this is an offbeat question but: i'm working on a fictional story -- one character just purchased a gorgeous 34' Classic -- now I need to buy her a tow vehicle. No clue but it has to be a Ford if at all possible, for reasons to do with the plot. And it has to be factually accurate. What are her options? Any advice greatly appreciated.
For that matter, if a person were accustomed to driving only a medium-sized sedan, how much practice would it take to tow and Airstream? I've heard they are among the easiest to adapt to, because of the design. What's a realistic amount of practice before setting out on a long trip in the West?
It would need to be a F250 diesel. At least a super cab.The large V-8s do well but theres nothing like a diesel. The Excursion will do fine. I'm not sure if a Expedition will do it.Towing a trailer is not that hard to get used to. Backing a trailer well, is a Art.
thanks so much for the quick responses! Wow, an Excursion is bigger than I'd bargained on, but what the heck -- it's fake money anyway!
What is the reason for needing a diesel engine -- power? And is the Excursion the SUV version of the F250? Sorry for my ignorance -- appreciate your help!
You need at least a 3/4 ton to tow a 34' Classic, but you don't need a diesel. I have a Y2k Excursion with a V10 and some necessary suspension mods. The Excursion is the SUV F250. Any of the 3/4 ton or larger Superduty trucks would do fine. Just about anyone can tow one with a little practice and some coaching.
Roger
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AIR 2053 “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Robert Heinlein 2006 Bigfoot 25B25RQ towed by a 2001 Born Free 23RK moho
Mlake,
Diesel provides more power with better economy. The Excursion is very similar to the F250. Many people tow with 2500 Suburbans...but you did ask for the Ford
Aaron
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The largest Ford V8 or a diesel for a 34'. You don't have to have a diesel, but if you go mountains, many hills, etc, diesel may be your best bet. Outside of Roger and that clown that tows a 34' with a Dodge Intrepid, I think a lot of folks I've come across tow the 34s with diesel.
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I've owned many brands and like the Fords the best. A few thoughts here...
The diesel is worth the money in several aspects. First, if you aren't going to pay MSRP for the truck, you aren't going to pay it for the diesel. When you go to sell, you're going to get a good portion of what you paid for it back. Second, it's so relaxing not to have a gas engine screaming at higher rpms. Third, when you have a 57' long rig, and a Ford diesel truck that comes with the big fuel filler, you can use the 18-wheeler diesel islands at the truck stops, rather than having to make the sharper turn out of the RV island at Flying J, where there are also gasoline pumps that make vapors. Finally, MPG isn't just about cost, it's also about range, how far you can drive between fill-ups on a given tank size. No one will dispute the diesel MPG advantage.
To make SUVs, they take a truck, shorten the wheelbase and usually soften up the springs and tires. For towing a long trailer, I prefer a long wheelbase and heavy-duty suspension. A Hensley hitch will help some with a shorter wheelbase, but when it comes to that, we have both.
When RVing, a truck bed is priceless. There are lots of things you'll carry that we don't want in a passenger compartment with us... dangerous things like a couple of Honda generators and the gas for them or a spare propane tank for long term boondocking, heavy things such as jerry cans of extra water or a rolled up patio rug, muddy things such as aforementioned rug as well as lawn chairs, parking blocks, hoses, etc., nasty things such as a blue sewage tote tank. We usually bring a stepladder along too.
If you want a long-wheelbase, 4-door SUV that isolates passengers from all these things, get a short-bed crew cab pickup with a bed shell over it. The wheelbase (in 2002) is 156", about the same as our 158" extended cab with long bed. There's just the two of us now and we'd rather have the bed length with its larger fuel tank rather than the fullsize rear seat.
Another Ford feature I like is the power-adjustable pedals. It's the first vehicle we've had where my 4'10" wife isn't driving with her chest right up on the air bag, and it means we can both use the same seat position without sliding it fore and aft.
Keep in mind you don't have to have the top of the line trim. The XLT is nice and a LOT less money.
I drive a 2002 F250 Lariat 7.3L Diesel every day and for towing I would recomend nothing else. Crew Cab and 4X4 makes this the best truck I have ever owned. You won't go wrong with an F250. For a trailer that size consider a dueley, not a must but much better for weight distribution and traction on the road at the rear axel.
By the way, I get 21 mpg every day and have gotten as high as 25.5 after Katrina when fuel was hard to get and I had to drive like my Mom.
Diesels tend to be more powerful than the same sized gas engine. No argument there as diesel fuel has more BTUs per gallon. Longer wheelbase vehicles, especially crew cab dually trucks are more stable towing. No argument there either. They are also better for storing 'stuff' as Maurice so eloquently describes.
The very things that make them stellar towing vehicles cause them to be less desireable for the other things that we use our Excursion for... seating for eight for example. Grocery shopping. Running errands. Diesels stink when you warm them up in your garage. As a matter of fact, they stink just sitting in your garage, if they're short enough to get INTO a garage! I don't have to hunt for a gas station that sells diesel when it needs fuel, and the "short runs" to the grocery store and department store isn't nearly as hard on my gas engine as it is on a diesel. Regular maintenance is just about the same for either gas or diesel, long term. Diesels don't need "tuneups". They just cost 3x more than a gas engine for an oil change, and I suspect that with diesel fuel costs per gallon being higher than gasoline right now, the cost per mile of driving a diesel isn't significantly less than the cost per mile of driving a V10 gas engine.
My Excursion functions as the family station wagon when it's not towing, AND fits nicely in our garage. I get about 12-13mpg towing with it, and around 15-16mpg highway not towing with the 3.73 rear end. Not bad for a gas engine. And since I typically only tow the Airstream a couple of thousand miles a year max, and use it as the family car the rest of the time, the benefits of the family car side override the benefits of the long wheelbase diesel truck, not to mention the difference in cash outlay for the diesel over the gasser. Gas Excursions definately have their place in the towing lineup.
Roger
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AIR 2053 “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Robert Heinlein 2006 Bigfoot 25B25RQ towed by a 2001 Born Free 23RK moho
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