What do you haul with?

[robbie]

A 1997 Chevy Astro that just seems to want more work; everything I throw in it, on it or attach to it doesn't faze it one bit. Love it. Oh, by the way, anyone know where I can get gas on the cheap?  :p  It's a guzzler, no doubt about it.

[campdaddy]

I tow with an '04 Durango 4x4.  It's got the smaller, non-hemi V-8 (4.7 l) with a 3.92 rear axle.  Great hauler!  Got 17 mpg towing our pup on a recent trip to the Tetons, featuring lots of grades and lots of crosswinds in Wyoming.  20 mpg highway w/o pup.  16 mpg city.  A bit thirsty, but not too bad for a full-sized (yeah, they call it mid-sized, but it's full-sized) SUV with a V-8, in my book.  Really pleased with the 17 mpg towing.  Seems like the engine finally got broken in after 50k.

I too tow with a G2 Durango (2005) and I think it is a great TV. Mine has the Hemi and the factory tow package so it's rate to tow +8600lbs (AWD). Way more umph than needed but I believe in having the TV larger than "you think you need." Of course this is about twice what I need for my Rockwood, but I am getting just about the same mileage readings as you. On a recent trip to Watoga SP in W.V. we averaged over 17mpg even in the mountains towing the pup and with a carrier on top. On a recent non-towing, no mountains, and no car top carrier  trip we averaged 22mpg. Not too bad for a "full sized" (I agree with you) SUV and it rides more like a luxury vehicle than a truck. So I second your assessment of the G2 Durango. "GREAT HAULER!"




BTW I used to have a G1 Durango  with the 5.9 (2003). It towed well. Had plenty of pull but..........it got 13-14 mpg. That's all. It got it towing, around town, on the highway, didn't matter. 13-14 mpg was it. And it rode like a truck. A 6 hour trip would wear you out pretty well.

[BirdMan]

I pull my Coleman Popup with a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel.  This is also my work truck and has a manual 6sp transmission.  This is a lot of truck and will just about pull anything on three axles or less.

[bthurman]

I'm currently towing with a 2000 Chrysler Concorde. I don't recommend it! I'm very near the towing limit (2000 lbs.) if not over.

[GoneCampin]

What does this mean?  I'm looking at a vehicle right now & this was posted in the tech specs:

• Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (lbs) 5,200, curb weight (lbs) 3,826, gross trailer weight braked (lbs) 2,000 and max payload (lbs) 1,150

What is the max payload mean?  Thanks so much!

[emeraldcoupe]

gvwr is what the vehicle can weigh loaded- weight of truck,passengers,and cargo

max payload is total weight of people and cargo

[GoneCampin]

gross trailer weight braked (lbs) 2,000

Probably another silly question....does this mean that my popup would need a brake?  

This is still new to me, just got our popup this year!  I do know that it doesn't have brakes on it!

[emeraldcoupe]

almost every towing guide i've read said you should have brakes on a 2000+ lb trailer. i don't have brakes on my pop up either but my truck has huge brakes.

[AustinBoston]

What does this mean?  I'm looking at a vehicle right now & this was posted in the tech specs:

• Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (lbs) 5,200, curb weight (lbs) 3,826, gross trailer weight braked (lbs) 2,000 and max payload (lbs) 1,150

What is the max payload mean?  Thanks so much!

You would get a far better response to this if you asked it as a new thread rather than taking it on to a thread that most of us stopped reading a long time ago.

Austin

[ScouterMom]

Did I see somewhere up the line on this thread that they STOPPED making the Chevy AstroVAn??  Why would they do such a thing?

I have a 1999 Chevy Astrovan, All Wheel Drive - bought 2yrs old, used, in 2001 when they first came out with those 0% loans and people were trading in good used vehicles.  It had about 40,000 miles on it and I've now got it at a little over 100,000 in the 6 yrs I've had it.  I've got a great mechanic who I trust and who keeps it in top notch condition for me.  It's a 'keeper' and will probably be around forever, despite it's low milage.  It's just too useful.  It hauls scouts, equipment, home remodeling supplies, lawn mower, garage sale and curbside finds - not to mention the whole family and the dog.  The only thing I might be tempted to trade to would be a full-size truck, and I know I'll never be able to afford one.

Had a 1987 GMC safari two vehicles before this one - loved that, too.  Bought it when I was married and we towed our 22' ski boat with it.  Had the trailering package (tranny cooler, etc) and we towed that big boat to kentucky & back once a year, and all over the place locally. I got it in the divorce because our other car was a stick Honda, and I didn't know how to drive a stick.  I drove that Safari (identical to an Astro) until it died at 180,000 miles. (Timing chain broke, oil drained out and the engine fried.  (If I'd known my mechanic, Herb, back then - I'd probably STILL be driving that Safari now!)

I grew up driving in Wisconsin Snow, and in Rear-wheel drive vehicles.  I just can't get used to front wheel drive, ABS brakes and I hate these lite little cars! In between the two vans, I had a Olds Ciera sedan.  It was a great little car, dependable and easy on gas - I even towed our tiny Starcraft Starlette with it!  but that camper probably only weighed about 750 lbs fully loaded! (it WAS tiny!)

Still, the first week I had the Ciera, in January, I started to fishtail a bit on an icy 2 lane highway - tried to correct the way I would with the bigger rear-wheel drive vehicles I was used to, by getting a front tire into the rough where I could regain control - and whoosh! ended up in a farmer's field!  No damage to me or the car - just to my pride!

Still, I prefer my van - riding up high and rear wheel drive.

I can't believe they're not making them anymore - is that true? I'll have to ask Herb, he's a Chevy mechanic.

Laura

[Mike Up]

What does this mean? I'm looking at a vehicle right now & this was posted in the tech specs:
 

• Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (lbs) 5,200, curb weight (lbs) 3,826, gross trailer weight braked (lbs) 2,000 and max payload (lbs) 1,150

What is the max payload mean? Thanks so much!
 

What it means is that you have a low payload rating so you'll not be able to load your vehicle with very much.
 
Max payload is based on the GVWR (total weight of truck and items in it) minus the actual weight of the vehicle in a bare bones base model. So you'll also have to subtract ~100 lbs for a moderately optioned vehicle or ~200 lbs for a fully featured top of the line model.
 
So you most likely have about 1050 lbs. of payload. Figure on an adult couple weighing 350 lbs and a couple of kids weighing 250. Then figure on your car tools, CDs, other accessories, luggage, cooler and stuff weighing 200 lbs for a family of 4. You have a total of 800 lbs right there. You can only pull a PUP with a hitch weight of 250 lbs "LOADED".
 
If you want to load more into your vehicle, you'll need to kick one kid and their luggage to the curb, learn to tent camp, or get a vehicle that can handle more gear and people, or overload your vehicle and hope for the best.
 
Since I camp with a lot of people, I looked for a vehicle that had higher payload as my Pathfinder. It's base payload is 1307 lbs and optioned (calculated) I have 1200 lbs. I have about another 50 lbs in tools and accessories. When we have 2 couples including ourselves, there is 710 lbs of body weight and 100 lbs of luggage and 20 lbs of cooler.
 
We have a total of 880 lbs of people and gear in the truck and my tongue weight is 294 lbs for a total of 1174 lbs.
 
If there's any more than that, we need to take 2 vehicles and/or I may need to put some of the luggage in the camper to keep the weight down.
 
Have a good one.

[AustinBoston]

Did I see somewhere up the line on this thread that they STOPPED making the Chevy AstroVAn??  Why would they do such a thing?

It's true.  Here is a story about the original announcement:
http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/112_news041119_astro/

I heard from someone just this past weekend that said they drove by the plant in Baltimore, and it is gone.

That leaves the Honda Odesy (sp) as the only minivan with anything that looks like a tow rating.  And it's a %&#@ import.

Austin

[ScouterMom]

Well that sucks.

Now I'll just have to make sure that Herb Keeps my baby going as long as possible.

I suppose they don't have anything reasonable to replace it with, either?  

That model was a great one for families on a budget.  I swear I don't know how anyone affords to buy new vehicles - between the vehicle purchase cost and gas prices!  and with all the fancy electronics & 'modular' components on them - they cost a fortune to repair.  My son recently knoed off a mirror, Herb said it would be expensive to replace, thinking it was one of those with the turn signal IN it - (it isn't) so it only cost me about $50.  you can't replace just the broken parts p you have to buy the ENTIRE mirror unit.  I had to have the window motors on mine replaced, just to get thru the drive- thrus at the bank & restaurants in the rain and snow. they kept getting stuck open - and you can't drive in IL year-round with an open window! they were pretty expensive! I guess that's pretty common at the age of mine - but honestly - I'd rather have plain old push locks and crank windows, and NOT have the fancy crap to maintain and wear out.  My electronic key hasn't worked for years, and the powerlocks work to lock & unlock the doors sporadicaly, or halfway - EXCEPT the driver's door, which doesn't work at all, except by locking manually. I just had to replace the fuel pump on the Astro, and some ignition switch - about $800 which Herb said was typical at about 100,000 miles.

the vehicle itself - the motor and essentials are a workhorse - very few problems in the years I had each van.  The problems were mostly with incidentals like door latches, rusting exhaust systems from IL salt, and expected maintenance, etc.

So what is their current answer to the Astro's place in the line up? anything?  

Hondas are pretty dependable - my ex had  an accord when we divorced that he drove for 200,000+ miles - but like you, I prefer American made vehicles. (and so does my trusted mechanic - he's a GM guy) So I would never get anything Herb couldn't keep up for me.  I don't know much about cars - but I know people - and Herb, I trust.

Laura

[4Galvs]

TV in sig and here: http://fourgalvs.googlepages.com/towvehicle

[Bowfin]

Might as well add mine here since i did to the other post too.

My other tow vehicle is a '98 Ford Exploder Eddie Bauer 4wd with the 4.0 SOHC six. Comes stock with 4.10 gears
I'd post a pick, but they're a dime a dozen, so I'm sure ya'll already know what it looks like.
It does the job pretty well and has more power than I expected from a six. I can hardly tell the PUP is back there, 'course mine only weighs 1000lbs plus all the gear we take. I've got a Yakima rack on top to tote the toys. We get 16 mpg city and 20 mpg hwy.