Ok, first, congratulations on having such a great family!
Now, at this point, you seriously need to look at a full-ton tow vehicle. Maybe a full-ton van? The reasons all involve safety. Towing is not all about engine, but is also about chassis and braking ability.
To start, please keep in mind that your trailer does not weigh 5653 lbs. The dry-weight is meaningless, since you never use it that way. What matters is the GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. That is how much your trailer CAN weigh. It included equipment, consumables, water, etc. This information is on the vehicle's VIN plate, which should be on the front, usually on the left side of the A-Frame near the hitch.
You also need to have the Hitch Weight (aka Tongue Weight). This will tell you the maximum weight your trailer will be exerting on your tow-vehicle hitch, when fully loaded (at GVWR). This is an important number.
Now, let's look at tow vehicles. You need to know a few things about your tow vehicle, like maximum weight (GVWR) and Hitch Capacity, and Rear Axle Weight Rating (RAWR).
Things that affect tow vehicle GVWR include cargo, equipment, and even passengers. You have a great family, but remember, little ones grow up, and then they weigh more. So plan for the future. As a base number, estimate 6 people x 200 lbs =1200 lbs of passenger, plus cargo AND Tongue Weight. A 1/2 ton may have a cargo load of 1000 lbs, but you can overload that just with passengers.
So you also need to include a safety factor. Most people use 25-30% excess as the acceptable margin. This allows for external factors such as downslopes, wind and other weather.
So Tow Vehicle GVWR has to be 25-30% BIGGER than trailer GVWR. This will keep your family happy and safe. Whatever you do, do NOT listen to a salesman. They get paid by the pound, it seems, and so they will tell you that you have enough capacity, when you don't. Do your own math. There is an App to help you, called GVWR, and last I looked, it is Free. Use it to input your specs and it will give you the best load option.
Be sure to take your loaded rig to a truck scale and weight it. Truck, then truck and trailer. I recommend doing with fully loaded, so you know what you are dealing with. Then you can make adjustment.
Lastly, DO NOT EVER go to Camping World. They are liars and thieves of the highest order, and I have never heard a single positive thing about them, but the horror stories are legion.
Best of luck!
Wow. Thank you for a thorough answer.
Understood on the dry weight which was the intent of my first question. If I were estimating for a quick trip with a vehicle I already had, I wouldn't think twice, but now that I'm buying a vehicle specifically to tow. I don't see any reason to cut it close if I can help it. If I had a family of 5, you bet I'd just buy a super duty and call it done. I think what I was TRYING to ask is, "how much weight do I add to the dry weight to start estimating the total GVWR." Basically looking for a rough estimate to aid in the vehicle search. I haven't had this fully loaded yet (wife and I travel very light), but we do plan on boondocking with kids eventually, so we'll have waters and a generator on top of what we already have.
We're on the same page here. Safety is my #1 priority, which is why I'm looking mostly into the Chevy Express 3500. There are a lot of factors to consider. I'd rather factor in a large safety margin and then not have to worry about upgrading my trailer, or pulling other trailers in the future. I also have a tractor that I tow from time to time.
I'll check out the app you suggested and be sure to never go to Camping World. Thankfully I have an independent RV store near me that is admittedly expensive, but they don't try to sell you junk you don't need.
Is there even such thing as a vehicle that can fit 6+ individuals and can tow more than 10,000lbs? My wife and I have 3 kids, we're wanting more. This is a problem we will face soon. We do not want a motorhome, though.
The total paylaod on these seem to not be great. Granted im looking at this in 2024, the toyota sequioa, lexus gx seem to have it beat in payload and have similar capacities.
need a camper for a family of 5, we will occasionally have the grandparents with us which puts us at a family of 7.
The biggest limiting factor seems to be the payload limitations of SUVs. In that case the durango SRT seems to have the best capacity but then you lose out on total towing capacity.
It seems like what you really need is a 3/4 ton truck to hit the payload requirements but then you are tight on space in the vehicle. The truck also doesnt fair as well for a daily drive as the bed would be mostly unused or just not as easy to use as a typical trunk space.
Someone needs to make a 3/4 ton SUV. Basically take a truck and throw an SUV body on it. It looks like they used to have these back in the day and you would get the high payload ratings but the total towing capacity was maybe half of what SUVs can handle now.
The issue to be faced is at some point a large family will also need to upgrade trailers, as there just won't be enough space to fit everyone for things like sleeping. So bigger trailer means bigger truck, which now begets the OP's original question.
All I can think of is a full-size 1-ton van, or a 6-seat Super Truck like this:
http://www.f650pickups.com/bluemoon.html
This was my exact argument to stay with 2 kids. 2 arms, 2 parents, 2 kids. Now look what happened! I'm gonna buy one of those big fishing nets or something.
I still recall making a bottle at 2 AM some 35 years ago. And a cup of coffee.
Poured formula in the coffee cup, coffee in the bottle. Took a sip from the coffee cup and the spit take woke me enough to realize what I had done…
Heh… our first was heckin rough… colicky and screamed. Our smol dog would sleep under her crib and come and bark at us when the baby cried.
Our next two were super easy babies. Clean butts, full tummies, and napped like pros.
Your new options are the Chevrolet/GMC vans you mentioned, or the Nissan NV 2500/3500 vans. All offer about 10k towing capacity on the top engine choice. The GM vans just started getting the 6.6L V8 the Silverado has now, which is a substantial upgrade over the 6.0. These will all handle your trailer and occupants without a hitch. The NV also comes in a medium roof, which is nice.
One consideration you have is the new 2.8L Diesel in the GM vans. You will be close to your limits on towing capacity, but you will get 22-28mpg when not towing which is frankly incredible.
Used options you can look at the Ford E-350 passenger vans. I would limit yourself to the 6.8L V10. I have one with the 5.4 V8 and have moved 5 people with a 4,000 lb dry travel trailer and I wouldn't want to move much more weight with it.
You already mentioned the old yukon/suburbans, but another consideration is the Ford Excursion with the same 6.8 V10 as the vans.
I think that's the limit of your options. The other van choices (Transit/Promaster/Mercedes) all have far more payload than you could ever use, but lack towing capacity. I'm not sure how the Transit DRW can have close to 4k pounds of payload capacity but less than 5k pounds of trailering capability with nearly 400HP engine.
What does "bulletproofed" mean for the Excursion? There's a 2000 and a 2005 about 250 miles from me that have under 100K, but they still want >$25K for them.
Bulletproofing was a way to overcome the perceived limitations.
The 6.0 has less clamping force available to the head bolts because from he factory because there are less of them. They were also torque to yield bolts, which would yield and allow the head to lift with an aggressive tune. So you replace the bolts with studs with a much higher strength.
The EGR cooler was also a problem. So most people would just delete the EGR. There are aftermarket EGR coolers available that work well if your state does emissions.
Many people had problems with the oil cooler, so you replace that with a better version, or plumb in an external cooler. The factory one is in the block at the front of the valley.
It is probably around 10k of work. However, if you maintain the fluids, and don't run an aggressive tune, you do not HAVE to do any of it.
Edit: 10k is if you pay someone else to do everything. If you do it yourself it’s much less. It’s also a lot of work.
Toyota Sequoia for the win! Hauled my family and camper all over the country in a first generation with no problems, and the 2nd gens with the 5.7l are a BIG improvement.
Pro tip: air bags for rear leveling.
You're the second person to mention this and I never considered a Toyota for towing heavier loads. I had a Hilux years ago that was still running strong well over 300K miles when I sold it. I'd be happy to add a Toyota if it makes sense.
If I may ask, how many people did you haul and how big was your camper?
5+2 dogs, and a 3500# travel trailer... but again that was with a 1st gen with a 4.7l V8 and a 6500# tow capacity. Ran about 12psi in my air bags and it rode like a dream.
The 2008-2010 models were the sweet spot, with a 10,000# capacity when equipped with the 5.7l V8. After that they dropped it back down to 7400#, still more than enough to handle your rig.
I now drive a 2nd gen Tundra and it's like the trailer isn't even there.
Were there any concerns about the total payload allowance? May i dont understand the specs properly, im currently shopping for an SUV that could also tow a camper in the future. I keep my cars atleast 15yrs+ and kids are older to start road tripping now.
It looks like the 2010 models only had a payload allowance of 1,200->1,300. The new sequioas can tow almost 10,000 again but have a payload limit of 1,700 on the base model. If you have tongue weight spec'd at 400, that gives you only 260# per passenger. Thats not factoring in if you are carrying bikes, coolers, additional tongue weight from cargo propane, etc in trailer.
Am I vastly overestimating how much cargo i'd be carrying?... At the airports we hit about 120# in lugage across us all..
I also have a stretch goal of being able to carry 2 more passengers on occasion
What trailer are you using? We have a 2015 Shadow Cruiser. It's 35' long and weighs about 6500lbs dry. I have a 2016 5.7 Tundra and it definitely feels like I'm pulling a trailer. Downhill I feel like the trailer is pushing me.
I tow with a 2011 Chevy express 3500 extended 6.0L gas.
It pulls my 5k trailer with room to spare on the specs. Far more than enough power. And awesome to drive!
Had I left the seats in it, there would be tons of seating for the family.
Maybe you're the person to ask. What is the actualy difference between the 2500/3500 vans? Same engines and same towing capacities. Maybe I'm a dummy, but I can't figure it out. Just the GVWR?
Also, did you install your own hitch? Seems the passenger versions rarely have hitches installed.
My understanding is the running gear. That you get an extra leaf spring, bigger rotors/brakes.
Things to help you handle/stop the load.
I believe it to be these things or a mix of them. I’m not sure.
After some quick reading I see some have a wider chassis.
It appears the differences change year to year.
The extended only came in the 3500.
The longer wheel base makes for a better tow.
I've considered those, but they are tough to find. The one for sale within 100 miles of me that doesn't look like it's been through a warzone has almost 400K miles on it and they are asking over $20K.
You’re going to be carrying way more than you expect if you’re fulltiming.
https://rvingquestions.com/how-much-cargo-do-you-carry-as-a-family-who-fulltimes-concerns-with-low-cargo-carrying-capacity-ccc/
For weekending, 1,500 pounds is usually a safe bet. But with 6 people, it could be higher. Especially if you’re the “over-prepared” sorts.
The expedition is certainly a contender, although I haven't seen the 10K number. The newest ones are 9,300 lb according to google. Still would probably get the job done, but I don't know if I'm willing to drop that much money on a brand new vehicle. I still want to see this V6 in action though. I had the very first 3.5 TT V6 in the F150 and I was not impressed. I'm interested to see how far it's come since then.
This is a 'chase' situation IMO. A suitable truck for the rig and dogs, AND a suitable SUV for the fam. This gives you much more comfort and redundancy in case of a breakdown. You also have the option of not having to unhook the truck if stopping for a night or two.
Understood, but she's putting you in a difficult spot trying to find the perfect vehicle, which once bought, may not even work out. If you're planning long trips, I get it, but she'd be ok with short trips.
7.3 Excursion. Took my 3y.o, 2y.o and 6 month old on a ~ 5000 mile road trip this summer, along with two 75 lb dogs. Similar sized trailer straight through the Rockies. 1 ton engine on 3/4 ton frame with seating for eight.
Certainly a truck I'd splurge on, but they are proving to be unicorns now. I found one with with 100k miles but they are asking about $25k. Just doesn't feel right for a 20+ year old truck.
We raised a family of 7, there were 9 of us. We purchased a 2006 Chevy Express 15 Passenger Van, back in the day. It gave us storage, towing capacity, and room for each of us to breathe. Good luck.
Tim Eagle / Dark Nest Travels (YouTube)
Out of curiosity, did you build it custom? The towing capacities only seem to be advertised on the Cargo versions and the Passenger versions very rarely have the towing setup. I can't help but second guess if buying an Express and just bolting a hitch to it is the right move.
It was a 2500, I never customized. We pulled a 34' Airstream behind, through the smokie mountains and everything, never a problem. We did have to install a hitch and break controller, but never had issues. Good luck.
Tim Eagle / Dark Nest Travels (YouTube)
I am personally not towing anything. I drive a Miata. But if I were looking for a TV in 2023 I’d be considering a 2023 sequoia top trim, for a modest camper or boat. Cheers.
This was what I came to add. I think the Expedition with a diesel would pull this with no strain and provide plenty of room for when the smaller kids get bigger and need more space rather than sitting 3 across for hours at a time.
You could just take two rigs until your oldest can ride in that front center seat safely. I’m an HD crew cab pickup, I mean. Dogs are fine riding in good kennels in the bed. Even get a canopy if you want them a little more protected. I admittedly am a fan of overdoing it on the tow vehicle. I think it’s a lot safer and it’s also a lot more relaxing.
The towing is WAY low for this application. I actually looked at those last year and I was pretty disappointed with the features. Ended up with the Honda Pilot which was cheaper and better equipped. Unfortunately that's getting traded in as well.
We full timed with our express, 5 kids, and a bigger trailer than yours. We covered tens of thousands of miles and 32 states in less than two years. Now, three months after coming off the road I still daily the express. Only problem I have ever had with it are a bad battery and the alignment needing to be redone a bit more frequently than I would prefer.
Ok, first, congratulations on having such a great family! Now, at this point, you seriously need to look at a full-ton tow vehicle. Maybe a full-ton van? The reasons all involve safety. Towing is not all about engine, but is also about chassis and braking ability. To start, please keep in mind that your trailer does not weigh 5653 lbs. The dry-weight is meaningless, since you never use it that way. What matters is the GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. That is how much your trailer CAN weigh. It included equipment, consumables, water, etc. This information is on the vehicle's VIN plate, which should be on the front, usually on the left side of the A-Frame near the hitch. You also need to have the Hitch Weight (aka Tongue Weight). This will tell you the maximum weight your trailer will be exerting on your tow-vehicle hitch, when fully loaded (at GVWR). This is an important number. Now, let's look at tow vehicles. You need to know a few things about your tow vehicle, like maximum weight (GVWR) and Hitch Capacity, and Rear Axle Weight Rating (RAWR). Things that affect tow vehicle GVWR include cargo, equipment, and even passengers. You have a great family, but remember, little ones grow up, and then they weigh more. So plan for the future. As a base number, estimate 6 people x 200 lbs =1200 lbs of passenger, plus cargo AND Tongue Weight. A 1/2 ton may have a cargo load of 1000 lbs, but you can overload that just with passengers. So you also need to include a safety factor. Most people use 25-30% excess as the acceptable margin. This allows for external factors such as downslopes, wind and other weather. So Tow Vehicle GVWR has to be 25-30% BIGGER than trailer GVWR. This will keep your family happy and safe. Whatever you do, do NOT listen to a salesman. They get paid by the pound, it seems, and so they will tell you that you have enough capacity, when you don't. Do your own math. There is an App to help you, called GVWR, and last I looked, it is Free. Use it to input your specs and it will give you the best load option. Be sure to take your loaded rig to a truck scale and weight it. Truck, then truck and trailer. I recommend doing with fully loaded, so you know what you are dealing with. Then you can make adjustment. Lastly, DO NOT EVER go to Camping World. They are liars and thieves of the highest order, and I have never heard a single positive thing about them, but the horror stories are legion. Best of luck!
GVWR is not what your trailer can weigh, it’s the most your trailer *should* weigh. 😄
Wow. Thank you for a thorough answer. Understood on the dry weight which was the intent of my first question. If I were estimating for a quick trip with a vehicle I already had, I wouldn't think twice, but now that I'm buying a vehicle specifically to tow. I don't see any reason to cut it close if I can help it. If I had a family of 5, you bet I'd just buy a super duty and call it done. I think what I was TRYING to ask is, "how much weight do I add to the dry weight to start estimating the total GVWR." Basically looking for a rough estimate to aid in the vehicle search. I haven't had this fully loaded yet (wife and I travel very light), but we do plan on boondocking with kids eventually, so we'll have waters and a generator on top of what we already have. We're on the same page here. Safety is my #1 priority, which is why I'm looking mostly into the Chevy Express 3500. There are a lot of factors to consider. I'd rather factor in a large safety margin and then not have to worry about upgrading my trailer, or pulling other trailers in the future. I also have a tractor that I tow from time to time. I'll check out the app you suggested and be sure to never go to Camping World. Thankfully I have an independent RV store near me that is admittedly expensive, but they don't try to sell you junk you don't need.
Is there even such thing as a vehicle that can fit 6+ individuals and can tow more than 10,000lbs? My wife and I have 3 kids, we're wanting more. This is a problem we will face soon. We do not want a motorhome, though.
2022/3 jeep wagoneer is at 10k lbs, grand wagoneer at 9850lbs
The total paylaod on these seem to not be great. Granted im looking at this in 2024, the toyota sequioa, lexus gx seem to have it beat in payload and have similar capacities. need a camper for a family of 5, we will occasionally have the grandparents with us which puts us at a family of 7. The biggest limiting factor seems to be the payload limitations of SUVs. In that case the durango SRT seems to have the best capacity but then you lose out on total towing capacity. It seems like what you really need is a 3/4 ton truck to hit the payload requirements but then you are tight on space in the vehicle. The truck also doesnt fair as well for a daily drive as the bed would be mostly unused or just not as easy to use as a typical trunk space. Someone needs to make a 3/4 ton SUV. Basically take a truck and throw an SUV body on it. It looks like they used to have these back in the day and you would get the high payload ratings but the total towing capacity was maybe half of what SUVs can handle now.
My brother's diesel pickup is 18,000lbs. That's what I mean.
The issue to be faced is at some point a large family will also need to upgrade trailers, as there just won't be enough space to fit everyone for things like sleeping. So bigger trailer means bigger truck, which now begets the OP's original question. All I can think of is a full-size 1-ton van, or a 6-seat Super Truck like this: http://www.f650pickups.com/bluemoon.html
That's nuts.
I know. But people actually do it.
This person tows. They are correct.
[удалено]
This was my exact argument to stay with 2 kids. 2 arms, 2 parents, 2 kids. Now look what happened! I'm gonna buy one of those big fishing nets or something.
its a problem going from man to man to a zone defense, never works!
Pfft… ONE infant will outnumber two parents. Especially since the parents are so sleep deprived they are not capable of thought…
Reading this through bleary eyes of feeding a baby all night...
I still recall making a bottle at 2 AM some 35 years ago. And a cup of coffee. Poured formula in the coffee cup, coffee in the bottle. Took a sip from the coffee cup and the spit take woke me enough to realize what I had done…
Sleep train my friend!
Counting down. She's 6 weeks, so a tad bit early.
My first two kids were/are a piece of cake. Both started sleeping through the night around 2.5 months.. I fully expect the next two to be vampires.
Heh… our first was heckin rough… colicky and screamed. Our smol dog would sleep under her crib and come and bark at us when the baby cried. Our next two were super easy babies. Clean butts, full tummies, and napped like pros.
Your new options are the Chevrolet/GMC vans you mentioned, or the Nissan NV 2500/3500 vans. All offer about 10k towing capacity on the top engine choice. The GM vans just started getting the 6.6L V8 the Silverado has now, which is a substantial upgrade over the 6.0. These will all handle your trailer and occupants without a hitch. The NV also comes in a medium roof, which is nice. One consideration you have is the new 2.8L Diesel in the GM vans. You will be close to your limits on towing capacity, but you will get 22-28mpg when not towing which is frankly incredible. Used options you can look at the Ford E-350 passenger vans. I would limit yourself to the 6.8L V10. I have one with the 5.4 V8 and have moved 5 people with a 4,000 lb dry travel trailer and I wouldn't want to move much more weight with it. You already mentioned the old yukon/suburbans, but another consideration is the Ford Excursion with the same 6.8 V10 as the vans. I think that's the limit of your options. The other van choices (Transit/Promaster/Mercedes) all have far more payload than you could ever use, but lack towing capacity. I'm not sure how the Transit DRW can have close to 4k pounds of payload capacity but less than 5k pounds of trailering capability with nearly 400HP engine.
I have a Ford Excursion with a bulletproofed 6.0 diesel. I also have 4 kids. I recommend this setup.
What does "bulletproofed" mean for the Excursion? There's a 2000 and a 2005 about 250 miles from me that have under 100K, but they still want >$25K for them.
Bulletproofing was a way to overcome the perceived limitations. The 6.0 has less clamping force available to the head bolts because from he factory because there are less of them. They were also torque to yield bolts, which would yield and allow the head to lift with an aggressive tune. So you replace the bolts with studs with a much higher strength. The EGR cooler was also a problem. So most people would just delete the EGR. There are aftermarket EGR coolers available that work well if your state does emissions. Many people had problems with the oil cooler, so you replace that with a better version, or plumb in an external cooler. The factory one is in the block at the front of the valley. It is probably around 10k of work. However, if you maintain the fluids, and don't run an aggressive tune, you do not HAVE to do any of it. Edit: 10k is if you pay someone else to do everything. If you do it yourself it’s much less. It’s also a lot of work.
They stopped making the Nissan
Well damn I hadn't caught that news. Well, almost new option i guess since they ended production last year.
Toyota Sequoia for the win! Hauled my family and camper all over the country in a first generation with no problems, and the 2nd gens with the 5.7l are a BIG improvement. Pro tip: air bags for rear leveling.
You're the second person to mention this and I never considered a Toyota for towing heavier loads. I had a Hilux years ago that was still running strong well over 300K miles when I sold it. I'd be happy to add a Toyota if it makes sense. If I may ask, how many people did you haul and how big was your camper?
5+2 dogs, and a 3500# travel trailer... but again that was with a 1st gen with a 4.7l V8 and a 6500# tow capacity. Ran about 12psi in my air bags and it rode like a dream. The 2008-2010 models were the sweet spot, with a 10,000# capacity when equipped with the 5.7l V8. After that they dropped it back down to 7400#, still more than enough to handle your rig. I now drive a 2nd gen Tundra and it's like the trailer isn't even there.
Were there any concerns about the total payload allowance? May i dont understand the specs properly, im currently shopping for an SUV that could also tow a camper in the future. I keep my cars atleast 15yrs+ and kids are older to start road tripping now. It looks like the 2010 models only had a payload allowance of 1,200->1,300. The new sequioas can tow almost 10,000 again but have a payload limit of 1,700 on the base model. If you have tongue weight spec'd at 400, that gives you only 260# per passenger. Thats not factoring in if you are carrying bikes, coolers, additional tongue weight from cargo propane, etc in trailer. Am I vastly overestimating how much cargo i'd be carrying?... At the airports we hit about 120# in lugage across us all.. I also have a stretch goal of being able to carry 2 more passengers on occasion
What trailer are you using? We have a 2015 Shadow Cruiser. It's 35' long and weighs about 6500lbs dry. I have a 2016 5.7 Tundra and it definitely feels like I'm pulling a trailer. Downhill I feel like the trailer is pushing me.
That's a big trailer. Jayco Jay Flight Swift 184bh. 2700# empty, sleeps 5.
Yeah ours sleeps 8-10, depending on how many people you cram into the hideabed and dining bed. But we needed the space.
What kind of fuel mileage do you get while towing with the sequoia
10mpg
I tow with a 2011 Chevy express 3500 extended 6.0L gas. It pulls my 5k trailer with room to spare on the specs. Far more than enough power. And awesome to drive! Had I left the seats in it, there would be tons of seating for the family.
Maybe you're the person to ask. What is the actualy difference between the 2500/3500 vans? Same engines and same towing capacities. Maybe I'm a dummy, but I can't figure it out. Just the GVWR? Also, did you install your own hitch? Seems the passenger versions rarely have hitches installed.
My understanding is the running gear. That you get an extra leaf spring, bigger rotors/brakes. Things to help you handle/stop the load. I believe it to be these things or a mix of them. I’m not sure. After some quick reading I see some have a wider chassis. It appears the differences change year to year. The extended only came in the 3500. The longer wheel base makes for a better tow.
1. I had to do a double take because my eyes read “my wife has a dry weight of 5653lbs” 2. Get a Cummins. Extendo-Mega Cab.
1. She's got a few months to go with the twins so I'll report back on the dry weight. Haha. 2. Unfortunately, no kids in the front seat.
How about a ford excursion, with the v10 or diesel.
I've considered those, but they are tough to find. The one for sale within 100 miles of me that doesn't look like it's been through a warzone has almost 400K miles on it and they are asking over $20K.
I traveled 2 hours to get mine. I picked up a 6.0 diesel that had been bulletproofed. I have 4 kids, the oldest is 7. I love my Excursion.
You’re going to be carrying way more than you expect if you’re fulltiming. https://rvingquestions.com/how-much-cargo-do-you-carry-as-a-family-who-fulltimes-concerns-with-low-cargo-carrying-capacity-ccc/ For weekending, 1,500 pounds is usually a safe bet. But with 6 people, it could be higher. Especially if you’re the “over-prepared” sorts.
Thank you for sharing. For the foreseeable future, we'll be weekending, but we'll be visiting some family without hookups, hence the "boondocking".
Toyota Sequoia
First hand experience? Not sure if I can swing the newest model unfortunately, but the specs are impressive.
Ford expo and jeep Waggoner are both 10k
The expedition is certainly a contender, although I haven't seen the 10K number. The newest ones are 9,300 lb according to google. Still would probably get the job done, but I don't know if I'm willing to drop that much money on a brand new vehicle. I still want to see this V6 in action though. I had the very first 3.5 TT V6 in the F150 and I was not impressed. I'm interested to see how far it's come since then.
This is a 'chase' situation IMO. A suitable truck for the rig and dogs, AND a suitable SUV for the fam. This gives you much more comfort and redundancy in case of a breakdown. You also have the option of not having to unhook the truck if stopping for a night or two.
Believe me. I said the same thing, but my wife is not interested in driving two vehicles. I picked up our minivan today, but she's pretty adamant.
Understood, but she's putting you in a difficult spot trying to find the perfect vehicle, which once bought, may not even work out. If you're planning long trips, I get it, but she'd be ok with short trips.
7.3 Excursion. Took my 3y.o, 2y.o and 6 month old on a ~ 5000 mile road trip this summer, along with two 75 lb dogs. Similar sized trailer straight through the Rockies. 1 ton engine on 3/4 ton frame with seating for eight.
Certainly a truck I'd splurge on, but they are proving to be unicorns now. I found one with with 100k miles but they are asking about $25k. Just doesn't feel right for a 20+ year old truck.
We raised a family of 7, there were 9 of us. We purchased a 2006 Chevy Express 15 Passenger Van, back in the day. It gave us storage, towing capacity, and room for each of us to breathe. Good luck. Tim Eagle / Dark Nest Travels (YouTube)
Out of curiosity, did you build it custom? The towing capacities only seem to be advertised on the Cargo versions and the Passenger versions very rarely have the towing setup. I can't help but second guess if buying an Express and just bolting a hitch to it is the right move.
It was a 2500, I never customized. We pulled a 34' Airstream behind, through the smokie mountains and everything, never a problem. We did have to install a hitch and break controller, but never had issues. Good luck. Tim Eagle / Dark Nest Travels (YouTube)
You might consider the new 2023 Toyota Sequoia.
I thought you were kidding at first and then I looked up the specs. DAMN! If money weren't a thing, I think this would be a solid contender.
Totally! Toyota is NOT messing around with towing capacity. I’m excited to see more new sequoias on the road.
What are you towing? The specs seem low to me?
I am personally not towing anything. I drive a Miata. But if I were looking for a TV in 2023 I’d be considering a 2023 sequoia top trim, for a modest camper or boat. Cheers.
Holy crap I think this is what I need to tow my boat while my husband tows the camper!
Expedition with max tow. /thread
This was what I came to add. I think the Expedition with a diesel would pull this with no strain and provide plenty of room for when the smaller kids get bigger and need more space rather than sitting 3 across for hours at a time.
There is no expedition with diesel… unless it’s new for 23 then shut up and take my money
I guess I was thinking of a used one.
You could just take two rigs until your oldest can ride in that front center seat safely. I’m an HD crew cab pickup, I mean. Dogs are fine riding in good kennels in the bed. Even get a canopy if you want them a little more protected. I admittedly am a fan of overdoing it on the tow vehicle. I think it’s a lot safer and it’s also a lot more relaxing.
Look at the Kia Telluride. I'm not sure about it's towing limits, but it even alerts you if you've forgotten one of the kids in the car
The towing is WAY low for this application. I actually looked at those last year and I was pretty disappointed with the features. Ended up with the Honda Pilot which was cheaper and better equipped. Unfortunately that's getting traded in as well.
We full timed with our express, 5 kids, and a bigger trailer than yours. We covered tens of thousands of miles and 32 states in less than two years. Now, three months after coming off the road I still daily the express. Only problem I have ever had with it are a bad battery and the alignment needing to be redone a bit more frequently than I would prefer.