Better Tow vehicle - big SUV or 1/2 Ton Pickup

[77SceptreOB]

I want to pose this question and hear from the gang. Which is a better tow vehicle, a large SUV (Chevy Suburban or Tahoe, Ford Expedition, etc or a Half ton pickup like an F-150, GMC/Chevy 1500 or the like?

[DonV]

Pretty much the same tow results until you want to pick up a load of lumber, dirt, rocks, etc. in your Yukon!! I'm a pick-up truck guy.

[Capt Terry]

I understand DonV's point about hauling with a pickup. I like being able to lock my equipment in my 2008 Yukon. It tows very nicely. However (and don't know if they have changed) but it has the tightest turning radius I have ever driven which makes it much too sensitive in backing the trailer. I did better in my Astro, 4-Runner and all my past cars. I need to try my daughter's 2017 Tahoe when she visits this summer. It still turns sharply but seems less sensitive.

[manitunc]

I have a 2015 Ford Expedition EL with twin turbo v6. Best tow vehicle I have owned or used. use it on a 25' Rampone and 19' Seacraft. Can't even feel the seacraft when towing. Mileage wasnt great, 11mpg towing to keys last summer. Only change I might make is 4wd for lousy ramps, but havent had an issue yet. Nice to be able to lock everything up.

[Beaver]

Unless you're going to be hauling a bunch of kids for extended trips, I'd throw a shell on that truck and have the best of both worlds. You can secure (somewhat) waterskis, surfboards, spearguns, etc. and also not have a ton of water and sand inside your vehicle.

[DonV]

11 mpg?????? I would be very happy with that!!! With the O/D off at about 2500 rpm I get about 9 mpg on my 5.4 Triton with the 3.73 rear end. Oh yeah....that's with the wind down hill!

[bigeasy1]

Originally Posted by DonV

11 mpg?????? I would be very happy with that!!! With the O/D off at about 2500 rpm I get about 9 mpg on my 5.4 Triton with the 3.73 rear end. Oh yeah....that's with the wind down hill!

You got me beat Don..
I got a whopping 8 mpg towing the Tsunami 400 miles with my 5.4 Triton F150 with 3.55 gears.Its horrible on fuel.I was giving some thought about changing to a big suv like a suburban or Expedition but as others mentioned I'd miss the pickup bed .
My truck bed is always is always full of stuff that would ruin the interior of a nice suv.My preference for dual use both as a tow vehicle and a trip to the lumber yard would be best with a pickup truck.
Bought the F150 in 05 and would love a new truck but with pricing from 40 to 60 grand (and even more) it aint gonna happen ,especially on a fixed income.

[Fr. Frank]

Originally Posted by bigeasy1

You got me beat Don..
I got a whopping 8 mpg towing the Tsunami 400 miles with my 5.4 Triton F150 with 3.55 gears.
My truck bed is always is always full of stuff that would ruin the interior of a nice suv.My preference for dual use both as a tow vehicle and a trip to the lumber yard would be best with a pickup truck.

My 2002 F250 2WD 7.3 diesel Crew-cab with 3.73 gearing got me a bit more than 13 mpg average pulling my old 23' Tsunami, and still got 9.5 mpg tandem towing a 7000lb camper AND a 20' Seafari. (With the A/C on, of course).

At 55mph on the interstate, I recently achieved an average of 15.6 mpg pulling a friend's brand-new 19' Sportsman Island Reef from JAX to Destin. My truck has just under 300K miles. Unloaded I can get 24-25 mpg on the highway at 55 mph.

[manitunc]

Originally Posted by bigeasy1

You got me beat Don..
I got a whopping 8 mpg towing the Tsunami 400 miles with my 5.4 Triton F150 with 3.55 gears.Its horrible on fuel.I was giving some thought about changing to a big suv like a suburban or Expedition but as others mentioned I'd miss the pickup bed .
My truck bed is always is always full of stuff that would ruin the interior of a nice suv.My preference for dual use both as a tow vehicle and a trip to the lumber yard would be best with a pickup truck.
Bought the F150 in 05 and would love a new truck but with pricing from 40 to 60 grand (and even more) it aint gonna happen ,especially on a fixed income.

With my extended Expedition EL, I can load a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back and close the doors, or 2x4s or whatever up to about 12' diagonally until I have to open the back window. Mine is always full of crap back there but can still haul a bunch of people when need be.

Oh, I only see 55mph on the way up or down. I can't imagine driving hundreds of miles at that speed. Couldnt do it even in the 70s and 80s when that was the limit. I usually dont go over 65 though with the trailer.

[NoBones]

Over the last 30 years of tugging my 20 all over the state, every vehicle got
around 11-12 mpg towing ......

Thinking back

1988 Jeep Grand Wagoner 360 CI 8-MPG
(terrible handling 'cause of short wheel base)

1990 Dodge Ram Charger 318 CI 8-MPG (same as jeep short wheel base)

1993 3/4 Suburban 350 CI 12 MPG towing or not....

1994 3/4 4WD 350 CI Chevy 2500 P/U 11 MPG

1999 1/2 Dodge Ram 360 CI 11-12 MPG

2003 Dodge Durango 4.7L 11 MPG (actually tows well with short wheel base)

2016 3/4 4WD Dodge Ram Cummings Turbo (full delete) 23 MPG

Out of all of these my favorite was the 99 Dodge Ram !!

So long story short, good friend & I heading to Miami Dolphins game
in his new 1977 Olds Toronado with the 455, asked him what his MPG was?
Response was, if I found out it was 1/2 of what it should be what do you think I'am
going to do... Turn around and go BACK !

That has stuck with me ever since.