Towing a 4500lb TT with an SUV
We currently tow our 17ft ultralight TT with a 2007 Honda Pilot. It is rated to tow 4500lb, we are 3500 dry and about 4350 loaded. We know we're near the top of our capacity, and had planned to tow cl...
Forum Discussion
ajriding wrote:
It is less safe to have that Pilot towing at the top of it's rated range, than using a big truck or suv to tow at the low end of its range, but...
If the Pilot is towing it, though slow on hills and white knuckle at speed, then it may be cheaper to rag this vehicle out to the end of its life than to sell it and buy another vehicle.
OK, that certainly is sending mixed messages to the OP.
On one hand you admit the OPs Pilot may be at the top of it's rated range and the other hand you are telling the OP that it might be cheaper to continue on using their Pilot until the end of it's life in spite of it's maxed out capability and "white Knuckle driving experience in order to "save some money" on trade out time.
Saving them a couple of pennies loss in a vehicle UPGRADE now most likely will result in HUGE losses in money down the road continuing to use the Pilot at it's max capability..
The cost could be transmission, brakes, engine, cooling system and many other high wear parts at the most inopportune time.
However, the tragic cost may come at the expense of the OPs and or other motorists lives when that vehicle/trailer combo comes unhinged and causes an fatal accident.
If the OP does not feel comfortable driving a poorly handling tow vehicle combination then they should stop driving it and get a more capable vehicle that is more suited for their trailer.
SAFETY should come first, not money.
I have in the past driven poor tow vehicle/trailer combos, but I did not know better, it is not fun, it does not "save money" having to fix things that should not have broke and under the wrong conditions may test out and exceed the OPs driving skills beyond expectations.
A properly matched tow vehicle/trailer combo should never result in a white knuckle experience under normal circumstances (weather, driving conditions, at highway speed, ect).
A badly matched combo starts out from the beginning with poor handling and white knuckles below or near highway speeds. If OP does not feel comfortable at highway speeds then why tell them to continue driving this combination?
