I might be needing to tow an enclosed cargo trailer if I move out west in a few months, so I decided to get a trailer hitch installed now, just in case. The place I went to sells only Curt hitches and convinced me that they are the best because they're made in America (apparently all the others are made with cheaper steel in China, or so they say). And not only that, Curt is in the rust belt (Wisconsin perhaps?) so they know the value of making a hitch that will resist salt corrosion.
The only downfall I can see is that my hitch is rated for a gross trailer weight of 4000 pounds, whereas all of the other Class 3 hitches seem to be rated for 5000 pounds. The electronic brake controller would have been an extra $650 so I skipped it, which will probably limit me to smaller single axle trailer that do not have brakes. But if I really need it, it can be added later.
Do you think I made the right choice with the Curt hitch? And do you think I should get an auxiliary transmission cooler? My van is a 2005 Astro 2WD with the tow/haul button, and I believe that means it also has some sort of transmission cooler built into the radiator. I'm about to get my transmission fluid and filter changed in the next few weeks, so this would be a good time to add an auxiliary cooler if it's not overkill.
I'm not sure if this is average, but a 6'x10' enclosed trailer I was looking at online shows that the GVWR of the trailer is almost 3000 pounds with a maximum payload of 2000 pounds. I'm not sure if that means the empty trailer weighs 1000 pounds (and can take 2000 pounds of payload) or does the empty trailer weight 3000 pounds? And it can be ordered with a V shaped front to make it more aerodynamic, not sure if that has a big effect on those ratings.
With the weight of the van, me, cargo in the van and cargo in the trailer, I don't want to overload it, especially if I'll be driving though the Rocky Mountains. I don't want to find the brakes are inadequate or to burn out the transmission. My van used to be a police van, and has Goodyear Triple Tred SUV/Van tires and the suspension seems to be good (still sits high and rides nice and tight, maybe police vans had heavy duty springs)? See pics. Since my van is a 2005 it has 4 wheel disc brakes and I got new bearings now so the ABS works properly.