How do most vehicles tow???

[ricohman]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Dad always kept telling me : " Son ,,never hook anything behind your truck that weighs more than your truck !
So one time i tried a big load and the next day replaced all the brake shoes !!
Seems to still hold true even with equalizer hitchs !!

I've pulled 18k with my one ton that weighs 7600 pds. And I could pull a lot more according to Ford. Your info is absurd. Trailers have brakes.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

A beater truck is a possibility but you run the risk of opening a whole other can of worms with an old beat up truck.

 

[DBreskin]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

My 2007 Honda Pilot is rated to tow a 4500lb boat/trailer. With 5 passengers and 15lbs/passenger of luggage in the vehicle the rating is lowered to about 4300lbs. My boat/trailer with fuel/supplies/etc weighs about 4300lb. I've towed it up to 600 miles with the only issue being excessive wear on the rear tires due to tongue load.
The factory rating for a non-boat trailer (camper, utility, etc) is 3500lb. I don't know why the boat capacity is greater than the non-boat capacity but that's what is shown in the owner's manual.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Just a guess but I would suspect you can tow a heavier boat because of tongue wieght and aerodynamics. I could be way of though.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Not only that Mikey but the OP is at the threshold of needing a system more then just a tow vehicle, large loads are more a system then a vehicle towing a trailer the vehicle has the power to pull the trailer but the trailer after so many pounds needs to be able to stop itself making it part of the system, the problem is that the OP needs a better tow vehicle to tow the boat he would like to have and that boat needs to be able to stop itself either by input from the tow vehicle or a trailer with surge brakes that allow the trailer to sense the tow vehicle is slowing/stopping and engage the proper braking power on its own.

Take tractor trailers for instance they can weigh upwards of 80,000 lbs no kidding! The tractor couldn't tow that much weight without the help of serious braking power from the trailer, trailers on over the road trucks are normally heavier then the tractors that tow them, its the norm, but they are heavily regulated and checked to make sure the entire system is in good working order.

The OP is in a tough spot and needs to make a decision like so many of us have had to, He wants Boat X at Y pounds and needs truck/SUV Z to tow that many pounds, I will say that the OP should add up the total amount of weight he plans on and then add 25% to that and find a tow vehicle with that tow specification. I won't say he needs a truck but a decent SUV at the least, I have said that Tundra's are great trucks and I would consider them if I wasn't sold on Diesel power but I understand that Diesels are not for everyone. I don't know how the OP could go wrong with a Tundra though, great truck! I think that Toyota has a SUV based on the Tundra platform that may be an option as well.

 

[flightdoc]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

It all depends on how you tow. While it is not recommended, if you are only traveling maybe 2 miles to the ramp and back the Hyundai would be ok until you had the funding to get a better tow vehicle. If you are planning on 200 Mile trips to the lake once a month. I would recommend you get your tow vehicle in order before you make a boat purchase.

 

[MCNPathfinder]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

I have an '01 Pathfinder that pulls my boat (~4,000#s). I would prefer to have something a little beefier. Something about having coils in the rear suspension just AMPLIFYS trailer sway like crazy. I'd try to find something with leaf springs in the rear suspension. Of course, I might have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[QC]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Take tractor trailers for instance they can weigh upwards of 80,000 lbs no kidding!

Yeah, and believe or not we (US) run the lightest trucks in the world. In Australia they gross over 300,000 lbs with the same tractors. Lot's of axles, lots of brakes

 

[Thalasso]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Yeah, and believe or not we (US) run the lightest trucks in the world. In Australia they gross over 300,000 lbs with the same tractors. Lot's of axles, lots of brakes

Check the weight they run in Mich on some of the roads. It's over 80000lbs and legal

 

[jkust]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

I've typed the long version of my experiences many times. The short version is I towed my heavier boat with my 3.4 liter minivan with its tiny 185hp engine. You think it tows good because it is so long and has the air springs so the rear won't sag but is over the limit with it's 3500lb capacity. The power won't be the big problem because it will just take off slow and after a while that just seems normal but the emergency maneuvers will be a problem. You can't plan for them and they happen to us at least once per summer and they can be life or death. Having owned three body on frame, 5.3 liter, 4wd, suv's since towing with the minivan, the differences are like Smart Car versus Ferrari but since you've never driven a Ferrari, you think the Smart Car is plenty capable until you switch over. Your Hyundai will tow because you are forcing it but you loose the margins of safety that you have with a truck frame. I won't really comment on the damage you can do to the drive train because I amazingly did none. I have lots of things I can say about towing with a unibody but I don't change easily and the switch from the minivan to the SUV was really a necessary one.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Yes I am a trucker and a diesel lover. I drive a f350 diesel. In Wisconsin scrap trucks run under permit well over 80000# we had one at my last job that ran 150000# two that ran 130000# and all the rest ran at 110000#. My previous post was just a guess as to why his vehicle is speced to tow a heavier bot than an rv trailer. You are right though he will need a better equipped vehicle to tow the boat he wants. I always advocate having more than enough vehicle to do the job hence my obnoxiously large truck lol.

 

[QC]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Check the weight they run in Mich on some of the roads. It's over 80000lbs and legal

Yup, and they run heavy in some southwest states too. General, standard spec, no permits (sort of): Europe = 96,800, Australia 149,600.

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[maproy99]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

The OP said it was 10 miles. As long as the speed is kept down, and he is not really over his tow rating by that much. FOR 10 MILES!!! If he wants to take his boat anywhere else, he needs to buy or borrow a better towing vehicle. The next vehicle he buys he can make sure it can tow the boat, but for just a 10 mile trip to the lake maybe once a week??? I really would recommend a used Silverado as they are nice trucks, well built, and have a high tow rating with decent gas mileage for a truck. In fact, my local Chevy/Gmc dealership cannot keep enough used Silverados on hand to keep up with demand because no one wants to sell them.

Here is a link to the Chevy models and their tow rating. Usually the highest for a specific type of vehicle because they are built well.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

The OP said it was 10 miles ... FOR 10 MILES!!!

So when did he say that?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

10 miles, unless it's down a pretty straight flat road, is kinda a long way. Still plenty of chances to have to make a sudden stop in that distance. That rig is simply too much for that tow vehicle.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

I wouldn't try it but than again I bought a one ton diesel when I had nothing to tow so I'm all about overkill and maybe not the best example.

 

[TorchedGT]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

So you are saying I shouldn't be towing my 6500# boat begind my 4200# truck. Please explain how, with that logic, a person could tow anything that is longer than 22'.

Exactly - this isn't the case really, HOWEVER I think he's on to something with loads and vehicles below a certain weight. For example a 4000lb boat and 3500lb light suv or something. Well then again you don't usually end up with tow ratings that decent on smaller suvs.

My point is that after a certain point, you'll notice that tow ratings drastically jump up beyond the weight of the vehicle (usually medium/HD trucks, frame-rail-based SUVs like suburbans, tahoes, expeditions, excursions, etc) but I should mention that there are a hand full of SUVs that offer 8000lb tow ratings like the Jeep GCs, X5s, Touaregs Nissans, and Land Rovers which tow very well - these also somewhat kill the myth about wheelbase issues, since the vehicle weight, air suspension (ALWAYS guaranteed an even load, even under braking, AND they have independent suspension which is hard to find on an HD tow rig of any kind) and wider/lower profile tires can tow loads with extreme confidence. I've towed 40' trailers with diesel duallys so I'm not just some Harry homeowner guy either - every now and then you come across a rig that really surprises you!

Of course the true test is one of compromise. The best tow rigs are never the best family/daily driver vehicles (no, feeling "cool" in them doesn't count) so for most of us who tow every other weekend or once a month.. there will always be a compromise. I'm 110% pleased with my rig decision, but the latest generation of Tahoes, Cherokees and Expeditions are great vehicles as well.

If you want to keep your overall footprint a little smaller, seriously look into the VW Touareg. The air suspension option will cost you, but for the safety, size, and daily-drivability combined with an image that isn't too gaudy, their 7,700 tow rating is impossible to beat in the luxury SUV market. In fact TDI owners get 30+mpg highway and that 400lb-ft of torque is great for towing too.

Don't get me wrong, there are infinite options out there, but I'm trying to think of something in a similar vehicle size range. You have a Hyundai light SUV so people suggesting HD pickups aren't being very realistic considering that I'm sure you have many reasons for owning your current vehicle and purchasing it initially.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that the OP get a 1 ton Diesel, only that the OP needs more tow vehicle then what he has in order to tow the boat he would like, there is just not much margin left for what he has right now, siting the big trucks was only as an example for instance I have a 6000lb setup and I have a 1 ton Diesel, I also live in Colorado where we actually have Mountains and its the only way to go for my size load and the distance I travel to Boat, the OP on the other hand does not.

 

[ricohman]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

The OP said it was 10 miles. As long as the speed is kept down, and he is not really over his tow rating by that much. FOR 10 MILES!!! If he wants to take his boat anywhere else, he needs to buy or borrow a better towing vehicle. The next vehicle he buys he can make sure it can tow the boat, but for just a 10 mile trip to the lake maybe once a week??? I really would recommend a used Silverado as they are nice trucks, well built, and have a high tow rating with decent gas mileage for a truck. In fact, my local Chevy/Gmc dealership cannot keep enough used Silverados on hand to keep up with demand because no one wants to sell them.

Here is a link to the Chevy models and their tow rating. Usually the highest for a specific type of vehicle because they are built well.

It also depends on what area of the country you live in. Up here, Ford trucks of all sorts out sell Silverado's or Chevys all day long.
I don't like cv shafts and boots on my tucks. They are ok on my little fwd car but I do not think they belong on a truck. But thats my own opinion.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: How do most vehicles tow???

Trailblazer or Envoy will handle your load really well. I tow 5,000lb with our Trailblazer and it handles it really well. Whatever you get if you are over 50% of you max weight put an additional tranny cooler on it. Don't care what anyone says about it having the "factory tow package" and being enough.
Jusy my opinion though.