What type of Tow Vehicle do you use?

[Frederick L. Simson]

1. EV- Electric Vehicle requiring Plug-in to charge
2. HYBRID- Both Electric AND Liquid Fuel Propulsion
3. I.C.E.- Internal Combustion Engine

[Frederick L. Simson]

1978 Fiber Stream 16
2020 Ford Transit Crew

[Shocksll]

Highlander

Here’s a link to a video about why we chose this vehicle: https://youtu.be/JNhHNV71d44

[AlanKilian]

Three.

[Travellers]

Ours is electric. I don’t think there will be very many votes for electric this early in the game. It’s only been a couple years that EV tow capable vehicles have been on the market. I suspect the poll results will be significantly different in a few years. At least for small trailers like ours.

Safe travels all.

[parmm]

What about a diesel. I know it is Internal Combustion Engine, but if fires on compression and not spark. I don't have one any more, but did consider buying one instead of my Chevy Colorado V-6. My last diesel breakdown cost me $15,000, and that is why I didn't get a diesel!!!

[Keith2000]

I tow with an ice, but I hope my text truck is at least hybrid, if not EV. I guess it depends on how long this truck lasts and how quickly new tech is developed and deployed.

[Bruce H]

I will probably some day own an EV for local personal transportation. But not for towing, Especially not for the kind of cross country distances I tow.



I have had a Ford F-350 SuperDuty with single rear wheels with the 7.3L Goliath gas motor, 10 speed transmission and .430 ratio rear axle, on order since the first week in February. I could have had it sooner but I insisted on the gooseneck / fifth wheel tow prep package.



Admittedly that would be a bit much for a Scamp or Casita but it would be just right for a 25' Bigfoot. And I can certainly pull a light weight trailer. Just have to keep checking the mirror to make sure it is still back there. I have heavy duty tilt bed flatbed trailer that can weigh as much as 20,000 lbs loaded that I use on the farm. I am out of the diesel engine market because of the emissions control problems and the expense.


I ordered the camper prep package (which includes a stabilizer bar on the rear axle. And I ordered the snow plow prep front suspension which includes a stabilized front axle. The total GCWR is 27,500 Lbs. I want to make sure the trailer can't push the truck around. I like the safety, stability and feeling of "road command" that suspension setup provides.


I expect the highway gas mileage will be around 14 mpg not towing. It will be around 8 mpg towing a 7,500 lb RV trailer. Less or more depending on the wind direction and driving speed. On the flat level interstates I set my cruise control at a maximum of 67.



My '17 model F-350 had the same suspension, but a weaker 6.2L engine, six speed and .370 ratio rear axle. It worked pretty well pulling the 25' Bigfoot (weight about 7,500 Lbs) except when running in the mountains. The weak link in that setup was the six speed automatic transmission. It was great when not towing but it would drive you nuts towing a heavy trailer. You had to go to "M" and manually shift to keep the engine running at a reasonable RPM (between 2,500 and 4,100)


I need the new truck strictly for towing. I have a light weight 12 year old Ford Ranger that I use for errands and when I am not towing or hauling anything.

[jerrybob]

2109 Ram crw cab....5.7 hemi...3.92 rear...4x4....tow package.....great rigfor towing anf not towing....great gas mileage for a truck...21mpg w/o tow....17 to 18 towing Casita....truck is rated to tow 11,600lbs....also tow a car trailer at times. Power is always nice to have.......don't need any weigh distribution system.....it's even pretty!

[John in Santa Cruz]

2002 Ford F250 longbed 7.3L Powerstroke diesel.

last road trip was 350-400 miles a day, with a full load in the back of the truck AND a 4500 lb full trailer, and involved a lot of remote rural mountain roads. F250 can go 500 miles+ per fuel tank.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Travellers

I don’t think there will be very many votes for electric this early in the game. It’s only been a couple years that EV tow capable vehicles have been on the market. I suspect the poll results will be significantly different in a few years. At least for small trailers like ours.

I edited the poll characteristics to keep it active, and also made it "sticky" which keeps it near the top of the index page. This will be an interesting study about how quickly EVs may be generally adopted as tow vehicles, and how long ICE vehicles will dominate for this task.

[Jon in AZ]

What happens if someone changes to a different category of primary tow vehicle?

[Lynn Eberhardt]

2017 Highlander Hybrid LE, 3500 lb. rated tow capacity, 29+ mpg not towing.

18.5 mpg towing our Scamp 16, just under 2400 lbs., loaded for camping.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

What happens if someone changes to a different category of primary tow vehicle?

If they are motivated to comment here, that would get my attention, as I have subscribed to the thread, and I would get an email. I would have to close the poll. The thread would still exist. That's about it.

[jkcronan]

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel. The engine is made by an Italian company named VM Motori. It's a good engine, but the exhaust and emissions control, what a nightmare. I had no idea, going into this.

Thankfully, there was a lawsuit against Chrysler that resulted in extended warranty coverage for anything exhaust related on this car. For me, it lasts about another 40,000 miles, until I'm at 180,000.

They've replaced some very expensive parts 4 times, now. The DPF, the catalytic converter (twice), and more. As soon as I hit that 180k mark, I'll be in the market for an EV that can tow. I expect that by that point Chrysler will have spent twice as much on the car as I have.

[jars]

We use a 2014 nissan Rogue.

[jeffminnesota]

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

1. EV- Electric Vehicle requiring Plug-in to charge
2. HYBRID- Both Electric AND Liquid Fuel Propulsion
3. I.C.E.- Internal Combustion Engine

ICE, I use a Subaru Outback 2.5 liter to tow a 2018 Scamp 13' and find it barely adequate.

[damueller]

Good post. I was interested to hear your experience with the 6.2 in your last super duty pulling your 25’ Bigfoot. Now I know for sure I made the right choice to match my 25’ Bigfoot to a 3.5 EB F 150. Have had it it for 6 years now and am extremely satisfied. The 6.2 was the only other tow vehicle I considered. Glad I got the F150.

[John in Michigan]

An interesting hybrid mid-sized SUV I found while doing research is the latest generation Ford Explorer hybrid. It has a 3.3L naturally aspirated V6 engine paired with an electric motor producing 318 HP / 322 lb-ft of torque. This vehicle is rated to tow 5,000 lbs with the optional tow package.

Also, this is a standard rear wheel drive vehicle (four wheel drive optional).

[Dennis McMillan]

'05 Jeep Gr Cherokee 5L Hemi.