Chevy & GMC Vans

Here's my set-up

Latest towing excursion with the new van

Finally got tow something heavy with new van. The bot is a 89 22FT Catalina 17 (don't know manuf) With a Carb 4.3L GM Marine. My most conservative estimate on weight by feel would be around 3500# Didn't scale it but it had a half tank of gas and tuns out had a ridiculous amount of water in it since the cover leaks like a siv.

Here's a recent pic of the boat I tow to the river or lake on occassion

Here is my Van being the bike hauler.

I tore a cabin apart with my 96 2wd one wall at time then the roof... Wish I had pictures. More commonly it pulled a 4 place snowmobile trailer hauling scrap. It also pulled a pop up camper all over I do have a pic of that!



All that the 97 has pulled was a small utility trailer so far.

On the way to Talladega!

Camping where I use to live.

Damnit, I forgot to take pics. Yesterday I towed an '92 Eagle Summit Wagon for 5+ miles using a tow rope.

ihatemybike wrote:Damnit, I forgot to take pics.

haha, i did the same thing.

went to southern maryland to pick up a camaro that i bought over the weekend. had the camera, but forgot to take pictures of the tow rig. leigh anne was taking pictures of the area hills and such. this is the first time i've towed anything really large or any long distance, and made it through okay. i took both bench seats out of the back, as i didn't want the extra weight with pulling the trailer (i knew i was cutting it very close)

my transmission gauge isn't wired in yet, so i borrowed a scan tool from work to monitor transmission temps.

took my 2000 astro, stock engine and transmission (57k miles on replacement transmission now), the b&m transmission cooler (19,000 gvw rating), 3.42 gears with mobil1 synthetic gear lube, and 215/75/15 tires. the car trailer weighs 2000# empty, load with the car on it is about 5400-5500#.

we took u.s. highways and state routes to avoid tolls. the biggest interstates we did were 81, 70, 270, and the 95/495 capital beltway around washington dc. that beltway is insane. no offense to anyone who lives in maryland or knows someone there, but some people down there drive like it's the daytona 500.

towing the empty trailer, we averaged 15.5 mpg down to waldorf, md. we towed mostly in 4th gear with tow/haul going down, only using 3rd up in the mountains climbing some of the hills. highest temps i saw at the internal temperature sensor were 145 degrees. the van didn't even know the trailer was hitched on. i was able to do freeway speeds (55-65mph) the entire way down.

coming back with the car loaded on, we averaged 12.4-12.6 mpg, towed back in 3rd gear with tow/haul, the highest temp i saw at the internal sensor on the return trip was 170 degrees. i was limited to a max of 55-60 mph on the way home.

next mod for the van is some sort of rear support (timbrens or cargo coilover shocks)

all said, i'm immensely impressed with how the van handled towing.

Kids, Don't try this at home.


I didn't take it out on the road today, but I have several times before. It is WAY too much for the van, but manageable at low speeds, like 35mph in 2nd gear. A brake controller would help, the trailer has brakes on the rear two axles, but the van isn't equipped. I did pull it 60 mph with my V8 van, but once was enough. The pintle hitch is the best part, and that it has almost zero tounge weight empty when just lower than level, which is about the height of the hitch on this particular van. It gets real heavy fast when you start to lift it, and you can't push it down either. It's like 36' long in case anyone wondered.

I'm trying to sell this trailer since I sold my dually.

that is quite a trailer.

Here's my biggest load. 1990 Mazda B2200, filled with spare parts and camping equipment. Also had a 2001 Aprilia scooter stuffed in the cargo area of the Astro, along with 4 adults. All-up we ran somewhere close to 12,000 lbs. Astro cruised happily at 60-65, giving 15-16 mpg. Brakes were a little overwhelmed, but otherwise all was OK.
Oh, and I run a set of AirRide bags on the back end, which at 100 psi leveled the rear nicely. They're only at 50 psi in this pic..


Steve

All right, time to show off my big tuff Astro! This thing tows my camper BETTER than my old full size chevy van with 350 4bll. However, the 350 would have towed better with the 2 barrel on it but was lots more fun as a daily driver with all that carb for passing.... Quickly!!!
The Astro pulls better, stronger and I can set the cruise, run the AC. But a little more mass would be helpful and I would never tow without working trailer brakes ! The camper is just under 5000lbs. dry. Sway control and load levelers are absolutely mandatory. Air shocks on Astro but load levelers do more for rear ride height and comfort/tongue weight.

This pic below was first time moving the camper. Still with original 1976 tires on it!


I have towed a couple Opel GT's home. First one was on a 14' trailer with no brakes but was all thruway driving from Mich. to NY. After this pic was taken and we got down the road, we stopped and adjusted the hitch height a couple times until the trailer was riding level to a bit higher in front.


Opel #2 and a nice car hauler trailer with brakes. Only thing is this trailer is heavy empty!!


And last, it may look bad with all the rust but this car is in fabulous condition for structure, engine, transmission and interior! This was a local find and haul with the worse part getting the brakes removed so it would roll!


Shoot, what was all the info you wanted??? Mileage.... towing the camper TO the campout...... 6 to 8 mpg. Return trip, no hurry... 10, 11 mpg. I have purchased but not installed my tranny cooler. Camper only goes out once a year.

ETA- by load levelers, I mean the load leveling hitch arms that you crank up on the chains attached to the trailer tongue. I have used air shocks on every van, or truck that needed extra carrying capacity. This van needs new air shocks due to the rubber grommets on the shock tops being worn out. Someone suggested I use the old shocks as sway control for the camper! Interesting idea and with air shocks they would be adjustable. Just may look a bit goofy.....

I pull a 3,800 pound camper with my 2002 AWD Astro that has timbren supports and transmission cooler and standard axles. We get about 10-11 mpg at 57 mph. Could use a little more horsepower when climbing hills but otherwise it pulls ok. Last camping trip was over 1,700 miles round trip. Was not able to use airconditioner because I needed all the power for pulling but I did get used to driving with windows open. I guess that is a little retro traveling!

dansteck wrote: ↑Wed Aug 03, 2022 5:50 am I pull a 3,800 pound camper with my 2002 AWD Astro that has timbren supports and transmission cooler and standard axles. We get about 10-11 mpg at 57 mph. Could use a little more horsepower when climbing hills but otherwise it pulls ok. Last camping trip was over 1,700 miles round trip. Was not able to use airconditioner because I needed all the power for pulling but I did get used to driving with windows open. I guess that is a little retro traveling!

Thanks for a max-load ballpark. Convinced that my M11006 needs an ignition module, it missing at idle just as much on a replacement coil as on the original, so I've decided to assemble the original coil and a new ignition module on a salvage coil mount. Inflation has definitely dealt a setback to my acquisition schedule for trailering hardware; but I see no need to change the shortlist, which still includes a 9" Currie full-float with EATON Truetrac and (practical) 3.73:1 R&P. (I eventually plan on 4.11's as part of the 7-speed swap, as the MAGNA 7MTI550 has staged overdrives and a granny low.)