Question about R-pod Vs. other small trailers! New to this!

Thanks all, we are looking into all of this info!

Hi, jaimez. I'm a fan of small trailers and have owned several. The first thing you need to watch out for is hitch weight. Your van probably is rated for about 350 lbs on the hitch. Any more than the rated weight will adversely affect the rear suspension, take too much weight off the front tires for traction and stopping, and could even tear the hitch receiver off the van during travel. That Salem has a dry hitch weight of 385 lbs. Too much! And 'dry' means without propane, maybe without battery, and definitely without any water or cargo in the trailer; in other words, real-world hitch weight will be more, sometimes WAY more, than the dry weight. Best strategy is to find something with no more than 275 lbs dry hitch weight. And you need at least 10% of total trailer weight on the hitch for good towing characteristics (no sway), btw.

Second: the biggest drain on your drive train will be wind resistance. Total weight will bite you more on the hills (the steeper the hill the bigger the bite), but towing a trailer with lots of frontal area will be tough on the minivan. One solution is to plan on driving more slowly, like 55 or maybe 60 mph. But you're still best off to look for a trailer with the least frontal area possible that still has the space and features you think you need. The Salem is taller and wider than the R Pod, thus it would tow harder.

A 16' Scamp will cost even more than the R Pod, but it will tow easier than the Pod because of its small frontal area and light weight. Layout #4 has bunks up front and dinette in rear that makes into a bed (the old ones have a very narrow "double", about 48" IIRC, but new ones can be ordered with 54" width). Hitch weight is likely to be under 300 lbs, and total weight around 2500-2700 lbs, when loaded.

If you don't mind 'basic' and 'no frills', you might be able to configure one of these Eureka Rambler 6.5x14 trailers to suit your family's needs. They are pretty affordable and I think they will customize the interior layout.

Of course, there is always the tried-and-true popup trailer, with canvas sides and pull-out bunks. These tow easily down the highway since they fold down so low and tuck behind your van. A hard-side option in folding trailers is the Aliner. Even their largest, heaviest Expedition model would work with a minivan.

Chrysler minivans are - or at least used to be - wonderful family cars. I loved ours (we had an '88 Dodge one, sort of the forerunner to yours). We pulled a popup (yes, with tented sides) with it, and did fine until we took it to the Black Hills one time. The minivan had trouble pulling the popup up the long climb into the Hills - we had to stop several times to let the engine cool down. Mostly we stayed in flat country, and enjoyed our camping trips, but we knew we wanted to go to the mountains more, so we traded the minivan in on an SUV, which could handle the popup. THen that SUV (2002 Ford Explorer) had trouble with the first full-height trailer we bought, a hybrid. So we traded that in for a truck - and you can see the result in my sig.

Good luck to you - but I suspect you will not be happy with a full-height trailer and that minivan, unless you camp in only flat country, and don't drive into a headwind.

There are hard-sided popup campers, but they might be tight for a family of 4. Still, you might check out A-liners and similar.

My wife and I purchased a Wolf Pup 16BH for our first travel trailer. For us, it did not work but for you it may. The trailer was 2600 empty and if you are careful packing you may keep the weight down. But first, make sure you know what you TV can pull and the tongue weight allowed.

We ended up selling it after our first trip and got a 17 ft with a permanent queen size bed and lots of windows. The wife loves it.

any suggestions for a lighter trailer that might fit 2 adults and two kids?

okay, thanks for your insight. I'm frustrated that these dealers all said it was fine and we already paid money for a hitch from the manufacturer on the vehicle! Here is the info I have:

2017 Chrysler Pacifica
GAWR front 2950 lb
GAWR back 3200 lb
GVWR: 6005 lb
payload capacity is 1675

The determining factor may be the van's payload. I would suggest you take a photo of your van's sticker (with gvwr, etc.), and identify the year, make & model, and its payload, then post that info here for more detailed help.

This is the best forum for towing calculations I've seen. These guys take their numbers seriously. :). With the above info, they can help you determine what you will be able to tow.

Trust the documented weight numbers and not what the salesman says, he just wants your $$$.

Thanks all! So, we have been told we could go around 3000 max, so you are saying with a max of 3600 I should only be pulling 2000? This is counter to what we've been told at three dealerships, and so I appreciate the insight. Thanks for your thoughts! If this is true, what would the lightest best solutions be? We'll be in bear country so it can't pop out like a tent. thanks!

Back to your OP question, the R-Pods are a bit pricier, but my MIL has owned two and I found them to be of above average build quality, and an amazing use of space in a 17 or so foot trailer. Their last one had a full time queen bed, couch with a slide, and plenty of storage.