Best SUV Tow Vehicle

[myoung]

We've crossed the country twice and have crossed mountains large and small in our 2005 Dodge Durango pulling a 2006 Safari FB, which at times has been nearly packed.

Average fuel economy covering about 20,000 miles according to the on-board computer is 13.4 mpg. An that's on regular grade gasoline.

Pretty good performance I'd say.

[Minnie's Mate]

I had read posts suggesting that the Land Rover would not work as a tow vehicle, many from people who had never owned or driven one.

IIRC, the only issue I have read on this forum was with the transmission not holding up. That was from more than one previous owner that had towed their Airstream. I thought this was odd since the Range Rover is marketed as a genteel country estate vehicle and is often shown towing a horse trailer...granted a horse trailer typically weighs less with a horse(s) than the average Airstream, but it made me wonder.

I always thought the Land Rover was the tougher little brother to the Range Rover. I also didn't realize they had ranges to rove in England.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by ASchwager

I want to replace my 2000 Expedition as a tow vehicle for my 23 ft. AS. For various reasons, I want to stay with a SUV. Given this constraint, I would like to get the best horsepower and torque I can get. It seems that the GMC Denali with the 6.2 engine is the top candidate. Any recommendations? Has anyone had experience with the GMC Denali?

Did we scare ya' away?

[troverman]

We have a 2005 Land Rover LR3...as said before, excellent tow vehicle. A few LR3's have a wimpy Ford V6, but they discontinued after 1 year. Ours has the 300hp Jaguar-built 4-cam V8 and the German-made ZF automatic with manual shift ability. The air suspension will level any load and when a trailer is plugged in the air suspension automatically firms up the rear air springs for towing duty and disables the systems ability to raise for off-roading. It also disables the rear parking sensors since they would go off steadily any time in reverse with a trailer immediately behind the bumper. Integrated trailer brake controller is available from Land Rover. The LR3 has excellent large disc brakes, ventilated on the front and rear wheels. Cooling system for engine and tranny more than up to the job. The LR3 weighs close to 3 tons which helps make it nice and stable. Huge enclosed ladder steel hydroformed frame integrated into body shell as well. The new LR4 replaces the LR3, but is essentially exactly the same vehicle except has a new 5.0L Jag 4-cam V8 making 375hp. Or buy similar Range Rover / Range Rover Sport as these have nearly identical chassis / suspension setups but the availability of supercharged engine variants: 390-510 horsepower.

[JakeSpoon]

^ My concern with the Land Rovers would be the short wheelbase. What size trailer are you pulling?

[troverman]

24' tandem axle trailer, over 5,000lbs, and tongue weight of about 700lbs. The LR3 has a wheelbase of 114", not huge, but better than the earlier Discovery II or original Range Rover with 100" wheelbases. Latest versions have trailer sway control software. The LR3 / LR4 has a strange hitch...the whole receiver can be quickly removed from the frame crossmember in order to improve off-road departure angle...when installed it hangs down and looks strange. The hitch is rated as a Class III / IV...7716lbs tow rating and 770lb tongue load. The owners manual states 550lb max tongue load, although the Land-Rover part number only hitch states 770lbs. Although in towing the above trailer no problems were encountered I would be careful with the tongue load. The LR3's suspension will level even a very heavy hitch trailer (the rear air springs are much bigger than the front air springs; the rears actually resemble air ride on a semi except that they are encased in an aluminum shield) but the supporting pin on the removable hitch seems a little small. Using a weight-distributing hitch is a "no" according to the manual, but owners have successfully done it. It tends to confuse the air suspension system.

[Gene Zalar]

I'm a newbie and looking to purchase a 16' Bambi or 16' International series. I am getting mixed answers as to whether my Lexus RX330 will tow it. The towing capacity is rated at 3,500 and the 16 foot Airstreams weigh 3,500 lbs. Anyone had experience with this combination?
Thanks,
Gene

[JimmyT]

Gene - we are pretty new to towing as of last summer. Here's what I know and have gleaned from towing our 23' CCD with a 4.0 liter 4Runner - 2003 model.
First check hitch capacity, tongue weight, etc. Make sure that's within the capacity of the Lexus. And confirm those numbers, as Toyota has published at least two sets of specs for the 4Runner. That was interesting.
Is the 3500 pounds for the 16' Bambi full weight or gross weight? Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon, something like that. Propane, food, clothes all add up. As do your options. So be sure you are calculating with a full trailer weight.
You don't want to be under powered, nor do you want your trailer swinging that Lexus around the road. Get stabilizer bars and anti sway bar for whatever hitch you buy.
Our 4 liter V6 pulls our trailer well on the flats; is stable and all; but in the mountains we have to gear down and keep it slow in the right lane. In our case a V8 would certainly be better but ours is a close match.
Good luck.

[Gene]

Gene, if the capacity of the Lexus is 3,500 (sounds like it's a 4Runner), then towing a 3,500 lb. trailer is at maximum leaving no room for error. Is that the dry weight or gross wt. of the Bambi? You could get by with Bambi if you take no water and minimum food and clothes assuming 3,500 lbs. is gross wt.

As for the 4Runner, they've offered it with two different engines—the V6 and the 4.7 L. V8. That may account for the different specs.

Gene

[nangoff]

I doubt it....what is the load rating of the hitch, with an equalizer hitch? You need to get a really accurate, like call Airstream, for the weight on the ball of the receiver. Where you'll get in trouble with the car is the transmission temperature. The transmission and engine are mechanically strong enough to pull the trailer, where they will fail is overheating, mechanical ratings are always larger that thermal ratings.....especially the transmission. For sure get a transmission temp gage and additional trans cooling if you can get it. You'll also have to be comfortable at pulling the Colorado hills in first gear at 20 mph or so. This could be a little unnerving. All in all, probably too close a size match.

[lynnmcmullen]

What do you think for hauling a 31 ft Sovereign?

[Grand Master]

Just finished a 4 month coast to coast trip with our Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 3.0L Diesel towing a '63 Trade Wind (24'). We crossed the Smokeys once and the Rockies twice. We drove 60-65 mph on Interstates (unless posted 55).

We averaged 17.11 mpg calculated by dividing the miles driven (13,875) by the gallons purchased (811.039). The on-board computer consistently under-reported the mpg by about 1 mpg.

We utilized an equalizer hitch with 600 lb bars, and never experienced any sway. We even were caught in a severe wind storm in New Mexico where they closed the interstate because of the strong winds and dust.

All in all, we were very happy with the performance of the Jeep and the fuel mileage was better than we had hoped.

An unexpected advantage the diesel provided was downhill compression that allowed us to go down many steep grades with only occasional braking.

[nangoff]

Reprise: Basically transmission temperature is the weakest part of the drive train. If you can keep the transmission cool you can tow (al)most anything. Now, you may only be able to tow at 5 mph up steep climbs, and stop periodically to cool down, but you can tow. After that the hitch weight is the next weak link. You must do your best to minimize the weight off the cars rear axles and (associated) balance the car for handing.

I pull a 7,300# (empty) trailer with 1,050# tongue weight using a 5.3 liter, 4 speed, 3.73 rear end, 275 hp, 2001 Suburban with a Reese load equalizing hitch and have climbed 11,000 foot mountains. Albeit, I don't climb fast, but I get there. Put 100,000 miles on this configuration.

[Soyboy]

Grand Master: That mileage sounds great. Being a diesel fan with my Dmax and a VW TDI, I wish there more diesel choices for folks in the US. A nice V6 4L or so engine in a 1/2 truck or SUV would be great.

I was interested in the compression braking as most diesels don't have a throttle and therefore don't generate much vacuum when you back of the fuel (hence having vacuum pumps and exhaust or Jake type brakes). I wonder if Chrysler has incorporated a way of producing the effect with the 3.0. I know with my Dmax I have to watch it going down mountains, the Ally will downshift and do it's best, but without an exhaust brake you just have to keep your cool. My next truck will have an exhaust brake. I think Dodge has had one available on the RAM Cummins for a couple of years (I think) and I know GM is now offering one from the factory on the Dmax.

Again, that mileage sounds great, glad you had a good trip, I'm jealous!

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by Gene Zalar

looking to purchase a 16' Bambi or 16' International series. I am getting mixed answers as to whether my Lexus RX330 will tow it
Thanks,
Gene

Post #21 here has some good info about the Lexus. Note it is a pro setup....http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...d-39302-2.html

[Gene]

Is the Lexus RX330 a truck or a hybrid (car with SUV body = station wagon)? The Toyota 4Runner is a truck and the Hilander is a car (Camry with station wagon body style). The truck version has a ladder frame and it appropriate for a weight distributing hitch, but the car/station wagon version is very different and is not very good for towing. The Lexus is based on one of the Toyotas but I don't know which one.

Look under the Lexus and see if the hitch receiver is welded to the frame. Does the frame have two steel parallel beams running front to back attached by crossmembers? If so, it's a truck. If not, it would take some serious modifications to make it a real two vehicle.

Even if it is a truck, you are at the limit of tow capacity. What about tongue weight? What about payload of the Lexus? These have to be taken seriously as well. When you are at maximum tow capacity, you are likely at payload limit or above. Vehicles designed for towing (compared with ones that you can tow with, but that is not what they are often used for) have bigger alternators, bigger brakes, transmission coolers, tow mirrors, beefed up suspensions, etc. For going to a nearby park, the Lexus may be fine, but for a road trip, maybe not.

It is often said to not go over 80% of any limit for a safety margin. While there appears to be no scientific test of that number, it does provide a guide—leave some margin because it's safer in an emergency and doesn't overtax the tow vehicle.

Gene

[2airishuman]

camry=rx330=camry=hilander=camry=avalon=camry=sien na=camry...

and that's just the a few of them...

Toyota Camry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

cheers
2air'

[gecko]

We tow our 6900 lb (loaded) International with a 2000 3/4 ton Suburban--3.73 with the four speed. Great combo EXCEPT the non-towing mileage is terrible and the engine is a bit weak for a headwind or serious uphills (how you guys deal with the 5.3 is beyond me!)

We're considering stepping up to the Yukon XL Denali (1/2 ton) w. heavy duty tow package to get the 6.2/3.43/6-speed with greater torque (417) and horsepower (403), which should deliver better mileage and the same torque with the 3.43 that the 6.0 liter does with the 3.73.

Has anyone towed with this rig?
What kind of highway mileage can we expect towing, and NOT TOWING?
Are the newer 1/2 tons more stable than the older ones, as we've been told?

We typically haul from California to Texas and California to Washington state, then park the International and use the truck as a touring vehicle for three or four weeks.

Thanks!

[Atsushi]

Hi,

I'm a newbie here, and am investigating feasibility of AS purchase, which will be no larger than 22' (more likely 19'~20'). I would like to use a SUV to tow it.

Since the last post in this topic, I'm sure a lot has changed in the SUV market. What do people recommend today?

We are a couple in late 40s in central NJ and are not near retirement, so all we plan to do is extended weekend trips no farther than 100~150 miles at a time. We may go to upstate NY, but we are not thinking of going up the Rocky mountains.

We have pets to bring with us, and occasionally, a couple of extended family members may come with us for a short trip (that's why we are interested in SUV).

Since we have no prior experience of towing, we would like to keep it local. When we gain more experience and confident, we would like to upgrade the vehicle though. But that's still a few years down the road. For now, we would like to find a SUV. What do you think is the best suited vehicle for us?

Thank you in advance.

Atsushi

[GenXair]

Hello neighbor, this is Alvin from NJ.
I use to tow a 22' CCD with my Nissan Armada LE w/ tow package and was amazed how the SUV didn't fell any different with the trailer behind. Uphills and down hills were a breeze, as long as you know when to shift gears. Now I tow a 25' CCD, but now I do feel the trailer due to it's very heavy hitch weight which I plan on reducing. Other than the hitch weight being heavy the SUV still performs great. I get on average 11.5 MPG with this trailer going up state to the Adirondacks.

Hope this helps.
If you need more info PM me.

Just saw your updated post.
WOW!!! You're less then 20 mins away from me. =)
If you need to swing by to get a close look at my set up let me know.
We're also in our late 40's.