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#1
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Has anyone pulled a camper with Grand Caravan Sport or GC
Hope I am not breaking any rules as I have tried to ask a form of this
question before. No replies. I have a 99 GC Sport with 94K miles. I am looking to buy a pop up camper. These units typically weigh 1300 to 2500 lbs and I would say the avearage being about 2000 lbs. I am interested in feedback and advise from those who have used their GC to pull these type of units. Especially if you did it with the 3.3 engine. Such as how to be sure if I do,or do not have the tow package? How to install a trans cooler and where to get the best one. Best hitch? Any other upgrades or modifications that should be done or that could be done to insure better safety and reliablity. Please , no comments to just buy a big SUV. We had one and between the bad milege and the fact that for our family, we feel a Mini is much more comfortable and roomier then any SUV we owned. thanks |
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#2
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On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 11:02:37 -0400, sheriyork wrote:
> Hope I am not breaking any rules as I have tried to ask a form of this > question before. No replies. > > I have a 99 GC Sport with 94K miles. I am looking to buy a pop up > camper. These units typically weigh 1300 to 2500 lbs and I would say the > avearage being about 2000 lbs. > > I am interested in feedback and advise from those who have used their GC > to pull these type of units. Especially if you did it with the 3.3 > engine. Such as how to be sure if I do,or do not have the tow package? > How to install a trans cooler and where to get the best one. Best hitch? > Any other upgrades or modifications that should be done or that could be > done to insure better safety and reliablity. > Please , no comments to just buy a big SUV. We had one and between the > bad milege and the fact that for our family, we feel a Mini is much more > comfortable and roomier then any SUV we owned. thanks I've done it a couple of times with a 2000 GC sport. I don't recall the engine size; it may have been the 3.3. The pop-up I towed was about 1,500#. Nothing special; just get a hitch from any decent place that's rated for that and go for it. It towed quite well; no real problems. If you plan on doing it on a regular basis, you really should get a tranny cooler; if you're in hot areas, I'd get an auxiliary fan as well. If you do lots of mountains, I'd look to see if you have a steering cooler; if not, I'd see if one is available for your vehicle. I'd also look for an engine oil cooler. Sometimes you can get a kit; other times you have to buy separately. Look around to see what's available. I'm not going to do research for you. Google is your friend. As to how to install these, I'd look to see what's available for the vehicle, and then get on the manufacturer's web sites, and download manuals. It ain't rocket science, but it also will destroy tranny / engine / steering if you screw up. For safety, I'd get a backup camera. Most people think this is stupid, but a decent backup camera will help tremendously when the time comes to get around in tight spaces. I have one that points straight down at the hitch and one that points out back, and I can switch between them. --Kamus |
#3
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On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 11:02:37 -0400, sheriyork wrote:
> Hope I am not breaking any rules as I have tried to ask a form of this > question before. No replies. > > I have a 99 GC Sport with 94K miles. I am looking to buy a pop up > camper. These units typically weigh 1300 to 2500 lbs and I would say the > avearage being about 2000 lbs. > > I am interested in feedback and advise from those who have used their GC > to pull these type of units. Especially if you did it with the 3.3 > engine. Such as how to be sure if I do,or do not have the tow package? > How to install a trans cooler and where to get the best one. Best hitch? > Any other upgrades or modifications that should be done or that could be > done to insure better safety and reliablity. > Please , no comments to just buy a big SUV. We had one and between the > bad milege and the fact that for our family, we feel a Mini is much more > comfortable and roomier then any SUV we owned. thanks I've done it a couple of times with a 2000 GC sport. I don't recall the engine size; it may have been the 3.3. The pop-up I towed was about 1,500#. Nothing special; just get a hitch from any decent place that's rated for that and go for it. It towed quite well; no real problems. If you plan on doing it on a regular basis, you really should get a tranny cooler; if you're in hot areas, I'd get an auxiliary fan as well. If you do lots of mountains, I'd look to see if you have a steering cooler; if not, I'd see if one is available for your vehicle. I'd also look for an engine oil cooler. Sometimes you can get a kit; other times you have to buy separately. Look around to see what's available. I'm not going to do research for you. Google is your friend. As to how to install these, I'd look to see what's available for the vehicle, and then get on the manufacturer's web sites, and download manuals. It ain't rocket science, but it also will destroy tranny / engine / steering if you screw up. For safety, I'd get a backup camera. Most people think this is stupid, but a decent backup camera will help tremendously when the time comes to get around in tight spaces. I have one that points straight down at the hitch and one that points out back, and I can switch between them. --Kamus |
#4
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I have a 04 carravan and the manual will tell you its towing capacity. I
think its the same as my 04 sxt 3000 lbs regards papa |
#5
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I have a 04 carravan and the manual will tell you its towing capacity. I
think its the same as my 04 sxt 3000 lbs regards papa |
#6
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Have you ever had the transmission fluid changed. If you have, do you know
what fluid was used? If it was at a dealer, OK but anywhere else, be suspicious.Almost no place seems to know or care that Chrysler transmissions need special fluid. Yours may be type "Plus 3" or "Plus 4". If in doubt, when you go to get it changed, anywhere but the dealer, check to see if they have the right fluid first. If they try to tell you that they have this stuff that converts Dexron to the Plus type fluid, decline it, and ask if they don't mind if you go and buy the correct elsewhere and just have them do the labor. And if they say Dexron fluid is OK, leave. They are idiots. Remember, if you are unsure of the fluid in you transmission, if anyone but a dealer has serviced the transmission, you may have the wrong fluid and puling a trailer may kill your transmission. Heck, with the wrong fluid the transmissions in Dodge mini-vans die easy even when not pulling a trailer. |
#7
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Have you ever had the transmission fluid changed. If you have, do you know
what fluid was used? If it was at a dealer, OK but anywhere else, be suspicious.Almost no place seems to know or care that Chrysler transmissions need special fluid. Yours may be type "Plus 3" or "Plus 4". If in doubt, when you go to get it changed, anywhere but the dealer, check to see if they have the right fluid first. If they try to tell you that they have this stuff that converts Dexron to the Plus type fluid, decline it, and ask if they don't mind if you go and buy the correct elsewhere and just have them do the labor. And if they say Dexron fluid is OK, leave. They are idiots. Remember, if you are unsure of the fluid in you transmission, if anyone but a dealer has serviced the transmission, you may have the wrong fluid and puling a trailer may kill your transmission. Heck, with the wrong fluid the transmissions in Dodge mini-vans die easy even when not pulling a trailer. |
#8
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I wish they would make it a different color or something so we can tell if
they used the right stuff before leaving the shop. The tranny shop I used claims to use the right fluid, but having had 3 replacements in the space of a few months I have to think they aren't. Jon "Dan Fraser" > wrote in message . .. > Have you ever had the transmission fluid changed. If you have, do you know > what fluid was used? > > If it was at a dealer, OK but anywhere else, be suspicious.Almost no place > seems to know or care that Chrysler transmissions need special fluid. Yours > may be type "Plus 3" or "Plus 4". > > If in doubt, when you go to get it changed, anywhere but the dealer, check > to see if they have the right fluid first. If they try to tell you that they > have this stuff that converts Dexron to the Plus type fluid, decline it, and > ask if they don't mind if you go and buy the correct elsewhere and just have > them do the labor. And if they say Dexron fluid is OK, leave. They are > idiots. > > Remember, if you are unsure of the fluid in you transmission, if anyone but > a dealer has serviced the transmission, you may have the wrong fluid and > puling a trailer may kill your transmission. Heck, with the wrong fluid the > transmissions in Dodge mini-vans die easy even when not pulling a trailer. > > |
#9
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I wish they would make it a different color or something so we can tell if
they used the right stuff before leaving the shop. The tranny shop I used claims to use the right fluid, but having had 3 replacements in the space of a few months I have to think they aren't. Jon "Dan Fraser" > wrote in message . .. > Have you ever had the transmission fluid changed. If you have, do you know > what fluid was used? > > If it was at a dealer, OK but anywhere else, be suspicious.Almost no place > seems to know or care that Chrysler transmissions need special fluid. Yours > may be type "Plus 3" or "Plus 4". > > If in doubt, when you go to get it changed, anywhere but the dealer, check > to see if they have the right fluid first. If they try to tell you that they > have this stuff that converts Dexron to the Plus type fluid, decline it, and > ask if they don't mind if you go and buy the correct elsewhere and just have > them do the labor. And if they say Dexron fluid is OK, leave. They are > idiots. > > Remember, if you are unsure of the fluid in you transmission, if anyone but > a dealer has serviced the transmission, you may have the wrong fluid and > puling a trailer may kill your transmission. Heck, with the wrong fluid the > transmissions in Dodge mini-vans die easy even when not pulling a trailer. > > |
#10
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I occasionally tow an '87 Coleman Chesapeake a few hundred miles with my '98
GC Sport with a 3.3L engine. Mostly flat towing the Maryland's Eastern shore (from Philly) but once in a while a trip to Canada, the Poconos or the Adirondacks. I installed and installed a transmission cooler I picked up at my local NAPA dealer right after I purchased the van. I had U-haul install the hitch as they had a free installation special at the time. I did the wiring myself from a Pep-boys kit. The van tows the popup (2300 lbs. loaded) just fine but (I'm shouting now) YOU NEED TO READ THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR PROPER TOWING TECHNIQUES FOR YOUR SPECIFIC VAN! This is very important as the instructions have varied over the years. I towed the popup in overdrive for the first few years and attributed my first tranny failure to that. Also, while the van pulls ok some more power would be appreciated. Climbing hills with the Pop-up and the family tests my patience a bit. While stopping in normal situations is OK, panic stops require a short prayer. Electric brakes on the popup would really help in these situations. Hope this helps, Jon > wrote in message ... > Hope I am not breaking any rules as I have tried to ask a form of this > question before. No replies. > > I have a 99 GC Sport with 94K miles. I am looking to buy a pop up camper. > These units typically weigh 1300 to 2500 lbs and I would say the avearage > being about 2000 lbs. > > I am interested in feedback and advise from those who have used their GC to > pull these type of units. Especially if you did it with the 3.3 engine. > Such as how to be sure if I do,or do not have the tow package? How to > install a trans cooler and where to get the best one. Best hitch? Any other > upgrades or modifications that should be done or that could be done to > insure better safety and reliablity. > Please , no comments to just buy a big SUV. We had one and between the bad > milege and the fact that for our family, we feel a Mini is much more > comfortable and roomier then any SUV we owned. > thanks > > |
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