Chevy Equinox

I am also looking at a 2417 to pull with a Chevy Equinox V6 with tow package. Tailmaster.com is not much help in estimating weight, but found a dealer on line that allows you to build the weight.http://prosserrv.com/ProsserRV_TrailManor_Pricing.html . Here are my estimated weights:

• 2417 KS 2280
  AC 200
  awing 70
  TV Antenna 12
  Electric Tongue Jack 20
  Fan 8
  Total 2590
  
  20 gals water 165 (carry 1/2 tank for a late arrival)
  LP 1 tank 20 (1 tank std)
  TV 10
  Cords, Hoses, etc 25
  Misc 200
  Grand Total 3010

I am trying to find out if my hitch will take a WDH, It's a Curt, the numbers on the hitch do not match anything, but the design is class 3 and so are the rating, but the receiver is only 1 1/4. Emailed Curt ... no response ... probably have to call.

We do not plan to dry camp where we would need to travel with full tanks, extra batteries, LP, etc. Also, we are not in mountain country. Our use would be for casual trips and for overnight camping on the way to Fl. However, I still feel the pull package is marginal

[Padgett]

My understanding is that a class III has a 2" receiver and a 1 1/4" is limited to Class II/3500 lbs. That sounds like either a Curt 12290 or a 122903

When I was young and ignorant (and before a lot of the regulations) I towed a lot more with a lot less. Just have to be patient, gentle, watch the temperature gauge, and never outdrive your brakes. Crossing the Rockies and the Cascades in a 1600cc single port Westphalia with a giant oil cooler was an interesting experience. Can say that a coil from a junk 60 Chevvy found in the Arizona desert worked just fine.

[Redtail Cruiser]

Snowbird,

You will definitely need to upgrade to a 2inch class IV hitch, even then I'm not sure your TV will be sufficient for towing a TM. How many people and how much gear in the your SUV? Does your tow pkg. include a tranny cooler? Does your vehicle have a seven pin trailer hook up for an electric brake controller?

Padgett & Retail,

Thank you for your replies and insights … I will try to answer your questions and see if it brings up more issues. As a little background, we snowbirded for 6 years in a Class A gasser motorhome. Every year, I would weigh it before taking off to Florida (DW always wanted to take more things every year , so I am very aware of GCWR, GVWR and axle weights, and, therefore sensitive to weight of the TV and trailer. We now have a park model, but miss the flexibility of traveling in the motorhome, therefore considering the TM.

The factory hitch on the car is very similar to the 12290 & 122903, however, Curt recommends the 12291 class 2 which is a box design and 13591 class 3 tube design for my 2014 Equinox V6. The hitch on the car is tube design with 1 ¼ receiver. When I crawl under I can see a sticker That says “ 3500 lbs Maximum Trailer Weight” and “ 400 lbs Maximum Tongue Weight”. The hitch closest to the factory hitch is the 13591 with a WDH at 400 lbs tongue weight13591 ( may have to click on details to see it). Therefore, have asked Curt for clarification.

The Equinox appears to have an integral transmission cooler, I cannot verify online. However, did find a schematic showing replacement tube and hoses connecting from radiator to transaxle. The car has only a 4 prong plug, so a brake controller would have to be installed and wired. Does the TM use the 6th wire to keep batteries charged in the trailer? Does TM use a break away kit?

The tv would have only DH, small pet, and some luggage in addition to me. Since I weigh more than 155 lbs (Chevy assumes for driver), we should subtract about 300 lbs from the towing weight. While our towing would be classified as moderate, we are very close to max.

We stopped and looked at the 2417KS on our way home from Florida … we are now 300 miles from the nearest dealer, so any insights would be appreciated.

[Redtail Cruiser]

Yes, the 7 pin bargman connector handles both trailer brakes and a 12 volt charge to the inverter. Yes, the trailer has a cabled breakaway system that ties to the TV.

Everybody has to decide what their comfort level is, when it comes to towing safely. Personally, I would not want to tow with a setup that is so close to the max limit of my vehicle, but others here do and will probably chime in and tell you that it is fine.

Good luck with your search for a TM, they are a great way to camp and travel. Keep us posted

[Padgett]

The Equinox sounds much more capable than the Subaru and the 6 speed 301hp direct injection V6 is great for towing any Trailmanor. The chassis might need a bit of stiffening but with the right receiver sounds very similar to my Jeep.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Snowbird

The Equinox appears to have an integral transmission cooler ...

Every automatic transmission generates heat, so every vehicle with an automatic transmission has an integral transmission cooler. The cooler is sized to handle the heat load generated by moving the car down the road. You must have an auxiliary transmission cooler to handle the added heat load generated by pulling a trailer. The integral cooler is not adequate.

Bill

[Padgett]

Well sorta. True an automagic will generate heat particularly if shifting a lot going uphill. OTOH modern trans are lockup and unlike early trans like a 400R4 the lower gears will and can lock. Also modern V6s with VVT i&e have amazing torque bands, my heep makes 90% of peak torque from 2000 to 6400 (redline) rpm. What I am getting at is that if you can keep out of PE and below unlock load by down shifting early and running at 3500-4000 rpm in a lower gear that is locked, there is very little extra trans heat generated. Pulling the "hills" of Clermont on the turnpike at 65-67 in cruise, the trans temp never got over 170F (is nice to be able to monitor coolant temp, oil temp, trans temp, and oil pressure).

SO YMMV.

[tentcamper]

snowbird,

Curt hitch web site is hard to find. It's www.curtmfg.com They should have the info on you hitch. If you plan to use a WDH, I don't think a 1 1/4 hitch supports WDH.

[tentcamper]

Padgett,

Where are you sensing the transmission temp? I'm checking my temps at the output of the TC one of the hottest internal points with my autoexray 6K. On backroad hills and mountains with grades between 7 and 12% grades and a 29,000 BTU external trans cooler and the factory tow package internal oversized radiator cooler. I'm seeing temps around 225. I agree with Bill, it's cheap insurance for major transmission repairs to add a trans cooler. I also increase the frequency of changing my trans fluid. I do it ever year before camping season. But we take a lot of back roads through the mountains.