Best Tow Vehicle for 20 foot Safari

[Silvertwinkie]

If you re-read the actual posting, I never specifically came out against one particular car/truck...just said unibody.

As for why, it's fairly simple. Take a look at where a hitch is bolted up on a frame car. Then, take a look at the metal, the thickness, etc where a hitch would connect to a simple unibody vehicle. In addition, a lot "traditional" unibody cars are front wheel drive. Most of those are not up to the task. For example, the Honda Accord V6. Great passenger car, but tow a 19' Bambi? I don't think so. Not designed for it. Another example, there are clowns out there who try to tow and or do move a 34' Classic with a Dodge Intrepid. Smart? Very much no! Does it move it? Sure? The stresses of towning on most unibody vehicles simply aren't engineered for higher loads. Transmissions, axleshafts, weight distribution, let alone the base unibody construction, all lead to what I consider unsuitable vehicles. Do some do it and not have a problem? I'm sure there are folks out there. There are also, even on this forum, stories and pictures of folks not doing the right thing and the results have been less than optimal. To me, it makes little sense to spend tens of thousand of dollars on an RV, and skimping on the tow vehicle. Do these statements I make blindly blanket every situation? Nope, but a good majority, it does apply. Don't beleive me? Ask any person out there that rolled their coach (they are on this forum) and said the same things...it works, what's the problem?

That is why I would never tow with a simple unibody if I had more than a 16' unit weighing more than 3000lbs...but again, to each their own.

[Tim A.]

Always nice to know that we probably are, once again, doing the wrong thing. We tow our 19' Bambi with a unibody vehicle. That vehicle comes with a Class IV factory hitch and a 7500 pound rating and the owner's manual recommends a weight-distributing hitch for heavier loads. It is a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee. We towed the same trailer with a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee which was, also, a unibody. Almost 6 years of towing with the wrong type of vehicle. Shame on us.

Maybe the Hensley is the only thing that has saved us from disaster?

[smoses]

I started this thread. Thank you all for the invaluable advice you provided. My decision has been made, i.e. cancel the 20 ft. Airstream and stick with Plan A: FJ Cruiser and the 16 ft. Bambi. See you down the road.

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

as albertF knows from experience w/d rigging CAN be accomplished on unibody vehicles...

you are towing with a caddie right?

but a hitch fabricator needs to understand how to attach/distribute the forces,

along the unibody platform correctly.

i've seems lots of happy safe towing this past year with a variety of midsized suvs and vans and autos...

It works for me. No, not a Caddie . . . but not a heavy pickup either. The reciever is mounted using factory attachment points plus the centre tube is securely bolted (using two 5/8" bolts) to the rather thick and rigid looking cast aluminum subframe for the independent rear suspension.

7,000 miles of towing have done nothing to convince me that it's a bad idea. In fact, I'm very pleased with stability, handling, fuel economy, pulling power (more is always great, but it does fine), and reliability to date. My wife is comfortable driving the combination as well. She was surprised at how easy it was. She once tried driving her parent's Class C motorhome (unbalanced with a rear kitchen and bath) and gave up after a mile, but towing the Airstream is completely different from that ungainly beast.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Tim A.

Always nice to know that we probably are, once again, doing the wrong thing.

LOL, we are in the same boat Tim. Our unibody TV is almost as big as a Honda Accord and our Airstream is larger than a Bambi but amazingly we've kept the rig on the road for three years now.

What's wrong with our TV is the issue with noise, or to be specific, the lack of noise. Cruising at 105KPH with the bullet in tow we cannot hear any engine or drivetrain noise. So relaxing! To stay alert we must keep the windows open, the radio turned up or the blower motor on high. So much for the view that a screaming V6 sedan reving at 2,700 RPM is noisy and annoying.