Tow Vehicle
12-21-2007, 11:40 AM
#16
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Recommended minimum 
This righteous 89 Suburban is known affectionately in our family as the "Tow Daddy". Remanufactured Jasper TBI350 with refurbished 700R4 tranny, 6 inch lift kit, retrofitted Warn manual front locking hubs and American Wheels. Total investment $2,500. Works great to haul around our two Australian Shepherds as well.
This righteous 89 Suburban is known affectionately in our family as the "Tow Daddy". Remanufactured Jasper TBI350 with refurbished 700R4 tranny, 6 inch lift kit, retrofitted Warn manual front locking hubs and American Wheels. Total investment $2,500. Works great to haul around our two Australian Shepherds as well.
Last edited by TheRealLefty; 06-15-2009 at 09:30 PM.
12-21-2007, 11:49 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just about! This thing is so long it has its own zip code. Dogs love it, with the third seat removed and the split rear seats folded down I can drive around town and they get a good run just circling around the back checking out the sights.
12-21-2007, 11:51 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
Can you say turbo diesel. Diesels are the best to tow with because they are heavy, POWER,loong, and have better mpg then a gas truck while towing. I have towed a U-hual trailer many times with 2001 BMW x-5 3.6liter with a tow package and its freaking awsome those u-hual trailers are alum. they are not that heavy actually you move it on your own to mounted it to the hitch.
12-21-2007, 11:58 AM
#20
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yep, turbo diesel is the ultimate best solution. Towing demands vary greatly based on where you live. Here in the Maryland Mountains, even the Tow Daddy labors on long uphill interstate pulls. There's nowhere we go that doesn't require a couple of these pulls just to get out of town, so small SUVs really don't don't cut it here, regardless of trailer weight.
12-21-2007, 12:07 PM
#21
Race Director
No way.
Even IF a featherlite weighs in at 500lbs, you would still be at the limit of the towing capacity. (I think a featherlite open aluminum trailer weighs closer to 1000 lbs.). However, in a car/truck with a 3500 tow capacity, the GCWR (Gross combined weight rating - tow vehicle + trailer + all cargo) is easily exceeded.
You NEVER want to be close to the limits when towing.
Dan - Here's my advise regarding tow vehicles, based on my research and what I've read here and on other boards:
1. Get a V8. Sure, you can tow with a V6, and some folks have towed with 4cyl cars. But you really need the power of a V8 in order to tow safely and to minimize the wear and tear on the tow vehicle's drivetrain.
2. Bigger is better. Bigger trucks have bigger brakes, cooling systems, bigger load capacity. That said, you don't need a 3500-series truck to tow a steel open trailer. But you need something more than a Jeep Wrangler.
3. Figure on needing a tow capacity greater than 5000 lbs. 7000lb tow capacity is a good start. 8000 lb capacity is better. 10,000 lbs capacity is overkill, unless you are going for an enclosed trailer. In my estimation, a tow capacity of 5000 lbs is bearly sufficient for your car & an open trailer. The car weighs 3000 lbs. A steel trailer is about 1500 lbs. Even an open aluminum trailer weighs in at nearly 1000 lbs. Add gear (spare tires, gas, tools...etc) and you're at or over 5000 lbs. So again, you're at the jagged edge. Not good.
4. Trailers: if you're going with an open trailer, then either an aluminum or steel trailer is fine. I strongly advise against getting a trailer with surge brakes. Electric brakes are a lot safer. But you will need to install a brake controller in your tow vehicle, and make sure that you have the proper hookup to plug the trailer into.
5. Make sure your tow vehicle has the trailering package. This usually includes a Class III hitch, 7/4 pin connector, and extra cooling for the tranny & oil.
6. Do a search in the DE section - this topic has been discussed ad nauseum there.
Here are some examples of tow vehicles that are BELOW what you need:
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Jeep Wranger / Liberty
Any SUV with a 6cyl motor (Explorer,Blazer, Grand Cherokee)
Honda Ridgeline (only had a V6 - 5000 tow capacity)
Any pickup truck with a 4 or 6 cyl motor
Some acceptable tow vehicles:
Any medium to large SUV with a V8 (Explorer, Suburban, Grand Cherokee)
Dodge Dakoka with a V8
Any pick up truck with a V8. (Ford F150, Chevy 1500 series, Dodge Ram)
Toyota Tundra
Nissan V8 pick up
-Z-man.
Even IF a featherlite weighs in at 500lbs, you would still be at the limit of the towing capacity. (I think a featherlite open aluminum trailer weighs closer to 1000 lbs.). However, in a car/truck with a 3500 tow capacity, the GCWR (Gross combined weight rating - tow vehicle + trailer + all cargo) is easily exceeded.
You NEVER want to be close to the limits when towing.
Dan - Here's my advise regarding tow vehicles, based on my research and what I've read here and on other boards:
1. Get a V8. Sure, you can tow with a V6, and some folks have towed with 4cyl cars. But you really need the power of a V8 in order to tow safely and to minimize the wear and tear on the tow vehicle's drivetrain.
2. Bigger is better. Bigger trucks have bigger brakes, cooling systems, bigger load capacity. That said, you don't need a 3500-series truck to tow a steel open trailer. But you need something more than a Jeep Wrangler.
3. Figure on needing a tow capacity greater than 5000 lbs. 7000lb tow capacity is a good start. 8000 lb capacity is better. 10,000 lbs capacity is overkill, unless you are going for an enclosed trailer. In my estimation, a tow capacity of 5000 lbs is bearly sufficient for your car & an open trailer. The car weighs 3000 lbs. A steel trailer is about 1500 lbs. Even an open aluminum trailer weighs in at nearly 1000 lbs. Add gear (spare tires, gas, tools...etc) and you're at or over 5000 lbs. So again, you're at the jagged edge. Not good.
4. Trailers: if you're going with an open trailer, then either an aluminum or steel trailer is fine. I strongly advise against getting a trailer with surge brakes. Electric brakes are a lot safer. But you will need to install a brake controller in your tow vehicle, and make sure that you have the proper hookup to plug the trailer into.
5. Make sure your tow vehicle has the trailering package. This usually includes a Class III hitch, 7/4 pin connector, and extra cooling for the tranny & oil.
6. Do a search in the DE section - this topic has been discussed ad nauseum there.
Here are some examples of tow vehicles that are BELOW what you need:
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Jeep Wranger / Liberty
Any SUV with a 6cyl motor (Explorer,Blazer, Grand Cherokee)
Honda Ridgeline (only had a V6 - 5000 tow capacity)
Any pickup truck with a 4 or 6 cyl motor
Some acceptable tow vehicles:
Any medium to large SUV with a V8 (Explorer, Suburban, Grand Cherokee)
Dodge Dakoka with a V8
Any pick up truck with a V8. (Ford F150, Chevy 1500 series, Dodge Ram)
Toyota Tundra
Nissan V8 pick up
-Z-man.
12-21-2007, 12:36 PM
#23
Race Director
What are the specs of your X5? Sepcifically, what is the tow capacity, the GCWR, and the wheelbase length? Do you have the V6 or the V8?
Side note: I know that Dan lives in the NE, and the route he will be taking to most of the tracks involves hills -- lots of hills.
Again, I'm not an "expert" but have done enough research to know that skimping on a tow vehicle and using something that is "just enough" can get you in some trouble quickly.
For example: let's say you have a tow vehicle that has a 5,000 lb tow capacity, and a 7,000 lb GCWR. And you're pulling a 3,500 lb car and 1000 lbs of gear. So while you're not over the limits of the tow vehicle, you are pretty close.
So you're hummin' along on the highway -- no problems. Braking -- well, it take a lot longer to stop, but still, no problems. Ok - now what happens if the brakes on the trailer all of a sudden stop working? Now you've got quite a handful to deal with when stopping. Or - what happens if you get a blowout at 70mph and the trailer starts swerving all over the place? Or it starts to rain and hail? In all of those examples, "just enough" gets thrown out the window.
-Z-man.
Side note: I know that Dan lives in the NE, and the route he will be taking to most of the tracks involves hills -- lots of hills.
Again, I'm not an "expert" but have done enough research to know that skimping on a tow vehicle and using something that is "just enough" can get you in some trouble quickly.
For example: let's say you have a tow vehicle that has a 5,000 lb tow capacity, and a 7,000 lb GCWR. And you're pulling a 3,500 lb car and 1000 lbs of gear. So while you're not over the limits of the tow vehicle, you are pretty close.
So you're hummin' along on the highway -- no problems. Braking -- well, it take a lot longer to stop, but still, no problems. Ok - now what happens if the brakes on the trailer all of a sudden stop working? Now you've got quite a handful to deal with when stopping. Or - what happens if you get a blowout at 70mph and the trailer starts swerving all over the place? Or it starts to rain and hail? In all of those examples, "just enough" gets thrown out the window.
-Z-man.
12-21-2007, 12:52 PM
#24
Rennlist Member
What are the specs of your X5? Sepcifically, what is the tow capacity, the GCWR, and the wheelbase length? Do you have the V6 or the V8?
Side note: I know that Dan lives in the NE, and the route he will be taking to most of the tracks involves hills -- lots of hills.
Again, I'm not an "expert" but have done enough research to know that skimping on a tow vehicle and using something that is "just enough" can get you in some trouble quickly.
For example: let's say you have a tow vehicle that has a 5,000 lb tow capacity, and a 7,000 lb GCWR. And you're pulling a 3,500 lb car and 1000 lbs of gear. So while you're not over the limits of the tow vehicle, you are pretty close.
So you're hummin' along on the highway -- no problems. Braking -- well, it take a lot longer to stop, but still, no problems. Ok - now what happens if the brakes on the trailer all of a sudden stop working? Now you've got quite a handful to deal with when stopping. Or - what happens if you get a blowout at 70mph and the trailer starts swerving all over the place? Or it starts to rain and hail? In all of those examples, "just enough" gets thrown out the window.
-Z-man.
Side note: I know that Dan lives in the NE, and the route he will be taking to most of the tracks involves hills -- lots of hills.
Again, I'm not an "expert" but have done enough research to know that skimping on a tow vehicle and using something that is "just enough" can get you in some trouble quickly.
For example: let's say you have a tow vehicle that has a 5,000 lb tow capacity, and a 7,000 lb GCWR. And you're pulling a 3,500 lb car and 1000 lbs of gear. So while you're not over the limits of the tow vehicle, you are pretty close.
So you're hummin' along on the highway -- no problems. Braking -- well, it take a lot longer to stop, but still, no problems. Ok - now what happens if the brakes on the trailer all of a sudden stop working? Now you've got quite a handful to deal with when stopping. Or - what happens if you get a blowout at 70mph and the trailer starts swerving all over the place? Or it starts to rain and hail? In all of those examples, "just enough" gets thrown out the window.
-Z-man.
Overall Length, in. 183.7
Overall Width, in. 73.7
Overall Height, in. 67.2
Curb Weight, lbs. 4519
Size, liters/cu. in. 3.0 /181
Horsepower @ rpm. 225 @ 5900
Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm. 214 @ 3500
Towing capacity 5,000 lbs
What do you think? I also got the triptronic pacakge on there too.
Towing package with automatic self leveling susupension and all
12-21-2007, 12:58 PM
#25
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Towing is not fun. The more you do it, the less tense and risky it feels. But, as Z shares, it is infinitely more challenging than just driving down the road.
The exit from I-81 at Inwood, WV to Summit Point requires something like ten miles of driving as the crow flies. But you're not a crow and you're not flying. The Tow Daddy and trailer are what?...maybe 30 ft long combined?..and, oh yeah, it bends in the middle. Sooo, every time you go over an up and down hump, it feels like the trailer wants to lift the **** end of the Suburban a foot or two in the air and every time the country road rolls left or right, the trailer is trying to cut a curve about two feet tighter than the Tow Daddy turns. Other than that is a very enjoyable drive in the country.
Cutting the towing spec tight isn't worth it, in that context.
The exit from I-81 at Inwood, WV to Summit Point requires something like ten miles of driving as the crow flies. But you're not a crow and you're not flying. The Tow Daddy and trailer are what?...maybe 30 ft long combined?..and, oh yeah, it bends in the middle. Sooo, every time you go over an up and down hump, it feels like the trailer wants to lift the **** end of the Suburban a foot or two in the air and every time the country road rolls left or right, the trailer is trying to cut a curve about two feet tighter than the Tow Daddy turns. Other than that is a very enjoyable drive in the country.
Cutting the towing spec tight isn't worth it, in that context.
Last edited by TheRealLefty; 12-21-2007 at 02:58 PM.
12-21-2007, 01:20 PM
#26
Race Director
The wheelbase is a bit on the short side - makes it more maneuverable when backing up the trailer, but the ride going forward is a bit more bouncy. (Note: My Ford Sport Trac's wheel base is 130 inches - about the same as a Chebby Suburban's)
Is most of your towing on level ground, or are you going up and down lots of hills? Is your trailer an open aluminum?
I've seen folks towing with tow vehicles that are less of a caliber than your BMW - for example - a V6 Jeep Cherokee (not a Grand Cherokee). And they have done just fine. But like the old saying goes, "Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.."
-Z
12-21-2007, 02:17 PM
#27
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Nashua NH
Posts: 809
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I towed my 924s home with the F150 my family owns. Its a 2000 and has the 7700 package (so rated to 7700 lb towing) Worked great. no problems stopping or with anything else for that matter.
just a word of warning though, U-Haul won't rent to you if you have this vehicle. it somehow managed to get grouped in with all the explorers that had rollover problems, so its a flagged vehicle to them.
just a word of warning though, U-Haul won't rent to you if you have this vehicle. it somehow managed to get grouped in with all the explorers that had rollover problems, so its a flagged vehicle to them.
12-21-2007, 02:21 PM
#28
Rennlist Member
Personally, I wouldn't use that as a tow vehicle, especially given the small 3.0 motor.
The wheelbase is a bit on the short side - makes it more maneuverable when backing up the trailer, but the ride going forward is a bit more bouncy. (Note: My Ford Sport Trac's wheel base is 130 inches - about the same as a Chebby Suburban's)
Is most of your towing on level ground, or are you going up and down lots of hills? Is your trailer an open aluminum?
I've seen folks towing with tow vehicles that are less of a caliber than your BMW - for example - a V6 Jeep Cherokee (not a Grand Cherokee). And they have done just fine. But like the old saying goes, "Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.."
-Z
The wheelbase is a bit on the short side - makes it more maneuverable when backing up the trailer, but the ride going forward is a bit more bouncy. (Note: My Ford Sport Trac's wheel base is 130 inches - about the same as a Chebby Suburban's)
Is most of your towing on level ground, or are you going up and down lots of hills? Is your trailer an open aluminum?
I've seen folks towing with tow vehicles that are less of a caliber than your BMW - for example - a V6 Jeep Cherokee (not a Grand Cherokee). And they have done just fine. But like the old saying goes, "Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.."
-Z
12-21-2007, 03:22 PM
#29
Nordschleife Master
I recently bought a 1970 GMC HD, 350, w/complete engine rebuild for the express purpose of towing my future spec car. Legoland951 bought a tow bar (harbor freight for 50 bucks, has a second modified bumper that he swaps out and pulls his 944 behind his ford diesel van. However, I figure that might be a frightening prospect for some of you.
12-21-2007, 03:27 PM
#30
Rennlist Member
i know two people that have been towing - one was a 911 on a feather lite- the other a 944 turbo on a featherlite- both behind jeep cherokees- im not saying they werent maxed out but i borrowed the one guys rig to pick up a car before i had a truck/trailer and it towed quite well. When i towed my heavy **** steel trailer behind it though, it was very skurrry.
there was a guy from IL came to mid ohio w/ his gt3 in an enclosed trailer w/ equipment in it as well- all behind his brand new ford explorer six speed auto 4.6l v8- said it towed awsomely. Wish i had a six speed.
there was a guy from IL came to mid ohio w/ his gt3 in an enclosed trailer w/ equipment in it as well- all behind his brand new ford explorer six speed auto 4.6l v8- said it towed awsomely. Wish i had a six speed.