errance

Hello,

Anyone here towing a Vette with a V6 truck like a Toyota Tacoma? Are you doing OK on the interstate going through mountain passes?

I'm thinking 3500lb for my C6 plus 2000lb for an open trailer. That should work with a truck that has about 6500lb tow rating. I'd be doing this 10 times a year, not 5 days a week.

Or is V8 / V10 / Diesel the only way to go? If this is just a crack-headed idea, I'd rather find out now

John Shiels

there is dragging something to the track and there towing something comfortably to the track. Bigger truck means bigger tires, more weight of tow vehicle, better suspension, and better brakes. Small trucks are not the hot ticket, the wheelbase is also shorter and wheel track narrower. although you may get there but it will not be a comfortable ride. Mountains no way.

Full size truck with a V8. Don't forget the 6500 lb includes everything in the truck and trailer including you.

JDIllon

I've towed with a 2006 Pathfinder ( 6500LBS capacity )for the last three years. I've towed from Florida to Elkhart Lake, Wis. and all over the southeast. probably 15000 miles of towing. It does great with one major exception!!!!!!!!! You have to be extremely careful in wet conditions, your towing more weight than the tow vehicle, so you need to leave lots of stopping distance. Other than that it tows great, no probems in the mountains, only stopping in the wet. Be sure that your trailer is equipped with brakes on both axels and that you use a equalizer type of hitch. I do think that the Pathfinder is one of the few small SUV's that can handle this towing. Check for Horse Power and towing Capacity. JD

beerkat

I have been towing with my Honda Ridgeline for the past 2 years. It runs 70 mph on the Interstate with out issue. I get 14 mph when towing my rig. I haul tools and tires in the truck a long with coolers, clothes, and wife. I do use an open Featherlite trailer to help save weight. Total combine towing weight for the Ridgeline is a little over 10,000 pounds.

Falcon

There are different levels of towing safely and reliabily.

In theory you could tow your trailer with a bicycle, assuming you could start downhill. The safety/reliability scale reaches from that point, all the way up to a Peterbilt.

On that scale, choose where your towing combination makes you feel comfortable, and keep in mind, there are others on the road who will feel the consequences of a bad decision.

Obviously, the guy in the picture below thinks his tow vehicke is up to the task. How would you feel seeing him appraoch you in the opposite lane on a curvey road? There's you answer.

beerkat

I agreed with what Falcon said. You need to feel comfortable with what you are towing. Honda design the Ridgeline as a tow vehicle from the start. It is not like any other small or large truck out there. I admit that I am towing at the truck's stated max capacity but the truck is not straining.

As Falcon said you can tow with a bicycle if you can get it started. I once saw an add where a Honda Goldwing was hooked up to a large Airstream trailer and it towed it, in a parking lot. Braking is another matter, If it was not for the electric brakes on both axles of the Featherlite I might have have trouble stopping safely.

Back in 2006 when the Ridgeline came out GRM did an article on it. They said that it was the best tow vehicle they had used. They really like the trunk in the bed of the truck. They were towing a steel trailer with a 911 on it. I tow a Mustang Cobra convertible on a steel trailer for a while which was a heavier load than the vette with aluminum trailer with out issues.

c4cruiser

You have to add up the weight of everything that goes with you when you tow to an event. The weight of the car, the trailer, extra wheels/tires, tools, luggage, the wife and/or girlfriend, your buddies, the kids, the dog, and whatever else. All of that weight has to be less that the maximum cargo capacity of the towing vehicle. You even have to add the trailer tongue weight to the cargo weight. Figure on 10 to 15% of the total trailer weight.

I tow my 87 (3400lbs) on a open steel trailer (2000 lbs) using a '08 4WD Silverado extended cab with the 6.0L motor. The trailer has a tire rack that holds a set of race tires and one trailer spare tire (about 250 lbs). A small toolbox holds abut 50 lbs of tools and parts. So that's 5700 lbs just in the trailer. The truck is rated to tow 8700.

The truck has no problems with area hills but I would think traveling over steep mountain grades (for example going over the Siskiyou's on I-5 headed to Thunderhill) would slow me down to 10-15 under the posted speed limit. I don't think that going over the Cascades on I-90 would not be an issue for my truck at 370 HP and close to 400 ft-lbs of torque.

The Tacoma with the V-6 would be IMHO, pretty hard pressed to tackle long and steep mountain grades but it could be done. Speeds would probably no more than 35-40 on a 6% grade. The key would be a really good tranny cooler, a good trailer brake controller like a Tekonsha Prodigy, a HD radiator, LT load range D-rated tires and upgraded brakes (for the downhill side). The Tacoma has a fairly short wheelbase so stability could be an issue even with an open trailer. A good weight distribution hitch would be a help.

In any event, it's a good idea to not tow/haul more than about 80% of the gross capacity of the vehicle.

For the number of times you would be towing, you might want to think about getting an older Suburban or maybe a Tahoe just for towing. Lots of room inside and they are comfortable riding when towing, The Suburban is basically a 3/4 ton pickup and will tow a heavy load and carry the cargo needed. The Tahoe is like a 1/2 ton but they will do the job too.

John Shiels

If you haven't towed with a dooley vs a regular pickup your don't know what the difference is. If you haven't towed with a full size diesel pickup vs a regular gasser pickup you don't know what you are missing. Same with a small PU vs regular size their is no comparision. Even my 7000 lb. Excursion with shocks, after market sways, and weight distribution bars is so far removed from my Dodge dooley with none of the above it is silly. I only use the weight distributing hitch to be legal.

Then when wet or emergency manuvers come into play it is a whole new ball game.

AU N EGL

over in OT guys. Small tow vehicle and BIG trailer in mountains dont mix

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/off-...-disaster.html

Datawiz

My 6,000# V8 Tundra has a towing capacity of 10,400 pounds. Where in the world do you get a 10,000 pound capacity with a tiny V6, car based, truck?

Datawiz

Timely thread.

DansBlkonBlkZ06

I wouldn't tow a vette with a V6. I used to tow a boat with my Toyota truck and didn't have a problem, but towing my vette up to VIR mountains with a Ford F150 V8 4x4 was a challenge. The trailer had brakes but it was hard going in the rain. My next haul to VIR will be with a F250 or 2500. Be safe.

RedLS1GTO

Can it be done? Yep.

Should it be done? Maybe.

I doubt you would have a problem on flat ground as long as you are careful with braking distances and watch your speed, but if you get into the hills you are asking for trouble IMHO.

Locke

I tow my '96 CE on a steel trailer with my 2006 Tacoma 4.0L V-6 here in Florida without any real problems. However, the truck is much more comfortable at 65 MPH than 70. It will drop five to ten MPH going over the steep bridges even with the kick down. I leave the overdrive off when towing.
I am not comfortable trying to run with Manny and Harry on the interstate but can't seem to keep up with them on the track either .
I would not like to be running it through the mountains on a regular basis. An addition of the TRD supercharger would give it the power it needs but who wants to put high test in at every fill up!
I would love to see you in a Toyota but think you would be happier in the Tundra 5.7L than the Tacoma.

Locke McCormick
North Florida Corvette Association
Jacksonville, FL

jwt1603

If you haven't experienced the difference it makes you'll never understand.

I started out with an open trailer towed by a V8 Explorer at first. Thought it towed fine until one day I got caught in the rain going up a decent grade. It strained a bit but I figured that the weight was fine according to the book. Going down the other side in the rain and wind was NOT any fun.

So I switched to a big V8 Expedition. That was much better. Until I had a semi cut me off and I had to make a quick stop. Took forever to come to a stop with the trailer behind me and I had to fight to keep it staright.

I switched to my current 08 F250 diesel and an enclosed trailer in mid 07. The truck is made for towing and it's obvious when you get behind the wheel. It's almost dangerous because you sort of forget the trailer is back there. It stops in a straight line and accelerates like there's no load on it. For any kind of distance I wouldn't tow with anything else now that I've towed with a big diesel truck that is made to do it. I like the truck so much I sold my other car and it's now my daily driver.

beerkat

If you had read it correctly I said that it was the TOTAL COMBINE WEIGHT which means that the truck plus the trail and whatever else is in the truck or on the trail can add up to 10,000 plus pounds.

By the way the Ridgeline is not a car base truck.

John Shiels

Ridgeline has no frame it is uni-body I think so to me that is a car.


Small tow vehicle equals some very tense and tiring driving. I am even more tense in the Excursion than my dooley. Like said above you forget it is there at all.

beerkat

Well I will disagree with the above statement as far as the Ridgeline is concerned. I tow from Myrtle Beach to VIR which is about a 5 1/2 drive and I do not have either one of those feeling. My wife who is about as nervous as they come is even comfortable.

I have tow with a S10 once I would agree completly with what you said.

beerkat

Integrated Closed-Box Frame with Unit-Body ConstructionThe integrated closed-box frame with unit-body construction is quieter than the conventional body-on-frame design. Not only does this greatly minimize the buzz, squeak and rattle generally associated with body-on-frame trucks, but it also greatly enhances the Ridgeline’s ride and handling, especially when fully loaded. The two integrated, fully boxed and reinforced frame rails and seven fully boxed cross members give it added strength and class-leading torsional rigidity.

RedLS1GTO

Copy + Paste. Gotta love it!