Georgetown Towing question

[JLud]

As I just got my new 364TS, I traded in my truck on it. Need another vehicle and wanted to ask some GT users their thoughts as I would prefer to get a vehicle that gives me the option of towing it.

First, the Ford F53 manual for my 22k GVW unit states 4,000 pound tow rating. The hitch on the back has a 5,000 pound label on it...in my mind BAD idea for a manufacturer to put a 5k hitch on a 4k capable frame, sounds like something waiting to happen.

Either way, I have chosen to use 5k as my limit. My biggest other limitation is that the vehicle must seat 6 people...no easy task under 4k but much easier under 5k.

There are very limited vehicles that can hold 6 people and be towed 4 down, Suzuki XL7 is the only one that I have found that meets weight requirements, 2006 and older only. I hate to buy a vehicle that old with 100k plus miles on it then spend 2-3k to set it up for a tow. Any other 4 down vehicles I am missing? It seems the newer the model the more restrictions the manufacturers put on and don't want you to tow.

Other option I have looked at for dolly tow was a Mazda 5 as its only about 3600 pounds and a 500 pound dolly would keep it nice and light. Plus if I change vehicles I still have the dolly.

Any other vehicles out there I am missing? I need to get something quickly that will be my daily driver but also hopefully gives me the option to tow it when I am ready to do that.

Thanks in advance!

[toolman_57]

Honda Pilot? Anyone Towing a 2012 Honda Pilot - iRV2 Forums

[AquaMan]

My buddy pulls a Dodge ram quad cab 4x4 with his 364. It is just a tad over the 5k mark, but pulls fine, and we can actually get 4 adults and 3 little girls in it. I went the tow dolly route with my daughter's Civic. Have yet to pull it with the car on, but the dolly is only around 350lbs and has disc surge brakes.

[JLud]

Honda Pilot...I did consider that one but believe it has to be 2005 or older, something like that to tow.

Which tow dolly did you go with if I may ask?

[georgew48]

What about a mini van of some sort if you are going to use a dolly. Not sure what they weigh but I would think not as much as a full size crew cab pickup. I love the 364 just wish they would have put it on the 24 K chassis. The main reason we went with the XL 377 was because it has 6,000 pound towing capacity but is limited to 5k because if the hitch. Just the opposite of your problem. Hitch is the limiting factor on mine. Not a problem towing the Jeep Rubicon unlimited. Good luck with you decision.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by JLud

Honda Pilot...I did consider that one but believe it has to be 2005 or older, something like that to tow.

Which tow dolly did you go with if I may ask?

I got the Acme tow dolly with the surge brakes. My buddy's Ram is a 2014.

[ohiobill]

We tow a 2011 Chev HHR behind our GT. Easy to set up to tow.

[Phil57]

The Chevy Traverse is 7 passengers and under 5000#

[toolman_57]

Here's my set-up. In this configuration I've logged over 8,000 miles. Dolly is from Landgrebe Mfg. Bike is a BMW K1600GTL. To reduce tongue weight, the spare tire, loading ramps, and hard cases for the bike are carried up front. Did this with no chassis mods--am considering the CHF and some rear airbag boosters. Biggest scare so far is crossing the Mojave with 50 mph crosswind gusts.

[JLud]

That's a setup! Good to know the world won't end if I go over 4K weight and don't tow something with 4 wheels down.

I'm not sure I'm ready to be a minivan guy yet though....sure practical and within limits though.

[sherman12]

Tow the wife's RAV4 on a Master Tow dolly and you hardly know its back there! Stinks though is most vehicles now have bucket seats up front so you need to go with some kind of SUV front wheel drive for the dolly or 4WD, heavier, if it has a manual transfer case to put into neutral.

[JLud]

Buick Terraza work? Fwd...seems to be equipped nice with leather and did for reasonably cheap? Can get a loaded one of those for less than 04 Odyssey base model.

Town and country? I know nothing of minivans and wife said Mazda 5 too small

[revflyer]

I've been towing a 2015 2w FWD Ford Explorer over 10000 miles with no issues other then making sure not to run the battery down. It weighs in at 4400 # and can seat 6.

[mogman]

2003 4x4 Dodge Dakota w 4 doors works well for us. Seats six and with the box in the bed I can stow all the towing gear and lock it out of sight. Same vehicle up to 2011 is towable.

[Starboard]

Skip the dolly, tow with 5 wheels down and save 1000lb in the process. Many jeeps allow 4wheel down towing as well as many others.

[ResQfrog]

If I am not mistaken the reason for the 4000 lb towing limit, is to keep you under the 26,000 GVWR. 22,000 for coach and 4,000 tow = 26,000 lbs. Over 26,000 could require a step up in your drivers license.


The biggest worry I have with our Coachmen is the frame extensions that were added to the rear of the frame to get the overall length they wanted. Some of the welding doesn't look the greatest. Most hitches have a little bit of extra capacity built in.

[wahoonc]

Two different things when you are talking vehicle capacity versus hitch capacity.
If you read the documentation vehicle capacity always trumps hitch capacity.

Hitches come in various classes based on their ratings. Ranging from Class I-V, 2,000#-20,000#

FWIW I have a Ford Focus with a Class I hitch on it, the hitch is rated to 2,000 pounds, the Focus is not rated for towing. In this particular case the hitch was put on for a bicycle rack.

Aaron

[Carmen]

Originally Posted by ResQfrog

If I am not mistaken the reason for the 4000 lb towing limit, is to keep you under the 26,000 GVWR. 22,000 for coach and 4,000 tow = 26,000 lbs. Over 26,000 could require a step up in your drivers license.


The biggest worry I have with our Coachmen is the frame extensions that were added to the rear of the frame to get the overall length they wanted. Some of the welding doesn't look the greatest. Most hitches have a little bit of extra capacity built in.

the limit is indeed to keep you under the GCWR, if you go over the 4000 on the towed vehicle, you are still within range if you are under the 26000 GCWR, the coach if not heavily loaded should be well under the 22000 GVWR. Over 26000 does require a different license class but would not allow you to exceed the GCWR of the motorhome

[JLud]

Wife's vehicle is 14 F150 super crew...I just now see the 16 aluminum f150 is under or close to 5,000 pounds.....and apparently flat towable! I see an upgrade in her future to a new 2.7 ecoboost....will an f150 accumulate miles if flat towed? Lease....

[georgew48]

A lot of folks confusing weight terminology. GVWR is the gross vehicle weight rating and is the chassis rating
. I.E 22K, 24K, 26K. The 364 is on a 22K chassis. The most it can weigh by it's self is 22,000 pounds. This includes the basic weight of the coach and everything you put in it. For example if the 364 weights 19,000 empty then you could load 3,000 pounds of people, water food and other stuff.

The next figure is the Gross Combined Vehicle Rating or GCVWR. For the 22K chassis this figure is 26,000 pounds. For those on a 24K or 26K chassis this figure is 30,000 pounds.

So if you have a 364 and the vehicle weighs for example 21,000 pounds with everything and everyone loaded ready to travel then it would leave you 5,000 pounds for a toad vehicle. In this case you would not exceed the 22K for the Chassis or the 26K GCVWR.

As far a special license go. It is based on the Chassis rating not the Combined rating. One you cross over the 26K chassis rating the you enter this world. The largest gas chassis ford build is the 26K chassis.

Hope this helps.