[Myra]

Hi,
I have a 2000 GMC Safari van w/V6 vortec engine, about 185K miles. I bought it thinking I'd be able to tow a 2-horse trailer (haven't bought yet) but one mechanic nixes the idea saying it will tear up the engine & the other says the vortec (whatever that is) makes it workable for towing. The van is rates to tow 5500 lbs & gross weight is about 7200. Had anyone had any experience towing - pro or con - with a vehicle of this size engine, or hopefully, w/the same vehicle? I just love this van and if it can work, I don't want to sell it - but if it won't, it's got to go! Thanks a lot. Myra

 

[equiniphile]

I have a 2002 Explorer with a v6 engine, and I tow a wagon with about 20 bales easily. I don't have a horse trailer, so I don't know how a v6 would work with one. I'm hoping to get a v8 pickup, but I haven't found one cheap yet

 

[Mingiz]

Hi,
I have a 2000 GMC Safari van w/V6 vortec engine, about 185K miles. I bought it thinking I'd be able to tow a 2-horse trailer (haven't bought yet) but one mechanic nixes the idea saying it will tear up the engine & the other says the vortec (whatever that is) makes it workable for towing. The van is rates to tow 5500 lbs & gross weight is about 7200. Had anyone had any experience towing - pro or con - with a vehicle of this size engine, or hopefully, w/the same vehicle? I just love this van and if it can work, I don't want to sell it - but if it won't, it's got to go! Thanks a lot. Myra

I Don't think it would be a wise decision to pull a 2h bp with your vehicle. Your mechanic is right it will wear down your vehicle. It's not really made for towing... You can tow with it but in the long run you will be sorry..It will wear out your brakes, be hard on your motor and transmission. You will also need to put a brake controller in it for the trailer or the trailer will be pushing on you as you try and stop...Also with it being a van the trailer may be too much tounge weight for it.. Me i wouldn't do it...JMO

 

[ChevyPrincess]

I agree with Mingiz. Your vehicle isn't meant for towing. There are a lot of cheap v8 older chevy's out there that would be perfect, haha . A v6 truck could pull a small bp, but the more you plan to pull a trailer often and possibly upgrade, it would be wise to get a vehicle meant for pulling with a bigger engine. =]

 

[Vidaloco]

I think it comes down to what type of towing your talking about. Just quick trips to the vet or 10-20 miles once a week your OK. If your talking about doing 300 miles of mountain driving I would look for another vehicle.
You may have to beef up your suspension so your not squatting your van. I added some Timbren pads to my truck, they work great Timbren SES Kits - Suspension Enhancement for your Vehicle

 

[Mingiz]

I think it comes down to what type of towing your talking about. Just quick trips to the vet or 10-20 miles once a week your OK. If your talking about doing 300 miles of mountain driving I would look for another vehicle.
You may have to beef up your suspension so your not squatting your van. I added some Timbren pads to my truck, they work great Timbren SES Kits - Suspension Enhancement for your Vehicle

It doesn't matter how much you beef up your suspension. The vehicle is not made for towing. The minimum tow vehicle that you would want to have with a bumper pull is atleast a 1/2 ton with a small V8. Vans are not towers...Also on the idea of quick trips..Doesn't matter you will still wear out the vehicle. Even some 1/2 ton pick ups aren't set up for towing...There is alot more to it than just hooking on to something and pulling it down the road...jmo

 

[Vidaloco]

I had a Ford F150 with a V6 that I used to pull a small 2 horse bumper pull. Just for short trips to the vet 8 miles away. I never had a problem.
My Uncle pulled a fairly large camper with a van for years. Just used a weight distribution hitch. I remember as a kid, my parents pulling a camper with a 68 Mercury. They drove hundreds of miles with no problems. Never saw the movie with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez, The Long Long Trailer? :lol: Not saying in the long run, its not hard on a vehicle.
I'm betting that 2000 Safari has 1/2 ton springs.

 

[spence]

I think it comes down to what type of towing your talking about. Just quick trips to the vet or 10-20 miles once a week your OK. If your talking about doing 300 miles of mountain driving I would look for another vehicle.

agreed. you can see some strange things in this world. my grandparents pulled a fairly large camping trailer to CO every year when my mom was growing up with their chrysler sedans, and when my dad was in college up at kstate he pulled the two horse BP the 200 miles up there with his station wagon. remember, there was a day not so awful long ago when not everybody and their brother had a pickup to pull something with. i had a 98 2 door explorer and it pulled that trailer (empty) or an empty car trailer just fine. however, if you've got finances to snag an old high mileage pickup, i'd do that instead...

oh, and i pulled the gooseneck w/o a brake control until taking it to the north east where there's hills WORTH having one for. around here it's not really necessary. don't know many farmers who use them, either.

 

[sillybunny11486]

He have pulled a boat and campers with out '95 Ford Areostar but I wouldnt recomend a trailer with horses in it. With just a pop up camper you could see it pulling down the back of the van. I wouldnt use a vehicle with 185k miles to pull a trailer, unless it was a big truck. It puts alot of stress on the enginge. My ford 09 ranger pulls my little BP and one horse quite well. But I wouldnt even put a second horse in there, because I dont want to push my truck to hard. Its a pain for the brake wiring, if you do it yourself, and you need to get a comprehensive book for your vehicle (i think even the specific year) so you can figure out were to put the wiring in. I wouldnt put the money in the car, for the hitch and wiring, if it might not even be able to pull the trailer.

 

[my2geldings]

Hi,
I have a 2000 GMC Safari van w/V6 vortec engine, about 185K miles. I bought it thinking I'd be able to tow a 2-horse trailer (haven't bought yet) but one mechanic nixes the idea saying it will tear up the engine & the other says the vortec (whatever that is) makes it workable for towing. The van is rates to tow 5500 lbs & gross weight is about 7200. Had anyone had any experience towing - pro or con - with a vehicle of this size engine, or hopefully, w/the same vehicle? I just love this van and if it can work, I don't want to sell it - but if it won't, it's got to go! Thanks a lot. Myra

What you have to remember is that even tho your van is rated to be able to pull your trailer, the engine and the way it's build is not made to pull such weights. They pull the limit on their vehicles because it is required by law, but realistically, it is not made to pull a horse trailer (with a moving animal on the way best of days).

I used a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee(which is bigger than what your towing vehicle will be), and tho it was rated to be able to pull a horse trailer(which I did for 6 months), I completely destroyed the transmission. The transmission is just not build for heavy pulling.

The second you move over to even a small truck, they way the transmission is put together is made for pulling. It has a cooling system that will be able to take on the weight as well.

Knowing what I know now, I will never do it again. I currently drive a 2009 Ford Escape which on paper can "also haul" a horse trailer but let me tell you, it won't get near it.

With the amount of work that is required by the engine to pull a horse alone, you will(and I can guarantee it), will detroy your transmission.