|
|
| Anyone out there tow a boat with a minivan? I have an 18 ft alum boat that weighs about 3,000 I'm guessing, and was curious if a minivan would do the trick. A minivan would meet the family needs better than an SUV or truck but want to make sure it can handle the towing.
Do you have any recomendations on minivans? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2361
| It would tow it on a flat but that is a pretty hefty package and you would be at the outer limits of your vehicle's capability, not a good thing if you are going to pull it alot. At 3000 lbs. I would look at an SUV or full size van such as an Astro with a v6 somewhere around a 4 liter. I pull my boat occasionally with a mini van, and it is similar in size to yours, but don't think it does a lot of good for the tranny, the motor probably is ok. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20279
Location: oswego, il | The only minivan I would tow a boat of that size would be the chevy astro. Don't trust a front wheel drive to take on that task. Another option in vans and a much better deal is the "shorty" dodge full size van. If nothing else go check one out, they are not much bigger. The dodge v6 is not the best on gas but a good deal can be had on that van. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 633
| I have a 1993 Tuffy 180C, and I have pulled it with our mini-van. One thing to look at when you go shopping for a mini-van is ask for the towing package. Then your warranty will cover your transmission. We just picked up a new Chevy Venture with the towing package this summer. It has better suspensions, and extra cooling on the transmission. It is rated to tow 3500 pounds. I had been pulling my boat with a Chrysler Grand Voyager SE before, and had done alright in and out of launches, but most of the time it was short trips within the metro. I took the boat up to Mille Lacs without any problems with the new van.
A friend of my wife use to tow his boat with his mini-van and had transmission problems. When he went to the dealer to get them fixed under warranty they asked him what he had been towing, and he told them the size of his boat, and they told him he exceeded the max towing and he would have to pay for the repairs. Most mini-vans are good to 2000 lbs. with out the towing package, and most of them go up to 3500 lbs. with the towing package.
Hopefully next spring I will get a pickup to start to towing the boat, but until then I will use the mini-van. I strand my wife at home when I go fishing with the van.
Good luck shopping, and watch out for salesmen who don't know the difference between a towing package, and a trailer hitch. I had a guy tell me they could put on the towing package for $400, and I told him the towing package consisted of more than just a trailer hitch. We argued, I left and never went back. The towing package is extra transmission cooling, and better rear suspension from the FACTORY.
Lance
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | be sure to have a good trans. cooler added to the package and a trans temperature gauge. Major point is to be sure the tongue wght. is what it should be. If its off it adds a ton of stress to the van.
Don Pfeiffer |
|
| |
|
| thanks very much............... |
|
| |
|
| I have a GM Safari and tow my 17ft. Lund Bob Izumi with a155 Yamaha fully loaded without a problem ever! 4.3 L V6, and 5000# Towing Capacity |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | Better make sure you have trailer brakes as there are no mini vans that will stop that rig. Best bet for towing is something made for towing. Safari/Astros have the 4.3 v6..big engine rear drive for a mini van. Even small suv's that rig would be tough on. My suv is rated for around 6000 but without trailer brakes it just ain't made to tow more then 1500lbs. As are most other small vehicles. Front drives are not good for twoing anything with much weight..I wouldn't tow more then 1000lbs with a front drive mini van even though many people do. Just ain't safe. |
|
| |
|
| For what its worth I am a wholesale car/truck dealer and handle tons of this stuff so I guess that makes my opinion a professional one. Best choice in a mini van would be a Safari or Astro AWD, plenty of power, plenty of brakes, plenty of traction and real body on frame truck durability. An equalizer hitch and a trany cooler and your good to go no sweat. 3000# and a front wheel drive, doable but not a real good setup.
Bob T |
|
| |
Minivan towing a boat-trying again