Tow with 2014 Grand Caravan R/T?
I'm going to start by saying I know little (almost nothing) about this subject. Treat my ignorance with kindness, please! My husband and I road trip long distances and tent camp with our three kids...
Forum Discussion
Welcome to the wonderful world of RV camping where everybody "knows" everything, even if they have no personal experience with it whatsoever.
The Grand Caravan today makes a wonderful popup tow vehicle. It's built more robustly in almost every way than my 2003 Honda Odyssey which we've had since new and towed our pup for nearly 20,000 miles of its 210,000 mile life. All original powertrain too. Original fuel pump too (yeah I'm talking smack to YOU, diesel boys!). We've had our rig over Rockies, Appalachians, Black Hills and countless wind swept plains. Tows FAR better than most half ton truck/TT combinations ever will.
But it's not completely plug and play either. A few things to know. Minivans aren't like trucks when it comes to the tow rating. NOBODY offers multiple gear ratios or different transmissions or such insurmountable differences. Some do include special coolers (oil or ATF) or suspension upgrades (usually coil spring air bags), but not many.
My recommendation is as follows:
1. Get a Caravan with the factory tow option, which includes the receiver, 4 pin wiring and ATF cooler.
2. Buy a popup with a 12 foot box, low wall and no front trunk or slides. This will have a "dry weight" of about 2,200# and should hit the road well under 3,000# unless you collect big rocks!
3. Skip the bikes. They'll add hassle, windage and mpg loss at best. Get hiking boots instead. Bikes are OK for close trips, but skip them for the epic journeys.
4. Custom wire the van for an electic brake controller. Years ago Tekonsha Prodigy or P3 was the best, ask others HERE what to get nowadays. DON'T trust the RV dealer on this. Cheap brake controllers kill.
5. Install a Reese 350 mini or 400 single bar weight distributing hitch (wdh). A hassle every time you hook up, but worth it in spades on the road for control.
6. Make sure the trailer you buy has electric brakes and a box frame (not C channel) on the tongue. C Channel often can't take a wdh.
7. Ignore the guys who tell you a minivan can't tow. It can tow a popup FAR better than most half tons can tow the average TT these days. Wave to them as you pass them on the long mountain grades! ;) (Oh and at the fuel pump when you're getting 19 mpg TOWING)
The Grand Caravan today makes a wonderful popup tow vehicle. It's built more robustly in almost every way than my 2003 Honda Odyssey which we've had since new and towed our pup for nearly 20,000 miles of its 210,000 mile life. All original powertrain too. Original fuel pump too (yeah I'm talking smack to YOU, diesel boys!). We've had our rig over Rockies, Appalachians, Black Hills and countless wind swept plains. Tows FAR better than most half ton truck/TT combinations ever will.
But it's not completely plug and play either. A few things to know. Minivans aren't like trucks when it comes to the tow rating. NOBODY offers multiple gear ratios or different transmissions or such insurmountable differences. Some do include special coolers (oil or ATF) or suspension upgrades (usually coil spring air bags), but not many.
My recommendation is as follows:
1. Get a Caravan with the factory tow option, which includes the receiver, 4 pin wiring and ATF cooler.
2. Buy a popup with a 12 foot box, low wall and no front trunk or slides. This will have a "dry weight" of about 2,200# and should hit the road well under 3,000# unless you collect big rocks!
3. Skip the bikes. They'll add hassle, windage and mpg loss at best. Get hiking boots instead. Bikes are OK for close trips, but skip them for the epic journeys.
4. Custom wire the van for an electic brake controller. Years ago Tekonsha Prodigy or P3 was the best, ask others HERE what to get nowadays. DON'T trust the RV dealer on this. Cheap brake controllers kill.
5. Install a Reese 350 mini or 400 single bar weight distributing hitch (wdh). A hassle every time you hook up, but worth it in spades on the road for control.
6. Make sure the trailer you buy has electric brakes and a box frame (not C channel) on the tongue. C Channel often can't take a wdh.
7. Ignore the guys who tell you a minivan can't tow. It can tow a popup FAR better than most half tons can tow the average TT these days. Wave to them as you pass them on the long mountain grades! ;) (Oh and at the fuel pump when you're getting 19 mpg TOWING)
