Update: Durango and 28' Safari

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Hensley Ron

A 3/4 ton is overkill for a 25' Safari. It's a waste of money and gas. A small tow vehicle oufitted with a good brake controller and a sway elimination hitch is much safer than a 3/4 ton with a low end controller and friction control hitch.

The best part of owning an Airstream is that they are the safest and easiest towing trailers on the market. That's what you paid for. Tow it with something economical and comfortable.

Agree completely Ron. We have towed our 23 with two different smallish V6 vehicles over the last 6 years. 16MPG towing, over 25 MPG (Imp gal)solo. Couldn't be happier. Wouldn't change a thing.

[hshovic]

I certainly would have preferred a lighter, better mileaged vehicle, but I towed with a forerunner and had a problem. See http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...tml#post546994
for an interesting ride. Maybe my truck was too light, but I am STILL glad I had an Airstream.

So the numbers say what they say.... I just didn't feel safe with towing something at
the high end of its capacity. Now that I am in the middle of the tow capacity I feel much better. Call it paranoia (go ahead, I do too)

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by hshovic

I certainly would have preferred a lighter, better mileaged vehicle, but I towed with a forerunner and had a problem. See http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...tml#post546994
for an interesting ride. Maybe my truck was too light, but I am STILL glad I had an Airstream.

So the numbers say what they say.... I just didn't feel safe with towing something at
the high end of its capacity. Now that I am in the middle of the tow capacity I feel much better. Call it paranoia (go ahead, I do too)

Sometimes it's not the idea of getting a larger or heavier vehicle for towing but instead choosing the more qualified vehicle or ones that have a reputation for towing performance regardless of weight or size.

I was at a towing seminar last winter and the Toyota 4 runner was used as an example of "How not to design a TV". No wonder you were not happy with it.

[Hensley Ron]

Exactly. Any manufacturer can solve the towing issue with brute force. The comanies that use engineering to give us economical tow vehicles will get my business.

Speaking of, some of these crossover vehicles are looking interesting. I saw GM's newest in the newspaper this morning (In SE Michigan, we get play by play reports on the auto industry). I'd like to see that one hooked to a 26' trailer. Maybe Trailer Life will have that for us soon. The fuel economy was 26mpg highway, 20 city.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Road Ruler

I was at a towing seminar last winter and the Toyota 4 runner was used as an example of "How not to design a TV". No wonder you were not happy with it.

so...what is it about the 4-runner that makes it a particularly bad tv...other than simply being "too darn small"?

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Hensley Ron

Exactly. Any manufacturer can solve the towing issue with brute force. The comanies that use engineering to give us economical tow vehicles will get my business.

Speaking of, some of these crossover vehicles are looking interesting. I saw GM's newest in the newspaper this morning (In SE Michigan, we get play by play reports on the auto industry). I'd like to see that one hooked to a 26' trailer. Maybe Trailer Life will have that for us soon. The fuel economy was 26mpg highway, 20 city.

Yes Ron, another interesting prospect is the "new to the show rooms" Ford Flex. We did check one out just the other day.
This vehicle is very wide with IRS. Long wheelbase and short rear overhang with car like low centre of gravity. The V6 has 260 HP mated with a 6 speed tranny which should give reasonable fuel mileage. A good test with trailer in tow is needed to confirm but it looks promising.

Ford Vehicles: All-New 2009 Ford Flex - Introducing the Newest Crossover from Ford

Originally Posted by Chuck

so...what is it about the 4-runner that makes it a particularly bad tv...other than simply being "too darn small"?

If the 4 Runner had the many quality attributes that the Flex has I would speculate it would be a far better TV. Suggest you get a note off to Andy T who held the seminar. Apparently he has worked with and test driven the 4 Runners with TT's in tow and labeled them as a result of his experiances.

[Whizzo]

IIRC, the Flex is or was a potential Explorer replacement. It shows some family resemblance, and would seem to fit the medium-sized niche. Current economics may force that decision, since the news is currently writing the SUV's obituary.

Not too many years down the road our truck-based medium-sized TV will be ready for replacement, and I sure hope the market will offer something of comparable size with reasonable towing capacity. Of course, there's always talk of next generation "little diesel" pickups.