What are 212qb owners towing with?

Kim Gass · 10-22-2020, 06:08 PM

We have been happy with our combo of 195 RB and Honda Ridgeline but the vehicle is not up to towing the 212 qb. The 195 has been hard on the brakes of the Ridgeline though it tows with no sway or squat. ( no WDH). Moving to a dual axle trailer of course we will use a WDH and sway bar ( that Jayco Sway Command worked very well for our unsophisticated tow vehicle)

House argument:
Here we go
Husband wants to go with a midsize truck: Ranger, Dakota, Canyon.. We wrote off the Tacoma as lacking in payload.
Reason He can get it in the garage. Snowplowing is a four month long event and vehicles left out cause issues.

I am worried about brakes. So my side is a F150 or equivalent. Snowplowing be darned though we might have to buy a snowblower to extract the tow vehicle. We get about 150 inches of snow a year.

**JFlightRisk** · 10-22-2020, 06:44 PM

Our 2012 19RD is very close to the weights of a 2021 212QB. The UVW is 100# less, but the GVWR is 700# more at 6200#. I've towed it with Tundras, and now with an F150 3.5L twin turbo SC. (It JUST fits in the our garage!) The Ford tows effortlessly, compared to the last 5.7L Tundra, and I really liked my Toyotas. Anything smaller in size may be a disappointment when you hook up to the trailer. Just my.02 worth.

24travel · 10-23-2020, 01:37 PM

I tow my 212qb with Chevrolet Colorado Diesel and was purchased for the exact reason husband wants it. Garage parking is always nice. Recently did a trip from California to Michigan. No problems and averaged 14.3 mpg.

colby · 10-25-2020, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24travel

I tow my 212qb with Chevrolet Colorado Diesel and was purchased for the exact reason husband wants it. Garage parking is always nice. Recently did a trip from California to Michigan. No problems and averaged 14.3 mpg.

What is the Payload on the Colorado, the diesel should drop that a little bit. That would be my only concern knowing the tongue weight on the 212qb (mine runs just over 700 pounds most days).

Kim Gass · 10-25-2020, 08:27 AM

1550 theoretically on the V 6 engine 4x4 Crew Cab

24travel · 10-25-2020, 02:46 PM

Payload of truck is 1380#. I run a tongue weight of about 650-700#'s also. I pack light in truck with wife and I. I have a few hundred pounds before I hit max payload.

ChiToones · 10-25-2020, 08:30 PM

We've had good luck with our 212QB/Durango GT combo traveling over 8,000 miles since we got it in July 2019. It's done well in rolling hills but we have yet to try real mountains.

We got the Durango because it fits in our garage and has a higher towing capacity than the Explorer or Traverse. We're happy with the V6 but you could also get a V8 which has an even higher towing capacity.

LuckyDuck · 10-25-2020, 10:04 PM

Not what you want to hear, but I would not consider anything less then a half-ton. I’ve owned a couple of Tacomas and their 4-Runner cousin, and loved them. They were fine for short-distance towing of lighter sailboats but I wouldn’t fell comfortable pulling our 212 QBW for the longer distances (and conditions) we’ve traveled.

I considered new half-tons (F150, Tundra) but opted for a unicorn F-250 7.3L diesel with 90k miles. Even in some tough crosswinds and big semi-truck traffic, I’ve never felt uncomfortable. No, it doesn’t get to live in the garage, but we have a pretty temperate climate. And since it’s 21 years old I don’t feel so bad leaving it out. My advice: I wouldn’t go less than a half-ton.

Kim Gass · 10-26-2020, 06:55 AM

Would like to avoid a diesel. We have nothing like Pilot or Flying Js( you do get gasoline and kerosene) so diesel is much harder to find and maybe its old school but we do get to minus 40 and an engine block heater to keep the fuel from gelling is not in the budget.

The Tacoma is already off the lost. The GMC Canyon is not.

colby · 10-26-2020, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24travel

Payload of truck is 1380#. I run a tongue weight of about 650-700#'s also. I pack light in truck with wife and I. I have a few hundred pounds before I hit max payload.

We were very similar with the Explorer; however, the hitch rating (and tow capacity) made me into the weight police, making sure the trailer was never above 4800 pounds. We always had room on the TV payload, but were always over hitch rating. Trading up to the F150 (calculated on what fits in the driveway with the other vehicles, we aren't getting anything into the garage...) fits our needs very nicely.

One thing I did notice is that pulling the trailer on a very windy day, I felt like the truck was being pushed a bit and I was a bit concerned until I drove the same stretch of road without the trailer and it felt the same. I guess the Explorer was more aerodynamic than the big ol' truck

Debdon Journeys · 10-26-2020, 10:00 AM

I would not tow a 212 with a mid size I would look at a F150 or other 1/2 ton watch what you buy because not all 1/2 tons are the same.
Yes the Ranger is a great truck and pulls my 145rb like its nothing. I would either look at a new Micro when they come out or a good 1/2 ton truck. you have to think about the added wind resistance as well as mass. On paper it looks ok but in the real world things different. I can see you have done a lot of towing so you know what you are capable of. We had a Ford Edge when we got the 145 I don't miss it when compared to the Ranger, it didn't like hills while it pulled the camper up a 7% grade I didn't do it again with the Edge it pulled that hill at 55 and nothing more. The same hill with the Ranger towing the 145RB I started at 45 at the bottom and was doing 75 at the top. The seats are really nice. If you get a Ranger look for a XLT with the better equipment package you get just as nice without the added cost of the Lariet. Good luck if you want to know more about the Ranger PM me

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