hmmmm...after all this, i'm in the van

[rich m]

Hi, everybody!



Due to lots of passengers, I'm taking my next Oklahoma trip in our '93 Dodge 250 conversion van (odometer still hasn't cracked the 60K)

and will be towing the luggage behind, on the famous "$50 trailer". #ad




Here's what I'm working with, and what i need to know.



Pre-Magnum 318/5. 2

"towing package" always ran extremely cool, so it must work



U-haul has 5K rec'r hitch, and wiring, for $150 "out the door" or about $220 installed

Any stronger/equal hitches that might be a better bargain?



Eventually, there'll be trailer brakes, but, as yet, all 1600+ lb of trailer will be on the van's brakes... . we won't make good time on this trip, due to keeping O/D "buttoned out", and frequent gas stops...



Van's supposed to be rated for 7200lb/trailer's nowhere near that, unless carrying sod pallets, which I'm NOT!!.



Anything to keep eye on, aside from temps?

Here's another question/suspicion----in 94 the van and p/u both went to a new body style... my 93's transmission---locking or non-locking TC? seems like it always felt like a non-lock.



If you see a green and white Dodge van with a real ugly trailer and a whole passel of Filipinos, accompanied by a sweaty hairy white guy, that'll be us. (Leaving LV,NV to SanDiego 8/8, then east to the Tulsa area from there... . ooohhweee, that's gonna be a haul!)



Jeez, you'd think I never drove a gasser before!

 

[rickhans]

I have never heard of a U-Haul brand hitch. Around here they sell the draw-tite hitch. Anyway, I would not put a 5k hitch on. I believe the standard Class III hitch is around 7500 pound cap. , which usually can be found for the same price you were quoted. When my Dodge Class III hitch failed, I had a DrawTite Class 5 hitch put on my Ram for around $270 installed, which Dodge paid for.



Isn't your van rated to pull up to 7500 without equalizer bars and 10k with equalizer? Even though you are pulling a small trailer now, I would put on the largest your van is rated to tow, for both safety and future use. You never know when you will have to rent a trailer or car hauler to tow a car or move some friend's furniture.

 

[illflem]

Rich, B'Gate is offering some real good advice. U-Haul claims to have installed more hitches than anyone else in the world, if that makes them good I don't know. What did you finally do to get the $50 trailer registered?

 

[rich m]

**cough**/**snort**

Originally posted by illflem

. . What did you finally do to get the $50 trailer registered?

****whispering:---it's not****



Plan, however, is to get a 3/4T (8-lug) axle set from these guys.

http://www.utilitytrailerkit.com/traileraxles.htm



swap in the new-ey and then go back to DMV



by that time, the $50 trailer will be up to about $800



(as of Friday, it's got an aluminum camper shell on it) It's ugly as a mud fence, but it's functional!

 

[rich m]

Originally posted by B'Gate

I have never heard of a U-Haul brand hitch. Around here they sell the draw-tite hitch. Anyway, I would not put a 5k hitch on. I believe the standard Class III hitch is around 7500 pound cap. , which usually can be found for the same price you were quoted. When my Dodge Class III hitch failed, I had a DrawTite Class 5 hitch put on my Ram for around $270 installed, which Dodge paid for.



Isn't your van rated to pull up to 7500 without equalizer bars and 10k with equalizer? Even though you are pulling a small trailer now, I would put on the largest your van is rated to tow, for both safety and future use. You never know when you will have to rent a trailer or car hauler to tow a car or move some friend's furniture.

seems like the 7500/10K is correct--- the 5K hitch he had is supposed to be good for 10K with equalizers... . maybe I'll see what Drawtite's and Reese's web catalogs have to offer...

It wouldn't hurt my feelings to get one that's safe for 10-15K. . I like overkill... Isn't the RAM evidence of that?

 

[SnoKing]

Here a good place to get hitch for the do-it-yourselfers'



www.hitch-web.com



I used them and the service was great. Snow King

 

[rich m]

Originally posted by Snow King

Here a good place to get hitch for the do-it-yourselfers'



www.hitch-web.com



I used them and the service was great. Snow King

hey,SK--that's what I needed to hear!---- the EAZ-LIFT looks like the best bargain. . out of the various websites I looked thru, theirs also had the best "wizard" for matching up the tow vehicle and choosing the hitch



here's the page:



http://www.hitch-web.com/hdescrip.a...ct=Standard+Receiver&ProductCode=EZ3245~T5440



free shipping in CONUS, too! If there's not a comparable bargain 'off the shelf' here in LV, I'll order that way..... rm

 

[SnoKing]

I order one for wife's Honda on a thursday at 2:06 PM. Came home from work Friday and it was on the poarch. Monday evening the electric connection show up. They had drop shipped the hitch from a Reece WH in Portland. What service. Snow King

 

[Bad340fish]

Whoa

Did you just say... . HITCH... and... . HONDA??? I don't think those are compatable are they

Clark

 

[SnoKing]

We have 2001 V6 EX and a Achilles 12'4" Ultra Sport RIB with a 40 hp merc. Weights about 700-800lbs with trailer. Can't tow 5er and RIB at the same time. So! Snow King

 

[rich m]

Originally posted by Snow King

I order one for wife's Honda on a thursday at 2:06 PM. Came home from work Friday and it was on the poarch. Monday evening the electric connection show up. They had drop shipped the hitch from a Reece WH in Portland. What service. Snow King

I love it when the "big brown box on wheels" leaves stuff on the doorstep! I even got a bunch of 8mmMauser ammo from "the old west scrounger" that way ---made me proud to be an American





hmmmmmm that reminds me, I oughta check his stock again... .