Forum Discussion

3CampPrincesses's avatar
Feb 04, 2016

Trading Up...TV Advice?

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
and
Spree Connect C231 BHS (GV 6000 lbs)
http://www.kz-rv.com/products/spree-connect-travel-trailers/C231BHS.html

As 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?

25 Replies

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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'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.
  • 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.