Ideal tow vehicle?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by ragmopp

As noted above there are many good choices for you to choose from. As you mentioned a Tacoma and I have one, I can at least speak to that. Towing a TM with our 6 spd Tacoma works extremely well. As we live at 5000 feet and travel the Donner summit many times we know how the truck performs pulling the TM. I usually can make the 'hill' in 5th gear sometimes 4th, depending on traffic. On flat lands I still haven't figured out if traveling in 5th (according to the manual) is better than leaving it in 6th, but both work. The automatic would work equally as good. With a tow rating of 6500 pounds (properly equipped) you can pull anything that TM makes with a large safety margin. We have a locking bed cover on the back so 'stuff' will not be visible. It has proven to be an excellent performer for both towing and general use. Note: This is the Tacoma with a 4.0 engine. Having owned a previous Tacoma with a 3.4 V6 (I think that was the size) I would not recommend, especially if you are planning on pulling any hills. Pulling a TM with that vehicle would be at its absolute limit in tow ability.

Mike Anderson

When we 1st bought our truck it had the locking bed cover. It gave us very little room to store gear in the bed. I actually have more room in the trunk of my Chrysler Concorde. Putting the shell on the back was great. (I sold the cover for $300 and bought the shell for $200). However, it did allow better security

One of the nice things about the shell is that we can run our Honda EU2000i generator in the back of the truck, with the side windows cracked, and you can't even hear it run. Of course, the best thing is that it tripled the cubic feet of storage space.

A good point about the bed cover...If you have something tall it won't fit. However, ALL of our stuff fits nicely in the back...Of course it depends on what you put back there....As to the shell, I had one of those on a Ranger a number of years ago and it gave much more room, but I live in the mountains and when that window got dirty (which it did everytime it rained or snowed) you couldn't see out of it. I hated that shell because it forced me to use the outside mirrors all the time (I like the inside mirror). So it boils down to whatever works for you.

Mike Anderson

I see there are a few TM owners that live in the Sierras. We live off of highway 4 near Dorrington at the 5,000 foot level. We usually use highway 88 when we go to the east side of the Sierra. Sorry I got a little off track.

All.. I am considering the TM Elkmont 24. I am planning on purchasing a Tacoma V6 with the trailer tow package. QUESTION: Has anyone had any experince in towing the Elkmont with a V6 Tacoma? I calcuate the LOADEd weight to be 3,550-3.800 pounds. If no actual experince.. any thoughts on this combination?? Any help would be appreciated.

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by mark12345

All.. I am considering the TM Elkmont 24. I am planning on purchasing a Tacoma V6 with the trailer tow package. QUESTION: Has anyone had any experince in towing the Elkmont with a V6 Tacoma? I calcuate the LOADEd weight to be 3,550-3.800 pounds. If no actual experince.. any thoughts on this combination?? Any help would be appreciated.

You may be better off starting a "New Thread" in the "Towing Rig" section.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...splay.php?f=23

This thread reminds me of one I did last year. I remember there was a lot of talk about the type of TV (ie: SUV vs PU vs VAN, etc), not necessarily a brand or model. The general concensus was that a PU was the most popular choice. I think a crew cab PU with some type of bed cover was determined to probably be the best setup, but of course this depends on your own personal needs. Four-Wheel drive was determined to be a good feature, but not a "must have" option, and can work against you in some cases.

Some camp only as a retired couple, some camp with 5 young children, 4 dogs, and 2 cats, and a turtle, some camp with motorcycles and 4 wheelers, etc.
My wife and I fall somewhere in between in that we are ALMOST "empty nesters" with one son still at home for a few more years (fingers crossed). We also now have a 3yr old grand-daughter who loves to be outside, so there will be trips with 3-5 people and some with just DW and I. I also plan on buying a canoe.
We have always had vans for our recreational vehicle.
In the past we've had boats, so you needed the van for fishing equipment, trawls, ice chest, etc.
The same goes for tent camping with all the gear required going in the back of the van.
In the last few years, my son has played rugby, so there have been many trips with 4-6 boys and all their gear. (A recent trip to SC had the entire team putting their gear in my van when the rain came, since the few other parents had PU's.)
As for a SUV, I've simply never found a use for one, although if I stumbled across a fairly nice used Yukon XL, I would give it a look.

My general line of thinking is to work with what I have for now (Astro) for the close to home trips with family and friends. As DW and I get closer to retirement and starting heading out on cross-country trips with just her and I, then a new TV will need to be chosen. I've always said that I would go with a full size van, but I am getting tired of the limited access to the engine compartment on vans. Based on the input I've gotten here from that older thread, I'm considering a 4x4 PU with a camper top, but only time will tell.

Generally speaking, no matter what type of TV you go with, it's been pretty much determined that a 5000 lb capacity should be considered MINIMUM.
The rest is up to you and your needs.

Ed - read your post on TVs with interest because I too have had those thoughts. However, I have a little different perspective. Here (in Colorado's "Front Range") my primary requirement for a "daily driver" is all wheel drive (which is different than 4 wheel drive). Since my daily driver has to be my TV as well, that requires an AWD TV. Because we do not have snow on the ground all the time, I need a vehicle that does not need to be switched (either manually or automatically) from 2WD to 4WD - and all the pickups and full size vans I've seen are of that variety. Crossover SUVs (with AWD) are marginal for my 3124 - since all are V6 engines.

So, my that leaves basically "full size" SUVs and pickups. I currently have a Durango (older body style-i.e. midsized) with AWD and have found it to be the best compromise of towing my TM and driving to work each day. My 5500 lbs tow rating is adequate for my 3124, although my 4.7L engine is a little weak on torque. Newer 4.7L engines from Chrysler are tuned for better torque.

The SUV is nice because I get 6-7 person seating if needed (typically not towing), ample rear storage with 4-5 people riding, and even more with only myself and DW when we tow. Also, most full size SUVs are frame and body construction instead of the "unibody" of most crossovers and small vans. I think that contributes to the sturdiness of the pickups - they are "trucks" after all!

Just my .02 worth. Be interested to hear other's opinions. Everyone has difference issues, so no one TV is right for all!

Alan

Originally Posted by Al-n-Sue

Here (in Colorado's "Front Range") my primary requirement for a "daily driver" is all wheel drive (which is different than 4 wheel drive). Since my daily driver has to be my TV as well, that requires an AWD TV. Because we do not have snow on the ground all the time, I need a vehicle that does not need to be switched (either manually or automatically) from 2WD to 4WD -

We don't have much experience with snow or mountains down here, just mud (and now oil). I like the idea of 4x4 for future TV, especially if towing in and out of campgrounds, and mountainous or unpaved terrain.

Originally Posted by Al-n-Sue

The SUV is nice because I get 6-7 person seating if needed (typically not towing), ample rear storage with 4-5 people riding, and even more with only myself and DW when we tow. Also, most full size SUVs are frame and body construction instead of the "unibody" of most crossovers and small vans. I think that contributes to the sturdiness of the pickups - they are "trucks" after all!

That's what I like about my Astro. It's not your conventional mini-van in that it's built on a 1/2 ton frame, not just a van body placed on a car chassis like most of today's mini-vans. I actually call my Astro a "mid-size van".

Like I said, I would consider a large SUV such as a Yukon XL for much of the above reasons about the Astro....a Yukon is a "truck". Many of todays SUV's are small, cramped, and go back to the above issue of simply being a SUV body on a car chassis.

Originally Posted by Al-n-Sue

Everyone has difference issues, so no one TV is right for all!

Absolutely correct!! You must fit your TV to your individual needs.

All.. I am considering the TM Elkmont 24. I am planning on purchasing a Tacoma V6 with the trailer tow package. QUESTION: Has anyone had any experince in towing the Elkmont with a V6 Tacoma?



I am guessing that you are talking about the latest Tacoma with the 4.0 V6. If that is the case I cannot see any problems. Properly equipped, it can handle 6500 pounds. I do not tow a Elkmont but, cannot see a problem. A weight distributing hitch would be required.

Mike Anderson

Originally Posted by mark12345

All.. I am considering the TM Elkmont 24. I am planning on purchasing a Tacoma V6 with the trailer tow package. QUESTION: Has anyone had any experince in towing the Elkmont with a V6 Tacoma? I calcuate the LOADEd weight to be 3,550-3.800 pounds. If no actual experince.. any thoughts on this combination?? Any help would be appreciated.

Mark, I have this configuration and am very happy with it. You will want a weight distributing hitch as the steering gets a little squirrely otherwise.

EDIT: Here's another post about this configurationhttp://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...76&postcount=5