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Old 10-08-2009, 10:59 PM   #1
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Our Zinger is at the shop. We should have it back before the Samboree in Lebanon. They'll fix the dribbling outside shower and the A/C so it can be used on high. They also need to help us set it up right with our Van. We couldn't get them level. The Zinger was high in the front and the Van low in the rear. This caused it to teeter-totter or sea-saw. They should have done this the day we took it home. Yes we have the weight distribution hitch and anti-sway bar yet the van was light in front and down in the rear. Sway wasn't the problem, sea-sawing was. They lowered the ball 2" but it seems to me it needs to be lowered more than that to keep the Zinger level. I have little faith in any of these places. I wish we knew someone who could help get these vehicles level when towing. I also believe we need a larger more powerful TV than the Astro Van. I'm trying to convince my husband of that.

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Old 10-09-2009, 12:32 AM   #2
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What are you using for a TV ??
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Old 10-09-2009, 12:44 AM   #3
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I think your dry weight on the 19 fter is 3,984 lbs.,,,,shouldn't take more than a small V-8,,but axle ratio also matters and how much you pack for the trip,,,,and your WD hitch for sure needs to be correct,,and if you tow on flat land or hilly areas....so much to consider.....you'll figure it out,,,
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Old 10-09-2009, 12:49 AM   #4
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OPPS,,,I see you said a Astro Van,,,,,don't know much bout that ,,it's a small mini van isn't it,,,did it come with a tow package ??,,,or did y'all install a receiver yourselves?
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Old 10-10-2009, 12:02 AM   #5
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Hey,,I looked up the specs on a 05 astro van,,don't know the year of y'alls,,but they all should be close to the same,,,anyway,,the max towing capacity for a all-wheel drive is 4700 lb. ,,,and the max for a rear wheel drive is 5400 lbs,,,that's with a V-6,190 HP.,motor,,,,,so on paper it will tow y'alls 3,984 lb. TT,,,,,but if ya add a little cargo,,,you would be to the max capacity,,,,anyway,,hope this tad of info helps y'all out
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Old 10-10-2009, 04:10 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by challeno
What are you using for a TV ??
It's an Chevy Astro Van about 12 yrs old with a V6 as far as I know. It has a max weight of 5000lbs if I understand what's on the door correctly. How does that relate to towing? I don't know what the Zinger weighs with our stuff in it. I don't know the weight of the Zinger dry. We don't haul much water in it and always dump our tanks before coming home from somewhere. I think we need at least a 1/2 ton (more?) van or PU truck.

We hauled the smaller lighter single axel 16' Sunline through the MTs of PA and it really struggled up the hills and Mts. I can't see how it would make it with the Zinger. On one bounce on a level road with some truck ruts, the Zinger actually turned the van to the left a little. Very frightening. It was white knuckle all the way home that day.
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Old 10-10-2009, 04:19 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by challeno
I think your dry weight on the 19 fter is 3,984 lbs.,,,,shouldn't take more than a small V-8,,but axle ratio also matters and how much you pack for the trip,,,,and your WD hitch for sure needs to be correct,,and if you tow on flat land or hilly areas....so much to consider.....you'll figure it out,,,
If it's that heavy, then we're at the max or above for our Astro Van, just as I suspected once clothing and food etc are added. Even if we can get both level, this Astro isn't going to make it up the hills and Mt's we'll have to cross on our trips. We don't have a towing package on the Van.

I don't like that the Zinger teeter-totters like a sea saw either. There's weight in the front in the storage compartment. I hope lowering the front stop this bobbing because I feel it's not only uncomfortable in the TV, but dangerous. The dealers don't seem to give a toot. I trusted them to make sure we were set up right for safe towing. Live and learn.
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Old 10-10-2009, 04:25 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by challeno
OPPS,,,I see you said a Astro Van,,,,,don't know much bout that ,,it's a small mini van isn't it,,,did it come with a tow package ??,,,or did y'all install a receiver yourselves?
It's not the MiniVan. It has no tow package. The Dealer installed the WDB and we installed the anti-sway bar. We bought the ball/hitch setup from them also. That's why I thought they had us set up to tow safely. So far all the did was lower the ball 2". That's not enough to make a difference. The Zinger is still there.

Also when I was driving in front of my husband in my own van, it didn't look like the Zinger was tracking straight behind him. The Zingers rear seemed to be off to the left. The Zinger seemed to be "cocked" if that makes sense. I saw this once before on a flatbed trailer with a slightly twisted frame from an accident. The Zinger is brand new.
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Old 10-10-2009, 11:39 PM   #9
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I know for a fact it is that heavy,,,I'm looking at the brochure that I got at the dealer when I got my 26 FTer,,,,it's got the dry weight of Zingers (every size),,,,, ZT19RD--dry weight--3,984 lbs.,,,it also tells carrying capacity,,hitch weight,,awning size,ext. height,,,ext. length,,tire size.......well,,good luck......
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Old 10-10-2009, 11:50 PM   #10
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The Chevy Astro_Van is a mini-van, I would guess you either at your limit or over it, remember when towing the ability to stop is just as important as going forward, I would not pull very far and for sure stay on flat ground, it may help to instal an oil cooler, tranny cooler and swith the brake pads from heavy duty to severe duty....I would be very careful, go slow......
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Old 10-11-2009, 03:23 AM   #11
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Park the unit on a level surface, get back and look at it. Adjust the wd bars until the unit is level. Do this when the unit is loaded for your trip. . The other thing to raise the rear of the van, is to add air bags, and chnage the rear tires to a truck tire. The tires that come on that unit are a passenger tire, and is designed to have lots of flex of the comfort. The tuck tires do not flex as much and will pull the load better. But you will not have as good of a ride. I pull our first unit a Zinger with a Dodge Durange, and at first had the same thing that you are going through. When I finally got new rear Truck tires it made a big difference. While you have the unit in the shop have them check the wheel alignment on tt Some thing does not sound right if it is dog legging. Even if it is not set up right it should not dog legg

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Old 10-11-2009, 05:08 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by challeno
I know for a fact it is that heavy,,,I'm looking at the brochure that I got at the dealer when I got my 26 FTer,,,,it's got the dry weight of Zingers (every size),,,,, ZT19RD--dry weight--3,984 lbs.,,,it also tells carrying capacity,,hitch weight,,awning size,ext. height,,,ext. length,,tire size.......well,,good luck......
Thanks. I couldn't look because the booklets are all in the Zinger - at the shop. I just spoke to my husband and he says he'll start looking for a more powerful TV. We're planning several trips, one a long trip out west. I don't believe this Astro isn't going to be a safe TV for such trips. He's one to take chances. I'm not.
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Old 10-11-2009, 05:21 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fhenn
Park the unit on a level surface, get back and look at it. Adjust the wd bars until the unit is level. Do this when the unit is loaded for your trip. . The other thing to raise the rear of the van, is to add air bags, and chnage the rear tires to a truck tire. The tires that come on that unit are a passenger tire, and is designed to have lots of flex of the comfort. The tuck tires do not flex as much and will pull the load better. But you will not have as good of a ride. I pull our first unit a Zinger with a Dodge Durange, and at first had the same thing that you are going through. When I finally got new rear Truck tires it made a big difference. While you have the unit in the shop have them check the wheel alignment on tt Some thing does not sound right if it is dog legging. Even if it is not set up right it should not dog legg
Thanks for replying. I asked them to check the wheel alignment and I got a pile of BS 10' high. He said you can't see if it's not tracking true from the front. BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He talks to me like I'm a dopey woman too dumb to know anything. I really resented that. I could see it in my rearview mirror - what you call "dog-legging." I've had TTs behind me before on the roads over the years and you can see both vehicles are in-line. I don't think we're going to get much real help from this dealer's shop. Once you take it off the lot it's tough nuggies. My husband is to passive to insist. Women are not taken seriously here.

At no setting was the TV level nor could we bring down the Zingers front. Lowering the ball 2" will bring the hitch even closer to the ground. It was already low since the TV sinks so much under the weight.

Truck tires would probably help but this Astro Van wasn't designed to pull a TT this heavy. It's so old I hesitate to put a lot of money into it with a towing package.
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Old 10-11-2009, 05:28 AM   #14
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Quote:
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The Chevy Astro_Van is a mini-van, I would guess you either at your limit or over it, remember when towing the ability to stop is just as important as going forward, I would not pull very far and for sure stay on flat ground, it may help to instal an oil cooler, tranny cooler and swith the brake pads from heavy duty to severe duty....I would be very careful, go slow......
It stops fine. I can feel the TT's brakes grab more than the van's brakes. I believe we're over the limit with this old van as far as towing. It's too old to put money into. We really need to start looking for something a more powerful. Something rated at 7 or 8000 lbs. My husband really likes vans. Perhaps he can find something with that capacity in a van new enough to make it worth our while to add a towing package. As it is now I just don't feel safe and it's ruining my camping/traveling experience.
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Old 10-11-2009, 05:43 AM   #15
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I think that you would be much happier with a new Tow unit, Go with something that has a longer wheel base than you astro van. Your husband might settle for a pick up with a camper shell . I think for piece of mind I would take the unit to a trailer Truck shop and have them check the alignment. I had this done right after we took delievery of our Cruiser 2 years ago nothing was found, but I felt better. The other thing I had done was the valve stems chnged over to metal and the wheels blanced

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Old 10-14-2009, 03:12 PM   #16
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Quote:
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I think that you would be much happier with a new Tow unit, Go with something that has a longer wheel base than you astro van. Your husband might settle for a pick up with a camper shell . I think for piece of mind I would take the unit to a trailer Truck shop and have them check the alignment. I had this done right after we took delievery of our Cruiser 2 years ago nothing was found, but I felt better. The other thing I had done was the valve stems chnged over to metal and the wheels blanced
Today we bought a used but larger van to tow "Zingie" with. A 1999 GMC Savanna with a 350 V8 engine. It's in excellent condition for the money. It rides like dream and is quiet. We're going to pick it up tomorrow and have truck tires put on it. My husband just doesn't like PU trucks, even with shells. I'll get some pics of it when we get it home.

The man at the shop said he checked the alignment and couldn't find a problem. It checked out OK. What's a trailer truck shop? Pardon my ignorance please. I don't know of any shops here that work on 18 wheelers if that's what you mean.
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Old 10-14-2009, 08:52 PM   #17
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That is what I ment, If there is a tire store that around that sales tires for 18 wheelers, they will know of a shop.

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Old 10-14-2009, 11:36 PM   #18
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I knew you could talk DH into a new TV ,,he will be glad on his firt trip,,,,and the specs on y'all's GMC say's it will do the job,,,,the towing capacity is 5,500 lbs.,,,,so y'all have 1,516 lbs to play with....that's alot of water hosesandcharcoal for the grill ,,,,glad for ya,,,and a van is alot more conveinant when traveling,,,ya don't have to pull over to get something from the back,,etc.,etc.,,,I can see why your DH would rather a van,,,,well,,,good luck and good camping !!!..and I wouldn't worry to much about your TT frame being bent,,I bet it don't dog-leg with the big van.....
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Old 10-15-2009, 12:55 AM   #19
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The big block V-8 will make alot of difference on the hills,etc.
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Old 10-15-2009, 01:15 AM   #20
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Also another big factor on the GMC,the payload is 2,776 lbs. (what you can put inside the van) compared to the Astro that had a payload of 1,763,,,,,, but remember what you have in the van has to be added to your over-all towing capacity,,,y'all should be fine,,,go camp and have fun !!!!!!!!
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