Travel Trailer Towing Recommendations

[Retired_Enjoy_L]

We just purchased our first travel trailer. We are looking at purchasing a new tow vehicle. Would like recommendations on what tow vehicle is best what to avoid. We will be towing a bunkhouse GVWR is 7,500 lbs.
TIA for your recommendations.

[BCSnob]

OP didn’t say NEEDED an SUV, only that they were looking at larger ones to accommodate more passengers than a PU. The OP needs to decide where they will compromise.

[Grit_dog]

BenK wrote:
Need vs want...but IMHO there is another way to view that...

When you need something at a spot in time...either you have it or not...no time to go to the store or readjust, etc

Personal risk management decisions

Like WDH setup...most times, it is not needed...but for that Mr Murphy moment...either you have it spot on...or not...

Yup just like a wdh….(where the head bonk emoji when you need it?). All the non wdh trailers I see upside down scattered in the ditches has me re-thinking my ways….(that was sarcasm for those lesss astute).

[Grit_dog]

parker.rowe wrote:
OP did say "seat as many grandchildren as possible"...not that he NEEDED to fit all 10 kids all the time.

Also, they haven't chimed in since page 2. 🙂

Probably bought a suburban or Tahoe and enjoying the heated/cooled leather seats, adaptive cruise, auto climate control, passive and active accident avoidance features AND the convenience of 4wd when the need arises. All features that are basically non existent in a short bus!

[Grit_dog]

BCSnob wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
"Need" 4wd? Idk, sometimes it's needed sometimes it's a luxury, sometimes its of no use (hence most 4wd vehicles have this little lever or switch to turn it off). I could live without alot of luxuries. We all could, but if you have the means?

The best of both (if you have the means), 12-15 passenger capacity and 4x4 upfitted ($13k) putting it in the price range of a luxury SUV. Of course you don’t need the passenger capacity (like the OP); the OP may not need 4wd (like you) if they won’t be winter camping.

Or leave their house in the winter either?
Y’all are getting so far in the weeds on the van thing it ain’t even funny. Heck only one of Van Lives Matter members in this thread even owns a van (presumably, since the rest of y’all appear to be recollecting days gone by…)
I’ve run them 4x4 vans. They’re cool. And yes used them to haul a bunch of people typically. N Slope oilfield work.
Best of both worlds? Not hardly. Unless one’s propensity for a modern luxury vehicle is very low. (Again I appear to be the only one that still remembers the OP “wants” a luxury suv. But I’m young enough my CRS hasn’t really kicked in yet…)

[parker_rowe]

OP did say "seat as many grandchildren as possible"...not that he NEEDED to fit all 10 kids all the time.

Also, they haven't chimed in since page 2. 🙂

[BenK]

Need vs want...but IMHO there is another way to view that...

When you need something at a spot in time...either you have it or not...no time to go to the store or readjust, etc

Personal risk management decisions

Like WDH setup...most times, it is not needed...but for that Mr Murphy moment...either you have it spot on...or not...

[BCSnob]

Grit dog wrote:
"Need" 4wd? Idk, sometimes it's needed sometimes it's a luxury, sometimes its of no use (hence most 4wd vehicles have this little lever or switch to turn it off). I could live without alot of luxuries. We all could, but if you have the means?

The best of both (if you have the means), 12-15 passenger capacity and 4x4 upfitted ($13k) putting it in the price range of a luxury SUV. Of course you don’t need the passenger capacity (like the OP); the OP may not need 4wd (like you) if they won’t be winter camping.

[Grit_dog]

Geo*Boy wrote:

BCSnob wrote:
Curious, what percentage of the time do people need to use 4wd in the winter to get around on the roads?

How well would someone from WA know the winter road conditions (ability of WI Dot to plow) in WI or any where in the Great Lakes region?

I drove a 3/4 ton company van back in the 90’s, through upstate NYS winters and never had a problem.

I’ve used a lot of outhouses and wiped with leaves or my t shirt pocket before too. But I’d prefer a nice flush toilet and some Charmin.
Same difference…

[Geo_Boy]

BCSnob wrote:
Curious, what percentage of the time do people need to use 4wd in the winter to get around on the roads?

How well would someone from WA know the winter road conditions (ability of WI Dot to plow) in WI or any where in the Great Lakes region?

I drove a 3/4 ton company van back in the 90’s, through upstate NYS winters and never had a problem.

[BenK]

Even more of an odd ball if it has the F60 snowplow option

That begets a 1 ton front torsion bar setup and the rear is the same as the 1 ton dually of that year...why tongue'n cheek refer to my Suburban as a K3500

valhalla360 wrote:

bikendan wrote:
Exactly. For that reason and stricter federal fuel efficiency requirements, is why you don't see 3/4 ton SUVs.

Actually, 3/4 and heavier trucks are under different efficiency rules. That's why you won't see an MPG number on the window sticker.

But 3/4 ton SUVs were always an oddball item.

Back in the day, if you had 6 or more passengers, the choice was a van or people would load them in the back of the pickup with a cap on it (yeah, it was a different time). Back in the day, it wasn't unusual to see 60% of the trailers in a campground being pulled by a van.

Fast forward 30-50yrs and families have fewer members and a legitimate 6 passenger pickup is commonplace. The result is probably 75-90% of trailers are pulled by pickups.

It's also changed 5th wheels from being focused on older retired couples to a family RV option.

[valhalla360]

bikendan wrote:
Exactly. For that reason and stricter federal fuel efficiency requirements, is why you don't see 3/4 ton SUVs.

Actually, 3/4 and heavier trucks are under different efficiency rules. That's why you won't see an MPG number on the window sticker.

But 3/4 ton SUVs were always an oddball item.

Back in the day, if you had 6 or more passengers, the choice was a van or people would load them in the back of the pickup with a cap on it (yeah, it was a different time). Back in the day, it wasn't unusual to see 60% of the trailers in a campground being pulled by a van.

Fast forward 30-50yrs and families have fewer members and a legitimate 6 passenger pickup is commonplace. The result is probably 75-90% of trailers are pulled by pickups.

It's also changed 5th wheels from being focused on older retired couples to a family RV option.

[BenK]

The OP already has the trailer :

Retired Enjoy Life wrote:
We just purchased our first travel trailer. We are looking at purchasing a new tow vehicle. Would like recommendations on what tow vehicle is best what to avoid. We will be towing a bunkhouse GVWR is 7,500 lbs.
TIA for your recommendations.

Repeat recommendation of a full sized van :

BenK wrote:
Have a 1996 8.6K GVWR, K3500, 7.4L Suburban, but wanted a full sized 4x4 van, which wasn’t available back then…so settled for the 8 seat Suburban. Only half ton Suburbans are available to day, except for the armored 1 ton version, but only for VIP’s and the President and it’s tow rating is something like 3K

Today, if I was you, I’d get a 2022 GM/GMC full sized van, with 12 seating, 2.8L/4 cylinder Turbo Duramax, 8 speed, 31 gallon fuel tank, 9.9K GVWR & 15K GCWR. Rear wheel drive only. Gasser would be the 6.6L V8

You can take out a row of seats if not needed and that would increase cargo capacity and/or towing capacity


Link to GM/GMC site with specs. Listed at $42K MSRP base model
https://www.gmc.com/vans/savana/passenger/build-and-price/features/trims/table?section=Highlights§i...
IPad based post won’t allow clicks, so here are the raw links = https://www.gmc.com/vans/savana/passenger/build-and-price/features/trims/select/1?section=Highlights§ion=Mechanical&styleOne=423009

https://www.gmc.com/vans/savana/passenger/build-and-price/features/trims/table?section=Highlights§ion=Mechanical§ion=Dimensions&styleOne=423009&styleTwo=423021

The only potential issue would be GCWR if you load up both the TV & trailer, but that is something you can manage, which will take several trips to the scales

[Grit_dog]

bikendan wrote:

mkirsch wrote:

willald wrote:
This has been a challenge for a very long time, and hasn't got any better over the years. How does one safely bring a large family (too large for a pickup) and tow an RV trailer?

Why would it get any better? It's such an uncommon requirement that the manufacturers see no market for a vehicle that meets those needs.

Exactly. For that reason and stricter federal fuel efficiency requirements, is why you don't see 3/4 ton SUVs.

All good points and a good discussion. Looking back, 3/4 ton suvs were around before crew cab trucks even existed and still popular when crew cabs became more mainstream. Although 4 door SUVs were never "that" popular, as ONLY GM made them for years (and still does, just not for civilian use unfortunately). Ford and Dodge never made a 4 door 1/2 ton suv until the Expedition came along. Dodge just now released the new Waggoneer, but not a 3/4 ton. Jeep made the Grand Waggoneer for a while, 1/2 ton only. And Ford made a 3/4 ton Excursion for like 6 or 7 years and stopped.

Proof that they were never a "huge" slice of the market and still aren't. And crew cab trucks have sliced that market even thinner.

Although I think now, 1 mfg could capitalize on a HD suv as what's left out there are now very rare and old and mostly high miles or beat up. Existing stock has been done used up...
But I'm no automotive financial analyst...

[bikendan]

mkirsch wrote:

willald wrote:
This has been a challenge for a very long time, and hasn't got any better over the years. How does one safely bring a large family (too large for a pickup) and tow an RV trailer?

Why would it get any better? It's such an uncommon requirement that the manufacturers see no market for a vehicle that meets those needs.

Exactly. For that reason and stricter federal fuel efficiency requirements, is why you don't see 3/4 ton SUVs.