smlporsche

Chris-

As the saying goes size (in this case wheelbase) matters.

Yes some of the options you mentioned will work but no where near optimally. Please get the longest wheelbase you can muster. Several of my frineds tow their enclosed with a 3/4 ton suburban or Denali equivalent. Since I'm in construction and tow a couple of times a week my truck (F-350 crew cab) can handle anything but that's the point.

Aren't yours and your families life worth it?? (not to mention your car?)

RickBetterley

I think it is strong enough to tow a hose, at least based on my 2000 F-350, whic is pretty similiar).

RickBetterley

Maybe downsize the trailer if you can't upsize the tow vehicle? The enclosed Trailex would be an option.
Of course, I am a fine one to preach about down-sizing.

Z-man

FWIW, Wheelbase was one thing I considered when looking for my tow vehicle. The Ford Sport Trac I ordered has a 130.5 in wheel base, which believe it or not, is as long as a Chevy Suburban's wheelbase.

I am surprised that the weight of the lightweight enclosed trailers. With a 3000 lb car inside they still weigh around 5500 to 6000 lbs? Perhaps when I upgrade from my recently aquired aircraft carrier (18 foot Parker steel / wood open) I should consider one of these...

-Z-man.

bravocharlie

Touareg V10 TDI

530 ft lbs. of torque
310 hp

7,700 lb. towing capacity.

No brainer.

hacker-pschorr

Here yea go:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1990-...QQcmdZViewItem

Or just get an International CXT
http://www.international7300cxt.com/

Bull

Did you get the backhoe with it??????

bobt993

Chris, seems like the guys that have towed with a Touareg have no problems. It has a smaller wheelbase, but the vehicle is a pig as far as curb weight of 5300 lbs. My Titan tips the scale at over 3 tons, but tows about the same. If you really want enclosed, stay with the lightweight compact trailers and use a load stabilizer.

Phokaioglaukos

Thanks for the words of wisdom, and humor, too. I'm still headed down the V-10 TDI Touareg path. There is some annoyance noted at the forum HERE about the 2007 models not having the wiring for a brake controller, even if you buy the towing package, and other complaints about getting the advanced controllers to work with the Touareg, but on balnce people seem to like it as a tow vehicle. I hope the Volvo a/c works so that I'll have this summer to prowl the paddock examing your tow rigs, especially if you have a Touareg.

GT3 Nut

One thing everyone seems to forget about the Taureg and Cayenne is that the tongue weight is not supposed to be over 616 pounds. For the Trailex that is not a problem. But when I had my 20 Featherlite it was. I used a weight distributing hitch even though the Cayenne manual said no such device should be used. I was very uncomfortable and hence sold the larger trailer and bought the Trailex. This was a definite improvement but still far from ideal. I can tell you that I have towed 2 different trailers with a few different types of tow vehicles. If you want to tow, buy the biggest tow vehicle you can stand to drive (not a tank like the sarcastic comment above). Seriously! All you guys say there is nothing wrong with towing with a smaller SUV. That is true as long as the trailer is within all the parameters of the recommendations for the particular tow vehicle (tongue weight and total weight). Then keeping it below 60 at the most would be advisable. However for optimum safety a larger tow vehicle is ALWAYS better! If one of you guys rants and raves about how you can tow with a smaller vehicle and then you have an accident due to a tractor trailer or high winds blow you around and you lose control and kill someone how will you feel then. I am not saying and accident can never happen with a larger vehicle but it is ALWAYS safer - not perfect. The important thing is to use your head when towing and as someone said above drive like your towing not like you are just driving a normal car.
But as with everything everyone has their opinion. I just hope you don't hurt yourself or more importantly some innocent victim.

LVDell

Matt, what's with the scare tactics?

Like what we do on the track is a rational and safe thing as well. With that logic about the trailers shouldn't we all be driving cars comparable to the safety of a car running in the NASCAR cup series?

You can only be so careful and so accomodating without compromising too much.

FYI.....all this talk about trailers and talk about on-track insurance has really got me questioning why I even have a hobby like this. I'm a gust a wind on the road and one missed apex away from being the next story that we are talking about on the boards. But then again, aren't we all?

See you this weekend for Zone 2 at VIR!!!!!

Juan Lopez

Words of wisdom rather.... Directional stability. I've had my trailer buffeted even when towing with a "tank". I still think that my tow vehicles are not ideal (and they are tanks!) and they are my compromise. I've felt much better when towing with a duellie.

As to your second comment, at least to me its rational and safe (at least safer than driving on the interstate or towing with a tiny vehicle )

Its true we might all become statistics and topic subjects but lets keep that to a mininum. If you need a daily driver get it and then rent a proper truck for tow duties. Anyway, how many days a year will it be used to tow rather than commute?

Stay safe out there......

Crazy Canuck

Kodiak or TopKick.

Seriously, if you're towing a vehicle with an enclosed trailer a full sized SUV or pickup is what should be used.

With a lightweight open trailer a smaller vehicle will work but is not ideal. Everything is a compromise.

Phokaioglaukos

Chris, can you see my 16 y.o. daughter driving that monster to her Quaker school?

Sean F

What if P-Diddy was driving her to school?