Tow vehicles

[cunninro]

Hi All,

Just trying to get some feedback on towing experience with people using SUV's with 3500lbs towing ratings.

Please include your tow rig and trailer details in your reply. Much appreciated.

[BCx213]

Originally Posted by cunninro

Hi All,

Just trying to get some feedback on towing experience with people using SUV's with 3500lbs towing ratings.

Please include your tow rig and trailer details in your reply. Much appreciated.

I have a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Limited with a 4500 lb tow capacity. Too light for my TT but would have been great for towing my old pup. I pull a 2100 lb utility trailer with it and delegate my Hemi Doge Ram for the TT

[RedHorse1]

I have no direct data but can provide a point of reference. We pulled our first TT with a Ford Expedition which had a 9500# tow rating. Our TT scaled at 5k# with 600# on the hitch. NP, right? My surprise was I was about 300# below the rear Axle GAWR, adding another couple in the back and their gear, we were over on the rear axle.
I’m not sure what value the “max tow” gives us but it’s not what we should use to answer the “can I tow this” question. Just MHO.

[nighthawk87]

My experience is that you should go with a 1500 under 5k pounds, 2500 5k-10k pounds, 3500 DRW 10k-15k, and 4500 15k on up.

There are special configurations of each type of truck that may allow you to tow more but this makes it easier. Also, these guidelines will ensure you ENJOY towing. You can tow 10k with a 1500 but won’t enjoy it.

Compare price differences and you’ll find that EQUALLY equipped the heavy duties are not too much more.

[paul_ottawa]

I had a 2012 Toyota Highlander (with Tow package) pulling a 2009 Jayco 1206 Tent Trailer (~2800lbs dry, ~3300lbs loaded).

The Highlander (base) is 3500lbs, but with the Tow package (upgraded transmission cooler and brake cooler I believe), it can do 5000lbs. I had a Husky (not centerline) weight distribution hitch with an anti-sway bar, as well as a brake controller.

Our first summer I did ~4000km (Ottawa to Thunder Bay and back). Most of it was highway at around 100km/h with the A/C running. I was quite happy with how it towed. If it was relatively flat, I barely noticed the trailer. Once we got to the hilly parts, I would try take a bit of a run at the bottom and I would mostly top out the hills at 80km/h (this was in the Sault-Ste-Marie to Thunder Bay section). A few times we got stopped at the bottom of the hill, and I would average ~60km/h going up the hill. (I would make sure the A/C was off for the uphill climbs). Downhill wasn't too bad, I generally didn't have to do much (occasionally I would down-shift, but mostly I was just gaining speed back up to 100 and taking a run at the next hill).

Last year was Ottawa->Tobermory/Bruce Peninsula->Manitoulin Island->Ottawa (~2000km). No major hills, trailer pulled great.

I loved my Highlander, but the 2016 x213 we are picking up next week is 5500lbs loaded (with a notoriously high tongue weight), so I'm upgrading to a Tundra to pull it.

If you are towing ~3500lbs and doing lots of hill, you might want to be bigger, but if 90% of your trailering is reasonable terrain, go for it.

Good luck!

[need-a-vacation]

Cunninro,

Welcome!!!

In regards to towing with a smaller suv, I guess the first question I would have is what is the total family weight and anticipated cargo weight (coolers, bags, firewood, etc) in the suv. Reason being is IF the suv tow rating is based on the newer sae standard, that is with 2-150lb occupants and no additional cargo in the vehicle. So any additional occupants weight and any cargo weight actually lowers the tow rating by that equal amount. The old tow rating was based on only 1–50lb occupant (the driver), and now additional cargo.

Next question is what rig are you considering? Chances are a suv with that type of tow rating may be limited to a pop up. The other thing about tow ratings is they are based on a flat bed trailer, with 10% tw (tongue weight). So a 3500lb tow rating, the receiver hitch may only have a max tw of 350lbs. And most high walled, rolling bricks have a tw higher than that. And some manufactures Ford) actually state a suggested max square footage for the front wall higher walled trailers. Others may as well, but I honestly don’t recall if they do or not.

[bankr63]

I towed a Jayco 1007 pup with a Kia Rondo V6 (3500 lb max) and would not have wanted to go any bigger than that.

The trailer was within the tow rating easily enough, but once the wife and kids got in the car, we were pretty heavy; right at the GVWR, and probably over the RGAWR in retrospect (I only ever weighed that TV/TT at a provincial highway scale where I had the overall weight and TV weight). It did tow well enough and really only struggled a bit on longer steep inclines.

If you are considering a TT purchase and already have the TV, I would load it up with the family and gear and get it weighed. You might be surprised at how little margin is left for the tongue weight of any TT you are considering. If you already have the combo, get it loaded and over to a CAT scale and do a full 3 pass weigh in to see where you stand.

I will say that moving up to a larger TV (Traverse 5500 lbs), that pup felt like nothing back there. The X19H is putting me back closer to the towing limits now, but it does tow better as a combo than the smaller SUV with the smaller trailer.

[deewaltguy]

Originally Posted by nighthawk87

My experience is that you should go with a 1500 under 5k pounds, 2500 5k-10k pounds, 3500 DRW 10k-15k, and 4500 15k on up.

... You can tow 10k with a 1500 but won’t enjoy it.

Spot on, this is the simplest, most succint, least mathy answer on this subject
You may want to paste it in whenever a ”can I tow this with that” post surfaces.

I had a 1500, bought a 5400lb TT and as soon as we had some cargo in it and people in the TV, it felt iffy
Upgraded to a 2500 gasser and no issues pulling or stopping. It feels more solid

[Tiguan Tow r]

Previously posted elsewhere on Jayco Forums:

At the risk of being dumped on, we tow a 145RB with our VW Tiguan 2 Litre (200hp turbo). It tows well although we are in southern Ontario, where the geography is reasonably flat with hills. Acceleration, braking and stability are all good. Vehicle and trailer sit level. Gas mileage while towing is 15/mpg (US gallon). We won't win any drag races when hitched up but we certainly have no problem accelerating and keeping up with traffic.

We have the Prodigy RF brake controller. It works well and eliminates having to mount the controller to the dash.

I've attached the following link as it does talk about towing with 4 cylinders. Granted the 145RB is flat front vs Airstream front:

https://rvlifemag.com/4-cylinder-tow...le-comparison/

This link talks about towing with a V6 Jeep:

https://rvlifemag.com/transmission-p...s-hitch-hints/

[doctorbob]

I am towing a 2017 Hummingbird 17RB with my V6 4.3L 195HP Chevy S10 Blazer and it is doing great. I don't expect to pass anyone going up a steep hill but with an equalizing hitch it is very stable. The vehicle is rated at 5000 lbs and the bird is 3000 unloaded. I added a Tru-Cool transmission cooler; I think this is the major failure problem with towing uphill in hot weather. We got rid of our Silverado a few years ago and if we have problems this summer towing with the Blazer we'll probably get another one.

[nighthawk87]

Originally Posted by deewaltguy

Spot on, this is the simplest, most succint, least mathy answer on this subject

You may want to paste it in whenever a ”can I tow this with that” post surfaces.



I had a 1500, bought a 5400lb TT and as soon as we had some cargo in it and people in the TV, it felt iffy

Upgraded to a 2500 gasser and no issues pulling or stopping. It feels more solid

Thanks. It really is this simple if people want it to be. The problem is many folks like to stretch the limits. I did it once upon a time so I get it, but in the end it makes little difference cost wise to upgrade one level of vehicle. Day to day comfort it does but, again, if it’s my family in the car, I don’t care. Getting their safely and in a good mode is worth it.

To many focus on what they can tow, not what they can ENJOYABLY tow. Two very different things.

[MNWild]

We towed our 2011 x 19 h with our 2005 Jeep liberty which is rated for 5000. On one of our trips back from camping went on a scale at a Kwik Trip we weight in at 4600
We never had any trouble