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  • Towing with a mini-van

    We'd love to buy a small 14 and 16 foot camper, but our mini-van will barely pull the smallest Ameri-lite camper (which has a dry weight of 2590). Our van has a 3500 lb towing capacity. Anyone out there pull a small camper with a mini-van. Perhaps a teardrop camper ... or something like that.

    Thanks!

  • #2
    Re: Towing with a mini-van

    Keeping in mind that the dry weight of a trailer means "with no added weight", like water, clothes, gear, etc., a teardrop or a smaller popup would definitely be your best bet. I haven't pulled one with a minivan myself, but I see 'em quite often heading down the road. If the routes to your campgrounds don't include a lot of mountains, you could get into something a bit closer to your maximum rating without over stressing your engine and/or transmission.

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    • #3
      Re: Towing with a mini-van

      if you dont want a popup which generally come in at or just under 2000 lbs, can consider smaller hardsided camper,
      lots of minis out there,
      for weight i would check your specific vehicle and see what towing packages are available,
      sometimes adding an oil cooler and/or higher amp alternator will increase towing capacity by 1000 lbs or so.

      heres an 11' hardsided that weights 2.162 lbs
      http://www.livinlite.com/camplite11fk-overview.php

      Click image for larger version

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      • #4
        Re: Towing with a mini-van

        I camp with a couple of people that tow a teardrop with a mini van without any trouble, but they only weigh about 100-1200lbs. Another guy pulls a 6X12 cargo trailer he converted into a camper. He bought an aluminum framed one. On flat ground he has no trouble, but getting into the hills he struggles some.

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        • #5
          Re: Towing with a mini-van

          I used pull a full sized jayco popup with bathroom. Toped 3,600 lbs with a Chevy vencher. It was very hard on the brakes and transmission. At the end of every year I had to do the brakes and have the trans fluid flushed.... I up graded to a used full-size Chevy van with a v8. We keep it just for camping. Love everything but the mpg

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          • #6
            Re: Towing with a mini-van

            We use a Chrysler Town & Country with a 3600# towing capacity to tow our Rockwood 1980 pop up that weighs in @ 2200# with all our gear in it. Tows and stops great. On the open road we will get up to 22 mpg towing. I don't think I would go over 3000# with a mini van though.

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