everyday truck ideas needed

[jukes]

Hi, soon my Prius will go to our son.... I am considering a pick up truck, but it will be my daily vehicle, running kids around etc.
We'd also use it to throw our bicycles in, and maybe in the future for towing...
Husband loves diesel....worth the extra $?
Currently we use our 7.3L Diesel Excursion to tow our 30' 2007 Jayco TT. Not sure the smaller trucks would tow this, but we have the Excursion and plan to get a smaller TT in a few years once the kids no longer come along...
I don't really like driving the Excursion, would there be a truck that's a bit smaller than this, or not really? That could possibly even tow the TT?

[jukes]

Reisender wrote:

jukes wrote:

ticmjpm wrote:
Smart choice.

. thanks! I am excited to get a truck that's easy to drive and has amazing storage in the truck bed... now just trying to get a good deal!

Nice little truck and solid company. Hey, when you get it feel free to post a pic or two.

Will
Do! Deciding between new or lower mileage used.... not lots to pick from..

[Reisender]

jukes wrote:

ticmjpm wrote:
Smart choice.

. thanks! I am excited to get a truck that's easy to drive and has amazing storage in the truck bed... now just trying to get a good deal!

Nice little truck and solid company. Hey, when you get it feel free to post a pic or two.

[jukes]

ticmjpm wrote:
Smart choice.

. thanks! I am excited to get a truck that's easy to drive and has amazing storage in the truck bed... now just trying to get a good deal!

[ticmjpm]

Smart choice.

[jukes]

thanks everyone! I have decided to get a Honda Ridgeline and forget about ever towing... we have the Excursion for now to tow with.. and once that dies we may very well be downsizing to a smaller TT or even a MH, time will tell, but for now I think we are good..or my husband can replace his beloved Excursion with a big truck 🙂

[ticmjpm]

I'm new here and not an expert but I would highly advise against towing a 30' trailer with a mid size truck. I did that years ago and lived to tell about it. If you try it, there is some white knuckle days in your future. While the MAX tow rating covers what you can tow, you are using the max and I would caution about getting close to max on anything. But, what bothers me the most is the 30' of cross section with a small tow vehicle. Tractor trailers will cause you to think you are driving on ice. The 1/2 ton trucks are almost as fuel effecient these days as the mid size and after you drive one for a month or so, you will be glad to have the extra room and mass. Just my opioion but when I read your post, I started having flash backs and had to say something.

[garyp4951]

LOL

[jukes]

ksss wrote:

jukes wrote:
Hi, soon my Prius will go to our son....

That is one way to make sure he doesn't have premarital sex.

Yep that’s for sure 😉

[ksss]

jukes wrote:
Hi, soon my Prius will go to our son....

That is one way to make sure he doesn't have premarital sex.

[chasbz20]

I'm new here, stumbled across this thread while searching for info on Jayco roof repair. I have a 30' 2006 Jay Flight and was in a situation similar to yours - wanted a smooth ride in a 1/2 ton truck. After researching, I settled on a 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 LT Z71 4WD and have been very happy with it! Need to keep the speed max around 60mph in order to get 10-11mpg, tho. BUT - I live in relatively flat territory and haven't traveled the mountains with it yet. Still not sure if I'll use this truck to make an Alaska trip in 2022. Great daily driver and flat land TOAD, maybe not so much for mountains!
SO - here's the scoop - get a great education at https://rvtowcheck.com/ - or http://fifthwheelst.info/app/rvtc-v3/ - download their app and don't cheat the numbers. There's more to this than you'd think! I got lucky with this truck, actual rated GCWR of 15,000, GVWR of 7,200, payload 1,748, max trailer weight 9,200, weighed in at a CAT scale at 5,580 empty with heavy weight distributing truck hitch on and full fuel tank. 5.3L gas engine with 3.42 axle. Jayco rated the trailer at 5555 dry with hitch tongue weight of 755. Actual CAT scale trailer weight empty but with bedding, one 1/2 full tank propane, two batteries was 6,160, CAT scale tongue of 980. According to Real RV TowCheck with these real numbers plugged in, using the safest 15% tongue weight parameter my truck can handle a maximum trailer weight of 7,466 pounds with all real weights plugged in. Using the marginal 10% it can handle trailer weight of 8,920 pounds. Power was fine but fuel mileage sucked. BOTTOM LINE - RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY! DON'T GUESS!

[RoyJ]

free radical wrote:

Not sure if anyone makes small trucks capable puling large trailer
Nowadays,
Something like this would be perfect daily driver and TT hauler too Id think
https://youtu.be/KTwzXxVMB1w

You mean the Ford tow truck or the redneck mobile? lol

A lifted short wheelbase K5 would be the worst towing choice - short wb, high CG, and relatively weak powertrain.

I'm afraid there's nothing more "power dense" than an old Excursion or 8.1 Suburban. Both could pull 12k properly specced, and were relatively compact.

A 2020 F150 with HD payload and max tow, ext cab short bed (does that unicorn exist?) would be close in both payload and towing capacity. But you lose ability to seat 8 / 9 people.

[jukes]

Boomerweps wrote:
The current 1/2 ton pickups are surprisingly fuel effecient.
My 2019 F-150 Super Crew 5.0 V8 gets better MPG than my 2008 V6 Explorer city & highway. Your TT GVWR is in the sweet spot for ful size 1/2 ton truck towing with factory to package. As was referenced, the Load Capacity can be a concern as the more luxury added takes away both Load Capacity and tow capacity.
Note: GCWR minus the truck curb weight, full tank, 150# driver equals the Tow Rating.
IOW, tow rating includes the tow vehicle load capacity minus the driver.

super helpful thank you. it's like a foreign language lol

[Boomerweps]

The current 1/2 ton pickups are surprisingly fuel effecient.
My 2019 F-150 Super Crew 5.0 V8 gets better MPG than my 2008 V6 Explorer city & highway. Your TT GVWR is in the sweet spot for ful size 1/2 ton truck towing with factory to package. As was referenced, the Load Capacity can be a concern as the more luxury added takes away both Load Capacity and tow capacity.
Note: GCWR minus the truck curb weight, full tank, 150# driver equals the Tow Rating.
IOW, tow rating includes the tow vehicle load capacity minus the driver.

[jukes]

Thanks for the info! The excursion seats us all and tows the TT easily, it’s why we got the excursion. So we are good there for now.. in future we will get a lighter TT or even MH..so for now I guess what I need if I dont want to get a big truck that can also tow our TT, is either a smaller one that can just be my daily driver, throw the bikes in etc.
Or just get a car I can put a good bike rack on 🙂 it’s the bikes that are a problem, I can get an EBike rack that mine will go on..it won’t fit in a regular bike rack.
I will go test drive some trucks though and see!
Now I am
Clear as to what will work and what won’t. Thanks so much everyone.