Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

It's like this.... ;)
If you take care of it, It will take care of you!!

I have owned over the course of my driving time,
Chevy 3/4 ton Suburbans, Jeep Grand Wagoneers,
K5 Chevy Blazers, Ford F150's, Dodge Ram Chargers &
Dodge Pick-up's...
They have all served me well!!!! :)

Just pick which one you like and take care of it...

Merry Christmas, Ken

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Like you took care of that Caddy over Thanksgiving? :D :D :D Merry Christmas everyone!

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Nobones - That caddy (if equipped with tow package) had a 7000lb tow rating and a posi rear end!!!

http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/...wood-brougham/

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y27...adillac007.jpg

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Tim,

You forgot the Corinthian Leather interior.. :eek: [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] ;)

Ho ho ho, Ken

PS: Stay tuned for the Christmas Day Massacre coming
to a station near you!!

BTW: Those two goons in the pic are not me...
Just two of my deranged friends.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

hey ken how about a video this time!!!!

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Hummmm......I thought these models were front wheel drive. :D

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Transverse Northstar

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

i have a 99 f159 4x4 5.4 triton that is rared for 7700# tow rate. i tow a 23ft grady,and a 27 ft camper with no problems.
some of our ramps in connecticut are less than desirable condition

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

my "little" tow truck has towed everything i've tried but used to tow my 20' 1969 chritchfield with a 79 jeep cj-7 it also towed a 23' formula but didn't like stopping it without trailer brakes but would pull it no problem bottom line a well balanced trailer can be pulled with a mini it's all about stopping


http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture129.jpg http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/t...Picture402.jpg

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Absolutely true!!! Much more important to be able to stop than to go!!

Like with an aircraft: If you're down on the ground, you don't have to go up; but if you do go up, you do also have to come down.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Or put another way. Once in the air, a plane is going to come down one way or another!

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Yep....very simple.

"Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory"

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Stability at speed is also important. Longer wheelbase the better. Lower is better than higher too, COG.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

What about this?
2WD '00 Excursion 7.3 PSD 157K mi., factory tow pkg, auto., leather, power everything, $9k. I couldn't find axle gears on door tag... I'm guessin 3.73... Only problem according to owner was that the OD light had stuck once and was fixed at dealer... Couldn't determine trans. model either... My understanding is that Fords trannys have been poorly matched over the years.
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/...cursion008.jpg

Any thoughts on this?

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Engine is bullet proof as long as it has been taken care of. I blew my tranny at about 180K and was not even mad about it. I had heard that they blow tranny's and I was expecting it a lot sooner than that. My truck mechanic installed a rebuilt ford tranny for just under 3K. has a 2-3 year guarantee cant remember exactly. Only thing about the 7.3 is they like to guzzle the fuel. My Dodge sips it like a fine wine. I'm at 285K on the ford right now and still going strong...knock on wood. :D

strick

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Does it have Posi? I think with out that you will be at the mercy of slippery ramps.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Don't believe that, Gillie. I get almost 18 mpg with my 7.3L F250 Crew 2wd. On the highway I can push that to over 20 mpg. I used to get 18.3 combined and 21 hwy before I suffered erosion on my injectors from bad fuel.

2 weeks ago, I put a 14' Aluminum boat on the rack over my roof, loaded about 1500 lbs of books into my bed, and pulled my 1100# diesel generator from the old house in Crystal River to the new house 354 miles away and got 18.8 mpg on that trip, loaded and towing. (granted, I was traveling at 60 mph, not 75)

Oh yeah, all the 3/4 and 1 ton rear ends on the F250/350/Excursions that are 3.73 or 4.10 gearing are limited slip diffs. But they're Ford limited slip, not Dana, which for whatever reason don't work as well as a Dana. But still better than an open diff.

Airing down my rear tires to 25 lbs, I pulled a 30' SeaRay (7800 lbs) up a ramp with no hesitation a couple of years ago doown in the Keys. Owner had a Dodge dually with a Cummins with a bad fuel pump.

Ford will get the job done.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

I have very seldom ever needed to use my 4wd to get out of a ramp with my f350 pulling my sceptre. Mine is a one wheel wonder, I am well over 10,000 lbs without the boat though. You wouldnt even notice a boat behing that thing going down the road. Put a tuner in it, you will be impressed with the performance. I get about the same milage the Frank with a superchip. Maybe a little less with the boat and the humongo top on it.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

I have a F350 4x4 so it will get a little less then the 3/4 ton 2wd. 18-20 mpg are good day/optimistic numbers for the 7.3 but they are the norm/bad day numbers for the Cummings. I'm on my 3rd Ford and 3rd Dodge diesel right now. The dodges have always sipped fuel when compared to the Fords....both are great rigs.

I have a super chip in my F350 and it improved mileage maybe by 1-2 mpg but the truck shifts a lot better now and has more power. I would hate to put a super chip in my 06 Dodge mega cab as that truck is a rocket already.

strick

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Do any of you guys have any experience with Toyota's Tacoma. With tow package the v-6 is rated at 6500 lbs. When my Suburban dies I'm thinking about it.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

The Tacoma might do a 20' but not a good choice for the 23'. Can you say Tundra?

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

I get better fuel economy all around with my '07 Dodge 5.9 CTD than a friend does with his Tundra.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

My neighbor just bought a Tundra. He finally got tired of problems he was having with his 2003 powerstroke. Not getting very good gas mileage with it (Tundra) at all. The Tundras have a very aggressive hole shot...so much that if you look around at the used ones on the market you will notice that some of them have front bumper damage. :D

strick

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

FWIW

I was reponding to the question of the Tocoma towing a Seacraft. I checked the Toyota specs and the Tundra has a towing range of 6200 - 10k+ pound towing range, depending on the engine set up. Personaly, I get 25 to 27 Hwy MPG from one of their V-8 sedans- not a truck.

For the Toyota customer who wants to tow in that range of weight, he has very few Toyota options. I am not aware of a Toyota diesel powered vehicle.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

They make 'em, but don't sell 'em in the North American market. You can buy a 1-ton Toyota Hilux diesel crew cab in Australia or Central America. It comes with a 3 liter "Electronic Direct Injection (EDI) turbo diesel with 126kW of power (and a thumping 343Nm torque!)". It also is available with a "Fording Kit", allowing it to cross rivers and streams up to 1.5 meters deep.

The good news is that they ARE importable.

Same options are available on the Landcruiser 70 series.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Ok I'll ask ...... how many horses and torque is that

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

approximate;y 255 ft lbs torque, 175 Bhp

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

I'll stick with the Dodge 5.9 w/325, 610, and 23 mpg hwy.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Gillie - For real short money you can get a decent older 2wd tow vehicle in CA. There are tons of rust free craigslist deals.

I got my 1995 Buick Roadmaster wagon out in SF in 2007 with a tow package for $2200 and it's still running good. It's got the same 4l60E tranny, same 260hp 5.7L 350 v8 motor, same 8.5" 10 bolt rear end (except for gears 2.93 vs 3.42 . . . roadmaster has smaller tires), same posi rear end, same size brakes, as a 1999 1500 2wd suburban or 1/2 ton 1500 Silverado Pickup. If you beef up the suspension (el cheapo air bags and/or sensatrac rear adjustable shocks) to get the rear end up it'll tow the 21 easy. I'm swapping to a 3.73 this year for the 23. Curb Weight of the estate wagon is 4452 . . . 1500 Silverado Extended cab short bed is 4235.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

Gillie - you can also pickup Vans E350 or E250 pretty cheap.

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs
 

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/2205475291.html

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac...211385603.html

Re: Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs