towing help

[daveboylloyd]

hi guys from a astro owning newbie tow,er across the pond.
used the site before but forgot my login details so ive had to re register.
anyhow, ive just had a putnam hitch fitted to my conversion van so i can pull a caravan around.
the thing is that the bar thing comes with a 2 inch drop and to be honest this is a bit to low. we have lots of speed bumps over here especially in rv/caravan parks and the bottom thread of the bolt on towball is scraping the bumps. see the pic


i dont really want to cut the excess thread off the bolt on ball and basically i no better than to raise the height of the ball by using washers etc but when the putnam kit arrived it said it came with a 2 inch drop and a 3/4 rise.
so im figuring if i turn the drop bar upside down this will give me the 3/4 rise which would be just about perfect.
but someone has told me that they are not to be used like this
if this is the case why do putnam say 3/4 inch rise and also if they wanted to make sure they could not be used upside down then why drill the pin hole smack in the middle.
if the hole was moved down slighty then fitting upside down would be impossible
thanks for your help
regards
dave

[Rileysowner]

Yes, you can flip it over, especially if it says that it has a 3/4" lift as well as the 2" drop.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Yuppers...flip it over and run with it!

[GEJ]

I have run mine upside down for yrs with no issues what so ever.So you should be good to go.The only thing I ran into was with a 2 1/2" upside down where the brace hit the bumper and even if that was not the case,I wouldn't have been able to open the dutch doors.

[Spike99]

Yes.

Flip that receiver bar upside down and re-install the ball. It will raise the hitch level 2" (or so). For my 2001 AWD, I have 2 x 2" receiver bars. Each 2" ball is mounted on the oppossite direction. When I want to pull my little trailer, I use the lower ball receiver. When I want to pull my larger trailer, I use the higher height ball receiver. Thus, I don't have to remove / re-install its 2" ball - when I pull the other trailer. Been working great for years.

-----------

If towing above 2,000 lbs (including weight of trailer), may I also suggest:
- Use new synthetic gear oil in its rear axle. Replace both axle fluids if AWD.
- Install an extra tranny cooler. Definately must in the hotter climate regions. LPD design sized for your max trailer weight works best. Going too large can "over stress" your factory AC unit. Thus, only size the tranny cool for your unique towing lbs needs.
- Install Timbrens or air bags in the rear. I have Timbrens (which are like air bags without pressurized air inside them) on my 2001 AWD van. Love this product. Over folks use Air Bags or other products. Use what works best for your needs.
- Pull a trailer that has onboard brakes. Surge or full electric brakes. My larger 6x10 trailer has full electric brakes and it can stop faster then my little 4x6 trailer. If pulling more then 2,000 lbs, trailer, onboard brakes is a must - regardless of one's local laws.
- If pulling in hot climate or hills, may I suggest the install of a tranny oil temp guage. With a guage, one can proactively "pull over" and let things cool down. Tranny temp guage can be bought for under $60. Well worth it in the long run.
- When pulling over 2,000 lbs (especially up the hills), use "3" gear instead of OD gear. And if possible, use TOW/HAUL setting on your vehcile. Having a higher reving engine RPM and higher reving tranny is better then being "over stressed" in OD great. Especially if you can feel your van "struggling" too much.

Hope these other items help as well...

.

[daveboylloyd]

thanks for the help/advice guys

my caravan comes in at around 2000lbs and an additional gearbox oil cooler is on the cards.
also ive seen some rear shocks for sale over here with built on coil springs. i was thinking about getting these fitted. anyone seen them there or even use them ?
regards
dave.

[GEJ]

Yes.

Flip that receiver bar upside down and re-install the ball. It will raise the hitch level 2" (or so). For my 2001 AWD, I have 2 x 2" receiver bars. Each 2" ball is mounted on the oppossite direction. When I want to pull my little trailer, I use the lower ball receiver. When I want to pull my larger trailer, I use the higher height ball receiver. Thus, I don't have to remove / re-install its 2" ball - when I pull the other trailer. Been working great for years.

-----------

If towing above 2,000 lbs (including weight of trailer), may I also suggest:
- Use new synthetic gear oil in its rear axle. Replace both axle fluids if AWD.
- Install an extra tranny cooler. Definately must in the hotter climate regions. LPD design sized for your max trailer weight works best. Going too large can "over stress" your factory AC unit. Thus, only size the tranny cool for your unique towing lbs needs.
- Install Timbrens or air bags in the rear. I have Timbrens (which are like air bags without pressurized air inside them) on my 2001 AWD van. Love this product. Over folks use Air Bags or other products. Use what works best for your needs.
- Pull a trailer that has onboard brakes. Surge or full electric brakes. My larger 6x10 trailer has full electric brakes and it can stop faster then my little 4x6 trailer. If pulling more then 2,000 lbs, trailer, onboard brakes is a must - regardless of one's local laws.
- If pulling in hot climate or hills, may I suggest the install of a tranny oil temp guage. With a guage, one can proactively "pull over" and let things cool down. Tranny temp guage can be bought for under $60. Well worth it in the long run.
- When pulling over 2,000 lbs (especially up the hills), use "3" gear instead of OD gear. And if possible, use TOW/HAUL setting on your vehcile. Having a higher reving engine RPM and higher reving tranny is better then being "over stressed" in OD great. Especially if you can feel your van "struggling" too much.

Hope these other items help as well...

.

Good post.

[Spike99]

thanks for the help/advice guys my caravan comes in at around 2000lbs and an additional gearbox oil cooler is on the cards. also ive seen some rear shocks for sale over here with built on coil springs. i was thinking about getting these fitted. anyone seen them there or even use them ? regards dave.

2,000 lbs for a Caravan? Sounds light to me. As per http://www-5.dodge.com/vehsuite/VehicleCompare.jsp "DATA Sheet" - Base Curb Weight - with Automatic Transmission [lbs] 4,321. For "math numbers", lets say stripped down Caravan is 2,000 lbs. Let's say your trailer is scale weight at 1,000 lbs. That's 3,000 lbs - behind your Safari van (as the tow vehicle). A properly loaded trailer should have 13% tongue weight (of its load). Therefore, your trailer's tonque will have 390 lbs. Will the Class III hitch installed in your van support this 390 lbs? Most class IIIs have a max weight load of 300 - 350 lbs. Do check your numbers. Especially "real world" scale weight numbers. Sounds like you need a WD (Weight Distribution) System on the tonque of your trailer. If it were me, I'd buy a WD System - based on "scale weight" of your Caravan loaded trailer.

----------------

As a general statement. Shocks only reduce "ease of" up/down movement on your vehicle. Shocks do NOT allow more weight support of your van. In other words, your tow vehicle will have the same "Rear Sag" as before the HD Shocks are installed.

With this in mind, do focus on Timbrens or Air bags for your Astro/Safari van - to eliminate rear sag. They can be installed using the existing "leaf spring" system. If you install a steel upgrade solution (like new stronger leaf replacements) or +1 leaf upgrade, the rear of your van goes up. When the rear of your van goes up 1 (or more) inches, it changes its front wheel alignment. Thus, more nose dives, more wearing of front breaks and more faster wearing of idler arms. Besides this, the rear of your van has more "road hop". Very dangerious hopping of the rear - especially if you live in snow / ice belt regions.

If you want to "beef up" the rear suspension of your Tow Vehicle van (without changing its existing vehicle stance or creating "road hop"), go with a non-steel upgrade solution. Timbrens SES (2,000 lbs) and Firestone ride right systems work great. Great to allow more load support and to eliminate rear sag. For more details, surf:
http://www.timbren.com/ses-van-suv.htm
http://www.towshop.com/page19.html
If wondering, I have Timbren SES 2,000 lbs on my van and never regretted installing them. Simply install and leave them. And yes. Both Timbrens or Air Bag systems that are properly adjusted do work great with a WD System.

Hope this helps as well...

.

[ihatemybike]

Guys, he's from the UK. Over there a caravan is a camping trailer, not a Dodge Minivan.

[HPbyStan]

Whatever they call it there, I'd hate to be pulling a trailer with an Astro in the UK with their $8 USD a gallon fuel. And we think we have it bad at $3 USD a gallon.

[astrozam]

Guys, he's from the UK. Over there a caravan is a camping trailer, not a Dodge Minivan.

LMAO ,yea I caught that too.

We need a Brit to U.S dictionary,lol

[ihatemybike]

Watching "Top Gear", "Fifth Gear", "Wheeler Dealer", and "Brainiacs" has taught me something.

Downside, I've described vehicles as "a nice bit o' kit" and received strange looks.

[Spike99]

Guys, he's from the UK. Over there a caravan is a camping trailer, not a Dodge Minivan.

Good catch on the meaning of Caravan.

Regardless of Tent Trailer, small Travel Trailer or landscape / utility trailer, the same "towing rules" apply. 13% trailer tonque weight for proper trailer balance. Compare "real world" Scale weight numbers against the Class III hitch numbers, use onboard trailer brakes (especially for hilly country), use Timbrens or Air bags to reduce Tow Vehicle rear sag, use HD shocks to reduce "ease of up/down" movement, tow in "3" gear, use a tranny cooler, etc. etc. Same towing rules apply for all sorts of different trailers - behind the Astro/Safari van.

I definately have to remember the dual definations of "Caravan". Learn something new every day....

.

[potskie]

That's right your a Brit..... Hey your towing with somethign actually capable of towing at highway speeds so no ones going to be hating on you over there for creating massive "queues"

[daveboylloyd]

ihatemybike.
well spotted that man, glad you knew what a caravan was. im a big fan of top gear to.
the episode were the three of them went over there and drove through florida was very funny.lucky they did,nt get themselves killed.

spike
i got all worried when i started to read your post, glad we got the caravan thing sorted in the end, but thanks for all that advice.

astrozam,
we dont need a brit to US dictionary. we all speak english, lol.

HPbyStan,
at an exchange rate of $1.95 to a £1, petrol over here is around $9.50 a gallon , which the vast majority is tax. also a imperial gallon is slightly bigger than a US gallon
i dont use much though as my astro runs on lpg, liqid petroleum gas and thats costs around $4.25 a gallon. powers down around 10% on the lpg but the astro has enough poke for what it is anyway.

anyhow i flipped the hitch over today and tried it out and its just fine.
thanks for the help guys.
regards
dave