Picking up Boat for cross country tow

[Dirtysidedown]

Picking up a 2021 24 MXZ next week in Austin, TX heading to NC.  Had planned to have it shipped, but with the holiday's and scheduling, it's not gonna work out.  So doing it myself.

I'm going to fly out and drive it home, it's about 1100 miles on I20/I85. I have both a 1/2 ton truck and an Expedition reserved.  As you know, it's hard to know exactly what you are getting with a rental, until they had you the keys.  When I flew out the 1st time to look at the boat, it appeared, Hertz, the company that has 1 way truck rentals, has Ram and Chevy 1500s with the 5.7/5.3 and the Expedition has the 3.5 eco boost(I have a Max Tow 3.5 Ecoboost myself, so I'm familiar).  I'm pretty confident those are the models I'll have to choose from.

 

Just looking for input really on if I should go with a Truck or the Expedition.  1100 miles, day and a half drive.  Truck saves about $250, but not really a factor in the decision.  Looking for ease and no white knuckles.  Don't want the tail wagging the dog all the way home.  Had that last summer when we rented a travel trailer that was too big for our F150.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Dirtysidedown

[oldjeep]

Do any of them actually have a proper class 4 hitch on them?  Most rental companies specifically forbid towing and the vehicle typically won't have an upgraded hitch if it has one at all.

[Dirtysidedown]

Yes, they have proper hitches, it's not just a hole for a ball on the bumper. Verified when I was out last month. You are correct, you are not supposed to tow, but......that's gotta happen

[oldjeep]

15 minutes ago, Dirtysidedown said:

Yes, they have proper hitches, it's not just a hole for a ball on the bumper. Verified when I was out last month. You are correct, you are not supposed to tow, but......that's gotta happen

Proper hitch as in class 3 or 4.  That boat is way over the limits of a class 3.  In general ford tends to use a class 3 on 1/2 ton vehicles

Edited December 17, 2021 by oldjeep

[Dirtysidedown]

4

[RyanB]

I use a 2019 ExpeditionMAX as a sometimes tow vehicle for my 2014 23LSV.  If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you need WDH.

As far as a tow vehicle, the Ex does a pretty good job.  Much more stable than the YukonXL it replaced, but you still feel a little wiggle at highway speeds.  My biggest issues are temps when towing through the mountains, but you won't have that in your route.

To answer your question, I would assume that the 1500 would be a better tow vehicle, but the Ex is adequate.

[Dirtysidedown]

Thanks

[hethj7]

I had an F150 and my wife has a 2015 Expedition XL.  Not the new style, but both got the job done but the truck always felt more comfortable for me.  This was towing a 2016 23LSV and 2019 25LSV. The tow with the Expy (with my family in it) and the 25LSV is what convinced me I finally needed to get a 3/4.  In your situation I would go with the truck.  

[granddaddy55]

just pulled an RI 230 with my 2.7 xlt 500+ miles,  you will be fine with either,  7000 lbs with boat, boat gas, and trailer plus 2 adults in truck

[Stevo]

Tow’d a 25-lsv on 3axle trailer from Dallas to Knoxville with a Yukon Denali with the 6.2, motor towed fine, MPG was rough , but the boat was doing the driving from time to time. 

it was a little scary from time to time, but either of your two options will be fine.

[Cole2001]

You guys must not have mountains there’s no way I would tow an ri230 with a 2.7. I don’t even use my 3.5 on the mountains. 

[pauley71]

18 hours ago, RyanB said:

If you are a "by the numbers" guy, you need WDH.

 

Can you even use a WDH with a swing away tongue?  Seems like a lot of stress on that joint.

[Cole2001]

Also not supposed to use a WDH with surge breaks 

[oldjeep]

1 minute ago, Cole2001 said:

Also not supposed to use a WDH with surge breaks 

There are versions specifically designed for surge brakes.

[SurfNAZ]

@Dirtysidedown Let us know how it works out.  I have to move my T250 from Arizona to Minnesota in the spring, and I am debating whether to rent a truck or drive mine back and forth.  Enterprise rents 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, but I don’t know if they are eligible for different pick up and drop off locations.

Also, I have towed my T250 with my 2014 F-150 with 3.5 Ecoboost, and it towed fine for what it’s worth.  Yes a heavier duty truck tows better (my old F-350 does great), but I don’t think it will be white knuckle driving with an F-150 as long as you drive smart and safe.  Keep in mind that to keep engine coolant temperatures down while going up hills, you will need to manually downshift and keep the RPMs up on the Ecoboost trucks.

[granddaddy55]

8 hours ago, Cole2001 said:

You guys must not have mountains there’s no way I would tow an ri230 with a 2.7. I don’t even use my 3.5 on the mountains. 

dallas to NO is pretty low elevation 

[granddaddy55]

7 hours ago, SurfNAZ said:

@Dirtysidedown Let us know how it works out.  I have to move my T250 from Arizona to Minnesota in the spring, and I am debating whether to rent a truck or drive mine back and forth.  Enterprise rents 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, but I don’t know if they are eligible for different pick up and drop off locations.

Also, I have towed my T250 with my 2014 F-150 with 3.5 Ecoboost, and it towed fine for what it’s worth.  Yes a heavier duty truck tows better (my old F-350 does great), but I don’t think it will be white knuckle driving with an F-150 as long as you drive smart and safe.  Keep in mind that to keep engine coolant temperatures down while going up hills, you will need to manually downshift and keep the RPMs up on the Ecoboost trucks.

i think the enterprise trucks which are awesome can’t do one way.  loved the king ranch 250 i rented and towed my previous boat with it.  

[dalt1]

I tow my 2018 LSV 23  @ 7,000lb+ with my 18 year old Nissan Titan and at times with new Nissan Armada, the truck does it better. Tail wagging the dog is not a good feeling. My truck does not have that issue.

Edited December 19, 2021 by dalt1

[jjackkrash]

Truck.  I would not want to do it with a 1/2 ton that I was not sure about but I'm sure I'd still do it if I were in your shoes and needed to get the boat home.  But consider keeping the speed slower than you'd like.  There's a big difference between 60 and 70/75 when you are towing heavy.   Especially on sweeping downhills when the boat really wants to push you around.  

[Dirtysidedown]

Gonna do the truck.  Pick it up tomorrow 🤞.  We'll see how it goes

[bcoppess23]

36 minutes ago, Dirtysidedown said:

Gonna do the truck.  Pick it up tomorrow 🤞.  We'll see how it goes

What is your plan B if the rental doesn't have a hitch?  In my experience, which I frequently am renting, the trucks do not have hitches from Hertz, National, Enterprise, etc on their vehicles from the airport rentals...  Wish you the best and be sure to share pictures of the setup!

[Steve B.]

Uhaul and Enterprise gladly include the hitch. Well, at least my local ones. Not sure about airport pickups though.

Steve B.

[Dirtysidedown]

THE PLOT thickens.......sitting in traffic on the way home today, I look over and see a Enterprise Truck Rental location and a lot full of Ram 2500 Cummins and F350 Duallys.  Now I've tried calling their national truck rental center the last week and get stone walled, saying no one ways...But I'm desperate and pull in to talk to someone face to face.  The girl at the counter says they do one ways a fair bit and she could do one right now.   Problem is I'm in NC not TX.  I ask if she can call and set me up one in Austin for tomorrow.......hold on she says.......10 minutes later I have a 1 ton F350 Dually Powerstroke reserved $530 total +$0.39/mile over 600 miles, (2 day rental, 1 way fee, 600 miles included(300 miles/day included)).

I will have to take a 10 minute Uber from the Airport to the off site Enterprise Truck spot, but can drop back at the Charlotte Airport where my personal truck is.

 

I was at the airport 3 weeks ago when I was looking at the boat.  I went and wandered around the Hertz lot. Every one of their Trucks where either Silverado 1500s or Ram 1500s and they all had receivers. They had at least 11 trucks at the time.

The back up plan was the Expedition.

Granted my luck tomorrow they would have been out, and try to give me a Chevy Colorado or Ford Ranger, LOL.

 

This Enterprise thing just absolutely fell in my lap, and I had been trying numerous times the last 2 weeks to do exactly this, but the call center was getting in the way.

If you don't like what Mom says, just ask Dad I guess.  Better to be lucky than good some times.

Stress level just fell to a -10.  Trip is gonna be enjoyable now!!

Edited December 20, 2021 by Dirtysidedown

[jjackkrash]

On 12/20/2021 at 12:57 PM, Dirtysidedown said:

I ask if she can call and set me up one in Austin for tomorrow.......hold on she says.......10 minutes later I have a 1 ton F350 Dually Powerstroke reserved $530 total +$0.39/mile over 600 miles, (2 day rental, 1 way fee, 600 miles included(300 miles/day included)).

This bit of good luck is probably gonna cost you $80 grand.   The good news is its a Ford so maybe you won't be as temped to run out and buy one once you experience the awesomeness of a modern DRW Diesel.    

Edited December 21, 2021 by jjackkrash

[Bozboat]

4 hours ago, Dirtysidedown said:

THE PLOT thickens.......sitting in traffic on the way home today, I look over and see a Enterprise Truck Rental location and a lot full of Ram 2500 Cummins and F350 Duallys.  Now I've tried calling their national truck rental center the last week and get stone walled, saying no one ways...But I'm desperate and pull in to talk to someone face to face.  The girl at the counter says they do one ways a fair bit and she could do one right now.   Problem is I'm in NC not TX.  I ask if she can call and set me up one in Austin for tomorrow.......hold on she says.......10 minutes later I have a 1 ton F350 Dually Powerstroke reserved $530 total +$0.39/mile over 600 miles, (2 day rental, 1 way fee, 600 miles included(300 miles/day included)).

I will have to take a 10 minute Uber from the Airport to the off site Enterprise Truck spot, but can drop back at the Charlotte Airport where my personal truck is.

 

I was at the airport 3 weeks ago when I was looking at the boat.  I went and wandered around the Hertz lot. Every one of their Trucks where either Silverado 1500s or Ram 1500s and they all had receivers. They had at least 11 trucks at the time.

The back up plan was the Expedition.

Granted my luck tomorrow they would have been out, and try to give me a Chevy Colorado or Ford Ranger, LOL.

 

This Enterprise thing just absolutely fell in my lap, and I had been trying numerous times the last 2 weeks to do exactly this, but the call center was getting in the way.

If you don't like what Mom says, just ask Dad I guess.  Better to be lucky than good some times.

Stress level just fell to a -10.  Trip is gonna be enjoyable now!!

Ok, post some photos of the boat and rental truck and trip