Tow Vehicles

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scottfree

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Jun 14, 2007
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I am looking at purchasing a new vehicle to pull our 18-foot Fleetwood Pioneer.  This one will be the wife's primary vehicle and I am exploring my non-truck options.  I drive a 1971 Chevy truck and having two trucks seems seems redundant.  We have towed the trailer with a Grand Cherokee, which has more than enough power, but the Jeep is just too small.  Anyone out there have any experience with something like a Tahoe or similar vehicle?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks.
 
You problem is easy.  Look on the trailer for the DOT.  Try the drivers side front.  On the tag you should find a number for the trailer GVWR, gross vehicle weight rating.  Now you need to go to the Trailer Life Tow Rating tables in their website's Tech section.  www.trailerlife.com .  You can then use the tables to evaluate the trucks.  Discount the tow ratings 10% for a safety factor.  Make that 20% in the mountain west for gas engined vehicles.

With an 18 footer, that is going to give you a really huge selection of vehicles, I will admit, but that is the way to make the choices.

 
RV Roamer said:
Tahoes & Suburbans make excellent tow vehicles. So do Expeditions and the full size Ford vans (E350)
Click to expand...

I had one those E350 Vans.  It had a 460 gasser on board.  It would pull 3 tons of ocean going boat, trailer and full 100 gal. boat fuel tank,  5 passengers, 1 labrador retriever, and baggage up the Grapevine Pass north of LA in top gear with the A/C running at 55 mph with accelerator to spare.  Of course it also used gasoline like it was going out of style (8 mpg towing or not).
 
It all depends on the weight of the trailer.  An 18 footer is likely fairly light.  You might even get by with a Trailblazer, especially if you outfit it with the V8 and 4.10 gears.  Or the Ford Explorer, with the V8.  Otherwise, I would agree with the Tahoe/Suburban, or Expedition/Excursion.  Great vehicles.
 
Thanks to everybody who responded.  Much appreciated.  Looks like we're going to go ahead with the Tahoe or Yukon.  Good size, good power, and plenty used ones around with not a ton of miles.

Happy towing!

Scott
 
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