Daily Driver and / or Tow Vehicle options

[kscherzi]

Hi Ray,

We tow with a Ford Expedition. It tows our 27FB. Our Expedition is a 2003 so the 2 valve V8 doesn't measure up to today's powerplant. Yet it has 4 wheel independent suspension. I've never felt like it was overpowered by the trailer. Modern Ford Expeditions are more powerful and sophisticated. I think it makes a capable and solid Airstream tow vehicle.

Kurt

[JCWDCW]

Quote Ray:"Pulling the trailer was not the issue. It has always been looking at the leaf springs that seem way too minimum... maybe for the ride to be smoother like a SUV with a pickup bed.
Both were easily 'over loaded'. I would look at the leaf springs and they would be flat. I was careful not to carry heavy useless items as cargo. Even to the point that filling a five gallon water container... could have been a problem if hauled from the beginning of a trip with the trailer."

I have a Dodge Dakota Quad cab similar in size to the older Tundra...wish I could have got a Quad cab version of the Tundra when I was looking in 2003.
Leaf springs on the Dakota were also marginal. I had an extra leaf and booster/support leaf added to give the rear suspension a boost. Did not have to over-stress the hitch to get my 25 Classic level after that. I have 225,000km on the vehicle about 60K of that towing. Still going strong 13 years later.
JCW

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

Can't happen because everyone's risk tolerance differs. Just above there is someone towing a 16' Bambi with with a Ram 2500 diesel while plenty of others advocate towing 30'ers with minivans.

I love being on the "edge"!
Bruce

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by Bruce B

I love being on the "edge"!
Bruce

Ha, Ha. Clearly! Thanks for being a good sport. I was not making fun of you just noting the differences in what people are comfortable doing.

[m.hony]

Has anyone added "helper springs" to a 2007-up Tundra?

[jcrango]

My wife has decided she is going to buy the 26U. It is my job to by the TV (new). I normally drive my vehicles for 15 plus years. The TV will also be my daily driver. I will be retiring in 18 months. I have been researching TVs for a long time and would love a diesel but it is a lot of money and maintenance costs scare me. The new diesels are so complicated and if you own them long enough there will probably be injector issues at some point. So I am leaning toward the Ram 2500 4X4 crew with the 5.7L VVT (the fuel rating for the 1500 with the 5.7L is 16/23 maybe I can get 14/20 with the 5.7L 2500). We will be traveling in the fall and winter and early spring seasons (probably only 3-4 month on the road each year total). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[dbj216]

I'm surprised there aren't a lot of posts concerning your "daily driver" tow vehicle choice. You are right, diesels cost more to buy and maintain. They are also worth more at trade in time. Diesels are more efficient, more powerful (torque), and last longer. The Cummins 6 is a premier diesel engine in the RAM heavy duty pickups.

There are many, many gas V8s in 3/4 ton trucks pulling trailers. I don't know what a 26U is, but if it weighs less than 8000 pounds loaded, you will be fine and have a more economical "daily driver". You probably wouldn't want to tow a 15,000 pound fifth wheel with the V8. All 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are BIG and are stiffly suspended to carry heavy loads. I do tire of "horsing around" my BIG Super Duty in parking lots and city traffic. I could use it daily, but it is not as much fun as are much smaller Honda.

Others will surely respond with better comments than mine.

David

[Meeks]

Originally Posted by jcrango

My wife has decided she is going to buy the 26U. It is my job to by the TV (new). I normally drive my vehicles for 15 plus years. The TV will also be my daily driver. I will be retiring in 18 months. I have been researching TVs for a long time and would love a diesel but it is a lot of money and maintenance costs scare me. The new diesels are so complicated and if you own them long enough there will probably be injector issues at some point. So I am leaning toward the Ram 2500 4X4 crew with the 5.7L VVT (the fuel rating for the 1500 with the 5.7L is 16/23 maybe I can get 14/20 with the 5.7L 2500). We will be traveling in the fall and winter and early spring seasons (probably only 3-4 month on the road each year total). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Well, perhaps you have seen some of my other posts. I have a 2014 Tundra CrewMax and really like it. But I still often counsel others to go with a 3/4 ton if they will be doing lots of traveling like you. 3/4 mostly due to greater payload options (I would recommend choosing something with 1900+ lbs) and better braking on descents. I just couldn't find a 3/4 ton that "thrilled me" and we use the truck a bunch of the time not towing so I really wanted to like it! These trucks cost a bunch of money especially "tricked out" like I like 'em.

[Meeks]

To answer your original question, Ray....

Daily driver is a Miata which only seats two . So, we use our 2014 Tundra CrewMax for trips when we are traveling with more than two people and/or towing.

In terms of payload and helper springs that you mentioned on the Tundra...We had the dealer install Roadmaster "helper springs" which helps with stability when towing and/or carrying heavy loads. It theoretically allows one to carry more payload but I still don't to want get into that debate. I will say that with our Tundra set up in this way, along with an Equalizer WDH which includes anti-sway, that I have felt safe towing our 25 Airstream for thousands of miles up and down many a mountain pass from the Rockies to the Cascades.

Great thread. So many wonderful vehicle choices nowadays!

[Alluminati]

I walk to work, so I don’t have a daily driver. My personal vehicle is a Suzuki Burgman. If I need something larger, I drive the Sequoia. Wife has a Prius.

A while back my daily driver was an E-150 conversion van. Hated it; ponderous, awkward, oversized, clumsy. But I thought I needed it for the capacity it offered. Always wondered about all those daily driver full sized pickups and SUVs on the road. How could you endure wrestling those behemoths through town day after day??? But we needed a TV, so I bought the Sequoia.

Now I can’t believe I’ve rejoined the ranks of behemoth drivers because it doesn’t feel like it. The Sequoia is remarkably nimble. The balance of power and handling makes it feel light. Turning circle is remarkably tight. The first week it felt enormous, but rapidly shrunk, and now feels “normal”. I often forget we're as large as a Suburban.

Sure, it would be nice to have the low end grunt of a diesel. But otherwise, I can’t imagine a truck better suited to pulling my 34’ Avion than the Sequoia.

[rmkrum]

Heh, I used to drive, every work day, through some of the worst Los Angeles area traffic** with a long-bed 2002 stick shift Toyota Tacoma.

My wife finally took mercy on her masochist husband, and bought herself a new 2012 Prius. I then got to drive the 2005 Camry, in relative luxury for the last few years of my career.

** Yes, uphill both ways in heavy go and mostly stop traffic on the infamous 91 freeway, what did you expect?


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[Brant]

Originally Posted by Alluminati

I walk to work, so I don’t have a daily driver. My personal vehicle is a Suzuki Burgman. If I need something larger, I drive the Sequoia. Wife has a Prius.

A while back my daily driver was an E-150 conversion van. Hated it; ponderous, awkward, oversized, clumsy. But I thought I needed it for the capacity it offered. Always wondered about all those daily driver full sized pickups and SUVs on the road. How could you endure wrestling those behemoths through town day after day??? But we needed a TV, so I bought the Sequoia.

Now I can’t believe I’ve rejoined the ranks of behemoth drivers because it doesn’t feel like it. The Sequoia is remarkably nimble. The balance of power and handling makes it feel light. Turning circle is remarkably tight. The first week it felt enormous, but rapidly shrunk, and now feels “normal”. I often forget we're as large as a Suburban.

Sure, it would be nice to have the low end grunt of a diesel. But otherwise, I can’t imagine a truck better suited to pulling my 34’ Avion than the Sequoia.

I too have a Sequoia (2010) with tow package (Platinum) and 5.7. Great "torquey" engine. We just rented a 25' Eddie Bauer for two weeks and subsequently have purchased a 27FB International we're picking up next month. What WD hitch/sway control are you using with your Sequoia?? And what tires are you running??

[TurkeyRun]

All you Rivet Masters out there definitely know your stuff when it comes to best tow vehicles for actual towing. But a big part of Ray's original post was what's best for daily driving?
So I have to say, the diesel Mercedes GL is a sweet comfortable ride day in and day out when we only take the AS out a half a dozen times a year. I tow a 68 Overlander and hardly even notice it's back there even in high winds. Hwy mileage is 25+, and towing it's 13-14. Yes it's expensive, but a diesel F250 XLT runs north of $50k anyway. So I bought my wife the 7 seater SUV for school pickups and soccer games. She's happy, and I can drive a much cheaper and easier to park basic F150.
And before everyone piles on about reliability, I agree the GL350 is a maintenance nightmare. That's what extended warranties are for!

[Bobwes]

Our 20ft FC (single axle) pulls nicely with my Toyota Tacoma. I have pulled with 2 different trucks, both manual 6 speed 2008, and most recently an automatic with factory towing package. It is a very comfortable daily driver, and not quite the giant that a full size truck is.
RW

[BarkingShark]

Daily driver 2008 Ford F250 6.4 diesel with crew cab and short bed, tow vehicle for our 1973 Argosy 26 ft. double axel, which probably weighs in the neighborhood of 8000 pounds. It's pretty smooth sailing on the open highway, and the only time I even notice the load is when we're going up a mountain. The Ford Superduty has plenty of power to pull that boat, even with a big payload in the bed, and the ride is very comfortable, even with four or five adults in the cab (it actually seats six, if you flip up the console, but there's not much leg room in that seat). When we're not camping, it's a great work truck that cleans up nice for just running around.

[blufishin]

My first TV was a half ton truck. The airstream salesman told me it was plenty of truck to tow my 25FC. Several hours on the Blue Ridge Pkwy convinced me it was NOT. The 5.3 struggled up the hills an we had to stop several times to let the transmission cool. May have been the wrong rear end gear ratio but the CAT scale told me I was very close to max rear axle weight anyway.

I recently upgraded to a ¾ ton truck and it is now a pleasure to tow. There is no question that this truck can stop quicker and we don't travel light! Would love to have the Duramax but couldn't justify the $$$. I get a laugh when people say that they tow with volkswagons, mercedes, lexus, etc. Go to a rally or to an Airstream only park and notice how many big trucks are being used by folks who have been towing a lot longer than me.

We're leaving for Maine tomorrow and looking forward to the confidence of having a huge hunk of steel in front of my Airstream.

To answer the original question........my TV stinks as a daily driver around town. That is why I often swipe my wife's Highlander when she's not looking.

[m.hony]

When we needed a car, my wife refused to drive the Tundra because she said it was too big.
That's why she drives an Avalon, now.

[shadrick5]

We tow our 31'' Sovereign with a late model Sequoia and equalizer hitch. The self leveling air bags on the rear are great and I can raise or lower manually an inch and a half when hooking up. We used to tow with an 01 Sequoia with manual after market bags with 10 psi to offset the rear sag. That setup worked great as well. Both outfits towed just fine with enough power in the mountains, however, the 2012 with the bigger engine is a pleasure towing on long trips.

[MarkLangner]

Timely because I have been thinking for a couple weeks about how to replace (with one vehicle): 2008 Subaru Forester (MUST have AWD/4WD where I live) and my 2000 Tundra 4.7, (TV for a 1969 18' Caravel), and improve a little on the gas mileage of the Toyota.

A lot of responders here say "well, just buy two [nearly] new vehicles". Sorry, I don't have that kind of budget. But I will let go of my 1969 Caravel when they pry the title from my cold, dead... well, you get the idea. Nothing like a failed business to bring your $ability to its knees. The Caravel is my retirement home of last resort.

I've been thinking about things like Toyota 4Runner, Chevy Trail Blazer, Honda Ridgeline, Honda Pilot... All used, 2003-2008 era. Any experience out there with these?

When I was married to a woman with some $, we had a Dodge Ram 2500: Sweet. Airstream behind me? What Airstream? Those day$ are gone.

I'm content to run up the mountains (I live in Western NC) at 45-50, but don't want a TV that is overpowered by what it is towing. The Tundra does great. Maybe I should just stay with it?

[m.hony]

2017 Ridgeline all wheel drive?
I am a Tundra fan.


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