MelissaD wrote:Anne, from what you have posted, you look good to go and have done far more homework than the average person. The thing to remember is the hitch weight given by the manufacture corresponds to the empty weight of the trailer. If you truck will pull your trailer by the numbers when fully loaded (which it will by the numbers you have given me). Towing it at any time less than max weight will give you extra wiggle room.
You have "cargo room" on you van to carry the hitch weight.
You are bellow the stated max towing capacity of your van
You are below you vehicle combined (van & trailer) weight.
Most people violate at least 1 of these limits so well done!
Melissa
Thank you, Melissa!
It was extremely helpful to me when you suggested that I weigh my van. After I did that, and re-reading the specs on my van and on the trailer (again!), I was able to better understand the numbers. Steep learning curve for someone who had never before looked into such things; even the terminology was a bit difficult to grasp, at least at first!
But I was sweating it - of foremost importance, for me, is to be safe!!
Not sure if I mentioned previously, but (after reading my owner's manual) I realized that my van came with some kind of minimal, pre-installed, "tow package" (which, if I am understanding it correctly, consists mostly of wiring underneath someplace). Also, my van has a button on the dash to push for "trailer tow mode", which changes how the gears shift (my van is an automatic transmission) that somehow makes it better for towing.
WooHoo!!
Maybe it's now time of a little "announcement". . .?
Stay tuned!
Anne
