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Old 03-07-2011, 11:03 AM   #1
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Chrysler 300c AWD: What can I tow?

I have a 2006 Chrysler 300c AWD with the Hemi V8. Strangely, the towing limit appears to be 2000lbs. Are there any Airstreams in that weight range (I'm assuming smaller/older ones) or will I have to get a different vehicle to tow with. I'm already assuming I'll need a tranny cooler. Thanks in advance.
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Old 03-07-2011, 11:13 AM   #2
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Contact Andy Thomson of CanAm RV, London, Ontario, Canada at the following link and he will steer you straight on this matter:

Can-Am RV > Home
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Old 03-07-2011, 12:19 PM   #3
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I personally know of at least two people who have towed 34' Classics with a 300c V8 - and very comfortably at that. You would need to contact CanAM RV in London (Andy Thomson) in order to get a custom hitch & tranny cooler installed. They do excellent work and will be able to answer all your towing questions.
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Old 03-07-2011, 12:28 PM   #4
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I have a Dodge Charger of the same year (same platform and powertrain as the Chrysler 300 differing only in appearance and accessories). Mine has the 3.5.

I have heard that the towing capacity is limited by the "stealth" vertical-receiver hitch that Chrysler makes. There are aftermarket hitches available in both the "stealth" and standard 2x2 receiver style as well as the 1.25"x1.25" standard receiver.

The aftermarket hitches are all rated for 3500 pounds.

Some people say that the 2000 pound rating reflects the fact that the factory "stealth" hitch is only safe up to 2000 pounds and that the rest of the vehicle is capable of much more.

I have never put a trailer hitch on my Charger because I have a 3/4 ton pickup and a 3/4 ton Suburban and so haven't needed it. Besides, you have to drop the whole exhaust system in order to install the hitch.

When the transmission went out on my 3/4 ton pickup I towed it home using the Charger and a rope. The pickup weighs maybe 5000 pounds empty. The trip was 40 miles and the Charger showed no signs of overheating. The same power train is used on the police version of these and apparently is quite rugged. No one complains.

With any trailer with a heavier tongue I would use a weight distributing hitch because the rear springs, though strong, aren't truck springs. Especially if there are rear seat passengers or anything heavy in the trunk.
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Old 03-07-2011, 01:26 PM   #5
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I have a Dodge Charger of the same year (same platform and powertrain as the Chrysler 300 differing only in appearance and accessories). Mine has the 3.5.


When the transmission went out on my 3/4 ton pickup I towed it home using the Charger and a rope. The pickup weighs maybe 5000 pounds empty. The trip was 40 miles and the Charger showed no signs of overheating.
Not surprised to here of your towing success with the 3.5 Charger Jammer. We have been towing our 23' with a Nissan 3.5 for over 5years/200hrs without any ill effects and there is towing power to spare.

PS...on edit. Jammer, by chance do you have a pic of the Charger towing the 3/4 ton truck. Would luv a copy for my scrap book.
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Old 03-07-2011, 06:41 PM   #6
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No pic but it's a good fireside story. This was last summer shortly after my then-wife had moved out.

I'd been on a trip with the truck and the Airstream and had noticed what I thought was the engine cutting out once or twice -- in retrospect it was probably the transmission binding. My (then) wife wanted to borrow the truck because she had found a good deal on some furniture, 50 miles away, and it wouldn't fit in the car. For her new place, you know, since she had moved out. Well I'm a pretty easygoing guy so in spite of the circumstances I said, "sure."

So she got the furniture loaded up in the bed and had it tied on with twine and things. And she had our two younger kids in the cab with her (it's not an extended cab so she had left our oldest at home to fend for herself) and was driving home on the freeway in rush hour traffic when the transmission made a big bang and she lost power. She made it over to the shoulder and called me at work on her cell phone and wanted to be rescued.

At this point it seemed like it was above and beyond but she had my truck and my kids so I stopped and bought one of those yellow tow straps on the way there and figured I could at least tow the thing off the freeway. I got everything hooked up and she drove the truck and I waited for the best gap in the traffic I was going to get and floored it and managed to get merged in. It towed pretty well and so we ended up pulling it over to her place, got the furniture unloaded, somehow managed to get it turned around in the driveway there and pulled it back to my place.

As you might imagine no one was in much of a mood to take any pictures.

Two weeks later I met a wonderful woman who continues to be in my life and bring me great joy.

I got the Airstream, the truck, the charger, the tow strap, the house, and joint custody of the kids in the divorce. The transmission bill came to over $4,000 but was less than what I had to pay to the attorneys.
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Old 03-08-2011, 05:24 AM   #7
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300c towing

The 300c would pull just as well or better than the Charger, and they can definitely pull much more than the aftermarket hitch says they can. As I said, a custom hitch (specifically designed by them for your exact model) installed by CanAM RV along with a tranny cooler will along you to comfortably tow even up to a 34'.
I'm towing a 30' Excella (approx. 6,500lbs) with a 2010 Honda Odyssey, which is supposedly only rated for 3,500lbs. CanAM has setup over 400 people to tow with Odyssey's and have had nary a problem yet. They know their stuff and figure out a way to let you tow your trailer with the vehicle you would also like to drive the rest of the year.
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Old 03-08-2011, 06:37 AM   #8
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Thanks for all the info! Unfortunately I'm a ways away from buying an airstream (we're trying to buy a house sometime) but I think I'm going to have this car for quite a while.

Does the AWD limit my towing ability at all? I have about 117K miles on it right now and already replaced the transfer case last year.
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Old 03-08-2011, 08:53 AM   #9
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File photo. Wow! Those look nice!


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Old 03-08-2011, 09:13 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by CrashInBlack View Post
Thanks for all the info! Unfortunately I'm a ways away from buying an airstream (we're trying to buy a house sometime) but I think I'm going to have this car for quite a while.

Does the AWD limit my towing ability at all? I have about 117K miles on it right now and already replaced the transfer case last year.
I have a 2001 BMW X5 which is all wheel drive (torque split 32 front / 68 rear) which I have pulled my 31 ASCL (8,300# GVWR) over 32,000 miles and have over 100,000 miles on the X5.

It is my considered opinion that an AWD vehicle like mine, which is ALWAYS driving all the axles, puts less stress on the overall drive train vs. only rear drive or only front drive.

Incidently, the 2004+ X5s went to "X Drive" which always drives the rear axle only UNLESS the computer engages a transfer case clutch which can then transfer up to 100% of the torque to the front axle, which for towing I still would opt for my 2001 which ALWAYS shares the torque to all the axles (my computer engages the ABS to stop a slipping wheel thereby transfering torque to the wheels with traction).
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Old 03-08-2011, 09:31 AM   #11
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Have a look at Andrew's profile photo here:

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Old 03-08-2011, 04:21 PM   #12
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I have a 2001 BMW X5 which is all wheel drive (torque split 32 front / 68 rear) which I have pulled my 31 ASCL (8,300# GVWR) over 32,000 miles and have over 100,000 miles on the X5.

It is my considered opinion that an AWD vehicle like mine, which is ALWAYS driving all the axles, puts less stress on the overall drive train vs. only rear drive or only front drive.

Incidently, the 2004+ X5s went to "X Drive" which always drives the rear axle only UNLESS the computer engages a transfer case clutch which can then transfer up to 100% of the torque to the front axle, which for towing I still would opt for my 2001 which ALWAYS shares the torque to all the axles (my computer engages the ABS to stop a slipping wheel thereby transfering torque to the wheels with traction).
Thanks. That sounds like the same type of AWD system my car has. I know the newer 300s have a disconnect for the front wheels when you don't need them, but mine is always on 1/3 front, 2/3 rear.
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Old 03-08-2011, 04:23 PM   #13
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Have a look at Andrew's profile photo here:

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Ha, that's even the same color as mine!
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