For the guys who think you need a truck.

[chambers1517]

This guy has a great discussion about tow vehicles on the Airstream forum. He is one of the only guys to actually test vehicles towing instead of assuming. He also says truck and fullsize suvs really handle bad even when not towing. Check out the videos.

http://www.canamrv.ca/towing/

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238/has-anyone-towed-with-a-honda-odyssey-97743.html

 

[H20Rat]

Interesting philosophy... He basically says ignore all tow ratings, they are there to sell vehicles and cover liability and really don't mean much. 1/2 tow ratings have become an inflated numbers game, and on the other side, cars with ANY tow rating are almost impossible to find any more.

Looking at my past personal fleet of cars, my '02 subaru was rated at 2000#, I had a 2009 subaru that was 1000#, and now I've got a 2016 that has no tow rating. I have spent extensive time wrenching on all of them, and the 2016 is by far the strongest. It has the strongest metal in the rear subframe, the body itself is the stiffest, and the biggest brakes/engine. All 3 of them have had tow hitches, and the 2016 handles 2000# the easiest.


The linked article from the first link is interesting...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...ticle23686902/



Something like this would never come out today!

 

[sutor623]

Well, I have seen minivans towing small travel trailers, and the weight that comes off of the front wheels because of the tongue load is crazy!! Talk about traction issues............. Honestly I wouldn't want to be in a battle with an insurance company if I didnt obey the tow ratings. Different strokes as they say.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I guess if all you use is paved boat ramps you should be ok. I know I have used my 4wd a few times to tow a car or small truck trying to pul a boat off the landing.

 

[Watermann]

This topic is more suited for the trailer section....Still it amounts to subjective opinion on the authors part.

It's not just all about smooth sailing on the flat pavement when it comes to boat towing. I pull those little import rigs out of the unimproved launches with my Chev 2500 all the time and have to deal with the holes they create spinning their wheels. It's easy to drive to the launch and put the boat in but the retrieval gets them.

 

[GA_Boater]

This topic is more suited for the trailer section....Still it amounts to subjective opinion on the authors part.

It's not just all about smooth sailing on the flat pavement when it comes to boat towing. I pull those little import rigs out of the unimproved launches with my Chev 2500 all the time and have to deal with the holes they create spinning their wheels. It's easy to drive to the launch and put the boat in but the retrieval gets them.

Right on - It will be over there in a sec.

 

[dingbat]

The article is about travel trailers.

Don't know about anyone else, but I've not seen anyone launching or retrieving a travel trailer from boat ramp yet.

Having said that, my 25hp, 4wd diesel tractor has no problem pulling my #6000 boat up the ramp. Either does my 3/4 hp winch for that matter.....lol

 

[64osby]

White knuckle towing at its best.

Rather have a TV that can handle a little sway or blow by when the semi passes. Also a vehicle that can stop the load even if the trailer brakes fail.

 

[64osby]

Don't know about anyone else, but I've not seen anyone launching or retrieving a travel trailer from boat ramp yet.

 

[chambers1517]

I towed my boat from New Jersey to Knoxville with my wife's 2012 Kia Sorento. Ive also towed it with my 6.0 Excursion. The Kia was much more stable. The excursion was unstable without a trailer. I would pick the excursion over the Kia in a colission with a snowplow however, which is what happened to the excursion.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I routinely pull guys up my ramp who have diesel 3500 dually trucks, however no traction due to crud on the ramp and crappy tires. would not launch/retrieve without 4 wheel drive at most ramps if you paid me.

your excursion probably needed shocks. stability of most trucks/SUV's is because the aft end shock have long since given up the ability to control bound/rebound

BTW, I could move my boat anywhere on flat ground with a lawn tractor. just dont try to stop it fast since the boat and trailer weighed about 15 times the weight of the lawn tractor.

the average 25' air stream weighs 3500#. the 30' units being a bit over 4000#, non of them pulled on a grade greater than 5% my 24' boat, trailer, fuel etc. is 5000# and pulled up some 20% grades

compairing air stream travel trailers to a boat is like comparing apples to corn on the cob

 

[Frank Acampora]

So, What's new? Back in the day when gasoline was 23 cents/gallon we towed with what we had. The average car was almost 4000 pounds with a big Detroit V8.We used Caddilacs, Chryslers, Camaros,Firebirds, and anything else that was available. These were the days when only Jeeps had 4WD and the average pick-em-up truck was only powered with a six. I even towed with a 4 cylinder Cavalier. Personally, I am a lot more comfortable towing my 21 footer with my 1500 Silverado. No, you don't need a truck but it makes life a lot easier.

 

[JimS123]

So, What's new? Back in the day when gasoline was 23 cents/gallon we towed with what we had. The average car was almost 4000 pounds with a big Detroit V8.We used Caddilacs, Chryslers, Camaros,Firebirds, and anything else that was available. These were the days when only Jeeps had 4WD and the average pick-em-up truck was only powered with a six. I even towed with a 4 cylinder Cavalier. Personally, I am a lot more comfortable towing my 21 footer with my 1500 Silverado. No, you don't need a truck but it makes life a lot easier.

My first towcar was a RWD 1961 Mercury Comet with a 85HP straight 6, std. shift. The boat rig was only about 2000 pounds, and that little car took me everywhere. Never had an issue on a ramp.

Later, I had a SS Chevelle and a Dodge Charger. In 1980 I bought a Land Yacht - a Pontiac Bonneville RWD full perimeter frame big V8, etc. After driving it for 2 years and deciding it was the ideal towcar I retired it from full time driving and turned it into a dedicated towcar. The current rig is a tandem with a GVW of about 3200 lbs.

As long as she is still running it will be my goto. I just hate pickemuptrucks and hope to never have to buy one.

 

[flyingscott]

I don't think I need a truck. I know I need a truck.

 

[gm280]

I think every family need at least one truck. I know folks that say they will never own a pickup truck because they look "redneckish" or "hecksville". However, they certainly don't mind asking you to transport things from Lowes and Home Deport stories for them with your truck. JMHO!

 

[bajaunderground]

Interesting videos...my only caveat would be long term wear and tear? Why aren't there caravans of passenger cars hauling goods across the good 'ole USA? I would suggest, that CAN-AM RV is trying to sell campers to people who don't own traditional tow vehicles (trucks, truck based SUV's and SUV's)...so, while 100% possible I ask is whether the average unibody/subframe vehicle with light-duty suspensions and chassis hold up to long term usage?

I'll pass...I'd rather have too much vehicle then not enough?

Good thing the wife and I both use Yukons (her's is SWB Hybrid 4x4 and mine is a 3/4 ton XL 4x4 version).
Weighed the Boat/trailer today 5,380# full of fuel and some gear...our travel trailer is out the door at 6,500#. Granted she gets 10-12mpg towing and I get a whopping 7-9mpg...lucky I have an 2016 Ford Fusion Ecoboost AWD as a daily driver!

Cheers,

~Brett

 

[bigdee]

So, What's new? Back in the day when gasoline was 23 cents/gallon we towed with what we had. The average car was almost 4000 pounds with a big Detroit V8.We used Caddilacs, Chryslers, Camaros,Firebirds, and anything else that was available. These were the days when only Jeeps had 4WD and the average pick-em-up truck was only powered with a six. I even towed with a 4 cylinder Cavalier. Personally, I am a lot more comfortable towing my 21 footer with my 1500 Silverado. No, you don't need a truck but it makes life a lot easier.

Us oldtimers remember those days. A pickup truck at the boat ramp was the exception rather than the rule. The family car or station wagon was all people had because most everyone were a one car family. Now its the macho-got-to-have a truck with big engine attitude! In Europe those same vehicles that are sold in the U.S. are rated to tow twice as much. It is all CYA.

 

[JimS123]

I think every family need at least one truck. I know folks that say they will never own a pickup truck because they look "redneckish" or "hecksville". However, they certainly don't mind asking you to transport things from Lowes and Home Deport stories for them with your truck. JMHO!

I don't know what hecksville means.

To me, pickup trucks are for farmers or to use on the construction site. I'm more of a 'Vette or Mercedes kinda guy.

I can take twobafores and 4x8 sheets of plywood home in the trunk of my Bonneville. If I need to haul anything bigger than that my 4x8 utility trailer will suffice, being pulled behind it. I have never asked or needed to ask for help from a trucker.

To each his own - we all have our own cup of tea. As long as we don't criticize the other.

My biggest laugh was last summer. When I pulled the boat up to the ramp and got in my car, a couple of people walked over and said they had been waiting to see who owned the car and how it could possibly pull that big tandem trailer. After I retreived the boat (effortlessly with my power winch) and then effortlessly drove up the ramp, they just walkd away shaking their head.

The youngins just don't have a clue......LOL.

 

[Watermann]

One of my favorite bumper stickers.

 

[thumpar]

My Yukon handles better than a lot of cars I have driven with or without the trailer and I can haul a full boat load of people in it.