Thinking of buying a new tow vehicle? Things to consider.
Jul 7, 2013 9:10:50 GMT -8
59shastadeluxe, 1958 Shasta "Penny", and 4 more like this
Post by bigbill on Jul 7, 2013 9:10:50 GMT -8
Thinking of buying a new tow vehicle
Here are some thoughts you might consider.
A. What is the total load you plan to pull and haul.
What does trailer weigh? Including everything you plan to take with you such as food, water, chairs, tables, awnings, tents, fishing gear. Also consider what you will load in the vehicle such as people, pets, ect. You get the idea. Is the vehicle rated for that total load.
B. How many people do you need to haul and how big are they (now and next year).
C. What other uses will the vehicle have when not pulling trailer. Work, Play, School
D. What type of fuel does it burn, is it available in the areas you plan to go. Premium fuel is sometimes not available or is sold so little that it becomes stale in the station’s tank.
E. Are repair parts readily available should something fail while you are on vacation or will you have to wait forever while they are shipped in. I realize that all vehicles can have a hard to find part but some are way more likely to have the problem.
F. How important is fuel economy when not towing?
G. What is the terrain you plan to traverse? The mountain passes in the west or flat plains?
H. The total cost of owning the vehicle. Things such as tires, brakes, oil changes and routine maintenance. We would all love to have a big medium duty diesel truck converted to a small motor home like we see pulling these huge trailers but even if someone gave us the vehicle could we afford the tires, brakes, and routine maintenance plus insurance it would require?
I. Will it fit in the garage? Can it sit out in the driveway, Some homeowners Associations prohibit even pickup trucks from being parked in driveways.
J. Is it a vehicle that your spouse could drive home if you got hurt or became sick while on the road?
K. How long is the wheel base. Yes I know some people pull trailers with a motorcycle, but the longer the wheel base the easier it is to control. Example a jeep CJ-5 compared to a crew cab Dually.
L. Another thing to pay attention to is the gear ratio in the drive train. Example I might own a truck that you know pulls a trailer just like yours with no problem and you know it has a certain size engine, so you find one the same make, model, and year buy it only to discover it won’t pull your trailer like mine does. The problem could be the rear end ratio if you check out truck specs the higher ( in Number) the ratio the more it is rated to pull. Example a 3.23 compared to a 4.10 ratio, the 4.10 would have more pulling power. (not a suggestion just an example)
M. Last but not least does it have mirrors that allow you to see past both sides of the trailer.
Here are some thoughts you might consider.
A. What is the total load you plan to pull and haul.
What does trailer weigh? Including everything you plan to take with you such as food, water, chairs, tables, awnings, tents, fishing gear. Also consider what you will load in the vehicle such as people, pets, ect. You get the idea. Is the vehicle rated for that total load.
B. How many people do you need to haul and how big are they (now and next year).
C. What other uses will the vehicle have when not pulling trailer. Work, Play, School
D. What type of fuel does it burn, is it available in the areas you plan to go. Premium fuel is sometimes not available or is sold so little that it becomes stale in the station’s tank.
E. Are repair parts readily available should something fail while you are on vacation or will you have to wait forever while they are shipped in. I realize that all vehicles can have a hard to find part but some are way more likely to have the problem.
F. How important is fuel economy when not towing?
G. What is the terrain you plan to traverse? The mountain passes in the west or flat plains?
H. The total cost of owning the vehicle. Things such as tires, brakes, oil changes and routine maintenance. We would all love to have a big medium duty diesel truck converted to a small motor home like we see pulling these huge trailers but even if someone gave us the vehicle could we afford the tires, brakes, and routine maintenance plus insurance it would require?
I. Will it fit in the garage? Can it sit out in the driveway, Some homeowners Associations prohibit even pickup trucks from being parked in driveways.
J. Is it a vehicle that your spouse could drive home if you got hurt or became sick while on the road?
K. How long is the wheel base. Yes I know some people pull trailers with a motorcycle, but the longer the wheel base the easier it is to control. Example a jeep CJ-5 compared to a crew cab Dually.
L. Another thing to pay attention to is the gear ratio in the drive train. Example I might own a truck that you know pulls a trailer just like yours with no problem and you know it has a certain size engine, so you find one the same make, model, and year buy it only to discover it won’t pull your trailer like mine does. The problem could be the rear end ratio if you check out truck specs the higher ( in Number) the ratio the more it is rated to pull. Example a 3.23 compared to a 4.10 ratio, the 4.10 would have more pulling power. (not a suggestion just an example)
M. Last but not least does it have mirrors that allow you to see past both sides of the trailer.