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Thread: Towing smaller trailers - your vehicle choice?

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirtsniffer View Post
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    Grand Cherokee may work but a lot of them have 1100 lbs max payload. Going to be tough taking the family and a 5000 lb trailer anywhere.
    1260 payload (5.7) and (assumed) 500lb tongue weight leaves 760lb payload, which seems pretty adequate. You're pulling a trailer, put your heavy shit in there.


    Quote Originally Posted by nzwasp View Post
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    This is what I currently tow with and to be fair my trailer is only 2900lbs dry and we are only loading with approximately 400lbs if we take our bikes. My dislikes currently is that the WD hitch has a low point because it accompanies different hitch heights and when the WD bars are off it is only 1” off the ground. That only happens however when we are in the campground backing in or trying to get off our driveway. When the WD bars are on we have about 6”-7” of clearance With the road (I might have to measure this)
    Can you undo the two bolts and flip the hitch over? That might increase the clearance an inch or two.

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    Every vehicle towing near its rated capacity will run into payload issues. It's true with SUV's, half tons, 3/4 tons etc. People buy bigger heavier vehicles and still end up overloaded.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat View Post
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    1260 payload (5.7) and (assumed) 500lb tongue weight leaves 760lb payload, which seems pretty adequate. You're pulling a trailer, put your heavy shit in there.




    Can you undo the two bolts and flip the hitch over? That might increase the clearance an inch or two.
    I read up on this Reese hitch and it seems like a lot of people do that to get the extra ground clearance I think I will do that when I get back to Calgary. Might need @ExtraSlow to give me a hand

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    If ground clearance if your biggest problem, yeah, a new hitch is an easy fix. You may not even need my help.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by nzwasp View Post
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    I read up on this Reese hitch and it seems like a lot of people do that to get the extra ground clearance I think I will do that when I get back to Calgary. Might need @ExtraSlow to give me a hand
    I have the same hitch, or at least the same style, and flipping it is fairly straightforward. Just need a few breaker bars to put enough torque on the bolts
    See Crank. See Crank Walk. Walk Crank Walk.

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    This was basically my thinking when I bought my xterra. Smallest suv that had a 5k lb tow rating. The pathfinder was slightly larger but had a higher rating, especially with the v8. Newer pathfinders have a decent rating but are not supposed to be used with a WD hitch.

    If i was going to buy new and still had my 3k lb trailer, I'd probably go Blazer.
    dv/dt

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    Quote Originally Posted by 2020 View Post
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    Toyota Highlander is a great tow suv. Very stout transmission
    Lexus RX350 to class it up a notch.
    I'd consider adding a bigger tranny cooler and giving the brake fluid a quick flush before the once a year it'll actually get used for this.

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    In the case of wanting a vehicle rated to tow "a 5000 lb trailer" I guess in my mind I'm thinking of something rated to tow OVER 5000 lbs, so you wouldn't be close to going over your specs if you did end up with something that was a full 5000 lbs. NZwasp already had a highlander, and it hasn't been a great experience for him, even with his lighter trailer. I think (and correct me if I'm wrong buddy), power has been fine, but braking isn't super, and it's not a relaxing driving experience.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    In the case of wanting a vehicle rated to tow "a 5000 lb trailer" I guess in my mind I'm thinking of something rated to tow OVER 5000 lbs, so you wouldn't be close to going over your specs if you did end up with something that was a full 5000 lbs. NZwasp already had a highlander, and it hasn't been a great experience for him, even with his lighter trailer. I think (and correct me if I'm wrong buddy), power has been fine, but braking isn't super, and it's not a relaxing driving experience.
    You're right, it won't be a relaxing driving experience...
    Except for the 50 weeks of the year that you aren't pulling a trailer.

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    Is the wife going to drive this new vehicle? If so, you better rent one of that size for a week or two and have her drive it the entire time. It's worth the $500 in rental costs (get the insurance) to see if she can really drive it. Can she back into a parking spot in one go?

    My wife hated the F150. She drove the Expedition Max maybe 3 times in the year and a bit we had it. She really didn't like the bigger vehicle. And yes, she can back into a spot in one go. It was a preference.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ThePenIsMightier View Post
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    You're right, it won't be a relaxing driving experience...
    Except for the 50 weeks of the year that you aren't pulling a trailer.
    Quote Originally Posted by benyl View Post
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    Is the wife going to drive this new vehicle? If so, you better rent one of that size for a week or two and have her drive it the entire time. It's worth the $500 in rental costs (get the insurance) to see if she can really drive it. Can she back into a parking spot in one go?

    My wife hated the F150. She drove the Expedition Max maybe 3 times in the year and a bit we had it. She really didn't like the bigger vehicle. And yes, she can back into a spot in one go. It was a preference.
    Good points on vehicle size. Bigger ins't always better.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    If it were me it'd be a Grand Cherokee for sure. A good buddy of mine has a V6 and tows his ~4000lb 20' trailer quite happily. Neighbor of mine has a Durango w/ the 5.7 (which I'm assuming is basically the same as a GC) and tows his 5100lb 25' trailer without complaints (though I don't see how he's not over his rear GAWR).

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    I have some experience with a couple of the vehicles mentioned so ill add my $0.02

    Audi Q5 with OEM hitch/electronics and 3000# utility trailer with quads - Towed well with absolutely atrocious economy. I mean like 40L/100km or more i reckon. The gauge maxed out at 40. This would be about the most i would pull with that. While it pulled fairly well, a little wind would get it a little too squirrely for my liking.

    Jeep GC Overland V6 and V8 - Pulled a 4500# RV. Obviously i upgraded to the V8 because the V6 was severely lacking. Pulled my 4500# ok. Had a capacity of 7500. There would be no way you would catch me towing anywhere near that. The jeep is just simply too light for weights that heavy. Stopping was dicey at the weight i was at.

    After trying the SUV/Xover towing i bit the bullet and went with a truck. Boy am i glad i did. There was a few truck and trailer combinations in the middle but the end of the day, i went with a diesel dually. There is something about pulling literally anything with absolute comfort and without worry. Ive had some white knuckle experiences in my time and it just makes me not want to tow.

    Our current vehicles are a 2013 Ram 3500 Dually (no need to comment) and a 19' Yukon Denali. The Yukon tows great and is an excellent vehicle. The 10spd transmission and 6.2L engine has power for days. Tows a 6000# boat with ease. If i was wanting a family hauler with the occasional tow, i would go right with the Yukon or some other body on frame full size SUV.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    In the case of wanting a vehicle rated to tow "a 5000 lb trailer" I guess in my mind I'm thinking of something rated to tow OVER 5000 lbs, so you wouldn't be close to going over your specs if you did end up with something that was a full 5000 lbs. NZwasp already had a highlander, and it hasn't been a great experience for him, even with his lighter trailer. I think (and correct me if I'm wrong buddy), power has been fine, but braking isn't super, and it's not a relaxing driving experience.
    This. 5k tow rating =/= can tow 5,000 lb.

    I would want upward of 7 personally.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by benyl View Post
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    Is the wife going to drive this new vehicle? If so, you better rent one of that size for a week or two and have her drive it the entire time. It's worth the $500 in rental costs (get the insurance) to see if she can really drive it. Can she back into a parking spot in one go?

    My wife hated the F150. She drove the Expedition Max maybe 3 times in the year and a bit we had it. She really didn't like the bigger vehicle. And yes, she can back into a spot in one go. It was a preference.
    My wife essentially refuses to touch my truck for similar reasons. Definitely a Consideration.

    Doesn’t help that the first time she drove it she sent it straight throughout 4 foot high parking pylon
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    How much can a Trackhawk tow?

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    A V8 4runner towed our 5000lbs trailer beautifully around AB, and most of the interior BC. It did the coquillhala with no complaints either, but I couldn't comfortably go faster than 90, without being over 4k RPM's, which I didnt much like.

    A V8 Taco is my dream truck.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nzwasp View Post
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    This is what I currently tow with and to be fair my trailer is only 2900lbs dry and we are only loading with approximately 400lbs if we take our bikes.
    This doesn't compute. Do you actually only have 400lb of water, food, clothes, toys, tools, dishes, bbq, bikes etc etc etc? How is that even possible?

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    Quote Originally Posted by cjblair View Post
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    This doesn't compute. Do you actually only have 400lb of water, food, clothes, toys, tools, dishes, bbq, bikes etc etc etc? How is that even possible?
    Not to mention bedding and mattress, which isn’t in the dry weight
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    My braking issue is when I’m going 120+ and suddenly braking. This is all without the trailer. I didn’t feel any issues with the trailer on because I was only driving 100 and the trailer brakes are pretty good. I think I just need some new rotors and pads

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    Quote Originally Posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo View Post
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    How much can a Trackhawk tow?
    Same as the 5.7, 7200lb. Probably mass-limited as you obviously get better brakes than the 5.7. I like your thinking.

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