We've got the fever for a 23IKSS

[deartruc]

For me, a pickup doesn't fit my everyday driving need. (Though I almost pulled the trigger last thursday on a 2016 laramie limited, 5.7 and 3.92 rear). My Durango hasn't had any issues pulling the htt's we've owned. Only issue is old man winter licks it like a lollipop. The new Excursions only come with the eco boost (which is supposed to do fine). According to the Detroit auto show, the 2017 Armada is supposed to tow the most, but specs for that doesn't come out until summer.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by deartruc

The new Excursions only come with the eco boost (which is supposed to do fine).

I think you meant Expeditions, not Excursions, which have been out of production for years.

[jking46]

First of all, congratulations on your choice of campers. We have an early 2015 and for us, it has been a great unit. Before we bought it, I did the same thing you are doing. What am I going to tow this beast with? Our Durango or Dakota would pull the popup just fine, but neither had the guts to deal with a 5000 lb dry camper.
I did a lot of reading and research. Determined a properly equipped half ton would do the job just fine. Trailer tow, v8,4 doors minimum requirements.
Then on to the test drive stage. Drove examples of most brands available. Didn't drive a Nissan because of reliability issues. For whatever reason, I couldn't sit comfortably in the Ford. Couldn't get a good deal on a Chevy. So I bought a Ram. Very happy with decision. Best ride in the half ton class.
You pay the price for the great ride by having a slightly reduced payload number. Everything is a compromise. However, by watching how much we load in the truck, and loading the camper slightly heavier, everything's good. Hemi 5.7 is a monster motor and more than enough for pulling an ik.
Conclusion? Any newer half ton, PROPERLY EQUIPPED, will do the job for you. No base model v6 please. Just get the one that you like. Check the weight and towing limits on the sticker on the door. If the ik falls under those limits, you're good to go. Good luck.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Sienna

New to the forum, live in north Dallas and love to camp and travel. Recent repairs brought us into our favorite RV dealer where we browsed the inventory,

stepped into a Shamrock 23IKSS and fell in love. Still have our pop up but beginning research for tow vehicle needed in order to make the step up to hybrid. We currently have a Honda Odyssey van pulling our beloved Starcraft. So we welcome any advice and suggestions for what to purchase and look for in our next tow vehicle.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you need more Cow Bell.... 🤔


2016 F350 SCREW SB 6.7 PS Diesel
2015 FR Rockwood Roo 23IKSS

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Welcome to FRF!

Yep, the 23IKSS is currently the heaviest hybrid on the market.

You're going to need, at minimum, something with a v -8 or an Ecoboost v-6.

The vehicle's payload capacity is just as important as towing capacity.

I leased a 2014 F150 SCREW SB EB 3.5 with max tow, did great but suspension is soft so at lease end turned it in and bought a 2016 F350 6.7 PS SCREW SB, F350 hardly knows the Roo is back there toes very nice


2016 F350 SCREW SB 6.7 PS Diesel
2015 FR Rockwood Roo 23IKSS

[Manion]

We have a 2015 Shamrock 23IKSS. We absolutely love it. It is an awesome floor plan. We have had no issues with it whatsoever.
You have read from others that it is a heavy hybrid. You will definitely need a different tow vehicle. Since you said that this would be a spare vehicle, I am assuming that it would not be driven regularly.
You might consider looking for a used 3/4ton diesel. You may certainly find a 1/2 ton that is properly equipped to tow the IKSS, but you will need to do your homework. There are many good used 3/4 ton diesels in the north Texas area, and any one of them will be more than adequate.
I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 with the Duramax. It pulls my Hybrid effortlessly and i see about 13.5 mpg's towing and 18 or so empty on the highway. I have had no maintenance issues with my Chevrolet.
I have friends that swear by their Dodge trucks. The 5.9 liter Cummins, made until 2007 is an excellent choice as well. I am partial to the Allison transmission in my Chevy.

Just a few options to consider.

Happy hunting.


2015 Shamrock 23IKSS
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Manion

We have a 2015 Shamrock 23IKSS. We absolutely love it. It is an awesome floor plan. We have had no issues with it whatsoever.
You have read from others that it is a heavy hybrid. You will definitely need a different tow vehicle. Since you said that this would be a spare vehicle, I am assuming that it would not be driven regularly.
You might consider looking for a used 3/4ton diesel. You may certainly find a 1/2 ton that is properly equipped to tow the IKSS, but you will need to do your homework. There are many good used 3/4 ton diesels in the north Texas area, and any one of them will be more than adequate.
I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 with the Duramax. It pulls my Hybrid effortlessly and i see about 13.5 mpg's towing and 18 or so empty on the highway. I have had no maintenance issues with my Chevrolet.
I have friends that swear by their Dodge trucks. The 5.9 liter Cummins, made until 2007 is an excellent choice as well. I am partial to the Allison transmission in my Chevy.

Just a few options to consider.

Happy hunting. Attachment 107714


2015 Shamrock 23IKSS
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

What WDH are you using? Just curious


2016 F350 SCREW SB 6.7 PS Diesel
2015 FR Rockwood Roo 23IKSS

[Manion]

I believe it's the Husky Centerline. 801-1,200 lbs tongue weight. Good for up to 12,000 lbs.
It is probably one of the cheaper options out there. The dealer threw it in at purchase. However, it is effective and that's really all that matters to me.
I also have the Husky dual friction sway bar. It also came with the trailer. No complaints with either one, it pulls and tracks great.


2015 Shamrock 23IKSS
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[RoadDog66]

For a Highlander stay under 3500 lbs dry & get one with less than 500 lbs TW.

If the 23ikss is what you want here's my suggestion. Any newer half ton V8 with at least 1500 lbs of payload and 8-9K tow rating is plenty for a 23ikss hybrid along with 2 adults and 2 kids. I'd load the trailer heavier than the truck and definitely use WD hitch. Stay under the limits and you will be fine. For example, my Titan had a 1598 lb layload, 9300 lb tow rating & 930 lb TW (you can see my larger trailer specs below).

For comparison I towed a Roo 19 with my previous Frontier then upgraded to a Titan (barely new it was there). I also towed my current 7,200 lb loaded 32' hardside with the Titan without issue, but was at its payload & GVWR limits. My TT has an 850+ tongue weight. I traded up to Ram HD for more payload and the ability to fully load the bed with anything I want to drag along.

You do not need an HD diesel for towing the 23ikss. An Eco-boost maybe, but still overkill IMO. If MPG's are your concern a diesel will be better, but at a high premium. If you plan to go to a large TT or 5th wheel in the future then an HD diesel or HD gasser would be wise. The new Titan XD Cummins Diesel would be fine for most pull behinds, but the payload is only around 2000 lbs and limits 5th wheel choices. At that point 2500 or 3500 HD's are a must. Good luck with your decisions, hope this was helpful.

[bones3142]

We are currently waiting on our 2017 Shamrock 23IKSS to come off the line on the 28th of this month we are so excited. Has anyone had any kind of issues that I might need to know about?

[Mitral]

Just purchased a 2017 Roo 233S with Sapphire and Convenience Packages. Upgraded from a 2008 HW296 pop up. I tow with a 2011 1/2 ton Suburban with tow package (transmission cooler, in dash brake controller etc...) I installed a Husky Centerline WDH and took it to the scale a few times to balance things out appropriately.

It tow's the Roo just fine. I certainly know it's back there and I won't go over 65mph, but a 1/2 truck with tow package should do just fine.

I'd love a 3/4 suburban, but every day driving to towing is about a 17:3 ratio and a 3/4 truck just wouldnt make sense 310+ days a year.

Some people make you believe you need a 1 ton dually to tow a pop up camper on these forums. Others tow a 8K+ trailer with a Honda Odyssey. The truth is somewhere in between! Do the math and be conservative and you'll be just fine.

Remember its more about brakes, wheel base, frame etc vs HP of your engine. The question isn't "can i pull it up this hill?" but more of a question of "can I keep the trailer from pushing me down this hill?!"

Cheers!

[RACarvalho]

Bought my Roo 23IKSS in March and just returned from a 4400+ miles trip.
Not a single problem.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Mitral

Remember its more about brakes, wheel base, frame etc vs HP of your engine. The question isn't "can i pull it up this hill?" but more of a question of "can I keep the trailer from pushing me down this hill?!"

Cheers!

It's also more about payload capacity than anything else, including towing capacity.

[Shamrockthecasbah]

Bones 5142,

We picked up our 2017 23IKSS in April. We have had 2 significant issues: 1. The turn signals were switched so they worked opposite the TV. I fixed this on the side of the road on the way home after getting the finger for the second time. The problem was the trailer wiring not the TV. I should have caught this during the PDI.
2. On two different occasions, after hooking up to leave the campground, the trailer brakes would lock with even the slightest touch of the brakes - all or nothing. After several reconnects and retries the problem went away before I left the campground. The first time it happened I assumed it was due to the 7-pin connector shorting brake light to brakes - it had rained the night before and I didn't protect the trailer plug as well as I should have. But it happened again the next camping trip after no rain. The problem has since not repeated, and I haven't done any troubleshooting. It may be the TV or the brake controller I'm not sure, but I just wanted to mention it so you keep it in the back of your mind.

As others as stated, it takes a well equipped half-ton to tow this model. I would stress that you weigh your loaded and ready to camp rig at a CAT scale and adjust your hitch and loading to optimize your weight distribution. Most likely your dealer will not set up your hitch correctly. It makes a big difference in how your truck and trailer handle.

Overall we love our trailer; great floor pan and amenities, good build quality.

[Mitral]

Originally Posted by bikendan

It's also more about payload capacity than anything else, including towing capacity.

Exactly. Your Chassis, Frame, Suspension and Brakes will affect your payload and towing capacities far more than the HP of your engine.

[Manion]

We have had our 23IKSS out five times. Any issues we had were extremely minor. Almost petty, and not related to quality of build. You'll love it.

Enjoy!


2015 Shamrock 23IKSS
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4X4 Duramax
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[berdmann]

My F150 Supercrew V8 tows our new 2017 ikss like a dream, we are IN LOVE!

[Mustangsho]

What rating weight distribution hitch did you guys with? The dealer is trying to tell me the equalizer e2 800 tongue 8000 gvwr is plenty but the numbers arnt working in my head. lol

[jking46]

I use an equalizer e2 with a Ram 1500. Pulls my 2015 23ikss like a dream.

[Mustangsho]

Do you know if it's a 800hitch 8000 gvwr or 1000 hitch 10000gvrw?