brand new to this...advise is welcome!

Hi all - what a great place for information! We've camped before with family, but have never had our own trailer, nor the responsibility that goes along with it! We'd like to give it a try, with an older, inexpensive trailer, to see how it suits us - family of four, two young kids. I guess I'm a bit of a diva, I want a kitchen and a bathroom, and have ruled out tent trailers (we're in Canada). I learned about TM online and thought the concept was great - we've got a 2005 Honda Odyssey and don't want to trade in our vehicle just so we can tow something. I've found a 1999 TM 2619 that we're thinking of making a very long road trip to see. I see the checklists and questions to ask, and will read them more thoroughly, but does anyone have any suggestions for me? Specifically about an older model TM, or towing with a Honda Odyssey, or anything I might be missing? As I mentioned, this is brand new to us, so maybe a basic question...can my can *really* tow this trailer? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!

[Bill]

"Can an Odyssey tow a 2619?"

First, use this board's Search tool tool on the term Odyssey - there has been a lot of discussion regarding this vehicle.

Second, it depends critically on WHERE you plan to tow. If you are going to stay on the flatlands, many people will say yes, go ahead. But if you plan to get into the mountains, the Rockies, for instance, the answer is probably no. You didn't mention where in Canada you are, or where you plan to tow.

Third, it also depends on how much weight you will add to the Odyssey. Two young children may (or may not) require a lot of "stuff". A "diva" may (or may not) require a lot of stuff. It turns out that the tow vehicle manufacturers don't exactly lie, but they obscure. They will give you a tow rating (you should check it for your Ody), but they make it hard to discover that the weight of everything you put into the Ody except the driver must be subtracted from the tow rating. That means weight of all passengers, weight of factory options, weight of aftermarket options, plus of course the weight of whatever cargo you put in the back of the Ody. As we conclude repeatedly on this board, and as Trailmanor suggests, you will probably need to subtract 500 to 1000 pounds from the Ody tow rating. So it is important to know what that tow rating is.

Fourth, you also need to understand that a ready-to-camp TM, loaded with all your stuff, all the factory options, and water will weigh considerably more than the "dry weight" mentioned on the TM website. Your 2619 will probably weight something on the order of 3000-3300 pounds, depending on those options and the amount of stuff you stash in it.

I hope that HarveyRV chimes in here - he has a much more eloquent way of figuring it out, involving various weight ratings of the tow vehicle.

Bill

[Wavery]

I'm not trying to recommend for or against towing with any particular vehicle. More than likely, you will tow with what you have.

What is important, is understanding what you have and what the limitations and weaknesses are. See this thread:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ey+tow+vehicle

You will have some people that will state that they tow with an Odyssey. That doesn't change the facts or limitations. It just tells you that some people tow with an Odyssey.

For instance......my Silverado 1/2 ton, full size pick-up is pretty maxed out towing a 2720 TM. It doesn't "feel" maxed out but I respect the fact that I am very close to some of the max ratings on this vehicle and I operate it accordingly.

I tow a 2720 with a 2000 Odyssey just fine. And your model has a bit more pulling power. I don't run especially fast and I watch the weight, but all in all tows remarkably well. I did add a transmission cooler. I'd go for it, unless you plan to race at Indy.

Originally Posted by busybean

Specifically about an older model TM,

Some of the other forum members may have missed this part of your question. Just from reading this forum, I'm pretty sure that a 1999 model will have wood bits in the structure: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ad.php?t=10039. However, if well maintained, that shouldn't be a problem, just something to look out for. Also tires and battery, if over 5 years old, may have to be replaced.

Here's some more threads on this:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=9756
http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8878

busybean,
For some 12 years we camped in a '96 Jayco 1207 tent popup that, loaded, was around 3000lb. We towed it for 8 yrs with a Dodge Caravan with 3.3 V6 rated around 3500lb on which I'd installed a tran cooler (a real must-have). We pulled it often up through Banff and Jasper (Icefields Pkwy) areas and our Crater Lake and Glacier NPs, so the Mtns. are possible, as long as you are reasonably gentle to the rig! We usually had 2-3 teens along with us (and all the 'gear'), likely overloaded the poor van! As moaboy said, as long as you don't plan to race, you'll likely be ok with the 2619 as long as you remember you're running at its limits ... and the Ody will likely do better than the old Caravan! It sounds like a great way for you to explore trailering!

[RickNewcomb]

Originally Posted by brulaz

Some of the other forum members may have missed this part of your question. Just from reading this forum, I'm pretty sure that a 1999 model will have wood bits in the structure: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ad.php?t=10039. However, if well maintained, that shouldn't be a problem, just something to look out for. Also tires and battery, if over 5 years old, may have to be replaced.

Here's some more threads on this:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=9756
http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8878

I own a 1999 2619. I do not have wood in the structure of the upper shells. The structure is aluminum.

I towed it for 9 years with a Plymouth Grand Voyager minivan. I now tow with a Highlander which tows better than the minivan. But, the minivan was adequate.