Help with smaller tow vehicle options

[shawndoggy]

1 hour ago, Asmodeus2112 said:

Yessir. I will just have to figure out how to manage the driveway and come up with some way to park it outside. Have a couple options brewing, but I think there is no way around the 1/2 ton crew for me. I don't like to put my money into things that depreciate, so a used truck with good resale is what I am looking for now. I'd like to keep it between 15 and 25k. I sorta hate that so many roads lead to the F-150, but will have to seriously consider that I guess. Silverado, Ram 1500. Hertz car sales has some 4x4 1/2 tons at a nice price. I just spent about 3 hours researching this segment, and holy cow there are a lot of options. Any pointers?

I went with a 14 F-150 eco because I tow at altitude but I think for you the 5.0 would be the way to go especially used. That’s all I got!  

[OhTwoBu]

18 hours ago, jjackkrash said:

Depending on year, make and model of your truck, double check the maximum hitch "carrying weight" and whether the tow rating requires a weight distribution hitch to exceed 5000 lbs.  Many older 1/2 tons and I think up until very recently (and maybe still) the F-150 limited the carrying weight in the hitch to 500 lbs. and required a weight distribution hitch to conventional tow more than 5K lbs.  I like 12 to 15% tongue weight (at least 10%) for conventional towing and assuming a 6k lbs. boat and trailer that means the hitch needs to carry more than 500 lbs.  You don't want to screw around with a weight distribution hitch and a boat and its better to stay within published hitch limits.  

^^^this. This is one reason I offloaded my F150 and got an F350 (or at least justified it in my mind).  Well, low and behold, my F350 has the same 5000 lb restriction without a WDH.  I can tow a 12k lb trailer with WDH but can't tow a 5500 lb boat trailer.  Thanks, Ford.   2005 model year.  I think this has gotten better in recent model years, though.  I reckon I need one of those Curt class V ones.

[Asmodeus2112]

4 hours ago, OhTwoBu said:

^^^this. This is one reason I offloaded my F150 and got an F350 (or at least justified it in my mind).  Well, low and behold, my F350 has the same 5000 lb restriction without a WDH.  I can tow a 12k lb trailer with WDH but can't tow a 5500 lb boat trailer.  Thanks, Ford.   2005 model year.  I think this has gotten better in recent model years, though.  I reckon I need one of those Curt class V ones.

Yeah, good point, will be looking into it. "But the website pic shows a Ranger pulling a huge boat up a mountain!"

[carguy79ta]

14 hours ago, OhTwoBu said:

^^^this. This is one reason I offloaded my F150 and got an F350 (or at least justified it in my mind).  Well, low and behold, my F350 has the same 5000 lb restriction without a WDH.  I can tow a 12k lb trailer with WDH but can't tow a 5500 lb boat trailer.  Thanks, Ford.   2005 model year.  I think this has gotten better in recent model years, though.  I reckon I need one of those Curt class V ones.

What year was your F350? Must be older? I have a 13 Ram CTD and no restrictions like that. It came with a 10k class5 reciever hitch, which is boxed for 2.5"  tube insert. My buddy's f350 has a reciever made with a 3" receiver. The new dmax..2020 will be able to tow 20k from the hitch. Wow. Whaddoya think about that @jjackkrash?? 

[oldjeep]

Most modern half tons come with class 4 hitches from the factory.  Last time I looked ford was still using class 3.  No big deal to swap it if ford is your thing. 

[jjackkrash]

9 minutes ago, carguy79ta said:

What year was your F350? Must be older? I have a 13 Ram CTD and no restrictions like that. It came with a 10k class5 reciever hitch, which is boxed for 2.5"  tube insert. My buddy's f350 has a reciever made with a 3" receiver. The new dmax..2020 will be able to tow 20k from the hitch. Wow. Whaddoya think about that @jjackkrash?? 

The new 2020 GMC's look awesome. 

My buddy's older F-250 has a 2" 5k Class 3 hitch on it.   He was pretty pissed when I told him to check the weight limit on the hitch cause it wasn't what he thought it was.

My current 2019 DRW 3500 GMC Sierra is rated to tow 20K conventionally and has a 2200lbs. carry limit on it, so I can get the full 20k on the bumper and still have more than 10% tongue weight.  A weight distributing hitch is still a good idea when things get heavy, as it shifts some of the weight back to the steer axle, but I don't like messing with a weight distributing hitch for towables that don't have the wind-resistance factor of a travel trailer, like boats or flat beds.  

[carguy79ta]

IIRC, the 2020 SRW can tow 20k from the hitch. My wife has an 18 dmax, we load tested it with a 500 lb swingset...

[RyanB]

@jjackkrash, you’re about the only person I’ve seen that is excited for the new GM trucks. The GMC might be ok looking (might be, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder). That new Chevy is hideous. 

[shawndoggy]

yes, I think what @Asmodeus2112 needs here is a one ton to replace his barely out of spec ridgeline. 

In the case of the F150 if you are super paranoid about tongue weight or trailer weight without a weight distributing hitch carrying a mid 00s vlx (something F150s of that vintage did right off the lot all the time) you could "fix" the problem with $135 and half an hour of your time https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/F-150/2013/C14002.html?vehicleID=2013308409

 

[Pnwrider]

6 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

yes, I think what @Asmodeus2112 needs here is a one ton to replace his barely out of spec ridgeline. 

You’d think some of these guys forget the f150 is the official tow vehicle of TMC. All joking aside... op you’ll be fine, don’t let the towing nazi’s here talk you into something you don’t need/want. I just went from a 3/4 ram diesel to an f150 (GASP!!!) with zero regrets and my boat is significantly heavier than yours. 

[jjackkrash]

6 hours ago, RyanB said:

@jjackkrash, you’re about the only person I’ve seen that is excited for the new GM trucks. The GMC might be ok looking (might be, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder). That new Chevy is hideous. 

I am pumped. A new 10 speed, better cooling, crazy tow specs, crazy camera system, and a whole stack of other things I think look awesome.  And I actually really like the look of the GMCs. 

[jjackkrash]

3 minutes ago, Pnwrider said:

You’d think some of these guys forget the f150 is the official tow vehicle of TMC. All joking aside... op you’ll be fine, don’t let the towing nazi’s here talk you into something you don’t need/want. I just went from a 3/4 ram diesel to an f150 (GASP!!!) with zero regrets and my boat is significantly heavier than yours. 

I personally wouldn't sweat 100-150 lbs. over on the carry weight of the hitch; but I'd also want to know the stated limit so I could judge for myself.  Also, at some point, you really do want to get more weight off the drive axle and onto the steer axle with the half tons because they can get a little loose when things get heavy.  Its more than just a hitch-limit issue with a weight distribution hitch.  

[jjackkrash]

6 hours ago, carguy79ta said:

IIRC, the 2020 SRW can tow 20k from the hitch. My wife has an 18 dmax, we load tested it with a 500 lb swingset...

The 2020 SRWs are about as capable on paper as the current DRWs.  It is crazy.   But I still am really liking the stability of the DRW.   I just hauled this up I5 this morning and the ride was so much less stressful that it would have been in my 16 2500:

 

[gregtay]

3 hours ago, jjackkrash said:

The 2020 SRWs are about as capable on paper as the current DRWs.  It is crazy.   But I still am really liking the stability of the DRW.   I just hauled this up I5 this morning and the ride was so much less stressful that it would have been in my 16 2500:

 

Haha.. I have to laugh that a thread titled "help with smaller tow vehicles" ended up with photos of a 1 ton dually :-O :-) 

[carguy79ta]

3 hours ago, jjackkrash said:

The 2020 SRWs are about as capable on paper as the current DRWs.  It is crazy.   But I still am really liking the stability of the DRW.   I just hauled this up I5 this morning and the ride was so much less stressful that it would have been in my 16 2500:

 

I towed my Dads JD 323E 9500lbs on a similar trailer as yours, yeah I can imagine a DRW is pretty stable.

1 hour ago, gregtay said:

Haha.. I have to laugh that a thread titled "help with smaller tow vehicles" ended up with photos of a 1 ton dually :-O :-) 

Funny!..wait...what????!!!

[Bozboat]

2 hours ago, gregtay said:

Haha.. I have to laugh that a thread titled "help with smaller tow vehicles" ended up with photos of a 1 ton dually :-O :-) 

Tow vehicle threads are awesome 

[Asmodeus2112]

Thanks everyone for helping. Wife and I spent the whole day at the dealerships. Looked and drove: Ranger, F-150, '19 RAM 1500, Colorado, '19 Silverado, Tacoma, Tundra. Old Jeep was dead on from the beginning, that length is the problem in the garage. So, non of the 1/2 pickups can fit. Considered parking outside options, but am back on if we can get the vehicle in the garage that would really be best. Colorado was nicer than I thought it was going to be. Still hard to pay for the mid size trucks when they have such great discounts on the 1/2 tons. The '19 RAM was awesome, btw.... Tacoma is way out. No room, hate the sitting on the floor seating. Turndra was disappointing, but it is an aging design. But, back to trying to find a tow vehicle that will fit in my garage. Depth is 246" but there is the bump at 187. Wife likes the idea of an SUV, so looking at the Germans mentioned here, plus maybe a Land Cruiser or LX 470? Gotta research. Will only put 5-8k on this vehicle a year, so maybe an older but capable SUV could work. If I go with a newer truck, I may have to give up 4wd. I really like having it there for security, but not sure how much I really need it. Anyone have an opinion on launching with a 2wd? Lot's of people do it all the time, right?

Edited June 23, 2019 by Asmodeus2112
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[Asmodeus2112]

Hmmm?

 

https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/d/austin-price-reduced-porsche-cayenne/6904845639.html

[jjackkrash]

Pull the trigger!  That is a sick car for $23k.   

[shawndoggy]

I like the idea of the cayenne but they are rav4 sized inside. Really tiny. 

[Asmodeus2112]

18 minutes ago, jjackkrash said:

Pull the trigger!  That is a sick car for $23k.   

Exactly!!!

[Asmodeus2112]

16 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

I like the idea of the cayenne but they are rav4 sized inside. Really tiny. 

I actually might be ok with that. Need to see it.

[Asmodeus2112]

https://www.boatingmag.com/luxury-towing-porsche-cayenne-turbo-s/

[jjackkrash]

German super car with over 500 HP, massive brakes, adjustable air suspension, and nearly 8K towing capacity, or not-quite-a-1/2 ton Chevy Colorado.  Hmm.  Decisions, decisions.  

Edited June 23, 2019 by jjackkrash

[Cole2001]

You only live once. Have a little fun in life.