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Towing A trailer ( old question I know)

3K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Lumpy 
#1 ·
:roll:
Well for the first time I will be towing anything with my 2001 LS with 160K miles, I found the gear ratio to be 3;42 (sorry, why is this relevant? ) I am not mechanically inclined and before I go to a shop and get ripped of I would like some advise. The van has the Tow/haul button, it has trans/cooler in front of the radiator and I had a hitch installed (it came from another astro and I was told will pull up to 5k lbs), ok I know I will sound ignorant but now what?? I need to move my family back to NY because things didn't work out here in FL so I am taking just our clothing and a few nick nacks, so I got me a used 6x14 trailer from a friend. I am not sure of its weight and have no idea where to have it weighed, could you guys give me an idea of what else will I need to do to make this a successful trip? Do I need to re-enforce my rear end? Will I need another tranny cooler? I am trying to be thrifty so we can start anew with minimal expenses but will not sacrifice safety or my only vehicle. Please help. :? :chevy: :ty:
 
#2 ·
You added a tranny cooler? Just checking, because you wouldn't be the first to think the AC Condenser was a tranny cooler.

The 6x14 trailer...enclosed or open? Single or double axle? Electric or surge brakes?

If electric brakes, you will need a brake controller and a 7-pin harness wired in.

If no brakes, fuhgeddaboudit. Not a good idea.

And while the hitch can handle up to 5000 lbs, remember the Astro's tow rating includes whatever you load into the trailer and what you load into the Astro, including you.

Oh, find a truck stop or Camping World (iirc) - they usually have scales.
 
#3 ·
Rearend gear ratio -

Imagine if every time your drive shaft rotated, your wheels also turned ONE rotation. That would be a rearend gear ratio of 1:1. In order to get more low speed power out of the drive train they use gears that cause the drive shaft to rotate 2-3-4 times for every one rotation of the tires. Your 3.42:1 rearend means that the drive shaft rotates 3.42 times to get the wheels to move through ONE rotation.

Put another way, the engine RPMs are HIGHER with a Higher rearend gear ratio to get the same speed out of the wheels. It's exactly like the gears in the transmission. In first gear, your engine revs up to let's say 2500 RPMs and the van goes 10 MPH. In 2nd gear (higher gears) that same 2500 RPM engine speed makes the van go 25 MPH. 3rd gear (higher gear still) 2500 RPM engine causes the van to go 40 MPH etc.

It's also the same as a bicycle. In the lower gears, you rotate the pedals and the bike goes forward just a foot or two. In the higher gears, you rotate the pedals and the bike goes forward several million Beard/Seconds.

Lower gears (bike, transmission or rear end) make it easier to "get off the line" or to climb hills. In a car it would also help you SLOW down when coming down hills (downshift when going down hill).

Transmission Cooler - Are you sure it's a transmission cooler and not the A/C condensor?

Hitch - Is it a 2" square tube hitch receiver or a 1 1/4" square tube? The larger tube receiver is rated for heavier tow loads.

Load weight - Astros are rated to tow up to 6000 lbs (if the hitch is rated that high). That 6000 lbs is the total weight of the trailer as it would sit on a scale. You're virtually never actually "pulling" 6000 lbs except at the very beginning as you get rolling from a stop. Even then, the trailer wheels are supporting the majority of that 6000 lbs. Once you're rolling along, not going uphill, not trying to accellerate too fast, it's pretty smooth.

Weigh your trailer - Take it to a truck stop or a place that sells gravel and pull on to the scale with your van and trailer. Then pull off (or come back another day) and this time weigh just your van. The difference is the weight of the trailer. Whatever your hitch is rated to (5000 lbs) is the max load you can tow for TRAILER + CONTENTS.

If the trailer (plus contents) only weighs a couple thousand pounds, you likely won't need trailer brakes. But as the trailer gets heavier, or if you anticipate a lot of traffic and/or downhill driving, you'll feel a lot better with electronic trailer brakes. A 6x14 utility trailer probably doesn't have trailer brakes. It's made to haul contractor stuff or local moves, not pianos and gold bullion.

If you have an RV supply/service place near you they can be a wealth of knowledge and peace of mind. Pull the thing in there and ask them if it's safe. They might have a vehicle sized scale. Try and get a good guess at the items you'll be carrying. That's pretty hard to guess at. Most people don't have the slightest idea how much XX amount of clothing, a basketball and a mattress weighs.

I would suggest that if you "have to reinforce your rear end", you're towing more load than you should. Consider instead, renting a Box truck and a vehicle trailer. Fill the box truck with your stuff and tow the Astro on the vehicle trailer. Those rigs are made to move interstate, have all the electric trailer brakes and all that and they're really not that expensive to rent one way from here to there.

Lump
 
#6 ·
Some misc stuff from my 89 owner's manual -

Deadweight hitch is bumper mounted, Max tlr/tongue weight
is 2000/200 lbs, with a 1 7/8 in diameter ball. 3.23 or 3.42
rearend gears are specified. 5 pin flat elec connector.

Heavy Duty load distributing hitch. When trailer weights
exceed 2000 lbs, a frame mounted weight distributing hitch
is required. 3.42 or 3.73 rearend gears are specified.
7 pin round connector.

Maximum tlr/tongue weight is 6000/750 lbs

Lump
 
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