The "Recommended Tow Vehicle" list

[Bill]

The issue of "the tow vehicle list" on the Trailmanor website comes up now and again, and has recently done so again. It seems worthwhile to address this in its own thread, so here goes.

THERE IS NO "RECOMMENDED VEHICLE" LIST !

The Trailmanor site simply provides a link to Trailer Life Magazine, which in turn publishes a summary of the tow ratings claimed by car/truck manufacturers. Trailmanor does not "recommend" vehicles. Trailer Life does not "recommend" vehicles. The fact that a vehicle is on the Trailer Life list does not mean that it is suitable to tow a Trailmanor. It also does not tell you anything about the configuration of the vehicle doing the towing - in particular, the need for a factory-installed tow package, transmission cooler, extra wiring for the brakes, etc. And it does not tell you anything about restrictions on how you load the trailer or the tow vehicle.

When thinking about a tow vehicle, there are many things to be considered, and the list does not address any of them. In particular, the total weight of the vehicle plus it contents (including people!), plus the weight of the Trailmanor, plus the weight of the Trailmanor factory options, plus the weight of everything you will put in the Trailmanor, are at the top of the list of critically important things to consider. It is common for a ready-to-camp TM to weigh 1000 pounds more than the "dry weight" that appears on the TM website, and this is reflected in the "payload" number that appears just below the dry weight on the TM website. And it is common for enthusiastic campers to add anywhere from 500 to 1000 pounds of people and cargo to their tow vehicles. The addition of these loads can present a potentially dangerous problem for a lightweight tow vehicle.

If you have anything but the heaviest tow vehicle, it is important to get your rig loaded up in the camping configuration, and then get it weighed. CAT scales are everywhere, and cheap to use. Far better to be safe than to risk disaster.

Bill

Agreed.
I'd just add that there are a number us who tow the smaller TM's (in my case 2720) with TV's rated at 3500 (Honda Odyssey) and do just fine.

[hoverlover]

Do fine towing a 2619 with a Nissan Murano with tow package(including a transmission cooler) and WDH. Just did a 1500 mile trip.

[T and C]

Folks,

At the Pismo Beach rally there was a fellow who had been pulling a 3023 with a Toyota Sienna. He said it worked just fine and he had been doing it for, I think, 3 years.

I'm glad he has had no trouble. But I wouldn't want to tow so much with a front wheel drive minivan.

Tom

As Bill has stated, please weigh your loaded TM and know and understand it's TRUE weight and the limits of your particular TV.
Also understand that just because someone chooses to tow with an overloaded TV doesn't mean it's ok, no matter how many miles or years he's been doing it. It simply means he made his own choice. Make your own choice based on your own homework on what your TM weighs and what your TV can handle.

Transmission failure from towing beyond capacity is not something that happens instantly. The heat build up caused by towing beyond capacity especially without an aftermarket trans cooler ( not the standard tissue box sized one) takes some time to kill the trans. In some trans valves and diverters fail and then cause damage even during normal driving. This is in addition to stopping considerations when slowing almost twice the weight the braking system was designed for.

Originally Posted by ED-n-KEL

As Bill has stated, please weigh your loaded TM and know and understand it's TRUE weight and the limits of your particular TV.
Also understand that just because someone chooses to tow with an overloaded TV doesn't mean it's ok, no matter how many miles or years he's been doing it. It simply means he made his own choice. Make your own choice based on your own homework on what your TM weighs and what your TV can handle.

No matter how big your TV is, it is possible to overload it.

Some of us take a lot of stuff.

Understand your current needs for capacity and forecast your future needs.

We bought the Chevy 1500HD truck and the TM in 2005. I failed to predict that by 2008 my weight requirements would increase by 2100 pounds.

[Barb&Tim]

I see a new PopBeaver's rule in the making:

No matter how big your TV is, it's never big enough!

Actually the amount of stuff necessary to camp comfortably follows Moores Law.

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

Understand your current needs for capacity and forecast your future needs.
We bought the Chevy 1500HD truck and the TM in 2005. I failed to predict that by 2008 my weight requirements would increase by 2100 pounds.

Great point Wayne.
I think many people initially buy a TM to fit a TV they currently own....which is totally understandable.
When upgrading or buying a TV specifically to tow, too many people buy something that barely fits the bill, which is a mistake IMHO. Even if you don't carry motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc, the added capacity is there when you need it, and acts as a safety margin when you don't.
Today's small V8's are very economical and don't burn that much more gas than a V6. Above and beyond the more powerful engine, larger TVs will have stronger transmissions, larger brakes, longer wheelbases, stronger frames, more cargo and people capacity, etc. It just make sense.

If any official entity such as the school bus fleet in your area decided to go with smaller vehicles with less power, smaller brakes, smaller transmissions, weaker frames, and then intentionally overloaded them with kids everyday to save money, wouldn't you be outraged? Then why would you consider doing it?