine and 2,000 lbs with the 3.2L engine. Mine has the 2.7L engine. The trailer I was looking at weighs 1,800 lbs empty. Do you think that my car could safely tow it? Why would the larger engine be able to handle more? My car is around 200 hp, so I'm thinking that should be enough power. Has anybody had any experience towing campers with this car? If so, what size can it tow? Also, I don't want a pop up.
Oh my . . . you've unwittingly dropped a bomb!
Search the forum archives for keywords like Intrepid, Airstream, Andy Thomson, and you will have plenty of reading to do. The short answer is that you can tow a TT, but you need to make sure you've got a suitable hitch receiver (particularly if the tongue weight is over 250 lbs or so, which would lead to a need for a weight distributing hitch). A receiver might need to be a custom item. You would also need to be willing to ignore the manufacturer's towing rating (which would not involve breaking the law, contrary to the views of some). You will need to inform yourself carefully and consider the pros and cons.
The biggest con in my mind is the 2.7 engine. It is big enough to do fine with a smaller (narrower) trailer, or with an aerodynamic trailer like an Airstream or Casita, although highway driving would require driving in 3rd gear to produce enough horsepower to comfortably overcome wind resistance. However, the 2.7 has a reputation for sludging and premature failure, so you would want to change oil very frequently if you were to tow. Sludging seems to result from very high head temperatures intended to minimize emissions, and working the engine harder can't help.
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