TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

oldstick · 12-02-2016, 05:04 PM

I know from experience years ago, we destroyed the transmission on a brand new Ford Wind Star mini-van rated for 2000 lbs towing (front wheel drive vehicle). Our pop-up camper was dry weight of 1300, and I didn't fully understand the tow rating calculations at that time, although it was explained in detail in my owners manual. So I thought everything was fine. Turned out that 2000 MAX actually means 1000 for the trailer (or less) with significant cargo and passengers inside the van. With options and cargo installed in the camper it probably was closer to 2000 than 1300. So adding van passengers and cargo we probably had closer to 3000 total cargo being "towed".

We only took the camper out 5 or 6 times per year at most for short weekend trips and only 4 or 5 times total into areas with significant hill. Transmission was toast in less than 100K miles.

In hindsight, the minivan was not designed to tow any kind of significant weight, hence the 2000 MAX rating, including the trailer with cargo, plus any passengers and cargo in the van.

12-02-2016, 05:04 PM	#6
oldstick TrailManor Master Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: GA Posts: 503	I know from experience years ago, we destroyed the transmission on a brand new Ford Wind Star mini-van rated for 2000 lbs towing (front wheel drive vehicle). Our pop-up camper was dry weight of 1300, and I didn't fully understand the tow rating calculations at that time, although it was explained in detail in my owners manual. So I thought everything was fine. Turned out that 2000 MAX actually means 1000 for the trailer (or less) with significant cargo and passengers inside the van. With options and cargo installed in the camper it probably was closer to 2000 than 1300. So adding van passengers and cargo we probably had closer to 3000 total cargo being "towed". We only took the camper out 5 or 6 times per year at most for short weekend trips and only 4 or 5 times total into areas with significant hill. Transmission was toast in less than 100K miles. In hindsight, the minivan was not designed to tow any kind of significant weight, hence the 2000 MAX rating, including the trailer with cargo, plus any passengers and cargo in the van.