Newbie New Year Question: SUV vs. Truck for FC 25

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by shadrick5

I tow job site trailers and equipment with diesel pickups and do understand the difference. My TV choice revolves around the overall comfort, reliability, functionality and usefulness of the Sequoia for our daily and vacation travel needs.

You may want to revisit that. The consensus by AS in the 60's and 70's was using a sedan. The vintage AS crowd has many sedans towing the AS. You can also youtube historical airstream and watch an Impala road test while towing an Ambassador. The cover of my '75 Sovereign owners manual has a sedan towing it. At any rate, I do believe there are many sedans currently towing an AS including Canam with a Jaguar sedan, although it would not fit our needs.

Remember the "old days" vehicles were not hindered with pollution control systems. I remember a early 70's Corvette that was a "350/350". If you run a vintage sedan, it is probably exempt from required upgrades in pollution control. The cost of gasoline wasn't a big consideration either. Remember the Bonneville? 9 mpg and that was not towing.

[Alluminati]

Back in the day, many sedans had more oomph that most pickup trucks. I learned to drive on a '69 Dodge with a 383 engine. Today we'd call that a 6.3L beast. It's larger than many truck engines today. Back then most trucks were no stronger than middleweight cars with midsize engines. They were valued for toting stuff, not hauling huge loads. Back then "1/2 ton" meant 1K lbs max payload.

We expected less from our cars. Hitch it up, and tow it slow. Then a few years on when the transmission goes out, junk the car and buy a new one. You done good if you got 75K miles out of a TV.

Airstreams in the 60s and 70s weighed MUCH less. 1975 31' Excella dry weight was 4500 lbs. 20 yrs later the 30' Excella dry weight was 8300 lbs.

In the 60s most travel was on 2 lane roads. The interstate system wasn't substantially in place before the end of the 70s.

[AirstreamCSH]

Originally Posted by Vitaver

I suggest you don't make the mistakes I did. Consider what you need to carry and plan your TV accordingly. I filled the bed of my pickup truck with a bunch of stuff I don't use, placed a topper that negates vertical space, etc. That can be a very expensive mistake. I know.

If you wouldn't mind, what were those mistakes so I can hopefully learn from your experience.

If I cut the Sequoia lose, I'm looking at a gas powered F250 with a Leer 122 humpback shell. My mechanic begged me not to even think of a modern diesel and so long as I don't get the snowplow package, it sounds like my suspension should be smooth enough to enjoy the ride.

[m.hony]

Personally there is no way in Hades I would trade in a Toyota on a Ford.
But that's just me.
Philip Caputo towed with a Tundra in his book "The Longest Road: Overland Search for America, from Key West to the Arctic Ocean".

[AirstreamCSH]

Case in point for the old pickups would be my 1952 Dodge. Compared with my 1957 Ford all steel wagon and the 292 Thunderbird V8, I would have towed with the '57 too.

[Vitaver]

Originally Posted by AirstreamCSH

If you wouldn't mind, what were those mistakes so I can hopefully learn from your experience.

If I cut the Sequoia lose, I'm looking at a gas powered F250 with a Leer 122 humpback shell. My mechanic begged me not to even think of a modern diesel and so long as I don't get the snowplow package, it sounds like my suspension should be smooth enough to enjoy the ride.

2 3Kw Honda Handi generators, toolbox/gas tank to power them, BBQ grill, lawn chairs, picnic table, compressor, portable solar panels, huge set of tools. Granted is winter but have not used any of them yet plus the added cost of custom made canvas bags for all. Chains (used once till I got Cooper winter tires).

All I could remove is sitting in the garage now.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Personally there is no way in Hades I would trade in a Toyota on a Ford.
But that's just me.
Philip Caputo towed with a Tundra in his book "The Longest Road: Overland Search for America, from Key West to the Arctic Ocean".

My sentiments exactly. There is NO comparison. I would never trade my Ford for a Toyota.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by Alluminati

Back in the day, many sedans had more oomph that most pickup trucks. I learned to drive on a '69 Dodge with a 383 engine. Today we'd call that a 6.3L beast. It's larger than many truck engines today. Back then most trucks were no stronger than middleweight cars with midsize engines. They were valued for toting stuff, not hauling huge loads. Back then "1/2 ton" meant 1K lbs max payload.

We expected less from our cars. Hitch it up, and tow it slow. Then a few years on when the transmission goes out, junk the car and buy a new one. You done good if you got 75K miles out of a TV.

Airstreams in the 60s and 70s weighed MUCH less. 1975 31' Excella dry weight was 4500 lbs. 20 yrs later the 30' Excella dry weight was 8300 lbs.

In the 60s most travel was on 2 lane roads. The interstate system wasn't substantially in place before the end of the 70s.

Not sure what you were driving but I never had a transmission fail at less than 150,000 miles. And the bigger engines in those earlier cars developed less horsepower.

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by AirstreamCSH

If you wouldn't mind, what were those mistakes so I can hopefully learn from your experience.

If I cut the Sequoia lose, I'm looking at a gas powered F250 with a Leer 122 humpback shell. My mechanic begged me not to even think of a modern diesel and so long as I don't get the snowplow package, it sounds like my suspension should be smooth enough to enjoy the ride.

A gas powered f250 with the same engine as a f150 will actually be a step backward as far as power goes because the 250 weighs more. The advantage comes from a diesel. Oh course payload could be more on the 250.

[gypsydad]

I agree with Avionstream...if your only pulling a 25', you don't really need to go to that big a truck (3/4T) unless you want diesel...even then, there are some options with Dodge and Nissan. For gas, the 1/2 T's, F150 with Echoboost or V8, the Dodge Hemi's, or the 6.2L GM brand PU's will work great and you can get the max tow along with decent payload without the extra hassle of driving a 3/4T wheel base around as a daily driver, if that is your goal. You just need to look at the payload specs carefully or order it new the way you want it! I loved driving the Tahoe, but power climbing steep grades towing the AS along with hauling firewood not to mention a generator and gas, did not work. The F150 EB we have had now for 5 years is not as easy to park as the Tahoe, but everything else about the utility and ride of this PU is great! I do like the Sequoia also, and if I didn't carry all that "stuff" I would consider if the payload would support safely.