tow vehicles that *aren't* pickups
#17
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Vacuuming Cal Speedway
Posts: 7,306
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes
on
5 Posts
Originally Posted by RJay
Tow vehicles that are not pickups and don't have huge diesel engines with pistons the size of my massive biceps are for gurly men
#18
Rennlist
Basic Site Sponsor
Basic Site Sponsor
My Yukon XL Denali is awesome. 6 liter, 320 HP & who knows how much torque. It cruises up and down the hills around here no problem, and we have some pretty good hills. Gets 10 mpg towing and 15 or so around town on regular gas, but I am always towing something for work, so it was a great "dual-purpose" purchase. And it is a pleasure to use for daily transportation. Mine is 3 years old & has 70,000 miles.
__________________
Larry Herman
2016 Ford Transit Connect Titanium LWB
2018 Tesla Model 3 - Electricity can be fun!
Retired Club Racer & National PCA Instructor
Past Flames:
1994 RS America Club Racer
2004 GT3 Track Car
1984 911 Carrera Club Racer
1974 914/4 2.0 Track Car
CLICK HERE to see some of my ancient racing videos.
Larry Herman
2016 Ford Transit Connect Titanium LWB
2018 Tesla Model 3 - Electricity can be fun!
Retired Club Racer & National PCA Instructor
Past Flames:
1994 RS America Club Racer
2004 GT3 Track Car
1984 911 Carrera Club Racer
1974 914/4 2.0 Track Car
CLICK HERE to see some of my ancient racing videos.
#19
Originally Posted by Larry Herman
My Yukon XL Denali is awesome. 6 liter, 320 HP & who knows how much torque. It cruises up and down the hills around here no problem, and we have some pretty good hills. Gets 10 mpg towing and 15 or so around town on regular gas, but I am always towing something for work, so it was a great "dual-purpose" purchase. And it is a pleasure to use for daily transportation. Mine is 3 years old & has 70,000 miles.
#20
Drifting
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: La Jolla, CA
Posts: 2,166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by penguinking
looking for a good used tow vehicle that is an SUV, not a pickup. here's what i have so far: car weights 3000lbs. trailer weighs 3200lbs. plus extra gear and tools weigh around another 500lbs. so thats about 7000lbs i'll need to tow. most SUV's i've seen (tahoe/suburban) tow 7000lbs MAX. but i havnt found another SUV short of an Excursion that can tow just as much. ideas guys?
#21
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Here is an interesting comparison of some of the vehicles being discussed here:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...6/article.html
Properly equiped, a Ford Expedition is rated at 8900lbs. Of course, an F250 PSD is the way you should go!
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...6/article.html
Properly equiped, a Ford Expedition is rated at 8900lbs. Of course, an F250 PSD is the way you should go!
#22
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,956
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by jrgordonsenior
I thought the same way until 2 weeks ago when hauling back from Phoenix across that never-ending bleeping desert in my crew-cab dually. It was 105 out there and my 454/turbo 400/ 4:10 RE was pushing the 3/4 mark on the temp gauge with the air on full cold. I got passed by 2 Excursions both pulling race cars, and then a Surburban with a full trailer with a big head wind. I was at 75 and they must have all been around 85 or so. Truly pissed me off, I kept expecting to see them all on the side of the road with blown radiators but it never happened.....
Originally Posted by jrgordonsenior
my 454/turbo 400
#23
I third the suburban 8.1 liter 2500. I got the 4wd too! I tow the same as you up moutain pases all the time and routinely pass other cars. It tows steady as a rock and I use no weight dist hitch because the sub comes standard with autoride heioght control. The unit comes preplumbed for a electronic brake controler too. What more can you ask for. Also 10,000 cap with 3.73 rear or 12,000ca with 4:10 LSD. I run big tires one size over and 410's LSD about 10mpg. I like to tow with lots of head room. A truck that tows 8000lbs and you got 7000 just plain sucks IMHO. You want so much power that you feel like you are towing nothing. Also, I tow like crazy and I live in hills tow up and down the sepuveda pass and from hills la to lancaster to WSIR and up/down the grapevine to buttonwillow. . I have 43k miles and I still have not needed to change my brake pads! Now that is truely amazing
#26
Rennlist Member
I am currently towing a 20' enclosed trailer with a VW Touareg. It does pretty well and has a 7700# rating. You just have to remember you can't run as fast as the bigger vehicals. I think towing an open trailer with the Touareg would be a breeze. Plenty of power and great Brembo brakes. I have 968 at 3000#, trailer at about 3000#, and 500# to 1000# of gear.
Mike
Mike
#27
Instructor
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have the Chevy 8.1 motor with the Wipple supercharger and intercooler - 525 hp and 740 lbs of torque. Pulls up any hill at any speed. Oh, 8 mpg - guess you can't have everything!
#28
Three Wheelin'
Lewis, Why do you call the Cayenne a POS? We're considering one after the mountaineer (explorer) has too many issues at 75,000. We're trailering a trailex open trailer and the Cayenne seems like it should more than get the job done if the mountaineer can do it. What am I missing? any why are all 3 of the Cayenne engines rated at the same capacity?!
#29
Super Moderator
Needs More Cowbell
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Needs More Cowbell
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Originally Posted by MJR911
Lewis, Why do you call the Cayenne a POS? We're considering one after the mountaineer (explorer) has too many issues at 75,000. We're trailering a trailex open trailer and the Cayenne seems like it should more than get the job done if the mountaineer can do it. What am I missing? any why are all 3 of the Cayenne engines rated at the same capacity?!
(I was going to get a Carrera GT, but my Cayenne experience made me change my mind....no, PCNA could care less when I expressed my decision in letter form).
Too many problems, too many trips to the shop, a vehicle trying to be everything to everyone and being a modest compromise in the end. Fine, lesson learned. I currently have 44K miles and can't imagine owning it once the 50K warranty is up.
FWIW, my local dealer has been exceptional, exceeding any expectation I could have for any dealer.
Interestingly enough, the later MY05 builds seem to be better for reliability/issues; maybe I just got the odd duck. Who knows. Lots of opinions/comments in the Cayenne forum.
Originally Posted by MJR911
any why are all 3 of the Cayenne engines rated at the same capacity?!
#30
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I tow with w V8 airsuspension Touareg. Plenty of power (I'm on level ground though) and I routinely cruise at 80-90 mph. The auto-level air suspension makes the Touareg tow like a longer wheelbase truck. Very stable, without bobbing and jerking. About 10-11 mpg. Also, the air suspension helps me with loading and unloading with my roll-back trailer, making the incline of the ramp/bed very gentle. No wood cheater blocks required at all!!