Geo Pro / E-Pro towing in the Rockies

[SimchaSabre]

We're trying to help our daughter /SIL with their first RV purchase who live in Colorado and need towing vehicle upgrade. They're looking at models like the ePro/GeoPro with a GVWR at a little under 5,000 lbs. They plan on using it mostly for short trips, also mostly in the mountains.

They would like to stay away from full size SUV's & pickups so they're looking a smaller SUV's like the Toyota 4Runner.

So I am looking for anyone who is successfully towing (and stopping) this class of trailer with a smaller SUV like the 4Runner.

[bikendan]

The problem with what she wants, will be payload and loaded tongue weight.
Most of those trailers have heavy tongue weights, especially the single axles ones.
They often will exceed the max hitch weights of the 5000lbs towing capacity vehicles.
Only one GeoPro model would have loaded tongue weight under the 500lbs hitch max.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-geo-pro

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[JDR76]

I don't have exact/direct experience, but when I had my GeoPro G20BHS, I pulled it with a 2020 Tacoma. While it was doable, it wasn't relaxing. Going 60 on the freeway would put me in 4th gear and even slight inclines would require a downshift to 3rd just to maintain 60. I could have handled that locally, but a long drive would be extremely taxing.

[bikendan]

And the Tacoma has higher tow/tongue capacities, than a 4Runner.

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[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by bikendan

The problem with what she wants, will be payload and loaded tongue weight.
Most of those trailers have heavy tongue weights, especially the single axles ones.
They often will exceed the max hitch weights of the 5000lbs towing capacity vehicles.
Only one GeoPro model would have loaded tongue weight under the 500lbs hitch max.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/rockwood-geo-pro

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I'm not part of the weight police, but I am the hitch police. This is something everyone overlooks, even more than whats the payload of the vehicle (I'm guessing at this).

Most vehicles (that I've seen) that are not trucks, or full sized SUV's the hitch is always limited to 10% of the tow capacity. So lots of 5000/500 or 5500/550 combos out there. And many/most of these smaller vehicles are uni-body construction and cannot use weight distributing hitches.

Since there really is nothing you can do to improve hitch capacity, I would look for vehicles that have 750lbs or more rated hitch. Thats going to narrow the field down to only a couple I would imagine.

Jim M.

[MillMitch]

Dodge Durango. Best towing in the mid-size SUV class in my opinion. 7200/720 w/ AWD 5.7L w/ tow package. Couple pointers: make absolutely sure that the vehicle is OEM equipped with a tow package (tow capability difference is huge w/o it). Check VIN, build sheet or window sticker to verify because you can't tell by looking. If she's looking at 2023 Durangos, never mind because all the 5.7L models are rated at the 7200lbs for AWD. Make sure to get the WDH dialed in when the TT is loaded. Dealer setup was fine w/ the empty TT, but I've adjusted ours 2x since purchase and getting the WDH dialed in makes a huge difference towing. As noted above, Payload 'could' be an issue depending on other variables. 3 teenage boys? You have to watch what you put in the Durango. We tow a heavier TT with ours (roughly 6300lbs loaded), BUT it's only the wife and I, we put < 200lbs stuff in D and everything else goes in TT, we travel with empty tanks, we live in MN (limited elevations), and I run over CAT scale every summer to keep an eye on my rear axle weight (I'm 80lbs under max). I would have no qualms towing a 5000lb GVW TT in the Rockies with a Durango w/ an eye on keeping the weight minimized.
Good luck and enjoy.

[jimmarako]

Are Durangos rated for WDH? It looks like they are uni-body designs.

Jim M.

[MillMitch]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

Are Durangos rated for WDH? It looks like they are uni-body designs.

Jim M.

I can't speak to the unibody question, but yes, they are required for anything over 3500lbs per the manual.

[MillMitch]

And if you are looking at 2023 Durango's, all the AWD 5.7L models have a 720/7200 hitch/tow capacity. You can get a 5.7L Durango RT w/ a tow n go package that bumps the numbers up to 870/8700. Those are the same as the Durango SRT that comes equipped with the 6.4L engine.

[RedRoverComeOver]

My 7,200/720 lb. Jeep has done well the last couple of seasons on the east coast. Have only gone through through the Appalachians on several occasions with no issues. Tongue weight is typically hovering around 700 lb.

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by SimchaSabre

We're trying to help our daughter /SIL with their first RV purchase who live in Colorado and need towing vehicle upgrade. They're looking at models like the ePro/GeoPro with a GVWR at a little under 5,000 lbs. They plan on using it mostly for short trips, also mostly in the mountains.

They would like to stay away from full size SUV's & pickups so they're looking a smaller SUV's like the Toyota 4Runner.

So I am looking for anyone who is successfully towing (and stopping) this class of trailer with a smaller SUV like the 4Runner.

If the GVWR is close to 5K lbs they're looking at the size 19. A friend pulls his here in Colorado with a Tacoma and his truck struggles at times with the combination of high altitude and mountain terrain.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

Are Durangos rated for WDH? It looks like they are uni-body designs.

Jim M.

Just because a vehicle is unibody does not mean a WDH is unacceptable. In the past 20 years, as most vehicles have become unibody, the engineering of the unibody in a vehicle meant to tow accounts for a WDH. Toyota even requires a WDH on some unibody models as tongue/trailer weights become significant (2020 Sienna minivan required WDH for trailers over 2200lbs, 3500lb tow capacity).

The problem nowadays is the auto-adjusting and leveling suspensions may interfere with a WDH doing its job. You have to read carefully through the owner's manual.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame (with E2 600/6000 WDH)
2022 Hyundai Palisade

[JDR76]

My in-laws tow their trailer (Gulfstream Vintage Cruiser 19ERD I think) with their 3.6L V6 Durango (it's a 2017 or 2018). They've gone cross country with it and have really enjoyed it. They've had no issues using a WDH on it.

[cherokeebill]

Originally Posted by SimchaSabre

We're trying to help our daughter /SIL with their first RV purchase who live in Colorado and need towing vehicle upgrade. They're looking at models like the ePro/GeoPro with a GVWR at a little under 5,000 lbs. They plan on using it mostly for short trips, also mostly in the mountains.

They would like to stay away from full size SUV's & pickups so they're looking a smaller SUV's like the Toyota 4Runner.

So I am looking for anyone who is successfully towing (and stopping) this class of trailer with a smaller SUV like the 4Runner.

We have a E-pro 19fd. Our past TV was a Jeep Cherokee with the V6. It towed the trailer just fine. Last year we traded it in on a Ford Explorer with the 2.3 ecoboost. The Jeep was fine but the Explorer is a better tow machine.



BTW we use a WDH with sway control. Zero issues with over 30,000 kms of towing.

[fanrgs]

The best advice I can give you, based on 60 years of living in Colorado, is don't try to tow even a 5,000# travel trailer in Colorado without a turbocharged engine. The reason--our high elevations. The Air Corps quickly learned in WWII that superchargers and/or turbochargers were absolutely required for any piston-engine plane that needed to fly at high altitudes. A non-turbo engine loses 3% of its power per 1,000' of altitude, while a turbo engine loses less than 1%. That means a 4Runner or Durango will lose 33% of its power (and towing ability) going through the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, over Berthoud Pass on US 40, Monarch Pass on US 50, and Wolf Creek Pass on US 160. In other words, they can't go to the Western Slope mountains from Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Ft. Collins, or any other Eastern Slope town without going to elevations over 11,000'.

So, they really need to be looking at Fords with the Ecoboost twin-turbo (F-150, Transit van, Explorer, etc.), M-B Sprinter van, Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon turbo, Ram 1500 Ecodiesel, 2023 Toyota Tundra (only year), and maybe a few others. I towed our first travel trailer with a non-turbo, 4wd truck and hated it every time we went west from our house. When we sold that trailer and bought a fifth wheel, we also sold the truck and bought a Ram 2500 turbodiesel. We loved it, not only going up the passes, but also going down them using the diesel exhaust brake. That truck was the best RV investment we have ever made!

[cfrudolphy]

As stated above that is our rig and tow vehicle. We live in Texas just north of Houston. Last fall we took a two week trip from our home to Colorado Springs and back. We had no issues during that trip pulling our trailer anywhere.

I should note that we use an R3 WD hitch. The Ranger is an FX4 and came with the factory option HD towing kit and we added the Ford electric trailer brake controller to the truck.

Trailer scale weight fully loaded was prox 3,800lbs. We averaged about 10mpg pulling the trailer. The steepest incline we drove was in and out of Palo Duro Canyon. Winding two lane asphalt with as much as 6% grade (as displayed on the trucks dash as part of its off road management system). We had no issues. During the rest of the trip we had no issues maintaining 55 to 65 mph. On inclines the trans rarely shifted below 7 th gear.

I can't speak to another vehicle but we love our Ranger and our ePro. We have been to more than 15 State parks since we got our trailer (Jan 2022). Most within 200 miles of home, again no issues with our setup. We are in the planning stages of a prox 2,800 mile journey this summer that will take us through 5 states and my experience to date says I will have no cause for concern towing our rig

Happy trails to your daughter and son-in-law.

[SimchaSabre]

Based on her expanded research including some of the comments offered here, my daughter has now decided to go in the 1/2 ton pickups directions.

Thanks to all for your helpful contributions.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by SimchaSabre

Based on her expanded research including some of the comments offered here, my daughter has now decided to go in the 1/2 ton pickups directions.



Thanks to all for your helpful contributions.

Good decision!

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