Confused about weight distribution
Sorry about the newbie threads lately, but this should be the last one. My tow vehicle is a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. Capacity is ~3,000 lbs (3,600 minus 100 for stow-and-go seats and 500 for family a...
Forum Discussion
wizards8507 wrote:
Sorry about the newbie threads lately, but this should be the last one. My tow vehicle is a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. Capacity is ~3,000 lbs (3,600 minus 100 for stow-and-go seats and 500 for family and luggage). We're looking at a 10' box popup that's 1,600 lbs dry and 2,200 GVWR.
My concern is the hitch receiver. We have the OEM receiver, MoPar #82213168AC. The website says "3,800-lb tow rating with weight distributing equipment, otherwise 2,000-lb tow rating." Does that really mean I need a weight distribution hitch for a small popup? Everything I've read makes it sound like weight distribution is laughable for a trailer so light and that it could actually do serious damage to the trailer. Am I just screwed unless I only tow the pup dry and empty?
You can not use weight distribution with most pop ups. Generally if the structural members of the A frame where the spring bar brackets would attach are C channels forget about it. They'll typically state that in the original mfg manual.
If they are tube the weight distribution most likely can be used. The only pop ups I am aware of now days with tube A frames are some of the high walls made by Rockwood/Flagstaff, possibly larger Palominos, and maybe some of the Columbia NW Somersets. I know the 2010 Palomino Y4124 which was a 12' box with shoilet that we owned could not, as it had c channel A frame despite being one of the larger and heavier pop ups made at the time. It had a huge disclaimer In the manual to not use WD. In the past most Coleman/Fleetwood/FCTA pups also could use a WDH except the smallest models.
As far as towing a 10' box with a Caravan perhaps add some suspension enhancements and see how it tows. Search around popupportal. Plenty of people have towed pop ups with Caravans. I even see a lot of people towing smaller hybrids and TT's with them right, wrong, or indifferent, although I would never consider it. The RV forum weight police are going to tell you that you need a 1 ton diesel dually lol.
