johnboise3

Diesel truck is the way to go. Even with a 7800# tow capacity Yukon XL Denali with 6.2L gas engine, towing an enclosed trailer with total loaded weight of 7000# really overworked the GMC and never let me relax while towing. Got a F350 diesel crew cab...wow, what a difference. Better fuel efficiency, longer wheel base, plenty of power; at 75 on the freeway (not in California) the trailer is hardly noticeable. SAFETY should be the prime consideration when towing, and nothing beats what a big truck can provide in that compartment. I put a shell cab-top level shell on the back of the truck, which gives plenty of room for any gear you don't want to haul in the trailer, plus lots of room for sleeping. Before the shell, I once folded doen the rear seats, put down a pad, and slept comfortably inside the cab. Plus, when not towing, it is the road trip vehicle of choice (over Mercedes ML350, Yukon XL Denali) for comfort, quietness, safety and capacity. However, not a great daily driver for around town.

mooty

a friend has a 18' TPD with spec 911 inside towed by a 4runner. i followed him once. his rig never goes straight. it moves like a snake, really. he told me it's fine. he had it that way 4 years. no problem. and he's still alive and racing.

last year he bought a F250. called me up. wtf didn't you tell me i needed a real truck. it's so much better and less sway....

chassis disintegration for sure over time.

in my 2500 diesel with 24' trailer enclosed, going through high wind across san mateo bridge, i feel like i am about to flip over. in a dually towing in wind, it doesn't move.

drl

I spent the evening reading about trucks... I may end up going that route.

BTW - for 1500# enclosed i meant 1500 ABOVE where i am now with the open.

Tmrw I will search thru the forums for tow vehicle recs. what sort of MPGs are you guys getting while towing with 250/2500 diesel vs. non-diesel trucks.

Carrera GT

I see, you mean add 1500 to the Featherlite open. That makes sense, but I think you're already at the sweet spot for that tow vehicle. Fuel burn while towing is "how long is a piece of string?" but if you want very broad numbers, 10 mpg for gas and 15 mpg for diesel if both aren't too stressed. If you buy an expensive modern diesel and aero trailer, 20 mpg at 65. Climbing a long steep grade can send all of them closer to 5 mpg. With 44 gallons in the Excursion, I can get a helluva long way on one tank and average 12 to 14 just based on the weight of my foot -- it used to be a lot better, but I think the turbo is ready to be replaced even though it's power is undiminished -- and I carry 5 gallons of "fail safe" so I dont' have to sweat the accuracy of the fuel gauge for the last 100 miles.

KaiB

Forget about fuel mileage these days in a diesel.

12mpg tops, more like 10 if you travel over 75mph.

Bill Verburg

Extremes of weather, terrain and traffic will bring out the worst in any towing scenario, a rig that is perfectly adequate 99% of the time can become a nightmare in a heartbeat

Doc GTO

Staying relatively flat, I can get 12.8 to and from Savannah from Florida. I just got back from VIR and it is full of nice long rolling hills. I got 12 flat. Fully loaded with the car, tools, spares, camping equipment, and family I'm at about 10K total weight. My truck is a Chevy 3500 Duramax dually and I set the cruise at 72.

drl

12.8 is pretty decent. In my van up to laguna seca and back i got 13.7. Not much of a difference esp considering the massive power difference.

Ok guys, i am off to go look at trucks

Strangely my girlfriend (basically we are married, without actually being married) is totally onboard. Maybe something about a creepy black cargo van in her driveway...

Doc GTO

If you get an 20ft aluminum enclosed your weight will be much less. I have a 26ft V-nose enclosed, fully insulated, upper/lower cabinets, fold down tables, A/C, ect. Not the lightest thing but my truck can tow 21K so I'm not worried! LOL.

forhamilton

I'm in the construction business. We have had every model truck and diesel you can imagine. No diesel on the market out performs the cummins. Longest lasting, easiest to maintain and most powerful diesel out. Creature comforts are lacking in a dodge. Fords are big and nice, but diesels have been problematic. Chevy just seems to miss the mark.

NorthVan

That is great news, I just picked up a 2010 Dodge 3500 Laramie. Lots of creature comforts, and a great deal for me.

drl

I have been looking at Ford and GMC. Dodge diesel engine does get great marks, but you are right - the interior is not as nice. GMCs do not seem nearly as plentiful, so likely I will get Ford. Still looking....

Traffic53

might i add that if you don't actually need the 4WD, don't get it. my 2WD F250 diesel pulled significantly better than my buddies 4WD F250. same truck, same engine. the 4WD was okay, but actually did some hunting at 70mph, where my 2WD truck cruised solid with no tranny hunting at 70. apples to apples comparo here, as i used his truck to pull my trailer a few times.

that said, i would be f**ked if it rained and the trailer was parked in the grass, as the 2WD was not enough to yank it out of a muddy mess.

Carrera GT

As you say, being on grass or mud or sand and it's 4WD or a lot of work. Also, for local roads with mountainous grades (eg. grapevine) or for tracks with "crawl in" climbs (Laguna) and slow-n-go traffic as rigs arrive to big events, being able to use 4WD to stop and slip down to low-range is a luxury (and a lifesaver for transmissions at low speed when air-flow and cooling isn't happening.)

The advantage of 2WD is the beefy front suspension components, knuckles, etc. all have more space to be huge and carry 450's and 550's, etc.

As for performance, I'd say that example of a given 2WD vs 4WD tells me the 4WD vehicle was sick and the trans was either suffering or the electronics were making mistakes based on other issues like the engine not delivering torque. Final gear ratios are probably different, so it could well be, case by case, the 2WD ratio might be a smidge short in the diff, especially in non-diesel configs. Just a guess, but even a "plus one" oversized tire or way too much air in the driven axle tires can change the ratios enough (not kidding ... though it is funny) it can come down to an inch of overall diameter changing revolutions per mile, leading to different final drive ratio to the ground and on a marginal setup, especially pushed to 70 mph, having the tires at 55 psi can work while 75 psi can put the engine at exactly the wrong rpm, especially for a diesel turbo. My Excursion loves (loves!) to lope along at 72 mph and 2000 rpm ... best mpg, best throttle response, cruise control is steady, never comes out of the lock-up ... but slow down to 65 mph and it hates to be at 1800 rpm, wants to release the torque converter, starts using wider throttle openings, just complains. If I slow down to 62 mph, everything falls back into sync and it's good again. If I go up to 80 mph, even on new tires, the whole rig's says "you're kidding, right?" so I find 72 is great and easy to get back under 65 if there's "company."

deputydog95

My gt3 will pull my 700 pound (loaded) tire trailer with no problems