what size trailer hitch should I have!

[Cannondale]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

A PT cruiser is rated for 1000lbs and 100lbs tongue weight. Subtract from that rating the load in the vehicle (driver, passengers, cargo, etc). Not even counting any of that you're already over twice the rated capacity of your car. To put it in perspective I pull a roughly 3000lb trailer with electric brakes with a 5000lb rated mid size SUV and would not want to pull any more than 3500lbs at highway speeds. I made it my own personal rule not to pull more than two thirds of rated capacity if the vehicle's smaller than a full size pickup.

I'm sure you mean, when you say subtract that weight, you mean the tongue weight. The trailer/towed weight is relevant only for the GCWR, not the GVWR....which is what you subtract the tongue weight from to determine what sort of loading you can put into the vehicle. That is, unless you mount your trailer/boat on top of your vehicle and then you are correct in subtracting the total towed weight from the GVWR.

 

[bostonwhalermontauk1965]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

For what its worth (and I wouldnt recommend it) I just towed a 1000 pound boston whaler with a johnson 50 and a trailer probably weighing another 800 pounds no problem behind a 1997 Honda civic with a class 2 smaller size slide in type receiver hitch. I dont condone my actions - I was in a pinch and I had to bring the boat up to my house from my moms. The real thing to worry about is stopping 1st and transmission exertion 2nd. Well for what it is worth - I went nice and easy and the Honda didnt even know it was behind me. I wouldnt try that at the boat ramp - but I do think that people get carried away when they think they need big trucks to pull smaller boats sometimes. I am in the market for a CJ size Jeep preferably with automatic for ramp ease - and I would love it to have an 8 cyl. - Anyway - good luck.

 

[NYBo]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

A PT won't pull anything over 1,000 Lbs. Be careful.They don't make a trailer hitch bigger then one and a half inches. That's what I have on both of my PT's.

Do you have a turbo model? Many small vehicles with turbos have a recommended towing limit of zero.

 

[garyq]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

the Dodge Caravan is not turbo ! but is auto and the hitch dealer said I would need a class 2 trailer hitch which is rated for 3500lbs so my boat weights 2100lb and trailer around 500lbs should leave me with 900lbs ,my boat is 17' am I okay to tow?

 

[Cannondale]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Depends on the auto in the Caravan. If it's got the three speed, that's one of Chrysler's stouter fwd transmissions and probably a good bet for towing something light.

If it's got the four speed, though, I wouldn't tow a paper clip behind it. That transmission is known for having numerous problems.

 

[NYBo]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

I was referring to the PT Cruiser.

You are within the weight limits for the Caravan. But do yourself a favor and install an auxiliary transmission cooler on the van. The transaxles are the weakest link here. And use ATF+4 fluid only.

 

[garyq]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

I did not know that this is a 1993 van good shape .....

 

[garyq]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Yes I was thinking about that today -trans-cooler should be another $200 but worth every penny on a long run ..15hrs total drive

And yes the PT -GT is turbo cold air intake 225hp

 

[Sixmark]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Wow, I hope nobody is missing the mark on this, but you have to go by BOTH the rating on the vehicle and on the hitch attached to it:

EXAMPLE: Vehicle Rated @ 1000lbs towing capacity
Hitch rated @ 3500lbs

Your towing capacity is only 1000lbs minus the weight of passengers and gear

Vehicle Rated @3500lbs
Hitch @ 1000lbs

You are still only rated for 1000lbs minus weight of passengers and gear

My 97 Buick is rated for 1000lbs and I wont even think of pulling my 16ft Baretta behind it, I like my transmission in one piece.

 

[Cannondale]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Wow, I hope nobody is missing the mark on this, but you have to go by BOTH the rating on the vehicle and on the hitch attached to it:

EXAMPLE: Vehicle Rated @ 1000lbs towing capacity
Hitch rated @ 3500lbs

Your towing capacity is only 1000lbs minus the weight of passengers and gear

Vehicle Rated @3500lbs
Hitch @ 1000lbs

You are still only rated for 1000lbs minus weight of passengers and gear

My 97 Buick is rated for 1000lbs and I wont even think of pulling my 16ft Baretta behind it, I like my transmission in one piece.

You do understand the weight of the trailer is NOT subtracted from what the vehicle can carry, right? You're not putting the loaded trailer on the vehicle, are you?

You subtract the TONGUE weight from the vehicle carrying capacity, or GVW.

The vehicle's GCVW, or gross combined vehicle weight, is what you use to determine the load capacity of the vehicle plus what weight you can tow.

My Blazer has a GVW of 4450# and a GCVW of 9500#, giving me a towable weight rating of 5000# if I load the truck to max load capacity. The truck is stated to have a max trailer towing capacity of 5700#.

The GVW includes the vehicle, passengers, anything loaded into the vehicle plus the tongue weight of the trailer.....since the tongue weight is what the vehicle is carrying, not the entire trailer's weight.

 

[garyq]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Sorry it took so long to get bad to this broad bought a use boat 1976 springbok
16 foot aluminum forward controls and 70 hp evinrude and trailer ,boat ,motor and trailer weight around 1100lbs should be in good shape now to tow behind my small van 3l engine

 

[Sixmark]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

You do understand the weight of the trailer is NOT subtracted from what the vehicle can carry, right? You're not putting the loaded trailer on the vehicle, are you?

You subtract the TONGUE weight from the vehicle carrying capacity, or GVW.

The vehicle's GCVW, or gross combined vehicle weight, is what you use to determine the load capacity of the vehicle plus what weight you can tow.

My Blazer has a GVW of 4450# and a GCVW of 9500#, giving me a towable weight rating of 5000# if I load the truck to max load capacity. The truck is stated to have a max trailer towing capacity of 5700#.

The GVW includes the vehicle, passengers, anything loaded into the vehicle plus the tongue weight of the trailer.....since the tongue weight is what the vehicle is carrying, not the entire trailer's weight.

You DO understand that we are discussing towing capacity and not GVW, you are preaching to the choir here, considering that hauling trailers and loads in excess of 100,000lbs is what I do for a living.

If your vehicle is only rated for 1000lbs towing capacity then 1000lbs is the max, regardless of what the GVW on your tow vehicle is.

Your tow rig is only rated by the max of it's weakest component.

 

[Low dsrt jon]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Personally I would stick with a class three hitch set-up. LDJ

 

[garyq]

Re: what size trailer hitch should I have!

Class 3 will only cost me $60 more ! will think about it???