Officially Shopping For a Used PUP!
Super excited about this! We are finally ready to start shopping for a PUP. We are coming from our TT and are really excited to be downsizing our family camping experience! Looking forward to mo...
Forum Discussion
OK, you're REALLY in my wheelhouse then. Having towed a pup with a minivan for around 20,000 miles here's what I've learned:
1. Watch all your weights, not just max trailer. GCVWR, AWRs too. I suggest that you limit the pup to 3,000# max loaded weight on the road (assuming your van is a modern 200+hp V6). If you've got kids, it's hard to beat the old Coleman Sun Valley floor plan for weight to size maximization. A Jayco 1207 is almost as good (opinion!).
2. Equip the van with a decent brake control, make sure the pup has brakes, get a decent wdh (as discussed above) and make sure the van has an aux ATF cooler (NOT just one built into the radiator). My preference is for the aux ATF cooler to be plumbed first and THEN routed through the stock radiator/ATF cooler.
3. Use the van's severe service maintenance plan. If it's a 0/5w20 engine, consider full synthetic oil (and I up one quart to 30 weight to maintain high temp viscosity). Our 2003 Odyssey is supposedly a glass jaw transmission, but has towed our camper up Rockies and Appalachians multiple times, usually passing up semis and mohos on grades. All original powertrain, now at 210,000 miles. On flat interstates we average 18.5 mpg towing.
4. Before buying a pup, make sure it's frame is rated to take wdh. As a loose and fallible rule, C channel tongue frames (mostly on older pups) can't take wdh stresses. But that doesn't guarantee that all box frames can. Look it up (and don't take a salesman's word).
What van you got? Each has it's quirks. My Honda actually benefits from using premium gas while towing (right there in the owner manual towing section). I make sure to if we'll hit hilly terrain, but sometimes cheap out here in the flatlands. Read the towing section of your manual.
1. Watch all your weights, not just max trailer. GCVWR, AWRs too. I suggest that you limit the pup to 3,000# max loaded weight on the road (assuming your van is a modern 200+hp V6). If you've got kids, it's hard to beat the old Coleman Sun Valley floor plan for weight to size maximization. A Jayco 1207 is almost as good (opinion!).
2. Equip the van with a decent brake control, make sure the pup has brakes, get a decent wdh (as discussed above) and make sure the van has an aux ATF cooler (NOT just one built into the radiator). My preference is for the aux ATF cooler to be plumbed first and THEN routed through the stock radiator/ATF cooler.
3. Use the van's severe service maintenance plan. If it's a 0/5w20 engine, consider full synthetic oil (and I up one quart to 30 weight to maintain high temp viscosity). Our 2003 Odyssey is supposedly a glass jaw transmission, but has towed our camper up Rockies and Appalachians multiple times, usually passing up semis and mohos on grades. All original powertrain, now at 210,000 miles. On flat interstates we average 18.5 mpg towing.
4. Before buying a pup, make sure it's frame is rated to take wdh. As a loose and fallible rule, C channel tongue frames (mostly on older pups) can't take wdh stresses. But that doesn't guarantee that all box frames can. Look it up (and don't take a salesman's word).
What van you got? Each has it's quirks. My Honda actually benefits from using premium gas while towing (right there in the owner manual towing section). I make sure to if we'll hit hilly terrain, but sometimes cheap out here in the flatlands. Read the towing section of your manual.
