[Sliver]

Originally Posted by old-fart

I'd say no way. As others have said, dry weight means nothing in the trailer at all. You also have to consider that generally speaking I think the "tow weight" of a vehicle includes everything in the vehicle itself, including passengers. So if you have a family that weighs 400lbs, plus clothes, sleeping bags, food, beer (100lbs there for sure), water in the trailer (depending on where you are camping), bikes, etc..... you would be way over the limit.

The weight distribution hitch won't help in this situation. The trailer brake control isn't really an option - either the trailer you are pulling has brakes or it doesn't, and that determines whether you need a brake control unit in the van or not. A trailer that weighs 3900 will definitely have brakes so you'd need a controller in the van (or other vehicle) for sure.

I have heard that in BC they will stop vehicles and check the tow weight and if you are over they make you unhook and come back with a different vehicle (along with a fine I'm sure).

For the record, we tow a 16' Fun Finder T160 with our 2011 Town and Country (with tow package rated for 3600). The dry weight of our trailer is 1997lb or something and by the time we load it up and head out, it's about as heavy as I'd want to get with that vehicle.

It would help a ton.