Any one towing with a V6 Astro or GMC safari if so what size Airstream or Argosy...25' pushing it? the truck is rated at 5500# Just looks out of place......
I had an Astro AWD V6 and I wouldn't have wanted to tow more than 3500 lbs, 4000 max. If your talking mountain passes . . . well, "have you had a V8 today" as the add goes. A dry Bambi is 3600 lbs, that might work. I'd stay 19' or below. Just an opinion.
I agree, however the Arogsy is lighter than the Airstream so you might get away with a larger Arogsy than a comparable Airstream.
I second the V8 though. Can never hurt.
Eric
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Not sure where I saw it but some CRAZY person was towing a 25' Landyacht with a 2wd Astro although they do have the V8 kit for this rig. www.racecraftconversions.com it just looks too BIG...
One other thing. IMHO, there's no such thing as too big a tow vehicle versus too short a trailer. Anyone who disagrees should probably back off on the steroids. Anytime someone pulls a trailer, they are to some degree compromising the safety and stability of the tow vehicle , PERIOD!!! The more lopsided the ratio, the bigger the "degree".
I agree that a 19' Bambi is about the maximum for the Chevy V6. I towed a 24' TrailManor with my S-10, Vortec V-6 with 190 hp, at about 3700# to 4000# with that engine and it was certainly adequate, but not overkill by anyone's imagination.
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John W. Irwin
2005 Classic 28 "Sabre-Dog III"
2004 Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison
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Those vans are Uni body. Yes your read that right...they have no conventioanal frame. They have a sub frame for the front suspension and engine cradle. The rest of it is frameless.
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1959 22' Caravanner
1988 R20 454 Suburban.
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Toaster... the Astro and Safari have truck frames under them. Besides the Ford Aerostar, they were the only minivans rated to tow 5000 lbs. I just traded my '98 Astro AWD in on my Excursion and quite frankly I had a tough time seeing it go. It was very competent, both in bad weather and towing. I towed a '77 6 Meter Minuet with my Astro with a 4.3 V-6 and an auto. I had a Hi-perf Reese DC with 600lb bars, and the Astro didn't even know the Minuet was behind it. I also towed my '61 Bambi with it. The AWD version has a rated tow capacity of 4700 lbs max; the 2WD version 5000lbs; the difference being the weight of the AWD.
I certainly wouldn't tow anything much larger than a vintage GT or Safari with it, but it is a competent hauler, provided you stay within reasonable limits.
Roger
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AIR 2053 “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Robert Heinlein 2006 Bigfoot 25B25RQ towed by a 2001 Born Free 23RK moho
Here's a picture of our Astro.... and a V8 is coming soon (it's being built right now). Before you ask, the Astro really did quite well on the freeways and small hills - locally. HOWEVER, I really wouldn't want to pull it any distance in any mountains with the v6. A trip to the islands with our 3500 boat was just fine however with 6 people in the van...very stable platform to tow with.
The eight is so that I can climb the 2 mile 10% (or greater, it really goes straght up) grade to our campsite. Most of the time the camper is there - despite the v8, I really would like a slightly bigger tow car.
Marc
I don't think towing an Argosy with a V6 Astro is terrible. I might not do it, but it seems reasonable only from the standpoint that the Argosy was suppose to be a lighter weight unit. That said, if an S-10 Blazer could deal with 5k lbs (and it's a V6), I think a comparably equipped Astro or Safari could do the trick.
Mind you it might not be one of my favs, but I think it could do it. I agree much more than 5k and you might start to find it falling a bit short without doing some mods to it. Then again, you're talkin to a guy that is considering towing a 6300GVWR Safari Six Sleeper with a '96 Impala SS sedan rated to tow 5000lbs before I modded the car out.... I'll let you know how it goes to see if I know jack or if there is hope.....
Heck, I've seen on this forum folks that tow 34' Classics with Intrepids.......sorry, my bad...couldn't resist..you know one of us was gonna do it, so there it is....
BTW...nice Argosy!
Eric
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
Well, actually, I REALLY TRIED to get my wife into the whole Buick Roadmaster/ Caprice Wagon thing....but she ran away screaming! I think they'd make such the awesome pull toy, but even with the rumble seat for the occasional brownie meeting, she wouldn't go for it. HOWEVER, she did go for the 350 V8 in the Astro idea...so I'm not complaining (roller cam, mild build, will be fun!).
Anyway, thanks for the Argosy compliment. It's been a fun toy. I can't wait to finish my cushions that I've sew'd up myself (piping and all!). Between teaching myself to sew and braving the fabric shops (I used to hate going to them with my mom when I was small), I'm pretty proud of the job I've done. New cabinets, weatherstripping, and stripping the paint is next.
Marc
Originally posted by 3Ms75Argosy HOWEVER, she did go for the 350 V8 in the Astro idea...so I'm not complaining (roller cam, mild build, will be fun!).
Marc
You DO have a very nice looking unit! The only problem I can see with the whole idea of a V8 install in an Astro is that the engine and drivetrain with installation will be worth about twice or three times what the Astro is worth!
Other than that, I think it sounds like fun!
Keep us posted and send photos of the new 350 installed! I'd love to see it.
Roger
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AIR 2053 “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Robert Heinlein 2006 Bigfoot 25B25RQ towed by a 2001 Born Free 23RK moho
I think the 350 is gonna do just fine (it better, I really gonna be pushig it to see myself). Heck you might even have to paint some flames on it, since it will really FLY!......
Never heard of an Astro with rollers before....
Can't wait to see some pics of it and the Argosy.
Eric
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
I towed a 28' SOB for two years with an '91 Astro EXT van. It was the last of the high towing capcity models with a premium gas V6 and a 4.10 rear axle. Towing capacity was 6000 lbs. and my aluminum framed SOB was 4800 lbs. dry.
I towed in third gear, did about 10-12 mpg while towing. The biggest issue was stability and while sway was taken care of by my Reese dual cam sway control, driving in windy conditions was a handful since the weight and mass of the Astro just couldn't keep me on a straight path when the wind hit that big sail behind me.
I eventually traded the Astro in on a full sized Chevy van. Prior to my 28' SOB I pulled a 21' 3,200 lb. Hi-Lo. The Astro pulled that without sway controls like a dream.
Jack
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Jack Canavera
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'04 Classic 30' S.O.
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