Hi all! I'm back under another name because I have no access to my old email addresses! lol!Looking for advice from those of you "in the know". A little background. It is just myself and two young girls (7 and 4)and a dog. We currently have a 2016 Jayco Pop up, that, due to health reasons, will not be able to use much longer. Thought about trading up to a hybrid, but decided a smaller-ish TT would be better for us in the long run. I had a 27 Sunline before, so I am familiar with them. I saw these at an RV show, but don't have my heart set on them:Keystone Outback 210 URS (Ship Weight + CC= 7000lbs)http://www.keystonerv.com/outback/#/floorplans andSpree Connect C231 BHS (GV 6000 lbs) http://www.kz-rv.com/products/spree-connect-travel-trailers/C231BHS.htmlAs luck would have it my little Toyota Highlander is nearing the end of its lifespan, so I need a new vehicle anyway. With the TTs I'm looking at, the smaller SUVs that only tow 5,000lbs would not work. I was looking at the Grand Cherokee, with its Tow Rating of 7200lbs, but I am concerned about the wheelbase? Would that be a safe tow with these trailers? (I can only find people who tow their boats with them).This will be my Daily Driver as well, so I don't really want to go Pick Up. I am not to familiar with the BIG SUVs, but would like to stay on the medium size if possible....What would y'all suggest?

You might want to consider at least a half ton truck, im not a fan of any mid size suv when it comes to towing that amount of weight.

I'd recommend a half ton as well. Any will do it, but my personal pick for a half ton tow vehicle would be an F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost and max tow package (worth it for the mirrors alone). A large SUV would do it as well, but pickups are a much better value, imo. Put on a pappy cap if you wan't more enclosed space.

SO, I guess I should look into the large SUVs. I do not want a Pick up as a daily driver.Would the Grand Cherokee's wheelbase allow the stability for towing a longer, lighter trailer?

I've towed hundreds of trailers likely with about every sort of vehicle with a hitch..... And some without!IMO the new GCs are pretty heavy vehicles and would be well suited for TTs about 24' and under. WD hitch and sway control will be your friend and you will do fine. Personally I couldn't live without a pickup or 2 around the house and if I wanted a Suv I'd put a canopy and carpet in the bed. But SUVs are just as capable as similar size pickups for towing unless you're going Pro and towing more than normal driving. Rule of thumb, try to stay under the tow rating of the vehicle by a bit when looking at campers, because high profile trailers take more juice to pull and more weight/brakes to control than the flatbeds with some plate on them that the mfgs develop the tow ratings off of.

I think GCs are pretty solidly reliable rigs too. My FIL only drives Jeep GCs. Latest one is getting kinda old. 06? Maybe with 150kmi. No major problems to date and I drove it over Xmas and it's still pretty tight for being high miles.

Trading Up...TV Advice? | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

tragusa3
Explorer
Feb 13, 2016
We are a family of 4, and our crew cab with a cap is better suited to our family. Much roomier than any SUV I've been in, and tows better.

I think about the things I put in the back of our truck...sewage tote, bikes, firewood, generator (and gas for it), greasy BBQ grill, wet water toys...I wouldn't want any of those inside the SUV with me.

If you're only going to tow close to home and a few weekends a year, sure...go SUV. If you're going to travel with the trailer go AT LEAST half ton.
krobbe
Explorer
Feb 13, 2016
I firmly believe a large SUV is very suitable for towing and still allows for more than 4 passengers. But paying attention to capacities is really important. The limits to look at first is the cargo carrying capacity and max hitch weight with a WDH(weight distrib hitch). These 2 capacities will usually determine the max weights of the TT you should get.
On longer trips, I really like to bring along my niece and her 2 kids about the same age as mine. I couldn't do that with a pickup.
The downside of a large SUV for daily driving is the cost. I pretty much keep storage insurance on mine until I need it for a trip. I love driving it and sometimes I just go out to the polebarn and visit it. Only 35 more days until spring.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Feb 13, 2016
3CampPrincesses wrote:
Thanks for the replies! I definitely need something larger, I think. Yeah, I looked a little over the weekend, and I am leaning toward a Tahoe/ Suburban. The extra storage space in the rear may put the 'burban on top!

I really liked the Expedition (the third row seat is more user friendly), but the guy at the dealership kept calling the "Dinosaurs" and telling me that Ford was not putting much into them these days.....

I'm not a Ford guy but don't count out the Expedition and expe XL. They're towing machines especially with the Eco. Pulled a 32? Ft enclosed car hauler back fromAK with a XL Eco. Trailer was not loaded heavy, maybe 8-9klb total weight. Towed beautifully down the Alcan. Only issue was a boulder came down off the side of the mtn and smacked the back corner of the trailer! If it had a turd for an engine, the rock may have KOd the truck or center punched the trailer. By the time I saw the rock, it was to late to do anything but floor it and try to get past it.
3CampPrincesses
Explorer
Feb 12, 2016
Thanks for the replies! I definitely need something larger, I think. Yeah, I looked a little over the weekend, and I am leaning toward a Tahoe/ Suburban. The extra storage space in the rear may put the 'burban on top!

I really liked the Expedition (the third row seat is more user friendly), but the guy at the dealership kept calling the "Dinosaurs" and telling me that Ford was not putting much into them these days.....
transferred
Explorer
Feb 11, 2016
I'd recommend the Suburban/Yukon XL as the best towing SUV currently on sale. Body-on-frame, solid rear axle, a V8, hefty curb weight, and a long stable wheelbase.

For more "medium size", the Tahoe and Yukon offer all of the above benefits with the exception of the long wheelbase.
Fordlover
Explorer
Feb 11, 2016
I tow a similar size trailer with a midsize SUV rated for 7,000 lbs. It does it, and has for many years, but I'm definitely over my payload (tongue weight+WDH+people+stuff in vehicle) and my kids are 2&4, so they have lots of growing to do.

For this reason alone I'd say you should look at full size SUV's only (since you've ruled out pickups). Especially when you are towing with your most precious assets in the vehicle with you. If you only tow 10 miles down the road to your local state park, then you can get along with the Jeep GC, but I personally don't like to be limited on distance due to an inadequate tow vehicle.

RoyBell has it right, tow ratings really should be viewed carefully, the #1 item to look at is TV payload capacity, which you'll run short on long before max trailer weight when pulling RV's.

Hope the medical issues are manageable, but glad to see you getting out there with the kids.
Elbert
Explorer
Feb 07, 2016
there a number of half ton SUV's on the market...for GM...Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon come to mind...good trucks for towing light trailers.

Always stay within the tow rating of your vehicle..
RoyBell
Explorer
Feb 05, 2016
There's more than just tow ratings to look at. You need to look at GVWR and Axle capacities. Most SUVS will NOT be able to tow a 7000 lb trailer even if they are rated at 7K lbs. Their payloads just can't handle it.
hbrady
Explorer
Feb 05, 2016
Met a guy at an RV show last weekend who pulls a 28' TT with a Nissan Armada, he said he absolutely loves it and was shocked at the amount of power he had the first time he hauled his camper.

There are about 10,000 threads here on towing capacity / GVWR / etc. but when I saw 7,000 ship weight and 7,200 tow rating (Jeep) alarm bells went off. My moto now is that my vehicle should be rated for 125% (towing and payload) of the yellow sticker weight + weight of all my gear and people. I sold myself short in the TV choice once and I'll never do it again. Looks like Armadas are rated up to 9,000 lbs, that would be a better fit for the 7,000 TT. Just my opinion and you know what they say about those :B

Good Luck!
silverfz
Explorer
Feb 05, 2016
GC will work I think . I think with 2 kids I would look at an armada,expedition,tahoe,sequios too. A full size SUV will do the job easily for those weights.

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