Can Chevy Express Handle these Trailers?

[Skip G.]

For starters, we are a family of seven and we hope to make our first travel trailer purchase. We are looking at the Keystone Zeppelin Z303 with a dry weight of 4800 pounds and the Keystone Outback 29BHS with a dry weight of 5250 pounds. These are not very heavy trailers but based on some messages we have read on an RV forum, we now have concerns about being able to tow them with our 2001 Chevy Express 1/2 Ton Van (2WD, 5.7 liter V8 Engine). This is a 7 passenger van that has a 7100 lb. GVW Rating and Rear Axle - 3.73 Ratio.

Here are the important figures and calculations:

Tow Vehicle:
Curb Weight - 5142 lbs.
7 people - 682 lbs.
Fuel - in curb weight, I think
Trailer tongue weight - est. 636 lbs. for Z303 trailer
Total laden weight - 6460 lbs. which is less than 7100 lbs.

Trailer:
Dry weight - 4800 lbs.
Appliances, etc. - 500 lbs estimate which should be on the heavy side
Water - 0 - plan to camp with water availability
Propane - 67 pounds
Stuff - 700 lbs.
Total weight of trailer - 6067 lbs. for Z303
Total for Outback is 6517 lbs.

Gross Combined Weight - 6460 + 6067 - 636 = 11,891 for the Z303
We don't know how to determine the GCWR for our van to know if the above number is okay. Our van came with a trailering package but we cannot find anything giving a GCWR.

Other Numbers for our Vehicle:
GVWR 7100 lbs.
GAWR FRT 3600 lbs.
GAWR RR 3968 lbs.
Max Trailer Wt.: 6600 lbs.

So, what do you think? Would we do okay with either the heavier Outback trailer or the Zeppelin? Would we put too much strain on our Chevy Express Van?


Thanks for any help! We plan to drive to the 'city' this weekend and look at these trailers and maybe make a decision. We would just like to be certain we aren't exceeding what our vehicle can safely tow.

Skip