Ventureman
Rochester, NY, USA
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Joined: 07/26/2003
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I have a 98 Chevy Venture without the Tow package. I am trying to duplicate it so I can tow a popup (thinking about Coleman,Rockwood or Starcraft) weighing approx. 3,000 pounds. I was thinking about air shocks in the rear and a trans. oil cooler. All trips would be less than about 300 miles over mild terrain (2 adults, 3 kids in van). Any advice greatly appreciated. PS. With factory package van is rated to tow 3,500 pounds.
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Bantam
Anderson,IN
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Joined: 06/27/2003
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I have a 2003 Venture that I tow a 17' Trail-Lite Bantam with. The tow package is just the wiring, an air compresser and a trans cooler. I am towing with a straight van without the towing package and am towing about 2800lbs without any trouble at all. Water temp comes up a few degrees on takeoff but comes right back down. You shouldn't have any trouble towing your popup.I'm still getting over 15 mpg so it can't be pulling very hard.Hope this helps.
2004 Chev 1/2 4300 V6
Our new Used 5th wheel
1999 Trail Lite 5240
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gottagetaway
Texas
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Joined: 07/21/2003
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Most popups I've seen are very well balanced and tongue can be picked up by an adult of average strength. I often see people in campgrounds positioning by hand in their campsite. I'd be surprised if the tongue weight is even 100 lbs.
Most mini-vans are rated to tow 3500lbs, and assuming the Venture is the same, you should be able to tow the popup and 500 lbs. of gear with no modifications. Especially in the light use situations you mentioned.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just have fun.
Steve
2 boys-16 & 20, 2 Dogs - The Village Idiots (the dogs not the boys)
1998 Cardinal CAF34RL LX
Main TV: 2005 F350 PSD Crew Cab SRW SB FX4 King Ranch IBC
Backup TV: 2000 Ford F250 PSD Crew Cab SB 2WD, Western Diesel Proshot w/Quad Power, Rancho RS9000's, Air bags
I may not know much, but at least I know that.
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mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
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Joined: 08/26/2002
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OK the Venture space shuttle like it's clones from Olds and Pontiac, have the 3500 pound rating only with the heavy duty tow package.
Without the package GM rates then at 2000 pounds.
But, the problem is neither tow rating is worth a hill of beans.
You need to go by more than the fantasy tow rating put out by GM.
here's a few things you HAVE to meet and NOT exceed to tow safely.
GVWR gross vehicle weight rating...the maximum weight the van can weigh. This includes eveything including hitch weight, passengers, the dog, the food, the cooler, the bikes on the roof and the rack they ride in and the tongue weight of the trailer.
GCWR gross combined weight rating...The maximum everything, trailer and TV can weigh.
Then there's the GAWR gross axle weight rating for all axles, both front and rear on the TV and the trailers axle as well
Maximum tongue weight.
maximum frontal area of the trailer, while it really doesn't matter with a PU, a lot of small TT's & Hybrids can run into problems.
Weights you need:
actual weight of the TV ready to camp and each axle weight. The axle weight, tongue and gross weight of the trailer.
The published "tow rating" often include only 150 pounds in the TV as an allowance for a driver and the weight of the vehicle is "dry" without options. ex: 7150 pound GCWR - 3500 dry weight -150 pound driver allowance for a "published tow rating of 3500 pounds.
Now you weight the TV set for camping with the hitch, bikes, family, coolers, dog and a full tank of gas and low and behold the damn thing goes 4200 pounds, So your actual towing capacity is 7150 -4200 or 2950 and it might not even be that as you could be exceeding one or both of the axle ratings for the TV as well.
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ktosv
Allendale, MI
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Joined: 08/17/2002
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I do not know what your GVWR for a Venture with out tow package is, but according to the GVWR and the AWR (both front and rear) for my 2002 Silhouette, you will have no problems pulling a pop up or small hybrid. With me, my wife, daughter, dog and a full tank of gas, I could load 900# into it with out exceeding my axle weight ratings (or the GVWR). We towed a 1800# pop up with out any problems before we moved to the hybrid. With the way the numbers work out, I am borderline capable of towing my hybrid, but I have not tried it.
I would suggest either putting a tranny cooler on or starting with a tranny temp gauge and see how you do. If it doesn't heat up you are fine. If you start to heat up you know you will need to add the cooler. Better yet, you might want to just do both.
Kevin and my...
Wife, three daughters, a son
and two dogs(brittany and english setter)
2005 Suburban (295HP/335#-ft, 3.42 axle)
2010 Passport Ultra Lite 2910
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6MISFITZ
Fort Erie, ON, CANADA
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Ventureman, I tried to respond to the message you left me but you have not selected the correct boxes in your proflie to allow a response. Try my email address if you want or let me know when you reset your profile.
Hope this gets to you the next time you check back.
Mike.
Mom, Dad, 4 kids, 2 Camping Dogs
Express 2500 LS (135"WB) 6.0L, 4.10, G80, PYO wheels, HENSLEY & McKesh
--------------------
MISFITZ RACING
MFCC Member
Rallies Attended 4, 7 Un-Rallies
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BluegrassPUHauler
Louisville, KY, USA
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Joined: 07/25/2003
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VentureMan,
I have a 2003 Coleman Niagara and I tow it with a 98 Venture. We pack lightly and I also take out the third row back seats. That reduces the TV weight by exactly 100 lbs. I also use only one gas tank and never haul water until I reach the campground. The Chevy owners manual says I can safely tow 3500 lbs. with two adults. I also have two kids to carry, but since I remove the third row seats, this offsets their weight. The dry weight of the Niagara is about 2800 lbs. So this gives me 700 lbs. for gear to play with. My Niagara's gvwr is 3450. The Chevy towing package just adds more cooling and more convenience, but the engine is exactly the same. I honestly think we are fine with a trans cooler and WD/AS class III hitch.
One other note: Isn't it funny how almost all the mini-van manufactures, albeit domestic or foreign, rate their vehicles at 3500 lbs? And isn't it funny how most large popups gvwr are just under 3500 lbs? Popups and mini-vans go hand in hand.
BluegrassPUHauler
'01 Toyota Sequoia
'03 Coleman Niagara
Reese Mini 350 Lite
Reese Brake Controller
Campers: Me (Hauler), Wife, 2 girls and a Wirefox Terrier.
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dtpatt2
not there
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Joined: 07/25/2003
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Whoa. I didn't know mini-vans could tow that much. That's quite a bit...
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Ventureman
Rochester, NY, USA
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Joined: 07/26/2003
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Thanks all! After a lot of reading on this and other forums on this site I have scaled down our "plan". If we do get something it will be a smaller, used PU. I think I need to be more aware of how quickly the extra weight adds up. Will most likely add a trans cooler and air bags in the rear. I'm not sure the shock absorber mounts are up to the extra stress on them. I don't know which topic it was under but thank you to whoever stated the thread about needing to box the frame of a PU before using a WD hitch! I don't log on as often as I would like, but please keep the comments coming.
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