GMC or Ford to Tow with?

[Shane826]

Be aware the Transit is unibody, not full frame construction… And apparently they don’t play well with weight distribution hitches.

[fairweatherfisherman]

I would suggest getting a towing and trailering guide (similar to this) for the vehicles you are considering. I recently ran all the numbers for our tow vehicle and it was a lot closer than I would have thought just looking at the headline number.

https://www.gmc.com/content/dam/gmc/...wing-guide.pdf

When running the numbers note that tongue load is included in the GVWR.
Some models, when loaded with the driver, passenger and maximum tongue load, may exceed the maximum Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or rear-axle weight rating for that vehicle, which is not permissible.

[MiniMe]

Out of curiosity, have you considered a toy hauler? I'm not trying to talk you out of a TM as I love mine, but seems a toy hauler might better suit your needs. You wouldn't need to buy an auto loader for the motorcycle either.

But then again, I only have a Trail Mini and not a 3124

[busterphysic]

It doesn't take much to pull the TM.
The Ford Transit should do very well. I added a reinforcement from my rear
center undercarriage to my WD receiver. It improved the WD function for my
unibody TV. But I doubt it is necessary for a Transit.

I pull a 5000# TM3326 with a fully loaded 2008 Honda Odyssey.
Reinforced WD hitch receiver.
Heavy Duty rear coil springs.
OEM towing package. (PS & ATF coolers)
Tekonsha P3 brake controller
Synthetic ATF

Three years & 6000 mountain miles with no problem.

The only trouble is occasionally the gearing is too long for steep hills. Necessitating inconvenient downshifts, or making a steep incline impossible.
Some people have smaller tires for towing which relieve this problem too.

Dave Miller

p.s. I don't know why my thumbnails are upside down.

[Imfrugal24/7]

I’ve seen receivers place on the back bumper area on the trail manor for transporting motorcycles. It’s on my list of things to do for my motorcycle. For now it’s in a Long bed on my truck. It is a pain getting it in an out even with good quality ramps. Go with a LONG BED BOX 👍

[Shane826]

I’ve seen that ONCE. And if I remember correctly he said it caused the trailer to sway so badly that he never did it again.

[Bill]

I think the TM rear hitch is rated for 100 pounds - in other words, it is intended to carry a couple bicycles, but nothing heavier. You might do well to check it out.

Bill

[earlfo]

I have decided to get a Ford Transit Cargo 250 AWD with dually wheels in the rear.

It might be a little overkill, but it will ease my mind when I go into areas where the ground is not the best. The dually wheels should help carry the extra weight of the motorcycle quite easily.

I also plan on adding an aftermarket double seat behind the driver for passengers. This should still leave room to add some storage boxes behind the seats.

Now I have to find a good deal on a new or newish Trailmanor 3124KB. I have seen some ads for new 2021 and 2022 models.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

Earl

[rich2468]

I believe that'll work out to be a wise choice for your use.

You won't have to worry about getting your motorcycle up a steep ramp behind a pickup and the bike will be protected from the elements when not in use.

You'll have loads of interior, non-TrailManor, space for other potential toys (inflatable kayak, etc.) and that space will be flexible.

You can leave the van space open/ box-like or improve it to possibly carve out a small desk/work space area allowing you to have that separate from your TrailManor living space.



Rich and Lynn
2021 2922KB