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travel trailer towing 850 1995

An 1960s Holiday Rambler in restored condition would be a wonderful trailer.

The tongue weight is probably about 350 lbs, maybe more. To tow that trailer successfully (and I believe that it's quite possible, just not simple), you need the following:

1. Custom class 3 receiver to accommodate a weight distributing hitch (probably the hardest thing to find, since you will need to find a shop with the expertise to fabricate one);
2. A weight distributing hitch (a 550 lb version should be quite suitable) that is carefully set up, with plenty of tension on the spring bars;
3. A friction sway control;
4. Brake controller for electric brakes;
5. Charge line for trailer battery;
6. Auxiliary automatic transmission fluid cooler.

A possible solution for no. 1: while the Volvo-supplied receiver is only a Class 2 equivalent, and is not designed to take the torsional forces of a weight distributing hitch (WDH), it could be modified by lengthening the centre receiver tube forwarding and attaching it to the structure of the car in the vicinity of the rear axle.

With a WDH and a brake controller, the weight will not be an issue. Hill climbing should be fine. In my experience, Volvos are also very stable tow cars. However, a lack of aerodynamic efficiency with that trailer is likely to be a challenge that limits your highway cruising speed, particularly into a headwind. The only way to know is to try it, to see if it meets your needs and wants. Holiday Ramblers have slightly rounded profiles that may be sufficient to make towing relatively easy.

I have a custom receiver on my S60, and tow a travel trailer with a WDH. No problems yet, after more than 6,000 miles of towing.






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