Tow vehicle, I wanna know whazz up...

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deaner
I've towed plenty with both my half ton pickup and my old mans 1 ton Cummins and I'll take pulling with a bigger rig anyway over a smaller one. Brakes, suspension, power etc are all suited for pulling. I can safely pull my car with my half ton but I'm constantly strategizing absolutely every move. The "safety" issue arises when I need to stop quickly or swerve around something at highway speeds. Thats where my mindset is with smaller, lower tow rated rigs come in. I don't really care about cruising at 80mph or keeping speed up grades but more so how the thing actually performs when you stand on the brakes and in times of "emergency." Pulling our 24ft enclosed trailer with my old mans 1 ton feels no different than when not pulling a trailer at all.

I had a friend get denied an insurance claim on a Trailblazerwhen he met the ditch pulling his drift car, because he was over towing capacity. Many cases as well, you're liable should others be involved in the wreck.

*edit- friend had a trailblazer, not a tahoe

What ever works for you go for it, I would never preach that you must go smaller, unfortunately it doesn't work the same way back towards my set up. Most "BIG TRUCK" mindset will always make it a point to come over to my campground and tell me how dangerous of a set up /combination mine is without even knowing what teh set up is, yet they are towing a xxxxx lb trailer without WD or sway control with the truck nose in the air like it's going to take off to the moon and then you see them on the highway trying to go 75+ mph swaying all over the place but they will tell you "With my truck I don't even know the trailer is back there" to me this is more dangerous then actually feeling and knowing what your trailer is doing behind you. Also the stopping issue is a bit funny as if you are towing something heavy (most states & provinces have a min weight #) then your trailer is required to have brakes. Mine does and with my progressive force brake controller the combination stops really well. Control is also no problem as I will not ever tow even from our storage yard to the house without WD and sway control in place even though it is a 10 min trip down an 55 mph road. Our combination sits perfectly level and no sway at 65 mph the speed I tow at even when large rigs pass me. Do I know the trailer is there of course I do. Can I feel when a large transport is passing me, absolutely, but am I under control, yes 100% of the time. Also if you needed to swerve to me it is safer with a vehicle that has a lower center of gravity and a bit more modern suspension design than something like a full size truck that sits higher and has leafs in the back.

As far as insurance denial or legal issues can't comment on these without having more details on the specific incidents. In your friends instance there might have been other circumstances other than overloaded....possibly no brake controller on the vehicle, no WD or sway control, etc. Was the trailer registered as a commercial trailer, therefore other laws applying over that incident then in a personal/recreational vehicle incident. Possible there was a charge by police for careless driving or something else and therefore the insurance co could deny depending on how the policy is written. I can tell you though in Canada at least, there is no case history in the courts of anyone ever being charged or sued after a motor vehicle accident for being overloaded with a trailer. I have personal been stopped by our provincial police on our holiday long weekends when they do safety blitzes/checks and have never been told you are towing beyond the manufacturers suggested tow rating or pulled off the road. I can tell you though I have seen full size trucks pulled off to the side of the road and their licence plates pulled off by the police meaning the vehicle was too dangerous to operate. Or in one case the guy beside me did get charged for not having the safety chains from the trailer hooked up to the truck and he was towing a 30ft travel trailer (probably 6000 lbs) using the bumper ball no proper hitch!! Hey but he had a full size truck so must be OK.

Anyhow all my post was about was that towing can be done with vehicle other than large trucks didn't mean to ramble.

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...If you don't go off at least once a season you are not trying hard enough...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2015 07:24PM by GB.

I think the most dangerous part of towing with my F350 is that you really could forget you have a load.

For the average idiot that doesn't set up the load properly, or drive differently with a trailer, I think a big truck is the safer option for everyone. The same people that cut off 18-wheelers

Here is what I tow currently.




Also here is a few other examples to show I am not the only one








I think you get the idea.

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...If you don't go off at least once a season you are not trying hard enough...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2015 07:19PM by GB.

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A lot of the big vs small tow rig debate comes down to skill of the operator and expectations.

That being said, I started out with smaller vehicles which towed fine, then moved up to larger ones as I become more aware of the risks involved and the insurance issues that can happen if you wreck the thing. I have a buddy that has been in two accidents with trailers and after I saw what the trailer did to his heavy pickup truck I started worrying about the camper crushing the unibody tow vehicle cab in a collision on the highway (with my 4 kids inside).

Plus it's a thermal management thing. bigger stuff is designed to put out those higher power loadings over the long haul and just holds up better. And I feel better when the wife drives the bigger stuff because it takes less "strategy".

Lately though, a base model 1/2 ton is built heavier duty than the older 1 tons. And, most of the 1 ton diesel pickups aren't towing anything anyway (big truck syndrome)

To each his own.

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Perry

FE570s course bike
KTM 950 ADV
74 Beetle turbo-efi etc..
72 Beetle stage rally project WRX powered
Attended about 15 rallies, usually a volunteer in a course car.

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Josh Wimpey
And at 6'3" I can stand upright in it rather than crawl into the back of a camper bed-topper to find things.

The #1 reason I wish I had a Sprinter or one of the new Fords instead of my current E350.



On the other hand...crosswinds.

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Self-righteous douche canoe

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hoche

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Josh Wimpey
And at 6'3" I can stand upright in it rather than crawl into the back of a camper bed-topper to find things.

The #1 reason I wish I had a Sprinter or one of the new Fords instead of my current E350.



On the other hand...crosswinds.

Well, towing anything in crosswinds can suck. However, we towed to Idaho and back with plenty of cross/head/tail winds and it never seemed much worse than driving an SUV in the wind without a trailer.

I think the new Sprinters have a cross-winds assistance electronic stability program when you buy the tow package (bigger sway bars, hitch, harness, etc...)

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____________________________________________________________-

One. Class -- 2WD

www.quantumrallysport.com

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I would suggest you get real and get yourself an appropriate vehicle for the loads that you're hauling. If you need a van, get a Duramax van. If that's out of your price range, find a Powerstroke van. I'm a heavy haul truck driver and I see a lot of incidents caused by or involving meager tow vehicle setups. Do what you want but I hope you're never in a situation of regret due to poor vehicle choice. Good luck.

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AaronJMcConnell
I would suggest you get real and get yourself an appropriate vehicle for the loads that you're hauling. If you need a van, get a Duramax van. If that's out of your price range, find a Powerstroke van. I'm a heavy haul truck driver and I see a lot of incidents caused by or involving meager tow vehicle setups. Do what you want but I hope you're never in a situation of regret due to poor vehicle choice. Good luck.

U-Haul won't rent me a 18' bumper pull car hauler as my truck doesn't have the capability to handle the trailer + car. I told them you had hauled 9000# heavy equipment with it. They don't really care though.

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Grant Hughes

Grant,
Your Dodge D250 Cummins with a 4.10 Dana 70 is absolutely capable of pulling a car trailer! Just buy a trailer. U-Haul must not have liked your hitch or something...
I have no clue why they gave you a hard time.

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AaronJMcConnell

I have no clue why they gave you a hard time.

They use a uhaul computer system to search your vehicle. Make model trim options, and it tells the worker yes or no.

i did flat tow a full size g20 van full of scrap metal to the crusher with eagle summit awd wagon once, not the best idea stopping was not an option but it did do for the mile drive.

i would like to have another awd summit wagon for a dd again

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I would rather drive a slow car fast as a fast car slow!
first rule of cars: get what makes you happy, your the one paying for it!

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AaronJMcConnell
Grant,
Your Dodge D250 Cummins with a 4.10 Dana 70 is absolutely capable of pulling a car trailer! Just buy a trailer. U-Haul must not have liked your hitch or something...
I have no clue why they gave you a hard time.

Oh, we know it can easily.

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Grant Hughes

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AaronJMcConnell
I would suggest you get real and get yourself an appropriate vehicle for the loads that you're hauling. If you need a van, get a Duramax van. If that's out of your price range, find a Powerstroke van. I'm a heavy haul truck driver and I see a lot of incidents caused by or involving meager tow vehicle setups. Do what you want but I hope you're never in a situation of regret due to poor vehicle choice. Good luck.

Sorry Aj... but this was point of my original post.


i started "pullin'" at age 17, before i was legal to get my heavy license. i started a post here again about the diff between Europe and NA towing capacity... I'll get it done after Christmas. GD's towing setup would be completely cool here in real mountains... with real grades.


NA needs to get over needing 400 hp and 7000 lbs to pull 3000 lbs...

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Mad Matt F

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AaronJMcConnell
I would suggest you get real and get yourself an appropriate vehicle for the loads that you're hauling. If you need a van, get a Duramax van. If that's out of your price range, find a Powerstroke van. I'm a heavy haul truck driver and I see a lot of incidents caused by or involving meager tow vehicle setups. Do what you want but I hope you're never in a situation of regret due to poor vehicle choice. Good luck.

Sorry Aj... but this was point of my original post.


i started "pullin'" at age 17, before i was legal to get my heavy license. i started a post here again about the diff between Europe and NA towing capacity... I'll get it done after Christmas. GD's towing setup would be completely cool here in real mountains... with real grades.


NA needs to get over needing 400 hp and 7000 lbs to pull 3000 lbs...

This..I was curious what semi rigs had for engines..I though they were 8-10 liters .
Here is a truck that was called by many as one of the best things EVAR:


Engines:


9 or 11 liters...

And somehow they manage to haul a 16,000 truck and 40 tons of cargo..

And to haul a measly little 1300kg rally car and a trailer "we" need 7-8 liters

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

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