Anyone tow a 17B with an Odyssey?

[Shishepmom]

Does anyone tow a 17B with a Honda Odyssey van? The specs say the total dry weight is 2400 and the hitch weight is 250. . .

There was some conversation in the recent past about websites not always having accurate information regarding weights. I would like to hear that the Escape website does put out accurate weights. . .

Thanks,
Tonie

 

[vermilye]

Does anyone tow a 17B with a Honda Odyssey van? The specs say the total dry weight is 2400 and the hitch weight is 250. . .

There was some conversation in the recent past about websites not always having accurate information regarding weights. I would like to hear that the Escape website does put out accurate weights. . .

Thanks,
Tonie

Remember that your trailer is never going to weigh the dry weight. For example, my Escape 17B packed for a trip weights 3010 lbs, with a 345 lb hitch weight. It is important to actually weigh the trailer & hitch before each trip to be sure you are within the limits of your tow vehicle & have the proper percent of weight on the hitch > 10% - 15%.

I have a spreadsheet that was originally posted at the Fiberglass Trailers website by Fredrick Simpson (with his permission) that lets you sort by trailer & find the average weights of many fiberglass trailers.

As to the Odyssey, you would need to determine the towing capacity of the van, hope that it has the tow package (if not, add at least a transmission cooler), add a hitch, brake controller & wiring, a charge wire from the battery, and a 7 pin connector. You might also need to provide some additional support for the rear suspension. I have a friend that tows a Scamp 16 with a Toyota Sienna, and it works, but the Escape is going to be quite a bit heavier...

 

[Shishepmom]

Remember that your trailer is never going to weigh the dry weight. For example, my Escape 17B packed for a trip weights 3010 lbs, with a 345 lb hitch weight. It is important to actually weigh the trailer & hitch before each trip to be sure you are within the limits of your tow vehicle & have the proper percent of weight on the hitch > 10% - 15%.

I have a spreadsheet that was originally posted at the Fiberglass Trailers website by Fredrick Simpson (with his permission) that lets you sort by trailer & find the average weights of many fiberglass trailers.

As to the Odyssey, you would need to determine the towing capacity of the van, hope that it has the tow package (if not, add at least a transmission cooler), add a hitch, brake controller & wiring, a charge wire from the battery, and a 7 pin connector. You might also need to provide some additional support for the rear suspension. I have a friend that tows a Scamp 16 with a Toyota Sienna, and it works, but the Escape is going to be quite a bit heavier...

Vermilye,
Thanks. I appreciate the information. I am a devotee of the "Trailer Weights in the Real World" and am so grateful to Frederick Simpson for compiling it, and for all who participated in sharing their information for it. ..

The Odyssey is rated for 3500 lbs., and I have had a hitch and transmission fan put on it. I do realize the loaded trailer will weigh more than the totally empty one. . . and realize you would have to keep track of just how much you are loading into it, and how. . . My concern is that you need to start out with accurate info as the basis, to begin with. . .

I always had the impression that the Escape, being a more substantial fiberglass trailer than the Scamp or Casita (my view, no offense to other trailers), would weigh more and be out of my van's tow range. . . So I was really surprised when I actually went to the specs sheet and found the numbers.

What moves your hitch weight from 250 (dry, per website), to 345? Total weight of the trailer, or weight distribution within the trailer?

Thanks again for the good info. I appreciate it very much.
Tonie

 

[vermilye]

Vermilye,

What moves your hitch weight from 250 (dry, per website), to 345? Total weight of the trailer, or weight distribution within the trailer?

Thanks again for the good info. I appreciate it very much.
Tonie

It is a combination of both. These weights are from when I pulled with a RAV4, rated at 3500/350 lbs. I now tow with a Tacoma Off Road, and am up to 3100/360 lbs.

I have an adapter that lets me use a bathroom scale (rated at 450 lbs) to check tongue weight, and our local transfer station will weigh a trailer for no charge if you don't need the weight in writing. I always check both & make adjustments, if necessary, before each trip.

 

[Shishepmom]

Thanks, Jon. I appreciate it.
Tonie

 

[tidewater]

Among the trailers you are considering, the Casita 17 has the most tongue weight, I believe. I defer to Jon and others, but the Escape 17, Casita 16, or Scamp might be the better choice with the Odyssey because of the tongue weight.

Having said that, I know a couple of people that pull a Casita 17 just fine all over the country with a Toyota Sienna which should be comparable to your Odyssey.

jack

 

[Shishepmom]

Thanks, Jack. If I got a Casita, it would be a 16', or a Scamp 16.
I appreciate the reply.
Tonie

 

[LeonW]

When we had a 17b we towed it with a Toyota Sienna, which had a tow capacity of 3500 lbs. that was 3 years ago so obviously it was a "classic" 17b. But it all worked fine and in many ways I think mini-vans make excellent tow vehicles. Our sienna was very comfortable to drive and had lots of room for things like our bicycles and our dog.

 

[Chris & Patricia]

Does anyone tow a 17B with a Honda Odyssey van? The specs say the total dry weight is 2400 and the hitch weight is 250. . .

There was some conversation in the recent past about websites not always having accurate information regarding weights. I would like to hear that the Escape website does put out accurate weights. . .

Thanks,
Tonie

We tow our 17B with an older Honda Pilot, which is rated for 3,500 lbs with a 450lb tongue weight. Its mostly fine - great on the flat, but we take it deliberately slowly up big hills, as it otherwise sucks gas. You are probably OK, but should check what you maximum tongue weight will be, because, as others have pointed out, its not the dry weight, its the loaded weight. Adding water, propane as well as all your clothes, tools and supplies quickly adds up. If your Odessey can take 350 - 400 lbs or more of tongue weight, you are probably OK.

 

[steve dunham]

We own a 17 ft Casita SD . The factory listed dry tongue weight is 365 lbs. Our Casita's tongue weight is around 430 lbs when loaded for travel.
Since an Escape 17B has a listed factory tongue weight of 250 lbs , it's probably a better fit for your Honda especially if your tongue weight limit is 350 or 400 lbs.