Towing Capacity Questions

[ForrestJanet]

We are so new to this...Looking to buy an Airstream in the next 18 months or so. We currently have a 2012 Hyundai Sante Fe. We are thinking about 18-22 feet long. Will our car tow this size...will we be looking at a new car as well? Just trying to find what will work...Thanks for your input.

[n2916s]

Look at your drivers-side door post -- there will be a sticker there that tells you what the max payload is for your vehicle. Then look in your owners manual and see what the tow rating is for it.

So, now, when you are researching trailers, you know what tongue weight (which is payload) you can carry, plus what gross weight you can tow. Keep in mind that tongue weight is almost always higher than advertised BUT some of the tongue weight will be levered back to the trailer axle(s).

It gets complex when you add people, dogs, bbq's, ...

Mike

[AWCHIEF]

2012 Hyundai Sante Fe has a 3500 pound towing capacity with the V6 and factory towing package. 2000 with the 4 cyl.

[andreasduess]

Car and Driver talks about a 5000lbs towing capacity with a trailer package, whatever that means.

I have no opinion on this car, having never driven one, but the engine has a good reputation and ample power. Six gears also help to get the rig moving.

I'd put in a call to CanAm RV in London, Ontario, and ask them for their feedback. They are, depending on your viewpoint, either towing experts or the earthly manifestation of the antichrist. I am firmly in the first camp, the second camp is made up mainly of those who believe it impossible to tow anything but with a one ton truck.

Whatever you decide, talking to them will make you smarter and better informed, even if you decide to ignore their opinion, or end up disagreeing with it.

[Wingeezer]

And meaning absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to Andy, whereas Canadians seem to have a reputation for towing with smaller vehicles, I am one Canadian who is firmly in the opposite camp!

I have progressively towed with larger and larger vehicles, moving from a Safari AWD minivan to a 1/2 ton truck to a 3/4 ton diesel truck

With each move, I have found the towing experience to be much more relaxing. I also now tow with a Hensley hitch - no doubt that, or a similar Pro-pride hitch designed on a similar basis further enhance the towing experience.

Apart from the physical increased comfort in towing, to me there is also a mental aspect!

From a possible liability aspect, I like to know that my tow vehicle is rated by the manufacturer to be capable of towing what I do in fact tow by a considerable margin - just in case.

For me, the peace of mind is worth it! Others may feel that this is meaningless.

You "Pays your money and takes your choice" as the expression goes! Not saying anyone is wrong! This can be a rather contentious subject!

The other thing for our style of camping is that we tend to take a lot of "stuff" with us on or trips. I have a Leer cap on the bed of our truck, so the truck as well as the back seat area (It is a crew cab) serves as the "basement" for our trailer and keeps the trailer relatively clutter-free on our trips.

Brian.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

And meaning absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to Andy, whereas Canadians seem to have a reputation for towing with smaller vehicles, I am one Canadian who is firmly in the opposite camp!

I have progressively towed with larger and larger vehicles, moving from a Safari AWD minivan to a 1/2 ton truck to a 3/4 ton diesel truck

With each move, I have found the towing experience to be much more relaxing. I also now tow with a Hensley hitch - no doubt that, or a similar Pro-pride hitch designed on a similar basis further enhance the towing experience.

Apart from the physical increased comfort in towing, to me there is also a mental aspect!

From a possible liability aspect, I like to know that my tow vehicle is rated by the manufacturer to be capable of towing what I do in fact tow by a considerable margin - just in case.

For me, the peace of mind is worth it! Others may feel that this is meaningless.

You "Pays your money and takes your choice" as the expression goes! Not saying anyone is wrong! This can be a rather contentious subject!

The other thing for our style of camping is that we tend to take a lot of "stuff" with us on or trips. I have a Leer cap on the bed of our truck, so the truck as well as the back seat area (It is a crew cab) serves as the "basement" for our trailer and keeps the trailer relatively clutter-free on our trips.

Brian.

Yep...... it's nice to be able to take everything you want- NEED

Bob

Just me, but....I wouldn't toe with a SF.

[xrvr]

Here we go again! Jim

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Here we go again! Jim

And again and again. All part of the Wheel Of Time.

[Road Ruler]

Originally Posted by andreasduess

I'd put in a call to CanAm RV in London, Ontario, and ask them for their feedback.

Good advice considering there are very few here that have experience towing with a Santa Fe.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by ForrestJanet

We are so new to this...Looking to buy an Airstream in the next 18 months or so. We currently have a 2012 Hyundai Sante Fe. We are thinking about 18-22 feet long. Will our car tow this size...will we be looking at a new car as well? Just trying to find what will work...Thanks for your input.

Maybe you should be thinking airstream sport 16.

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by andreasduess

..... the second camp is made up mainly of those who believe it impossible to tow anything but with a one ton truck.

Now wait a minute..... I know you can tow just about anything Airstream makes with a 3/4-ton...

I can't imagine towing much of a trailer (and taking all of your "stuff" along) with a Santa Fe. MHO, of course. Find a good new or used 3/4-ton truck, keep your Santa Fe for shopping trips.

[MrUKToad]

I'm sure that I've read threads on here about the Santa Fe and its potential for towing; maybe a search would be in order?

Always speak to the Antichrist, sorry, Andy Thompson, to get an informed view of the Hyundai's capabilities.

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Yep...... it's nice to be able to take everything you want- NEED

Bob

Just me, but....I wouldn't toe with a SF.

Need.... yes.... nothing but the essentials....

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

And meaning absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to Andy, whereas Canadians seem to have a reputation for towing with smaller vehicles, I am one Canadian who is firmly in the opposite camp!
Brian.

Hi, Brian; Are you sure you're from Canada?

[phbarnhart]

The ciiiiiiiiiirle of liiiiiiiiiiiiife!

Seriously though, I've read some of Andy's articles and I can tell you that he doesn't seem like the quack he's made out to be and the notion that some of these CUVs, mini-vans and sedans can be upgraded to tow isn't totally insane. That said, I wouldn't be comfortable doing it myself. Frankly, the notion that a mechanic, no matter how skilled and how much experience he has, can more accurately determine a vehicles "true" towing capacity than the engineers that put the vehicle together. That's my choice, OP's gotta decide who he's going to listen to.

[J. Morgan]

That is a bit simplified.

The Hyundai engineers build for the masses, the "mechanic" logically designs a package to modify a combination to meet a specific end.

Actual experience tackling issues and problems may be frowned upon some, but in the end this is where the rubber meets the road. Besides, who designed GM's ignition switches? Mechanics or engineers?


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[paiceman]

I am with Wingeezer on this one. I've towed with all sorts of vehicles. Recently a 1/2 Ton F150, then an F250 Diesel and now an F350 Diesel. Bigger as you can tell each time. The F350 does a much better job than the F250. The only change I've made was to replace the OEM 26 Gallon fuel tank with a Titam 50 Gallon while we were in Florida vising friends without the AS. Nations Ford did it in St Petersburg, have put 2,000 miles on her since then, performs great - 900 miles between fill ups, NOT TOWING. Only problem now is fill ups take longer and are much more expensive, but we do have the luxury of picking our fuel stops.

I would not tow with a Sante Fe. Friends have one, they do not tow, nice car, but as noted for us, it's so much more relaxing to not have to worry about payloads, sway, braking etc. Just go and enjoy.

[DC Bruce]

I'm sure someone can build a better hitch and attach it more securely to the vehicle. But can that person upgrade bearings, engine cooling, transmission cooling to handle loads and duty cycles well beyond what they were designed for.
An analogous example: in the 1980s VW came out with a new 4-cylinder Diesel engine for the Golf/Rabbit. It was very light for its output and spun at a high rpm (for a diesel). A company called Pathfinder got the bright idea of "marinizing" this engine and selling it as an auxiliary powerplant for sailboats above 40'. "Marinizing" consisted of replacing the air cooled radiator with a water cooled heat exchanger. On paper, this looked great: 50 hp from an engine that was lighter and more compact than traditional marine diesels of the era. In practice, it was a disaster. Whereas the typical automotive engine uses a small fraction of its output 90% of the time, a marine engine, not even running at WOT uses a much greater percentage of its output on a sustained basis. The VW diesel simply wasn't designed for that level of service. Or, put differently, a 350 hp gas engine designed to be put in a car is not the same as a 350 hp gas engine designed to be put in a truck. An example: Ford's 6.2 liter gas engine was, until this year, available in both the F-150 and F-250 trucks. But the F-250 version was rated at less hp than the F-150 version, no doubt on the assumption of a higher duty cycle in the heavier truck and consequent modification to the internals of the engine. Similarly, the reason for the relatively larger radiators on trucks vs. cars with the same hp engine is the expectation of a higher duty cycle for the engine in truck service necessitating the greater heat dissipation of the larger radiator.

[OilnH2o]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

That is a bit simplified.
...Besides, who designed GM's ignition switches? Mechanics or engineers?

Neither - it was either the accountants or the lawyers....

[jcl]

Originally Posted by DC Bruce

I'm sure someone can build a better hitch and attach it more securely to the vehicle. But can that person upgrade bearings, engine cooling, transmission cooling to handle loads and duty cycles well beyond what they were designed for.
An analogous example: in the 1980s VW came out with a new 4-cylinder Diesel engine for the Golf/Rabbit. It was very light for its output and spun at a high rpm (for a diesel). A company called Pathfinder got the bright idea of "marinizing" this engine and selling it as an auxiliary powerplant for sailboats above 40'. "Marinizing" consisted of replacing the air cooled radiator with a water cooled heat exchanger. On paper, this looked great: 50 hp from an engine that was lighter and more compact than traditional marine diesels of the era. In practice, it was a disaster. Whereas the typical automotive engine uses a small fraction of its output 90% of the time, a marine engine, not even running at WOT uses a much greater percentage of its output on a sustained basis. The VW diesel simply wasn't designed for that level of service.

Yes, it is reasonably straightforward to design and construct a more robust hitch, particularly for a supplier that has been doing it for decades, and that is usually the first step.

No need to worry about axle bearings if you stay within the design axle load limits.

If you are referring to engine and drivetrain bearings, then the enemy is heat. There are a wide range of additional coolers available if they are required. It is the same approach the pickup truck manufacturers take, adding in additional coolers.

I don't think your VW diesel story is analogous. Today, VW offers a complete line of marine diesels based on their TDI engines. They were distributed by Cummins, but now by Mercury Marine. The difference with your example is that now they have appropriately sized heat exchangers. Heat exchanger sizing isn't based on duty cycle, but rather peak load heat rejection.

It is precisely because the duty cycle is so low for a passenger vehicle or light truck that towing isn't generally limited by engine or drivetrain wear.

For the OP, checking transmission temperatures or adding an additional transmission cooler for insurance purposes would be a reasonable approach. And probably cheaper than buying a large pickup truck.

Jeff