Towing Questions Answered.

I’m a new comer to the RV lifestyle. I am currently towing a small Tent Trailer with my 1994 Mercury Villager van. It's okay most of the time, but I find that this van lacks the power to maintain speed going up mild hills.

I am planning to upgrade to something like a 16-foot to 18-foot hybrid trailer, which as you know weighs about 2,500-3,000 pounds dry. I was thinking of replacing my older van with a newer one as the tow vehicle, perhaps a 2003 Honda Odyssey.

Do you think this will be a good tow vehicle for this trailer? Would a Honda Pilot do a better job than the Odyssey? I've read that you have been using a Dodge Intrepid to tow up to 7,000 pounds with no problem. I prefer the van but if the Honda Pilot is a better (stronger) vehicle, I'd make the adjustment.

Tony Ma, Calgary, AB

Hi Tony,

You will find the Odyssey to be a much stronger tow vehicle than the Villager and it will tow most Hybrids quite easily. You will still need second and third gear on some hills, but that is not unusual when towing. If you go to a substantially more powerful vehicle it will climb any hill at full speed but you will never save enough time on hills to make up for the extra time you spend in gas stations.

The Odyssey will outperform the Pilot as it takes less power to pull itself leaving more left over for towing. The Odyssey also handles and rides much better due to the wider stance, longer wheel base and lower center of gravity.
When you are selecting a Hybrid, try and find one that is the most aerodynamic. As well, some of the hybrids are getting very tall, which again increases aerodynamic drag and reduces stability. Weight and length are not that critical when you are selecting a unit. I would also recommend selecting one with torsion axles.

For towing equipment I would suggest a Jordan Ultima brake control, 750-pound Eaz-Lift Hitch and Eaz-Lift Sway Control.

I would also suggest you take a look at the Ford Freestar. It tows very well and is considerably less expensive than the Odyssey. We have set up more than 400 of them.

I have a 2003 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Sport with V8 engine, factory tow package and new Goodyear Fortera Tripletred P265-65R17 tires. It has a tow rating of 7,000 pounds and a maximum hitch weight of 700 pounds. We’re looking at a new Travel Trailer for next spring, likely a lightweight model (the Jayco Jayfeather 29Y is a front runner).

The models that interest me seem to be at least 30-feet long and have hitch weights that sometimes exceed 700 pounds. I am concerned about safety and staying within the vehicle limits. Would weight distrubution allow us to exceed the 700-pound hitch-weight rating? Would you recommend a Hensley for such a setup? Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Denis Bernardin, Winnipeg, MB

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I pull a Fifth Wheel Prowler 24.5 foot, and I have a RBW hitch. Can I lengthen the pin box by the number of inches required to clear the cab? I tow with a GMC 2500 6.6ft box.

Jack Vallieres, Perth ON

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