what does everyone use for a tow vehicle.

[elcam84]

Ned B......Love those Toyota hybrids, (have one) but generally not rated for towing. I think it has more to do with the CVT than the hybrid drive. You may want to check it out before counting on it as a TV......jd

Yeah CVTs are not good for towing. They just don't have the strength to hold up to the extra load. That's also why they are always mated to low hp engines in lightweight cars. They were tried many decades ago but it hasn't been until recently that a CVT has been able to hold up in a daily driver.

I use a 2017 Sorento 6 cyl (around 250hp)for pulling my 5x10 trailer. I get 30 mpg on the freeway with the ramp down cruising at 80mph. With the ramp up is another story. It will get down to 17mpg just cruising at 65 (well under the speed limit). Course that ramp is like pulling a parachute behind you.

I'm hoping that when I build my teardrop module for the trailer that it won't be too bad as it will be much more aero dynamic than a big sheet of expanded steel catching the air that's coming over the car.
Would like to find some real data on optimal placement of the height of trailer and how far from the rear of the car would be best. I can make assumptions but it's always nice to have real data.

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[dancam]

Jd I’m well aware of the limits of the cvt, however I’m building a Foamie, and primarily a sleeper only... ultra lightweight. Thanks though!


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Has more to do with the load from wind resistance rather than just weight i think.

Ned B......Love those Toyota hybrids, (have one) but generally not rated for towing. I think it has more to do with the CVT than the hybrid drive. You may want to check it out before counting on it as a TV......jd

Yeah CVTs are not good for towing. They just don't have the strength to hold up to the extra load. That's also why they are always mated to low hp engines in lightweight cars. They were tried many decades ago but it hasn't been until recently that a CVT has been able to hold up in a daily driver.

I use a 2017 Sorento 6 cyl (around 250hp)for pulling my 5x10 trailer. I get 30 mpg on the freeway with the ramp down cruising at 80mph. With the ramp up is another story. It will get down to 17mpg just cruising at 65 (well under the speed limit). Course that ramp is like pulling a parachute behind you.

I'm hoping that when I build my teardrop module for the trailer that it won't be too bad as it will be much more aero dynamic than a big sheet of expanded steel catching the air that's coming over the car.
Would like to find some real data on optimal placement of the height of trailer and how far from the rear of the car would be best. I can make assumptions but it's always nice to have real data.

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On trailer shape and placement there is a ton of info here: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/trailer-shape-better-20662-16.html

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[dmdc411]

Something else to consider besides weight, is wind resistance. The Prius may handle the weight, but can it over come the resistance to dragging anything through the air at speed? My guess is no. I learned years back when the cars owners manual said they could tow up to 1000lbs. Yah, they did it! Could it safely stop? No. Did those cars last? No. Both cars trashed their trans by 90k. I tow with a pickup now. No more frustration, except when gas was close to $5 gallon!

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[gudmund]

dmdc- I agree .. I think you are better off with 'more towing' capacity than what is needed to begin with, than to be coming up short after the trailer is loaded and ready to go only find you are over-weight - example is all of the people buying 1/2 ton PU's, than buying a trailer that should be towed by a 3/4-1ton++ HD PU especially after loading them with "all the stuff" to be carried. Most people don't seem to realize how much their "stuff" adds up in addition weight. My trailer axle weight is 800 lbs empty for my teardrop, but always rings-up about 1200/1300 lbs (it was at 1400 lbs once) -loaded- when I do the roll across the state weight scales which is way under my 4000 lb PU tow rating capacity BUT with all of the other stuff being carried in the PU bed, the rear axle weight is always real close it's axle max rating - (never been over-yet, but close) Had to laugh the last time I crossed the Canadian Border back into the States this last July by the border officer "why do you carry so much stuff?" my answer "I've been camping."

[gudmund]

PS - don't know about that many other states and how their weight scales work, BUT the ones here in the State of Washington/Oregon most of the time are left on "after hours" - when not open/weekends for truckers to use to check their axle weights if needed. Most of them are digital read outs nowadays and if you see the digital lights on -reading 0000- they are still on after hours and I use them all of the time when wanting to check the weight of my vehicle/trailer when the station is closed. I just do the roll across and write down the weights when crossing - I have to say, I like the scales just a bit better in Washington than the ones in Oregon though - most of the ones I have used read out in 20 lb increments - Oregon seems to be all in 50 lb increments but they still work just fine.

[Wolffarmer]

PS - don't know about that many other states and how their weight scales work, BUT the ones here in the State of Washington/Oregon most of the time are left on "after hours" - when not open/weekends for truckers to use to check their axle weights if needed. Most of them are digital read outs nowadays and if you see the digital lights on -reading 0000- they are still on after hours and I use them all of the time when wanting to check the weight of my vehicle/trailer when the station is closed. I just do the roll across and write down the weights when crossing - I have to say, I like the scales just a bit better in Washington than the ones in Oregon though - most of the ones I have used read out in 20 lb increments - Oregon seems to be all in 50 lb increments but they still work just fine.

A friend of mine is a roving port of entry. When he is in a remote quite area I can just go visit him and get weighed.

[Vspec]

2017 Pathfinder with EBC and EB on both axles of Neo NAMR 14ft. Empty is about 1900. Loaded is about 2500. Averaging 19l per 100km on the hills of north eastern NB, Canada.

[mantree]

3.3L 4x4 xterra manual transmition and it gets.... not great millage

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[mcubberley]

I just stumbled on a 2007 Dodge Nitro with the factory tow package and 3.7. It’s funny because it uses the door handles they are now putting on new jeeps.

[Rygolf32]

2009 Silverado LTZ - Camper is only about 2k so it has no problem pulling or stopping.

[tx2sturgis]

2017 Nissan Titan XD:

IMG_20180323_225608 (2).jpg (63.82 KiB) Viewed 6221 times

Tacos, optional.

;-)

[Sparksalot]

Tacos, optional.

;-)

And you call yourself a Texan.

[Tom&Shelly]

After working out a weight estimate for our proposed teardrop, it looked like it would be right at the upper limit for comfortable towing with one of our Jeep Wranglers. So we bought this:







We actually bought it in April, but this is the first time it was home on a cloudy day so I could get a few good pictures. Somehow, it's become Shelly's vehicle. I inherit the 2009 Jeep with 100,000 miles, and we will sell my beloved, bottom of the line (so less could go wrong), 2008 Jeep with 210,000 miles.

On the bright side, our mechanic assures us we will be seeing him less often with only one Jeep and the Taco.

Tom

[clamlamp]

My TV is 2017 Subaru outback 2.4L which is pulling my 1450lb teardrop.

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[tnsurveyor]

I have a 2001 F150 4x4, a 2011 F150 4x4, and a 2012 Ford Explorer.

I pulled a lot of trailers when I owned my own land surveying business, but now that I am with my current firm, I don't pull a trailer quite as often. Members of my family have a small 11.5 acre mini farm, another 3 acre place, and what not, and I also have a bigger bass tracker boat, so going too small is not an option for me, plus I'm a pretty big guy.

Since my/our small camper suffered water damage, we are moving towards a cargo trailer conversion. We plan on keeping it pretty simple, and modular so it can be used for many different things. Definitely want to be able to put the kayaks either on top, or inside, and be able to use our cots or possibly later a bed on vertical e-tracks.