What can tow a Scamp trailer? (13+ options)
By
Elaine Knight
In this blog post, we will answer the following question: What can tow a Scamp trailer? We will explain how you can find the towing capacity of your vehicle. We will share our top recommendations of cars that are the best for towing any type of trailer.
What can tow a Scamp trailer?
Almost any car can tow a Scamp trailer, as long as you respect the towing capacity of your vehicle indicated by the manufacturer. Scamp includes standard and luxury 16′ and 19′ travel trailers.
- The 16-foot travel trailer weighs between 2200 lbs and 2600 lbs
- While the 19-foot RV weighs between 2400 lbs and 2900 lbs.
Thus, any car that can tow 2200+ lbs, will be able to tow a Scamp trailer.
How to find if my car can tow a Scamp trailer?
To find out how much your car can tow you have to look for the MAM of your vehicle. Normally the maximum allowed weight is stipulated in the technical sheet, this usually varies in the brand, model, design, among other aspects.
You can also search for Maximum Authorized Mass (MAM) and in this way, you will find the authorized weight capacity that your vehicle can carry.
In the table below we will present some car models that are perfectly capable of towing Scamp trailers (loaded or unloaded).
Popular models that can tow a Scamp trailer
| Car model | Towing Capacity (lbs) |
| Dodge Journey | 2500 |
| Cadillac XT5 | 3500 |
| GMC Canyon and GMC Terrain | 3500 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 3500 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 3500 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 3600 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 3600 |
| Dodge RAM | 4970+ |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 6000 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 6400 |
| GMC Sierra | 5400 |
| Nissan Armada & Nissan Titan | 8500+ |
These are just a few options, but as you can see, there are plenty to choose from.
What are the best cars for towing a trailer?
Of course, there are several vehicles that draw our attention not only with their towing capacity, but also due to the amazing towing technology and the use of pulling a Scamp trailer, or any other lightweight trailer for that matter.
Let’s see the options:
- Audi Q8, Porsche Cayenne and Land Rover Range Rover: 7700 lbs
The top 5 – or should I say top 6 – is populated by three utility vehicles, two of which are from the same MLB Evo platform from the Volkswagen Group. Indeed, the all-new Audi Q8 and its Stuttgart counterpart, the Porsche Cayenne, share the same architecture.
On the one hand, the four-ring model is offered exclusively with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, while the Cayenne can be outfitted with a larger selection of V6s and V8s. For its part, the Princely Range Rover has perhaps considered a bigger vehicle (in terms of dimensions at least) than its German rivals, but it is impossible to add a third row of seats to the latter. That is why it is on this list.
- BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé: 7200 lbs
Competition is fierce in this niche and the best models of two-row utility vehicles often offer identical towing capacities despite the disparities between manufacturers. The old Jeep Grand Cherokee comes face to face with the two newest SUVs in the luxury segment, the BMW X5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé.
In this case, we excluded the regular Mercedes-Benz GLE since it can be ordered with a third row of seats, unlike the coupe model. In all three cases, the three utilities are available with a fairly extensive selection of thermal mechanics, another plus for the consumer.
- Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade: 8600 lbs
Despite their design age, General Motors large utilities are second to the competition when it comes to towing capability. Their ladder frame allows them a higher load than many SUVs on the road.
In the United States, all models of the Chevrolet / GMC / Cadillac trio can be ordered with a two-wheel drive, which is not the case in Canada, since the Cadillac representative arrives automatically with four-wheel drive, which explains its somewhat reduced capabilities, compared to the other two two-wheel-drive models.
- Infiniti QX80 and Nissan Armada: 8500 lbs
The two large utilities of the Nissan group offer the same towing capacity, the QX80 which is in fact just a more opulent livery of the Nissan Armada. And for those who do not yet know, these two full-size SUVs with three rows of seats are based on the same platform as the Nissan Patrol, a globally recognized 4×4 like the Toyota Land Cruiser.
- Land Rover Discovery: 7700 lbs
Like the luxurious Range Rover, the Discovery model is designed to withstand the worst treatments of off-road driving, but it can also withstand demanding towing. In fact, its capabilities are the same as the Range Rover with two rows of seats. Once again this year, the Discovery is available with a turbodiesel V6 or a supercharged petrol V6.
- Dodge Durango SRT: 8700 lbs
It’s still ironic to find a smaller SUV in this three-row group. It is even more so when we see its purpose. The Dodge Durango SRT is a leggy hot rod, just like its platform cousin, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. Both are powered by a 6.4-litre HEMI V8 and both terrorize neighborhoods with their sound worthy of the best muscle cars.
In the end, however, the bestial Durango is also a great choice for towing a heavy load. It just goes to show that driving pleasure can be combined with utility.
- Ford Expedition: 9200 lbs
Revised last year, Ford’s largest SUV sits at the top of utility vehicles sold on Canadian soil with over 4,000 kg of capacity. Another example is the Lincoln Navigator, which is based on the same architecture as the Expedition. Unfortunately, the latter is not as well off towing as its Ford counterpart.
How much can you actually tow with a car?
It is very important to verify this before buying your caravan. The last thing you want to do is wear out your suspension, engine, and transmission. Vehicle specifications are actually available to help keep your vehicle in peak condition. Your vehicle will indicate a few things: conventional/caravan capacity, fifth wheel caravan, gooseneck caravan and payload capacity.
A conventional caravan means pulling the bumper with a frame-mounted hitch. It would be really unwise to tow from a ball mounted directly to your bumper, as the brackets from the bumper to the frame are not that strong. With a frame-mounted hitch, there are a few other things to keep in mind.
The conventional caravan will be more common for most beginner caravans as this is the best way to start. to camp. You will find it most common with tent caravans and your standard enclosed caravan.
The fifth wheel camper will mount directly to your truck bed. This will provide a greater caravan capacity by providing greater weight distribution on the rear wheels and suspension. You’ll start to see this in your 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. The fifth wheel camper will also provide you with the best driving comfort when hitting roads and going up and down hills more easily.
The gooseneck caravan will generally be intended for towing horse caravans and the actual hitch itself will be a ball and coupler. This bracket will remain in the centre of the platform between the wheel wells to help distribute the weight of the caravan. This and the fifth wheel will generally be similar on the caravan capacity documents of the vehicle you own or purchase.
The bottom line
To know the weight of the trailer that your SUV, van or pickup truck can tow, you will naturally go and check the manufacturer’s recommendations. This information is usually written on the edge of the door of your tow vehicle. Can’t find the information? Contact your dealer, he will get back to you quickly.
Always check with the manufacturer’s manual whether your car can tow a caravan/trailer and what is the maximum towing capacity for both unbraked and braked vehicles.
And lastly, don’t overload the caravan. You may feel confident enough to go above 85%, but this will only create unnecessary risks, especially if we are talking about an unbraked trailer.
Be safe on the road and please let us know if you have any questions or comments on the content.
FAQ on What can tow a Scamp trailer?
What percentage of max towing capacity is safe?
A percentage of 80% or 75% of max towing capacity would be safe and recommendable.
How do you know if you tow too much weight?
You know you are towing too much weight when the rear of the truck will appear hunkered down and the front end will feel light.
How do you know the weight that is carried?
There are all kinds of scales to know the weight carried both on the shaft and the lance. They exist from scales for the wheels to scales for the lance, passing through wheels that have the scale incorporated.
Can you increase a car towing capacity?
You cannot increase your car’s towing capacity unless you plan to re-engineer the vehicle. Cars are designed with a specific towing capacity in mind, and some have no pulling weight at all. Increasing the towing capacity of your car means going over the recommended limit.
Can a 1.5 diesel pull a trailer?
A 1.5 diesel could pull a trailer, although many drivers see it as a challenge for the MTPLM. A 1.5 diesel or 1.5-litre petrol are not usually among the favourites for towing a trailer
Can a 1.6 petrol engine pull a trailer?
A 1.6 petrol can pull a trailer, as long as you consider your caravan’s MAM that must not exceed 85% of your car’s kerb weight.
References
- Towing Your Scamp – Scamp Trailers
- What “Small Car” can really tow a Scamp? – Fiberglass RV
- Towing a trailer: Everything you need to know – Roadshow – CNET
