What has 3 rows and can pull 9K?

[davehultin]

Kinda sounds like a grade-school riddle, right? We recently purchased a trailer with a GVWR of 7700 pounds, and are looking for our next tow vehicle. (No rush yet, we won't need it until spring.)

We had been thinking pickup, and looked at a really nice extended cab GMS Sierra that could do the job, but my wife is favoring a vehicle with three rows.

Friends of ours use a Toyota Sequoia which has three rows for seating and is rated for 9000 pounds. That would work well for us, but there aren't any (used) in our market. Any other vehicles like that I could search for?

[likestrucks]

Go pick up a 2016 Suburban 3500HD from GM Fleet Services. Has a Payload of 4400 lbs. Have found mixed specs on the tow rating with some sites saying as low 3000 which doesn't make sense, but I don't see why it wouldn't tow 10000 pounds. We used to tow a 10000 lbs TT with a 2001 Suburban 2500 with a 6.0 and 4.10.

Edit - Looks like its a Gov and maybe commercial fleet only option to buy. So probably wouldn't be able to get your hands on one of these until they are all used up and sold as surplus.

[the_happiestcam]

This will do it with four rows

[GeoBoy]

The GM 3500 passenger van is avaliable with the 6 liter gas or 6.6 Diesel engine. That should haul all the people and trailer you want to haul. Good luck.

[Lantley]

Grit dog wrote:

camp-n-family wrote:
Nothing built on a 1/2 ton frame will do what you need. Most will pull it but they won't have the payload to pull it with 3 rows loaded with passenger weights. Don't forget as well that tow ratings reduce pound for pound with weight added to the vehicle. New ratings include 150lbs each for driver and 1 front passenger. Anything else added reduces the tow rating.

The only vehicle still made that would work would be a full size 3/4 or 1 ton van. If looking used then a 2500 Suburban or Excursion although they are getting harder to find.

Lol, whatever.
Hook a 9k TT to any of the new crop of big suvs, EcoB Expedition or 6.2 Burb and watch them fly.

Wdh to take care of the payload ninnies and make for a nicer ride.
I've said it 100x on here. What did all the ole codgers do back in the day when we didn't have 14kgvw crew cab, 900ft lb, 14" disc brakes all around?

They may have the drive train but they lack the chassis to get it done right. The problem is there is no new crop of big SUV's. There are only small and medium ones.
The old Codgers did the best they could with what they had.
Which is the point that is often missed. We have capable vehicles now, however the capable vehicles may not be stylish, sexy or cool enough. We are more interested in style vs. ratings.
A capable van does not get as many style points as a less capable SUV. The old Codgers didn't care about style they just used what they had.

[mkirsch]

What'd the old codgers do? They put up with poor towing performance, bumpers dragging the ground, trailer sway, burned tow vehicle brakes, roasted transmissions, being broke down on the side of the road, because they had no other choice. "The Long Long Trailer" is closer to reality than you may realize.

Now you have a choice, because people realize that doing it that way SUCKED MONKEY HINDQUARTERS, and demanded better. Sure you can still chain a hitch ball to the bumper of the old Vista Cruiser, hitch up the Airstream, and trundle off on a 2000 mile trip to the Grand Canyon at 35MPH, but it won't belong before you're ready to shoot someone, or someone is ready to shoot you.

[PAThwacker]

APT wrote:
Ignore tow ratings, or at least with respect to less than 10yr old half tons towing an RV with a large family.

At 7700 pounds, you should plan for 1000 pounds of TW. Half ton SUVs have about 1200-1600 pounds of payload, so if you family is in the 200-600 pound range, you may find something. That seems unlikely, though, family of 5+ weighs 400 pounds. 9000 pound loaded RV? No SUV after 2006 model year.

Some passenger vans would work. If you are thinking <5yr old used or new, Nissan has the NV. Chevy Express and GMC Savanna plus Ford's E series, 3/4+ tons only. I highly recommend the 2008-2013 Suburban and Yukon XL 2500s. We love ours, but they are rare and expensive!

APT, always quote the 1,000 pound max tongue weight on the 2007 up K2500 variant

[rjstractor]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Ford Expedition EL

Ford Transit Wagon

The Expedition can tow, but the Transit Wagon can only tow a max of 5100 pounds, and the rating drops as you load weight into the van. It's nothing like the Econoline it replaced.

[APT]

Ignore tow ratings, or at least with respect to less than 10yr old half tons towing an RV with a large family.

At 7700 pounds, you should plan for 1000 pounds of TW. Half ton SUVs have about 1200-1600 pounds of payload, so if you family is in the 200-600 pound range, you may find something. That seems unlikely, though, family of 5+ weighs 400 pounds. 9000 pound loaded RV? No SUV after 2006 model year.

Some passenger vans would work. If you are thinking <5yr old used or new, Nissan has the NV. Chevy Express and GMC Savanna plus Ford's E series, 3/4+ tons only. I highly recommend the 2008-2013 Suburban and Yukon XL 2500s. We love ours, but they are rare and expensive!

[Grit_dog]

camp-n-family wrote:
Nothing built on a 1/2 ton frame will do what you need. Most will pull it but they won't have the payload to pull it with 3 rows loaded with passenger weights. Don't forget as well that tow ratings reduce pound for pound with weight added to the vehicle. New ratings include 150lbs each for driver and 1 front passenger. Anything else added reduces the tow rating.

The only vehicle still made that would work would be a full size 3/4 or 1 ton van. If looking used then a 2500 Suburban or Excursion although they are getting harder to find.

Lol, whatever.
Hook a 9k TT to any of the new crop of big suvs, EcoB Expedition or 6.2 Burb and watch them fly.
Wdh to take care of the payload ninnies and make for a nicer ride.
I've said it 100x on here. What did all the ole codgers do back in the day when we didn't have 14kgvw crew cab, 900ft lb, 14" disc brakes all around?

[Dave_in_TN]

Go Dogs wrote:
A one ton used passenger van. I got mine with low miles and great price. May not be pretty but it really does the job! Take the seats out and you have a great cargo van!

Same here. We bought a used Ford E350 with the v10 6 years ago (it's a 2006 model) and it's still going strong. Pulls like a dream, seats a large family with room to spare, and when we remove the seats we use it for my wife's furniture business. Also comes in handy when moving anything and keeps it all out of the weather. Yes, it's not a pretty or sexy vehicle, but it's incredibly versatile.

[Go_Dogs]

A one ton used passenger van. I got mine with low miles and great price. May not be pretty but it really does the job! Take the seats out and you have a great cargo van!

[RedRocket204]

carringb wrote:

davehultin wrote:

Friends of ours use a Toyota Sequoia which has three rows for seating and is rated for 9000 pounds.

I Sequioia cannot tow 9,000 pounds if the seats are full. I cannot even tow most 9,000# TTs even with the seats empty due to payload and hitch limitations. Its fine for a boat, or other trailers with less tongue weight. Nearly all 1/2-ton SUVs are payload limited.

Exactly!

To make it even more complicated, the Sequoia was rated for 9000 lbs tow capacity during one year (IIRC) and that was for 2010. For 2011, the Sequoia virtually didn't change but the tow capacity dropped to about 7100 lbs because of Toyota adopting the, at the time, new standard for tow ratings. The payload capacity on the Sequoia is nothing to brag about either for a 1/2 ton, it is relatively low.

We still have our 2010 Sequoia and I have pulled our loaded 8200 lbs TT from the north OR coast down into northern CA coast. The engine handled it but the tow wasn't that pleasant as the vehicle really is too short and not a vehicle that should be towing that heavy. Shortly after that trip, I had my excuse to upgrade my truck to a 1 ton diesel as it is a FAR superior tow with plenty of payload for my GVWR 9500 TT and 800 lbs ATV in the truck bed, TT now heavier as the years go by with more 'stuff' in it.

So, can a 2010 Sequoia pull that kind of weight? Yes, it can pull it but not with confidence and I think you will not be happy with the experience towing. Get a more suitable TV.

[handye9]

Lantley wrote:
Pull is fine but be sure it has the payload capacity to carry the tongue weight and passengers. The SUV's listed do not the last time I checked

Ditto !!!

You have to watch more than just towing capacity numbers.

When manufacturers calculate tow capacity, they do not allow for weight of aftermarket accessories, passengers, pets, or cargo in the tow vehicle. As you add these things, tow capacity along with available payload, are reduced, pound for pound.

If you loaded your trailer to it's 7700 lb gross weight, it would take 1000 to 1200 lbs of your available payload, to pull it.

Your search for three rows of seating, suggests a number of passengers. They too, along with everything they bring with them, will take up a significant amount of your payload.

If you buy a vehicle with 14 - 1500 lbs of payload (typical 1/2 ton SUV), and hook up that trailer, you don't have the capacity to carry three rows of passengers.

[camp-n-family]

Nothing built on a 1/2 ton frame will do what you need. Most will pull it but they won't have the payload to pull it with 3 rows loaded with passenger weights. Don't forget as well that tow ratings reduce pound for pound with weight added to the vehicle. New ratings include 150lbs each for driver and 1 front passenger. Anything else added reduces the tow rating.

The only vehicle still made that would work would be a full size 3/4 or 1 ton van. If looking used then a 2500 Suburban or Excursion although they are getting harder to find.

[carringb]

davehultin wrote:

Friends of ours use a Toyota Sequoia which has three rows for seating and is rated for 9000 pounds.

A Sequioia cannot tow 9,000 pounds if the seats are full. It cannot even tow most 9,000# TTs even with the seats empty due to payload and hitch limitations. Its fine for a boat, or other trailers with less tongue weight. Nearly all 1/2-ton SUVs are payload limited.