Trailer towing with 90 Astro
Question:
Thanks, Did you ever find that it couldn’t hold the speed limit up the hills with that big trailer? 7000lbs is a little bigger than what we are looking at, but it give me a good idea about a 4000lb trailer. Ryan. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who >> > > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. > I have a ‘91 G20 w/ a 4.3L and I tow a 7000LB trailer around NE Ohio (hills > aren’t too bad). I can’t say i’m not impressed w/ its ability to move, it > handles the load pretty decent. I tow in 3rd gear (not overdrive). I know its > not the same van as yours, but it is a little bigger, so maybe this helps you > out.
Response:
You need to be careful. The max towing capacity with a new (01) astro with your differential (not AWD which will decrease it even more) is 5000 pounds with driver only, (nothing else) in the van. Add anything else in the van and take that off the tow capacity.
Response:
I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. We are thinking of buying a 16 to 20 foot holiday trailer. We have a full size truck, but its not an extended cab so we would like to use the van for pulling the trailer. My main concerns are if the 4.3 has enough power to pull a trailer this size at highway speeds. I’m not expecting much up hills, but I would hope for at least 90Km/h up hills. I live in Alberta, so I could remove the Catalytic converter if I have to get more power. Anyone else cut the Cat out and get good results? I was also thinking of going to an electric fan too (not much of a difference, but it wouldn’t hurt). External tranny cooler is a given too. Please, I don’t want to hear from people who "think" it doesn’t have enough power. Only reply if you have had first hand experience please. Thanks. Ryan.
Response:
Have you checked your owners manual for ratings? The reason I ask is that while my 2000 Safari with the 4.3 Ltr is rated for 5,500 lbs towing capacity, some of the earlier models are a lot less 
— We have met the enemy, and they is us — Pogo
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. > We are thinking of buying a 16 to 20 foot holiday trailer. We have a > full size truck, but its not an extended cab so we would like to use > the van for pulling the trailer. > My main concerns are if the 4.3 has enough power to pull a trailer > this size at highway speeds. I’m not expecting much up hills, but I > would hope for at least 90Km/h up hills. I live in Alberta, so I could > remove the Catalytic converter if I have to get more power. Anyone > else cut the Cat out and get good results? > I was also thinking of going to an electric fan too (not much of a > difference, but it wouldn’t hurt). External tranny cooler is a given > too. > Please, I don’t want to hear from people who "think" it doesn’t have > enough power. Only reply if you have had first hand experience please. > Thanks. > Ryan.
Response:
> Have you checked your owners manual for ratings? The reason I ask is that > while my 2000 Safari with the 4.3 Ltr is rated for 5,500 lbs towing > capacity, some of the earlier models are a lot less > — > We have met the enemy, and they is us — Pogo
I forgot to mention that I did check the ratings and the AWD is rated for 5000lbs (500 less than the two wheel drive). But that is not what I am concerned about. I realize it has enough brakes and suspension to handle it, but I don’t want to be driving with the pedal to the mat all the time. I just spoke to a guy who pulled his 25 foot trailer with a 2000 Envoy and he got 9mpg. Up steep hills he couldn’t go any faster than 70km/h. I don’t want to end up with the same problem. Ryan. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. > We are thinking of buying a 16 to 20 foot holiday trailer. We have a > full size truck, but its not an extended cab so we would like to use > the van for pulling the trailer. > My main concerns are if the 4.3 has enough power to pull a trailer > this size at highway speeds. I’m not expecting much up hills, but I > would hope for at least 90Km/h up hills. I live in Alberta, so I could > remove the Catalytic converter if I have to get more power. Anyone > else cut the Cat out and get good results? > I was also thinking of going to an electric fan too (not much of a > difference, but it wouldn’t hurt). External tranny cooler is a given > too. > Please, I don’t want to hear from people who "think" it doesn’t have > enough power. Only reply if you have had first hand experience please. > Thanks. > Ryan.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have you checked your owners manual for ratings? The reason I ask is that > while my 2000 Safari with the 4.3 Ltr is rated for 5,500 lbs towing > capacity, some of the earlier models are a lot less > — > We have met the enemy, and they is us — Pogo > I forgot to mention that I did check the ratings and the AWD is rated > for 5000lbs (500 less than the two wheel drive). But that is not what > I am concerned about. I realize it has enough brakes and suspension to > handle it, but I don’t want to be driving with the pedal to the mat > all the time. I just spoke to a guy who pulled his 25 foot trailer > with a 2000 Envoy and he got 9mpg. Up steep hills he couldn’t go any > faster than 70km/h. I don’t want to end up with the same problem. > Ryan. > > I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who > > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. > > We are thinking of buying a 16 to 20 foot holiday trailer. We have a > > full size truck, but its not an extended cab so we would like to use > > the van for pulling the trailer. > > My main concerns are if the 4.3 has enough power to pull a trailer > > this size at highway speeds. I’m not expecting much up hills, but I > > would hope for at least 90Km/h up hills. I live in Alberta, so I could > > remove the Catalytic converter if I have to get more power. Anyone > > else cut the Cat out and get good results? > > I was also thinking of going to an electric fan too (not much of a > > difference, but it wouldn’t hurt). External tranny cooler is a given > > too. > > Please, I don’t want to hear from people who "think" it doesn’t have > > enough power. Only reply if you have had first hand experience please. > > Thanks. > > Ryan.
Can only tell you my experience. Had a ‘91 Sonoma with the 4.3L V6, automatic and 3.08 rear axle. Remember the ‘91 had 14" wheels so the effective axle ratio was actually lower compared to 15" wheels. Towed both a 3,600 lb 19′ Sunline 5th wheel and a 30′ Award trailer. The Award probably is more like what you’d be towing weight wise. I never had a problem moving the rig up hills. Towed the 5th from Syracuse, NY to St. Augustine, Fl and it was fine. Never held anybody up. Matter of fact, we had to beat feet on the return trip as I’d burned my feet bad the last day we were there. I can honestly say, the 4.3L was capable of more than 80 mph with the trailer behind. I got between 12 and 15+ mpg towing. It didn’t do quite as good with the Award, but we still towed it to Myrtle Beach, SC. Got closer to 11 to 14 mpg and again never held anybody up. Tow the same trailer now with a ‘96 Sierra ext cab, short box. Weight is almost the same as your van. Engine has lots more power as it’s the vortec 4.3L. It still handles the trailer well and we go to Florida every winter. Still get 11 to 14 mpg on regular unleaded. Another thing, I was going to install a transmission cooler on the GMC since it didn’t have the towing package. Haven’t done it yet. Truck has 82,000 miles, tranny fluid changed at 50,000 miles, clean and good smelling. Tech said the tranny pan was clean also. If we were going to do any extensive mountain driving though, I’d get the biggest one I could. Hugh
Response:
>I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who > > > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van.
I have a ‘91 G20 w/ a 4.3L and I tow a 7000LB trailer around NE Ohio (hills aren’t too bad). I can’t say i’m not impressed w/ its ability to move, it handles the load pretty decent. I tow in 3rd gear (not overdrive). I know its not the same van as yours, but it is a little bigger, so maybe this helps you out.
Response:
Thanks Hugh. I think we may go ahead with the trailer idea, I don’t think it will be too much of a problem. Our Van has a 3.42 ratio, so it should be ok. Ryan. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > > I have a 1990 AWD Astro van and I would like to hear from people who > > > have towed holiday trailers with their Astro/Safari van. > > > We are thinking of buying a 16 to 20 foot holiday trailer. We have a > > > full size truck, but its not an extended cab so we would like to use > > > the van for pulling the trailer. > > > My main concerns are if the 4.3 has enough power to pull a trailer > > > this size at highway speeds. I’m not expecting much up hills, but I > > > would hope for at least 90Km/h up hills. I live in Alberta, so I could > > > remove the Catalytic converter if I have to get more power. Anyone > > > else cut the Cat out and get good results? > > > I was also thinking of going to an electric fan too (not much of a > > > difference, but it wouldn’t hurt). External tranny cooler is a given > > > too. > > > Please, I don’t want to hear from people who "think" it doesn’t have > > > enough power. Only reply if you have had first hand experience please. > > > Thanks. > > > Ryan. > Can only tell you my experience. Had a ‘91 Sonoma with the > 4.3L V6, automatic and 3.08 rear axle. Remember the ‘91 had > 14" wheels so the effective axle ratio was actually lower > compared to 15" wheels. Towed both a 3,600 lb 19′ Sunline > 5th wheel and a 30′ Award trailer. The Award probably is > more like what you’d be towing weight wise. I never had a > problem moving the rig up hills. Towed the 5th from > Syracuse, NY to St. Augustine, Fl and it was fine. Never > held anybody up. Matter of fact, we had to beat feet on the > return trip as I’d burned my feet bad the last day we were > there. I can honestly say, the 4.3L was capable of more than > 80 mph with the trailer behind. I got between 12 and 15+ mpg > towing. It didn’t do quite as good with the Award, but we > still towed it to Myrtle Beach, SC. Got closer to 11 to 14 > mpg and again never held anybody up. > Tow the same trailer now with a ‘96 Sierra ext cab, short > box. Weight is almost the same as your van. Engine has lots > more power as it’s the vortec 4.3L. It still handles the > trailer well and we go to Florida every winter. Still get 11 > to 14 mpg on regular unleaded. > Another thing, I was going to install a transmission cooler > on the GMC since it didn’t have the towing package. Haven’t > done it yet. Truck has 82,000 miles, tranny fluid changed at > 50,000 miles, clean and good smelling. Tech said the tranny > pan was clean also. If we were going to do any extensive > mountain driving though, I’d get the biggest one I could. > Hugh
