sc3283 wrote:
It is NEVER a good idea to be sub par with your tow vehicle.
Making the trailer move is 1 thing
Doing it so the driver is not in for a white knuckle ride is another
and...
Having a tow vehicle that can safely handle an defensive evasive maneuver is another.
You can not have the tail wagging the dog and be safe.
I've been hearing arguments like this here for years about my combination. I've put about 30,000 miles on this minivan while towing this trailer. 99% of the time, these arguments come from someone that has never tried to tow with a vehicle of the type, and simply can't imagine that someone might be willing to go through the extra effort to make sure the combination is safe. (And how many of us have seen trailers hooked to pickups, likely well within weight limits, but so badly done that they're almost certainly unsafe? I have.)
Some of us are willing to make the effort. Some of us don't mind going uphill in the lane with the semis (and still occasionally passing them). Some of us don't mind experimenting a little to figure out the best gear and speed for steep climbs, and steep descents (because our transmissions don't do it automatically - just like all transmissions used to be). Some of us don't mind careful loading, checking out equipment carefully, and performing the "heavy use" maintenance schedule.
Does it mean having to learn more about how the vehicle operates, and how it reacts? Yes. Does it take more effort? You bet! That doesn't mean it can't be done.
As one might imagine after 30,000 miles of towing with this combination, not all of it was in ideal conditions - it included wind, rain, snow, ice, construction, mountains, tunnels, several irritating situations that require mild avoidance maneuvers (being cut off, and the like), a couple more interesting emergency situations (deer and having to swerve to avoid hitting a mattress that came off the roof of the car in front of me (!)). The combination has performed just like it's supposed to in all cases.
I AM a very experienced tower (including heavy loads with large trucks, as well as lightweight combinations like my current setup), perform careful and frequent maintenance, always check things over before hitting the road, make sure my hitch is properly adjusted, and have always been very careful about weight and loading, proper tongue weight, and left/right balanced loading (don't know if it's really necessary, but it's always seemed like a good idea to me).
It CAN be done safely. The OPs combination can be safe too if the OP is careful. It's different from mine. The OP would have a higher center of gravity and shorter wheelbase, so would have to modify things accordingly, and be aware of how the vehicle handles and reacts. A good quality hitch is definitely highly recommended.
