What you tow with

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Englishgirl

It's automatic with the option of switching to manual. It all seems to work well together.

Nice looking rig Englishgirl and those Volvo's are a rock solid vehicle. Bet it does work great as a TV, especially with the Can Am set up.

[andreasduess]

Originally Posted by Timofeevich

Englishgirl, nice setup indeed !
What is the GVWR and Hitch Weight of your 2000 Excella 31', by the way ?
If I am not mistaken, the maximum allowed weights for Volvo XC70 T6 AWD are 3970lb (1800kg) GVWR and 330lb (150kg) Hitch Weight.
For Volvo XC70 2.4D AWD they are 4630lb (2100kg) and 330lb (150kg) respectively.
Does the reinforcement of hitch by Can Am mean that you can legally exceed the maximum allowed GVWR as specified by Volvo ?

Looks to me like you might be comparing a European setup, without weight distribution, with a US or Canadian setup which includes weight distribution.

The Volvo has a total payload of approx. 1200 lbs, the tongue weight of the Excella is 690lbs. With a well set up hitch, this should leave Englishgirl with a margin of about 700lbs (my guess), ample for two adults, kids, gas and luggage.

To put this into perspective, a Toyota Tundra, which Toyota sells hard as a towing vehicle and gives a tow rating of 8,100lbs, has a total payload of 1365lbs - just above that of the Volvo and less than most modern minivans.

Rear gross axle weight rating of the Volvo (GAWR) is 2,646 lbs., the front is 2,800 lbs..

As far as I am aware, the GVWR as specified by Volvo carries no legal weight.

[dkottum]

I'm enjoying the o.p.'s "What you tow with?" question. There's plenty of tow capability threads, even a few on Volvo's; let's not muck this one up asking the poster to defend his/her setup.

doug

[Englishgirl]

Thanks Doug!

[Timofeevich]

Thanks Englishgirl, Andy and Doug !

[Englishgirl]

Yes apologies Thank you both Andy and Doug! I

[phbarnhart]

2012 Suburban 2500. It's got a 6.0 Gas engine w/ 3.73 gearing and a 6 speed transmission (all stuff folks here probably already know). The trailer is a 25' Eddie Bauer and they're linked together with a ProPride hitch which seriously saved my bacon about two weeks ago.

This setup has power and weight capacity to spare which is just how I like it. The Suburban also gets used with solo with studded tires on family ski trips in the winter.

[SafariSS]

Suburban K2500 8.1 liter, 4.10 gears...sweet towing!

[TinShack]

...F250 6.0 Powerstroke Diesel and 28' Safari Slide. Plenty of toy capacity! Photo taken at the world's most beautiful dump station near Stanley, ID.

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by Englishgirl

It's automatic with the option of switching to manual. It all seems to work well together.

This has really gotten my attention. I've been looking at Excursions, and Expeditions, because that's been what I thought I needed. Our trailer is about four feet shorter and so I would imagine a bit lighter, so if this works well for you, it might work well for us. If I can tow with something this size, suddenly free garage storage is available to me!

Have you towed at any altitude? All our Airstreaming is in the Rockies. How does this setup perform going up a mountain pass, assuming a nice smooth highway, not a rutted switchback. Say, from Denver to Eisenhower Pass on Interstate 70 kind of thing. How fast do you tow?

Is the hitch special, or would a Reese Dual Cam work too? I have one still in the box.

Thanks for any info.

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

2013 27 FB towed by a 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4 liter V8. Note how the rear squats under the load. I took it up to Lake Tahoe day of this photo. Above 6,000' it barely held 40 mph up the grades floored. Drives fine otherwise.

Is there a differential gear option that would help that climb performance?

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Gringo

Is there a differential gear option that would help that climb performance?

I'm not familiar with Fords, but higher ratios can always improve performance and raise towing limits. That's one of the reason I ordered a 4.10 axle with my GMC van. The offset is that axle will hurt solo gas mileage due to the engine running at higher rpm's.

Jack

[interstateflyer]

Our 2013 Dodge RAM 1500 Outdoorsman 5.7L Hemi has towed our 2013 International 19 6000 miles over the past 5 months.

The RAM has plenty of power and can handle anything in the Cascades or Rockies. It will climb very steep grades at 65mph.....if you want to pay for the gas. Averages 12.5 mpg towing and gets 20 mpg highway w/o trailer.

So far...so good.

[Howard L.]

Pull a 2012 30 Flying Cloud with a 2012 Chevy 2500 4/4 crew cab 6.6 Duramax diesel. I'm on old, old, old Navy fighter pilot, so to me there is never any such thing as too much power. I have to check the rear view mirror to be sure the Airstream is still there

[monkeypants]

100_3808.jpg
Assateague, just before the shutdown.

[ROBERT CROSS]

They can tow something other than an Airstream.

Bob

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

They can tow something other than an Airstream.

Bob

Bob, tell me that's not yours! Is that one a 6 speed? You're going to kill yourself going that fast.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Howard L.

Bob, tell me that's not yours! Is that one a 6 speed? You're going to kill yourself going that fast.

YEP......6 in a vee. 2004 Mercury Performance 225X Pro Max, 2.5ltr, 245hp at the prop on the dyno.

DW & I LOVE it......no wrinkles at 80knts.





Bob

[Howard L.]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

YEP......6 in a vee. 2004 Mercury Performance 225X Pro Max, 2.5ltr, 245hp at the prop on the dyno.

DW & I LOVE it......no wrinkles at 80knts.



Bob

Oh yes, I know that picture. Lived in Buffalo many years--scuba dive the Niagara river many years. Daughter still lives there. Will give a shout next trip up to visit

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

YEP......6 in a vee. 2004 Mercury Performance 225X Pro Max, 2.5ltr, 245hp at the prop on the dyno.

DW & I LOVE it......no wrinkles at 80knts.





Bob

Hi, [not a boat person] how do you dyno a prop? Pictures?