I plan to trade my 10 feet pop-up for a 19 feet camper later this year and I'm not quite sure about the best equipment to ensure propre towing. My pop-up is actually 1700 lb dry with a 280 lb tongue. I pull it without any problem with my small Jeep Compass 2.4L and we even climb Mt. Washington last summer with the pop-up behind! Only problem of the Compass is a unlevelled rear suspension and because it's a independent MacPherson type suspension you can't add airbags or any extra suspension components!
The spec of the camper we wanted to trade for 19 feet, 2790 pounds (dry) but GVWR is only 3500 pounds because it has very light cargo capacity. We never put any luggage inside except few pillow and few clothes into the camper while towing and we never carry water neither. Tongue weight is 350 pounds because it's a single axle camper. The marine battery is installed on rear (does not increase tongue weight) and it only have a single 20 lb LP but because we never use LP, so maybe I can remove it or fit a small 10 lb LP compact tank for emergency only. We are only 4 peoples traveling in the van (including 2 young children) and we are travelling pretty much lightweight (no sports equipment, etc). I'm not worried to exceed maximum towing nor GVWR.
My only concern is the tongue weight. Maximum is supposed to be 360 lb, but as you know the 360 lb does not come from the actual capacity of the rear axle, it come from a simple mathematic basic that says the tongue weight should be 10% of the trailer weight (3600 lb towing capacity mean a 360 lb tongue weight). Other vans have 3500 lbs towing cap with a 350 lb tongue, etc. The fact is you can sit two adult of 250 pounds each (500+ pounds) on the 3rd seat without problem... so.
I'm just wondering if I should install a light-duty weight distribution hitch or if it's a lost of money? The point is the WD hitch weight itself around 60-70 lb what increase pretty much the actually tongue weight. So you add 70 lb to tongue, but to distribute trailer weight. It does not make sense to my understanding...
Should I consider AirLift-1000 airbags instead to ensure perfectly levelled rear suspension? I know the GC 2014 already come with an electronic anti-sway system for towing that actually use ABS brake to prevent trailer sway, but I'll add the small friction sway bar (40$) that connect to a small hitch ball to prevent sway... not a big deal for safety.
What do you think about that? WD hitch, airbags or both?
I already ask my dealer about the towing capacity for this specific trailer and everything are good with them. They told me I don't need a WD hitch for a 350 lb tongue, but I'm little concerned about unlevelled suspension! I ask them about transmission/engine oil cooler like previous generation GC/TC and they told me since the Pentastar appear in 2012, there's already have transmission and engine external cooler on base model. The optional tow-prep group is only wiring harness and rear self-levelling shocks. The optional group doesn't even include the hitch!
A few people I know tow 3200 lb dry weight camper with 3.6L GC without any problem... so that's comforts me.
The spec of the camper we wanted to trade for 19 feet, 2790 pounds (dry) but GVWR is only 3500 pounds because it has very light cargo capacity. We never put any luggage inside except few pillow and few clothes into the camper while towing and we never carry water neither. Tongue weight is 350 pounds because it's a single axle camper. The marine battery is installed on rear (does not increase tongue weight) and it only have a single 20 lb LP but because we never use LP, so maybe I can remove it or fit a small 10 lb LP compact tank for emergency only. We are only 4 peoples traveling in the van (including 2 young children) and we are travelling pretty much lightweight (no sports equipment, etc). I'm not worried to exceed maximum towing nor GVWR.
My only concern is the tongue weight. Maximum is supposed to be 360 lb, but as you know the 360 lb does not come from the actual capacity of the rear axle, it come from a simple mathematic basic that says the tongue weight should be 10% of the trailer weight (3600 lb towing capacity mean a 360 lb tongue weight). Other vans have 3500 lbs towing cap with a 350 lb tongue, etc. The fact is you can sit two adult of 250 pounds each (500+ pounds) on the 3rd seat without problem... so.
I'm just wondering if I should install a light-duty weight distribution hitch or if it's a lost of money? The point is the WD hitch weight itself around 60-70 lb what increase pretty much the actually tongue weight. So you add 70 lb to tongue, but to distribute trailer weight. It does not make sense to my understanding...
Should I consider AirLift-1000 airbags instead to ensure perfectly levelled rear suspension? I know the GC 2014 already come with an electronic anti-sway system for towing that actually use ABS brake to prevent trailer sway, but I'll add the small friction sway bar (40$) that connect to a small hitch ball to prevent sway... not a big deal for safety.
What do you think about that? WD hitch, airbags or both?
I already ask my dealer about the towing capacity for this specific trailer and everything are good with them. They told me I don't need a WD hitch for a 350 lb tongue, but I'm little concerned about unlevelled suspension! I ask them about transmission/engine oil cooler like previous generation GC/TC and they told me since the Pentastar appear in 2012, there's already have transmission and engine external cooler on base model. The optional tow-prep group is only wiring harness and rear self-levelling shocks. The optional group doesn't even include the hitch!
A few people I know tow 3200 lb dry weight camper with 3.6L GC without any problem... so that's comforts me.
