Welcome to Selecting a Hitch for Newbies!

[atexintx]

I've gone to 3 places for info on getting a hitch for my Grand Caravan. I'm not mechanical (yet) so I tell them I want info/prices on everything I need to pull a sm trailer (3K lbs - 17', 7 pin). I've got quotes for $448 UHaul for 4,500 lbs, $640 Dodge dealer for 3,800 and $1,081 Camping World. I believe the UHaul and Dodge Dealer did not include the brake controller and installation but I understand that's not a big expense. So, I've got my work cut out to find out - "Will the REAL hitch stand up"!

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[opnspaces]

Usually yes, a hitch with integrated sway control will be both weight distribution and sway control. The key word is integrated. You could also have a weight distribution hitch and an add on sway control piece. Those are two separate purchases.

Isn't the Caravan a minivan? Some minivans are not rated for weight distribution. What year is the Caravan? We already know it's the 3.6 liter.

As far as your quotes can you type out the description and price (maybe use the bullet point icon above) of anything that costs more than $75 and we can help decipher it for you? The concern is that one of the cheaper priced quotes might be a time based brake controller which is not the best.

[atexintx]

Jebby14 wrote:
ford OEM controller of me is night and day better than the cheap time delay unit I had in my grand Cherokee. Spend the money on a high end controller and hitch with antisway it will make your marginal tow vehicle much more happy. as for the receiver as long is its in the right rating go with the best price. likely u haul.

Is "hitch with anti sway" the same as a "weight distribution system"?

[stevemorris]

as stated above, you will run out of payload long before you run out of towing capacity
simply put payload is what is being carried in or on the tow vehicle. passengers, luggage, the receiver, the actual trailer hitch and the tongue wt of the trailer
the "towing capacity" is what the vehicle will pull its pretty well a bogus number invented by marketting types, the same people who tell you their trailers are 3000 lbs and towable by anything!
wind drag is also a killer to under sized tow vehicles. there is a huge difference between towing a travel trailer and a popup of the same weight. carry a sheet of plywood on a windy day and you'll get it!

[atexintx]

Now THIS is starting to make good sense! Thx a mil.

[Jebby14]

the simplified version:

you will need a receiver hitch (the part that stays on the vehicle) likely class III or IV. this will be a square tube. with this you will need a 7 pin trailer plug installed (the part you plug the wire from the trailer into)

this will likely be cheapest at a place like u haul

you will need a brake controller (mounts near driver in the van. this controls the trailers brakes. any mechanic can install and they are available everywhere. id recommend not getting a cheap one that works off time delay, get one that is intuitive.

you will need a hitch (likely a weight distributing hitch) this comes off the van when not towing and goes into the rectangular receiver mentioned above. many different makes and models to choose. do some reading and get the best you can afford. if it does not have integrated anti sway (some do some don't, get it if you can) then you will need a friction anti sway bar that works with this hitch. this should come from a trailer dealer or online. easy to set up but any dealer can install for you if you need it.

examples below are for visual reference only and may or may not be the best. option.

receiver hitch


brake controller


weight distribution hitch


if needed friction anti sway bar.

as far as running out of payload. the vehicle is rated to carry so much weight.

the weight of everything in the van and the weight of the hitch should be subtracted from this number, the remaining weight carrying payload needs to carry the tongue weight of the trailer which should be about 15 percent of the trailers weight. don't look at dry weights they mean nothing, take the gvwr listed for the trailer and multiply by 0.15. if that number is larger than whats left of your payload you don't have enough tow vehicle regardless of the listed towing capacity. very few cars and light trucks can tow all the way to their towing capacity with a travel trailer since they run out of payload to carry the tongue weight first.

[atexintx]

CFerguson wrote:
First, pls list exactly what those prices are buying. Until you do that, we are just guessing as to which/what you need.
And telling you what we did which I am sure is a big help.

btw, I use a Prodigy brake controller. 😉

The list of items on each quote from the three vendors was too expansive to list here - and I don't understand much of what they've listed nor do I understand if there is a duplication of parts but the vendors are using a different terminology. It's very confusing for me.

[atexintx]

Lwiddis wrote:
What’s your max trailer weight? But you’ll run out of payload first.

As mentioned in my post, I'll be pulling no more than a 3K lb trailer. I don't understand "But you’ll run out of payload first".

[atexintx]

Thank you all for the responses. Here's a big part of the problem - I'm dumber than a bucket of nails when it comes to these mechanical issues. I don't understand most of the terms in the replies. But, I was hoping that if I laid out what I have to work with that someone can give some specific input on what my essential needs are. For exp: I've got the Caravan and the max load I can pull is about 3K lbs. It will be a 16 or 17' trailer. It's a 3.6 litre motor. And, I need the entire works meaning the parts, electrical wiring, etc. It seems like this should be easy to diagnose but I'm getting just too many different answers. I'm stuck with the Caravan due to financial constraints.

[Jebby14]

ford OEM controller of me is night and day better than the cheap time delay unit I had in my grand Cherokee. Spend the money on a high end controller and hitch with antisway it will make your marginal tow vehicle much more happy. as for the receiver as long is its in the right rating go with the best price. likely u haul.

[CFerguson]

First, pls list exactly what those prices are buying. Until you do that, we are just guessing as to which/what you need.
And telling you what we did which I am sure is a big help.

btw, I use a Prodigy brake controller. 😉

[rbpru]

I had the dealer include the WD hitch installation when we negotiated the TT price.

I have a Blue Ox which works fine for my 25 ft. TT. It sold for $850.00 five years ago. Of course the dealer paid a lot less.

My brake controller is much older, from a previous unit, so I do not know the cost of a newer model.

[stevemorris]

he did say hitch!

i installed a Curt receiver from etrailer on our dodge dakota several years ago

excellent quality compared to the original from dodge

easy install on the dakota, cant speak for the caravan model

https://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2017_Dodge_Grand+Caravan.htm

[Lynnmor]

Lets start here, do you have a receiver?

Then we can discuss a WDH.

And a brake controller.

The sizes and models I linked to are just representative.