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Old 04-18-2015, 07:47 PM   #18
Roy in Texas
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 35
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I will offer a different opinion. I suggest you also look the available torque when considering a TV. It looks to me like the Honda Pilot V6 puts out about 250 ft-lbs of torque which should be ok. I mention this since torque is much more important and HP when considering towing performance.

I have towed my 2720 with a 2006 Honda Ridgeline and a 2004 Ford Excursion (both of which I recently sold and replaced with a 2015 RAM 1500 eco-diesel). The Honda V6 put out around 250 ft-lbs or torque. The Excursion about 550 ft-lbs. While the Honda was "adequate" in Texas and in most flat terrain, I did not like it at all in the mountains. The Excursion was a lot more TV than needed for a 2720. I had bought it when I had 9000 trailer and 4 kids.

In my experience, 250 ft-lbs will get you where you want to go, but you may only be able tow at 45-50 mph up steep grades.

I like being able to accelerate to pass slow moving vehicles and trucks going up steep grades in the mountains. For me, that means an engine that can produce 350-400 ft-lbs of torque. My new RAM 1500 3L eco-diesel produces 420 ft-lbs and is connected to an 8 gear transmission. Its overall tow rating is 9200 lbs. There are lots of other vehicles and engines that could have met my desires as well. We are planning a trip from San Antonio to Seattle in August and will spend 6-7 weeks in traveling around WA, OR, and northern CA.

Bill is right about the value of the new J-2807 standard in being able to compare the relative capabilities of different TVs. Many of the 2015 models are already using the standard. For example, here are the results posted by RAM.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/16/r...fficial-video/

Others have covered the tongue weight and hitch issues which are also important.
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Roy & Cyndie
San Antonio, TX
08 2720 (swing hitch, bike receiver)
15 RAM 1500 4x4 with 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6
RAM Integrated Brake Controller
Blue Ox Weight Distributing Hitch
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