What are your thoughts and feelings about a Tow vehicle

[canadianfockerfiend Trevor 1]

sorry to hear so many of you are afflicted with fords….lol

I was thinking the same thing myself. lol

[H in SC 85]

Hey H...is that the front of my van?? :rofl2:

Hey Dave, That's the front of this beautifully Built Ford F-250. Eight Trips to the Fort with number nine

in less than two weeks. :dance:

[bigdisneydaddy 9]

I pass a lot of those going up Jellico when I get into TN.

[H in SC 85]

I pass a lot of those going up Jellico when I get into TN.

I am going to completely resist cracking any jokes about Dave (or myself) passing anything.

OHAANAAA!!!!

[bigdisneydaddy 9]

It REALLY drives the big rigs crazy when I go smoking past them while they are grabbing gears.

[Pepperidge 0]

It REALLY drives the big rigs crazy when I go smoking past them while they are grabbing gears.

Maybe throw EFI live on there and you could put up a James Bond style smoke screen...

BTW: Thanks for the invite! :D

[bigdisneydaddy 9]

Glad to see you here. If you really want some in depth stuff, check out the trip reports. Lots of good info and pics.

[Xforce 0]

I have always been a believer in buying a little more than you really need. It worked out well for us when we upgraded the trailer. Sometimes I wish I could get away with a small 1/2 ton for my day to day but my truck has done everything I asked of it and more and is easy to drive with a big trailer, our 18 y/o son has driven it several times while towing our 32 ft TT and he remarks about how well it tows.

I agree, we started with a Chrysler Pacifica paired with a 17ft Rockwood Roo hybrid, it was a little much for the car, so we bought a Ram 1500 crew cab with a 5.7L hemi and then my wife decides she wants a bigger trailer, so now we have a 304 Surveyor and although the Ram will pull it, on hills it works a bit. I guess its time for a 2500 soon :banana: A crew cab is a must......with a built in DVD player of course!

Another thing we added this time was a Hensley hitch...which is awesome! And this year we added a Prodigy P3 brake control which we haven`t hauled with yet.

[nutters4nutters 1]

There are a lot of guys out there pulling 5er's with 1/2. It can be done but with all the number crunching and research you need to do it's easier and safer just to get a 3/4 or 1 ton and not be lmited in the selection of 5er's you can use. I have a F150 and would love a 1/2 ton towable 5er but after running all the numbers for my model and making sense of it all, it's just to close IMHO. I have a 2012 F150 Ecoboost SCREW, regular tow.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

There are a lot of guys out there pulling 5er's with 1/2. It can be done but with all the number crunching and research you need to do it's easier and safer just to get a 3/4 or 1 ton and not be lmited in the selection of 5er's you can use. I have a F150 and would love a 1/2 ton towable 5er but after running all the numbers for my model and making sense of it all, it's just to close IMHO. I have a 2012 F150 Ecoboost SCREW, regular tow.

That's one of the main reasons my parents left RVing so soon. They were towing a 5ver with an F-150. It was a lightweight 5ver and within the numbers, but barely. Dad hated towing the thing, but refused to buy a 3/4 ton. So they practically gave the 5ver away on consignment and sold the truck. Dad now has an old popup he modified for his model airplane shows and carries a generator. He took out the bunkends and reworked the canvas to be a square box up and down. He tows it with a Chevy Equinox. It has AC, fridge, and the sofa bed so mom can rest and read in the cool while dad plays with his airplanes at contests and they stay in hotels.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

All you Dodge and Chevy guys need to stop spending so much time worrying about what's behind you and look in front. That would be my f150 pulling you out of the ditch.

[GAFortFans..Shawn 16]

All you Dodge and Chevy guys need to stop spending so much time worrying about what's behind you and look in front. That would be my f150 pulling you out of the ditch.

I have a 2012 Dodge 3500 crew cab dually long bed 2wd  6.7 diesel and I can promise you ftwildernessguy you would not be pulling me out of a ditch. I could use your f150 for a spare tire! LOL! Just upgraded from a 2005 Chevy 2500 4x4 crew cab short bed 6.0 gas. HUGE difference. O yeah I have had a F250 7.3 diesel too. Dodge is the BEAST! 

[LONE-STAR 370]

I have a 2012 Dodge 3500 crew cab dually long bed 2wd  6.7 diesel and I can promise you ftwildernessguy you would not be pulling me out of a ditch. I could use your f150 for a spare tire! LOL! Just upgraded from a 2005 Chevy 2500 4x4 crew cab short bed 6.0 gas. HUGE difference. O yeah I have had a F250 7.3 diesel too. Dodge is the BEAST!

But if it's a wet ditch my Ford 4x4 diesel would have to pull that dodge out. I like ram trucks but the crew cab was to small in the back seat for us. We liked the mega cab but couldn't find one with a 4:10 rear end so I bought a ford. Oh and I love my Ford 400 h.p. it's a beast. I can average 16 mpg around town and 19 mpg on the highway running 75 mph.

[GAFortFans..Shawn 16]

But if it's a wet ditch my Ford 4x4 diesel would have to pull that dodge out. I like ram trucks but the crew cab was to small in the back seat for us. We liked the mega cab but couldn't find one with a 4:10 rear end so I bought a ford. Oh and I love my Ford 400 h.p. it's a beast. I can average 16 mpg around town and 19 mpg on the highway running 75 mph.

Yeah 4x4s are too overrated been there had 4 or 5 not enough need for me only used 4x4 4-5 times on the chevy 2500 and the transfer case grenaded. I stay out of the ditches so i'm good! The 2012 has a bigger crew cab than previous years but not as big as a mega. Yeah 800ft of torque and 21750 towing capacity works for me so I could pull my camper your truck and your camper too probably. Still get 15mpg. Its all personal preference. I've had em all.  

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I think the important thing here is that Ford owners are smart enough to stay out of the ditch, while Chevy and Dodge owners have been duped into thinking their truck can do anything.

[arthuruscg 34]

I am a equal opertunity tower. The little Subaru has pull more then it's fair share of big 4x4s out of ditches.

 

oh and FYI to 4x4 owners, you realy only have 2x4 unless you have limited slip diffs installed on the F and R axles.

 

:raspberry2:

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

4x4 is far from overrated for some of us...resale value alone is a compelling reason to buy one. I have both....a 2wd F450 and a 4wd F350. I've never said "I wish this truck was 2wd", but I have said the opposite. It sure did come in handy last weekend while dragging an enclosed trailer through hub deep mud in the middle of nowhere TN

[LONE-STAR 370]

4x4 is far from overrated for some of us...resale value alone is a compelling reason to buy one. I have both....a 2wd F450 and a 4wd F350. I've never said "I wish this truck was 2wd", but I have said the opposite. It sure did come in handy last weekend while dragging an enclosed trailer through hub deep mud in the middle of nowhere TN

Couldn't have said it better my self. Well replace TN with TX.

[LONE-STAR 370]

I am a equal opertunity tower. The little Subaru has pull more then it's fair share of big 4x4s out of ditches.

 

oh and FYI to 4x4 owners, you realy only have 2x4 unless you have limited slip diffs installed on the F and R axles.

 

:raspberry2:

My f350 came with a rear locker.

[wak648...Bill 94]

I wish I could go with a 2wd, but unfortunately we get some pretty nasty weather in the winter her I the Northeast and I don't get the luxury of staying home when the roads are bad.

[tvengineer.....Zane 0]

I am not brand specific. I happen to own a Ford f250 7.3. I have a diesel 3/4 ton on purpose, it's for my peace of mind and comfort. I would be just as happy with a cummins or a duramax. We shopped for 2 years before I bought my truck, it needed a little work but I really got it at a good price. The cliche "you don't know it's back there" is wrong. I still know its back there, but the power, stability, braking, and towing comfort is night and day between the f150, ram 1500, and Chevy 1500 I had before. We tow on the Blue Ridge Parkway and I can easily be faster on the ups than on the downs depending on traffic. All newer diesel trucks have more power than my older f250 so towing should only be better. ok, for all the dodge and Chevy guys, my truck is not a rocket or a tank, I concede your trucks are better, faster, stronger. :) I am happy with my choice for now, nothing is permanent. I have seen them all on the side of the road.

That's my thoughts and feelings on a tow vehicle.

[LONE-STAR 370]

I am not brand specific. I happen to own a Ford f250 7.3. I have a diesel 3/4 ton on purpose, it's for my peace of mind and comfort. I would be just as happy with a cummins or a duramax. We shopped for 2 years before I bought my truck, it needed a little work but I really got it at a good price. The cliche "you don't know it's back there" is wrong. I still know its back there, but the power, stability, braking, and towing comfort is night and day between the f150, ram 1500, and Chevy 1500 I had before. We tow on the Blue Ridge Parkway and I can easily be faster on the ups than on the downs depending on traffic. All newer diesel trucks have more power than my older f250 so towing should only be better. ok, for all the dodge and Chevy guys, my truck is not a rocket or a tank, I concede your trucks are better, faster, stronger. :) I am happy with my choice for now, nothing is permanent. I have seen them all on the side of the road.

That's my thoughts and feelings on a tow vehicle.

I had a 2000 crew cab 4x4 f-350 7.3 diesel. I had a super chip programmer in it and ran it on the lowest setting which was 50 h.p. it would pull anything it was a very good truck. Oh and it was quick

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

I'll throw in my "thoughts and feelings" on this subject. We fell in love with my Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited long before we even thought of towing a trailer. We looked at other brands of trucks and everything else was reminiscent of U-Haul interiors. The Tundra looked like a nice passenger car inside, with all the bells and whistles. And the back seat is enormous! This thing in more roomy, front and back, than my DeVille was. With the rear glass and other windows rolled down and the skylight open it feels almost like a convertible. 4x8 sheet goods are fully supported with the tailgate down. The only real problem is hauling 12' or 16' lumber in the rain. In nice weather you can lower the rear glass and run it into the cab. It's a great daily driver doing about 20mpg highway and 15 around town.

Mine has the tow package and is rated to pull 15,700lbs and carry 1,500. All I can say is with my 28' TT I've never experienced a lack of power. I powered up the 6% grade on I-40 at Old Fort, NC at the speed limit and the tach hovered comfortably at 3000. Coming down the same grade I tapped the brake once and the transmission braking handled 90% of the job, I barely touched the brakes again. I get about 11mpg when towing. Nothing ever runs hot. I have also met a number of Tundra owners who tow fivers using a slider hitch, so it is possible (even practical). I won't argue one way or another about load ratings, but I will just mention that I've had 1500+ lbs in my bed and the rear sagged so little that the nose still looked lower than the back.

It is a great vehicle for us, that when needed is also a great tow vehicle.

[Starbuc71 162]

I'll throw in my "thoughts and feelings" on this subject. We fell in love with my Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited long before we even thought of towing a trailer. We looked at other brands of trucks and everything else was reminiscent of U-Haul interiors. The Tundra looked like a nice passenger car inside, with all the bells and whistles. And the back seat is enormous! This thing in more roomy, front and back, than my DeVille was. With the rear glass and other windows rolled down and the skylight open it feels almost like a convertible. 4x8 sheet goods are fully supported with the tailgate down. The only real problem is hauling 12' or 16' lumber in the rain. In nice weather you can lower the rear glass and run it into the cab. It's a great daily driver doing about 20mpg highway and 15 around town.

Mine has the tow package and is rated to pull 15,700lbs and carry 1,500. All I can say is with my 28' TT I've never experienced a lack of power. I powered up the 6% grade on I-40 at Old Fort, NC at the speed limit and the tach hovered comfortably at 3000. Coming down the same grade I tapped the brake once and the transmission braking handled 90% of the job, I barely touched the brakes again. I get about 11mpg when towing. Nothing ever runs hot. I have also met a number of Tundra owners who tow fivers using a slider hitch, so it is possible (even practical). I won't argue one way or another about load ratings, but I will just mention that I've had 1500+ lbs in my bed and the rear sagged so little that the nose still looked lower than the back.

It is a great vehicle for us, that when needed is also a great tow vehicle.

Hey. Santa, I totally agree with you on the Tundra (see my response in my other thread). My tundra was the double cab. I took the longer bed rather than the more space for the kids. If Toyota would get their heads out of their rears and make a 6.6 bed in the crew max, tundra sales would go up again and don't get me started on why they don't make a 3/4 ton yet if they want to be a true work vehicle.

. Are you sure on the 15700 tow capacity? My double cab was 10500 and I thought that was tipping the scales for a 1/2 ton

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

Sorry, that was a typo. It should be 10,700 not 15,700. Doh!