I've been towing ~2 tons of materials and equipment on a 5'x9' tilt bed Utility Trailer w/my 3.5 '00 Sport while building a House, and can offer these observations.
1. As mentioned above, stopping is SLOW. Up and over the ~11,000' passes in the Rockies means that I have to gear down like a Big Rig driver to have reasonable stopping capability with that Trailer weight. Otherwise, you'll wind up in the Runaway Truck ramp, out-of-control. There's no downhill stopping power left with this weight of Trailer even w/Disc Brakes all around on the Sport.
Consequently, I'm retrofitting my Trailer with Electric Brakes and a $150- top-of-the-line Brake Controller; stuff I've installed before in heavier Towing situations using 3/4 ton Trucks.
2. I've had 2 Monty overheating incidents last Summer; one Radiator, one Tranny. While one can, and I do, winding out endlessly in 3rd gear to maintain momentum will tax the cooling systems. The Radiator incident was on a very hot day at ~5K RPM uphill. Easy does it; I just slowed down after cooling off briefly.
The Tranny issue was solved by the Dealer retrofitting the larger Tranny pan @ n/c; something they now do under the longer Drive Train Warranty.
Product History Experts in this Forum can definitively comment, but I believe that the larger Tranny pan is now standard on '01 Models. Problem solved. I hope to get around to brazing on a Tranny pan fitting so as to retrofit a Tranny Temp Gauge; an invaluable item I've used before.
3. I added and always pump up rear coil Air Bags to a Trailer load-specific PSI in order to keep the Monty "level"; headlights where I want them; and steering angles "normal". Air Bags and a properly spec'd Receiver Hitch will distribute the load to the frame. I put on my own Draw Tite Hitch cuz it is virtually invisible and I don't want/need the rear step of an OEM Hitch that some prefer. The Pooch would smack it jumping out of the back.
Both uphill and downhill, I choose a lower gear and also set the Cruise Control. This prevents runaway on downhills and overheating on uphill. Just cruise along @ ~3.5 or ~4K RPM and enjoy the view w/o annoying gear shifts up-and-down. Lots of folks subscribe to the view that "brake shoes are cheaper than main bearings" so Engine vs. Wheel braking is always a continuing Bar Room discussion...
See a little Website below on how to measure Tongue Weight. I've learned the hard way, and from Old Hands, that you've got to get some serious Tongue Weight on the Ball to prevent Trailer "whiplash" and to ensure straight, problem-free Towing at speed. ~10% of the total weight should be on the Ball, typically. Move the Monty forward-and-backward on the Trailer to find the sweet spot re: Tongue Weight loading. VERY important to maintaining control, I find. I jack the Trailer Hitch up-and-down with the spare Jack from my '90 SWB Monty.
Other issues: Everybody wants to sue ya these days in a car crash, so exhibiting a track record of "due diligence" about your Towing equipment and putting on a Trailer Brake Controller deserves some thought EVEN IF you can get by w/o such equipment. The proper Towing gear also preserves your Warranty. I took some advice from a Forum and bought a Warranty Gold 150K mile/5 Year Extended Warranty that is valid when Towing ONLY if the "Factory Recommended Equipment" has been installed. This means Trailer Brakes for loads over 1.5K Lbs, I believe [I'm writing this w/o the Monty Op Manual in front of me]. It's more than just about not snapping Drive Train components w/>5 K lb. loads. As testified above, the Monty will do much more. It's also about keeping your family safe, etc..
With the right equipment, your Sport will do just fine. It's a great Towing rig for a non-Diesel rig.
http://www.geocities.com/blueskywhiteclouds/hitchscale.gifP.S. - I can't get site to Auto-link, so there it is to cut-and-paste; the only way it works.
<small>[ March 08, 2003, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Engineer Guy ]</small>
