Tow Vehicle Preferences for more than 5K lbs

[BigLew]

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.

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

[DonV]

Yep....very simple.

"Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory"

[77SceptreOB]

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

[McGillicuddy]

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.


Any thoughts on this?

[strick]

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.

strick

[Islandtrader]

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

[Fr. Frank]

Only thing about the 7.3 is they like to guzzle the fuel.
strick

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.

[floorboy]

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.

[strick]

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

[ricknewman]

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.