Recommended Towing And Suspension Enhancement For 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan  

Question:

Expert Reply:

With a new vehicle you are doing the right thing in setting up everything to safely tow your boat. I can help you out with that.

First I recommend the Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch, part # 75579. This is a Class lll hitch and it has a 2-inch receiver opening.

Since you plan on doing some towing you might be interested in etrailer ball mount kit # 989900. It comes with 2 ball mounts; one with a 3/4 inch rise or 2 inch drop and one with a 2-3/4 inch rise or 4 inch drop. It also includes a 1-7/8 inch ball, 2 inch ball, hitch pin with clip, and a storage bag.

If the ball mount kit does not include a ball mount with the right rise or drop to tow the trailer level, check out the link I have included that explains how to measure to choose a ball mount to tow the trailer level.

The trailer wiring harness I recommend is the Curt Vehicle Wiring Harness, part # C56331. You just attach this harness to the connection points behind the tail lights, run a hot lead to the vehicle battery and you are good to go.

I found that the towing capacity for your Grand caravan is 3600-lbs. with the amount of passengers and cargo you said you are carrying I recommend an air suspension enhancement system like part # TDVRRT. This system is easily installed by replacing the axle bump stops on your Dodge. It will not affect the empty ride of your vehicle but becomes more rigid as weight is added, so it helps your suspension system when needed.

To help extend the life of the transmission I recommend installing a cooler. You want to get the largest cooler available based on the best location (between the grill and radiator if possible). If you have the room I recommend part # D13503. This is a Class lll cooler and it measures 11 inches wide x 8-3/4 inches tall x 7/8 inches deep. If you find you do not have enough room you can check out the attached link to the product page for the coolers we offer to find one that will work for you.

To tow your boat trailer I recommend a weight distribution system. WD systems are recommended when the trailer you are towing is more than half the weight of your vehicle. Chances are you have a pole tongue on your trailer so you will need a pole tongue adapter like part # EQ95-01-5950.

The weight distribution system I recommend is part # FA92-00-0600. This system will work with tongue weight up to 600-lbs. This system also features sway-control.

You will need a hitch ball with a 1-1/4 inch diameter shank like part # EQ91-00-6080 for a 2-inch hitch ball.

If your trailer has brakes you will need a brake controller, and trailer harness wiring. For a brake controller I recommend part # 90885. This is a the prodigy P2 proportional brake controller. This applies the brakes on the trailer with the same intensity as the brakes in the towing vehicle. This is our most popular controller because is it easy to install and operate.

To run the wiring for the brake controller and trailer connector you will need part # ETBC7. This attaches to the 4-way connector on your vehicle and then running the additional wires as shown in the attached drawing. This will give you a 7-way connector you need for a trailer with brakes.

When working with electrical connectors I recommend using dielectric grease like part # 11755. This keeps dirt and moisture out of the electrical connections and helps prevent corrosion. If you have any further questions please feel free to reach back out to us anytime and I would be more than happy to further assist you.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L

0

click to enlarge