Tow vehicles

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Ryan said:
I'm a big fan of the 3.0 diesels. I have an EcoDiesel Grand Cherokee. It is one of my favorite vehicles I have had. It does tow pretty well, and compares favorably to the old 7.3 Stroke, and the 1st/2nd gen Cummins, plus you have more than twice the number of gears to take advantage of the power.

That said, the old diesels are pretty anemic by todays standards, and the 3.0 diesels are really made more for MPG than towing power. You're giving up more than 100 HP to the higher end gas engines in the 150/1500's, so they still don't pull quite as well.

In my mind, the biggest downside to the 3.0 diesel (or the 6.2 option) in the GM SUVs, is they require you to go with the top trim lines to get them. Which is fine if you want all the other options that goes with them. But that means you also end up spending $70k + on a tow vehicle. That was the reason we didn't even consider another GM when I replaced the Yukon. My wife doesn't appreciate all the options on a vehicle (it is her DD), and I didn't want a 5.3 because I just don't think it is powerful enough to meet my standards pulling the boat.
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I agree about the 5.3. I will upsize the engine in my next truck.
 
These two are awesome! I think I need to provide my kids a much needed reality check.
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As a parent of 3, now grown girls, I suggest going easy on the reality check. Traveling with 3 kids is twice as hard as traveling with 2 kids. Everything is set up for a family of 4 and it always feels like you can add one extra and make due. The only thing I ever accomplished was to make everyone miserable. Our most miserable vacations were those when we tried to add a 5th to a 4 person set up (e.g. our two row SUV or pickup) and enforce some discipline. Our best were when we added extra accommodations for the 5th and kept the discipline to typical parenting responsibilities like acting civil in the restaurant, be respectful to others, quit licking your sister, etc.

If it were me, I would tow with the vehicle I have confidence in and have my partner follow me in a second vehicle, even if we had to stop for the night 1/2 way. Travel with an extra vehicle if you have to do so, caravan with friends who have extra space, drive 2 short days instead of one long one.
 
I think the Duromax, with the new 10 speed Allison trans would be my choice . As far as the kids fighting? Just tell them "Don't make me pull over!" . It worked for me and my brother, and my kids also! It only takes once to reinforce their decision..
 
I'm in the same boat...sorry had to lol.

Have 3 younger kids and the 8 hour drive from Denver in July can be taxing not only on transmissions, and turbos but on my nerves with 3 in the back. The Dynamics are constantly changing as they grow up. When they are young a single screen playing Disney movies but keep them happy for the drive. As they get older they have their own devices and they even and play games with each other on these devices. I ban device use while at the lake, I will put an iPad at the end of my fishing rod and cast it into the lake if I see somebody using it, but on the way there if they need 8 hours of screen time so that I can concentrate on the road I'm all for it. Now that my oldest is 13 years old I could put him in the front and have my wife ride in the back as a mediator. I also find that going to the lake things are much happier calmer than when we are leaving the lake and people are tired and cranyk and hot.

All that said I don't think I could do the trip without a pickup truck with the amount of stuff and coolers that we bring and towing 22' Moomba ski/wake/fishing boat thats probably pushing 6000 pounds loaded up to the gunnels with gear. Used to do it with a Dodge Ram Cummins 1 ton mega cab. It pulled well for years but decided to get something a little more comfortable as a daily so I went with the 2018 F150 3.5 EcoBoost Max Tow with 10 speed Auto. Everything Ryan said is correct. And the 10 speed has the perfect ratio all the time any time under any load, but it runs warmer than the old 6 speeds. I also see 240 degrees on 2 mountain passes. That Ford EcoBoost does not lack for power it pulls almost as strong as an older diesel, but drinks gas like a beast. Not a big deal if you're only Towing long-distance like that three or four times a year. No DEF fluid, oil changes are cheaper, gas is cheaper.

With the max tow package I added airbags to the rear of my truck because it will squat with 5 fully loaded coolers and a boat attached to the back. I've come so close to pulling the trigger on a Ford Expedition Max for the reasons you originally posted, I just couldn't pull it off without the cargo capacity of a truck. If you think you do need a 3 row SUV I would highly recommend the Ford Expedition Max with the max tow package. It gives you the 3.73 gears, additional Cooling and built-in brake controller. I double-checked and etrailer does sell an airbag hit you can put inside those coils on the rear suspension. You can do it on most SUVs with independent rear suspension. They are lighter duty than the Firestone type airbags you put on a solid axle but with an added 1,000 lb load leveling capability for only a $150 that might be the ticket. Here is a link.

Good luck with it all! The years are going fast with the three kids, so I guess we should just enjoy it!!






SkibumUT said:
My wife and I are trying to decide the best way to haul a 28 ft ski boat with 3 kids from Salt Lake to BF/Halls Crossing. We typically tow the boat with a 1-ton diesel, and while it pulls with seemingly no effort, having the 3 all side by side usually results in Tanya Harding and the Menendez boys showing up in the back seat by about Spanish Fork.

We’ve been looking at a few options, but I was curious to see if anyone has any good recommendations, or anything they’d caution against, in terms of a vehicle that could allow some space in between the kids, but also performs decently in pulling the boat/trailer at 6000 lb combined weight.

I’ve test driven a Nissan NV 3500 and a Nissan Armada while actually pulling the boat around town. Both did surprisingly well, but it wasn’t anything like freeway speeds up US-6 or SR-276 from Hanksville to Ticaboo. The NV almost has too much room, and the leveling kit on the Armada could have come up a bit higher.

The expedition doesn’t offer a leveling kit because of the independent rear suspension. Haven’t looked at suburban or Yukon’s. I’d love to look at sprinter type of vans, but not sure how practical they’d be around town.

Anyway, just curious what has worked for you all. Thanks, guys.
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Havalina said:
I put a procharger on my 4runner and it bumped me up to 450 hp. It might be worth looking at a new chevy or ford and throwing one on. I would not consider anything Toyota. They suck at towing compared to my 3500 HD.
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Amen to not getting a TUNDRA. The gas mileage is HORRIBLE. 13-14 MPG was the best I got even not pulling at a highway mile....this was when I had the TUNDRA PRO. I would never go back.
 
I love my 4runner with the procharger. I just hit 2000 miles and I am getting 29 mpg, where before I was getting 18 mpg. It still struggles pulling my montauk 210 up a hill, but at least now I can drive highway speeds.
 
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