Upgrade the Tow Vehicle to 5000 lbs now or keep our present SUV?? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-25-2017, 07:19 AM   #1
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Name: Raj
Trailer: Escape Trailer - SOLD
Florida
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Upgrade the Tow Vehicle to 5000 lbs now or keep our present SUV??

Which way to go would you suggest & why ??.

Let me explain, our 17B is due in May 2017

We both are retired, live in Florida, we have two vehicles, the second vehicle does gets used but hardly, we are first time Towers. -

1) A 2010 Lexus RX350 (V6, 3500 lbs Towing Capacity) which we had a 5000 lb Tow hitch & a Tekonsha Brake Controller installed by U-Haul and were planning to tow with. We already had this vehicle when we decided to buy the Trailer

We plan to go to Chilliwack (Mountain Passes) & get our 17B back to Florida.

2) A 2003 Avalon XLS, a few weeks back got dented bad and this situation of replacing that vehicle came about.

OPTIONS

A) Tow back the 17B with RX 3500 over the mountain passes back to Florida, -

-If RX350 did not tow well - Replace the Avalon for a Vehicle with 5000 lbs --Towing Capacity soon after after reaching Florida.

_ If RX350 towed well, replace Avalon with a smaller car & be done with it.


Replace Avalon now for a 5000 lb Towing capacity SUV, before starting for Chilliwack.

I will appreciate any & all input,
-Specially from people who tow or who know some body who tow a 17B with a 3500 lb capacity vehicle.

Thanks & with regards
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Old 03-25-2017, 07:35 AM   #2
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Nothing beats a Silverado Crew Cab Pickup. The ride is like setting in a strato lounger and the power of the V8 is smooth and the 4 Doors is like a seadan and you can haul stuff in the bed.

Im sure the Dodge and Ford Crew Cab owners will say the same about their vehicles.
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Old 03-25-2017, 07:39 AM   #3
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Raj, I wouldn't be in a hurry to replace the TV before I see how it will preform. Some have to have the "over kill" mentallity, while others don't mind taking it slow over the mountain passes, so since you know yourself better than any of us do, go with your "inner voice". I personally like to go with the "over kill".
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Old 03-25-2017, 08:19 AM   #4
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Name: Steve
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I would tow your 17B home to Florida with your current Lexus .
The trip from Chilliwack should give you a good idea of what you want and need in a tow vehicle. Once home you can make your final decision. Now that we are retired , we travel with our trailer far more than we envisioned , almost 20,000 miles in the last 2 years.
We tow with a Ram 1500 Quad Cab V8 . It works for us but may not be your cup of tea.
One note , A vehicle that is only slightly uncomfortable is OK for a 30 minute commute to work but will be unbearable for long days of towing.

Good Luck
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Old 03-25-2017, 09:17 AM   #5
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Upgrade the Tow Vehicle to 5000 lbs now or keep our present SUV??

Will you be using a WDH? Weight should be fine, but tongue weights can be marginal. A brand new trailer maybe not so much- stuff tends to accumulate over time.

Another thought- quite a few of the 5000# rated SUVs (Highlander, Pilot, Acadia,...) actually have pretty much the same drivetrain- 3.5L or 3.6L V6- as you have now. Being newer, the output ratings may be a little higher, but performance is unlikely to be greatly different. Better cooling, beefier suspension, newer transmission, maybe, account for the higher tow rating.

Because performance expectations are so subjective, it makes sense to try towing with what you've got for a while. Then you can decide whether to keep it, upgrade to something in the same class (mid-sized crossover) or move to a larger class altogether- a truck as some prefer, or a stouter SUV (4Runner, perhaps).
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Old 03-25-2017, 09:44 AM   #6
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I had almost the exact choice to make, different TV and different trailer, but same weight ratings etc. I thought about the choice daily for 3 months. I think I even dreamed about it. I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to the 5K towing capacity. Haven't thought about it again! It all depends on how this decision affects you personally. Either choice may work out, towing wise, but one may be better fer yer head!

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Old 03-25-2017, 10:46 AM   #7
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3500#s and probably 350 on the hitch is so close to the edge of safely towing, I personally would not be at all comfortable towing with that setup (actually I just plain wouldn't)...you would ABSOLUTELY need a wdh setup...my best advice is to sell the Avalon and purchase a vehicle with at least a 5000#tow rating...keep in mind you need to account for not just trailer weight but, everything else you carry including yourself and spousel unit...I am a full sized GMC/CHEVY PU guy and firmly believe in and love the comfort, size and capabilities of my GMC Sierra...with a cap on the bed, you have massive, dry, carrying capability and since it is not "inside" space, you don,t have near the concerns about dirt or fumes/odors........
Happy Motoring and remember not to stress too badly, just have fun!

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Old 03-25-2017, 01:44 PM   #8
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Looking at the "trailer weights in the real world" post, there are 8 Escape 17B's weighed. All were less than 3500 lbs loaded, and all but one were under 350 lb tongue weight. Since you will be just picking it up and not be bringing as much weight to pack into it as you would once you get it home and loaded, I would recommend just taking what you have and seeing how you like towing with the Lexus.
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Old 03-25-2017, 01:45 PM   #9
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Towing or Cruising?

It is well to consider how you will use the TV when not towing.
Our Highlander V6 is my "work" car at home.
It works very well with our new Parkliner, and also did with the 16 ft DLX Scamp.
Mountain passes are no sweat as long as you don't try to keep up with the traffic.
Learn how to downshift both uphill and downhill.
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Old 03-25-2017, 02:39 PM   #10
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Learn how to downshift both uphill and downhill.
Read your manual. My RAV4 manual says not to hard tow for extended period ( whatever that is ) in 3 or 2. Not to tow in overdrive either. Says to tow in 4. When I need to downshift, I don't move the gearshift. I stomp on the accelerator and let the automatic downshift and after picking up speed, upshift.
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Old 03-25-2017, 02:46 PM   #11
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Read your manual. My RAV4 manual says not to hard tow for extended period ( whatever that is ) in 3 or 2. Not to tow in overdrive either. Says to tow in 4. When I need to downshift, I don't move the gearshift. I stomp on the accelerator and let the automatic downshift and after picking up speed, upshift.
The reason to downshift with the lever is to hold it in the lower gear even when you back off the throttle. It keeps the auto from hunting back and forth between gears. The purpose is to ease the load on the torque Converter. The less it slips the less heat you build in the oil.
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Old 03-25-2017, 03:13 PM   #12
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The reason to downshift with the lever is to hold it in the lower gear even when you back off the throttle. It keeps the auto from hunting back and forth between gears. The purpose is to ease the load on the torque Converter. The less it slips the less heat you build in the oil.
I ignored the manual once going up a long 8% grade. Had transmission in 3 and foot on the gas. Transmission warning light came on and I backed off and shifted to 4. Lucky that the summit was only a short distance further.

At any rate, I'm only suggesting drivers read the manual for their vehicle.
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Old 03-25-2017, 03:22 PM   #13
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We towed home a Boler 17 with a bathroom from Manitoba that weighed 2,500 pounds with a 2011 Ford Escape with a 3500 tow weight, 350 tongue weight. No mountains going back to MI but we had some nasty side winds. Towing was fine. We didn't have much stuff with us since we were just getting it home so we had plenty of safety margin. We are planned on upgrading to a bigger tow vehicle when DH is done fixing the Boler so I can pack LOTS of stuff when I go camping.

For you,
Would you take alot of stuff with you to pick up the Escape?

Would you get more stressed researching and purchasing a tow vehicle in time to pick up the Escape in May, or wondering about how your existing tow vehicle would perform?
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Old 03-25-2017, 03:32 PM   #14
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Thanks every one for posting, the information is helping me a lot.

Keep the suggestions coming.
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Old 03-25-2017, 03:36 PM   #15
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I ignored the manual once going up a long 8% grade. Had transmission in 3 and foot on the gas. Transmission warning light came on and I backed off and shifted to 4. Lucky that the summit was only a short distance further.

At any rate, I'm only suggesting drivers read the manual for their vehicle.
The Manuals are no substitute for experience. There is no way they can cover every driving situation.
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Old 03-25-2017, 04:37 PM   #16
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The Manuals are no substitute for experience. There is no way they can cover every driving situation.
So, you are saying, "don't read the manual". ??
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Old 03-25-2017, 05:29 PM   #17
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Go outside and park your Lexus next to your trailer and have a look. What you should notice is your trailer is probably LARGER than your tow vehicle in physical size, dimensions and close to your Lexus tow vehicle in loaded overall trailer weight.

Weight distributing hitches and such do work and in some instances may work well HOWEVER "I" believe they just mask the real issue that the tow vehicle is undersized for the job at hand. As several have mentioned real world loaded weights involved with your trailer and the tow vehicle capacity are at or near the recommended limits of the Lexus.

Yes I understand that fuel economy, comfort and the ability to use that Lexus for more than towing are important. Safety is also important! When the physical size of the trailer is larger than the vehicle towing the trailer do you really think you have good control of the situation from an acceleration, braking and sway control perspective? Maybe some control however not as good as you would with a properly sized and capable tow vehicle.

There is NO perfect tow vehicle that will meet everyone's budget, needs and expectations. Having said that I suggest you look at the amount of towing you will do versus other driving use of the tow vehicle and find a vehicle that will accomplish both of those uses SAFELY!

From my perspective "Pulling" a trailer is easy. It's "Stopping" the damn thing properly and controlling the trailer in emergency situations that is far more important. That is MUCH easier with a properly sized and equipped tow vehicle. IE a tow vehicle that is physically LARGER than the trailer you are towing AND has the braking capability to control the combined load of the truck and trailer. Stopping and sway control is why trailer brakes become so important.

I have numerous trailers and pull 15K-20K regularly on one of them with a tow vehicle that is matched to the load. Yes I am fortunate enough that this tow vehicle is a dedicated & safe tow vehicle matched to those needs that I do not have drive as a daily and as such now gets driven only 5K-7K miles a year.

Let's face facts. For the most part the crowd on this site and the people who own these "Egg" trailers are part of the "Fat, 55 and Up Crowd" and your reflexes "Ain't What They Used To Be"! That alone should be considered heavily when choosing a tow vehicle.

As much fun as it is going camping coming home safely is even more fun!!!!
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Old 03-25-2017, 06:06 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by vintageracer View Post
Go outside and park your Lexus next to your trailer and have a look. What you should notice is your trailer is probably LARGER than your tow vehicle in physical size, dimensions and close to your Lexus tow vehicle is loaded weight.

...That is MUCH easier with a properly sized and equipped tow vehicle. IE a tow vehicle that is physically LARGER than the trailer you are towing!
If tow vehicles are supposed to be physically larger than the trailers they pull, what are people supposed to pull 35' fifth wheels with? Earth movers?!

An Escape 17B has a base dry weight of 2170 pounds and an average loaded weight of 2974 pounds. For the initial run home from the factory, I suspect the weight will be more in the 2500-2600 range, which puts it at about 75% of the tow rating, a comfortable margin by most standards. A 2010 Lexus RX350 has a curb weight around 4300 pounds. By weight the trailer is about 60% of the tow vehicle weight. The trailer has brakes.

How is that worse than a 8000 pound 1-ton dually pulling a 13,000 pound fifth wheel?
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Old 03-25-2017, 06:26 PM   #19
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Those 8K lb Dually's you speak of are NOW designed by the OEM's to pull, stop and control trailers with OEM RATED towing capacities of over 25K lbs in many instances.

That's how!
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Old 03-25-2017, 06:34 PM   #20
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So, you are saying, "don't read the manual". ??
Of course not. The manual gives you the facts for that vehicle, but doesn't know all the tricks for driving in every situation.
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