1996 Trailer and Speedster Weight
#1
Posted 20 July 2004 - 12:12 PM
I was wondering if anyone has any information on a 1996 Speedster and trailer weight (tow and tongue, etc.) that they could provide. I bought it used and has no manual (ordered one and waiting for it). I have a minivan and will be using it to tow the Speedster and was planning on getting a transmission cooler and power steering cooler, etc. for it and want to make sure I get the right capacity coolers.
#2
Posted 20 July 2004 - 12:39 PM
I do sometimes pull the 97 with a Pontiac Bonneville (89).... Class II hitch on that one. I didn't add any coolers to it, but a tranny cooler couldn't hurt.
#3
Posted 20 July 2004 - 02:35 PM
#4
Posted 21 July 2004 - 11:32 AM
Not to butt in, but....Thanks Tiggerman - I have a class III tow hitch on my Odyssey minivan and it could tow 1800 lbs w/o a cooler but I just want to be on the safe side in case there's a transmission problem and dealer wants neg on my extended warranty if I don't have a cooler. With a cooler, it could tow up to 2800lbs.
Forget about those published weights. They might be ok for getting a rough idea of what your towed load is, but what you really need to do is load up your Speedster and van with what would constitute a typical boating trips' worth of stuff. Drinks, coolers, ice, fuel, people, etc. Then just stop by your nearest highway weigh station and ask if they'd mind weighing your rig. This will include the weight on your van's front axle, the rear axle, and the trailer axle. The trailer axle weight will tell you what your actual towing weight is. The sum of the van's axle weights will tell you how much (naturally) your van's loaded weight is. The sum of the van and trailer is the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).
Just because your towed load doesn't exceed your vehicle's tow rating, your true GCWR might. This is something most people just don't take into account. And then they tell their dealership that they haven't exceeded the towing limit. But they have!
I know this sounds like a PITA to do, but trust me, it will pay off in the long run. You might be (sadly?) surprised at what your towed weight and GCWR is.
Don't ask me how I know.
BTW, been towing trailers & boats for many years. Ho - boy......the tales I could tell you.
Tom
#5
Posted 21 July 2004 - 11:35 AM
#6
Posted 22 July 2004 - 10:53 AM
The guys I've dealt with have always been pretty cool. However, I've always made sure I went to a weigh station when it wasn't slammed. The other thing I've done is to pull into the station, but pull off to the side. Then I go inside and politely ask if they would have time to weigh me out. I've done this maybe 10 times or so in 3 or 4 states and have never been turned down. One guy chuckled and said to me, "I dunno....you gotta helluva load there (a 19' Bayliner and Nissan pickemup). Not sure our scales can handle it." So I told him I'd take the life jackets out of the boat. He laughed and told me to pull around and follow the directions.Thanks Tom - Never thought about stopping at a weight station and ask them to weigh it! I wonder if they would just tell me to get the h*** out of there and don't waste their time!!! I'll have to try it on our next camping trip.
Tom
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