Towing Weight vs Frontal Area Ratings

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/21249/thread" author="@sandroad" timestamp="1463507164"]It's a shame helpful and important information like in this thread (and others) is not routinely available. I agree with Charlie the buying public is not well informed. I know Honda rates the Pilot differently for towing a boat vs towing a camper due to the frontal area (aerodynamic) differences and that car manufacturers have put a lot of design time into improving the "slipperiness" of vehicles. 

As a relevant aside, I wish all RV retailers had scales for tongue weight, trailer weight and vehicle weight. It could improve safety on the road if the buying public knew those numbers and kept things within specs. Some of the rigs I see on the road now were clearly the result of an overly-enthusiastic salesperson and an ignorant buyer.

Yes I wasn't aware of this! I am all worried now, I don't like to be over the limit. I am trying to convince my wife that we need to buy a truck now  
[/quote]TANSTATMTV

[daplumbr]

[quote source="/post/21275/thread" author="@paul" timestamp="1463580069"]

It's a shame helpful and important information like in this thread (and others) is not routinely available. I agree with Charlie the buying public is not well informed. I know Honda rates the Pilot differently for towing a boat vs towing a camper due to the frontal area (aerodynamic) differences and that car manufacturers have put a lot of design time into improving the "slipperiness" of vehicles. 

As a relevant aside, I wish all RV retailers had scales for tongue weight, trailer weight and vehicle weight. It could improve safety on the road if the buying public knew those numbers and kept things within specs. Some of the rigs I see on the road now were clearly the result of an overly-enthusiastic salesperson and an ignorant buyer.

Yes I wasn't aware of this! I am all worried now, I don't like to be over the limit. I am trying to convince my wife that we need to buy a truck now    
[/quote]If you go for a new truck, I wouldn't go any less than this for a towing a 13.

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[gnies]

[quote source="/post/21277/thread" author="@sandroad" timestamp="1463583762"]

Yes I wasn't aware of this! I am all worried now, I don't like to be over the limit. I am trying to convince my wife that we need to buy a truck now    

If you go for a new truck, I wouldn't go any less than this for a towing a 13.


[/quote]Nice!

[gnies]

The wife said yes for a new truck! We are going shopping next week

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Paul,

You win!. Look at the mid-sized trucks like Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier. They'd be great for your 13, despite what Merlin says    .
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[gnies]

[font size="3"]Paul,

You win!. Look at the mid-sized trucks like Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier. They'd be great for your 13, despite what Merlin says     .
[/font]

I think we will get the Ford f150 this is what we are going to look at next week!

[charliem]

[quote timestamp="1463689966" source="/post/21318/thread" author="@paul"][quote timestamp="1463689685" author="@charliem" source="/post/21317/thread"][font size="3"]Paul,

You win!. Look at the mid-sized trucks like Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier. They'd be great for your 13, despite what Merlin says      .
[/font][/quote]I think we will get the Ford f150 this is what we are going to look at next week!
[/quote]You can't go wrong with a 150..

[mitch]

I switched from a Tacoma to the F150 for 2 reasons: trailer growth potential (If I water my 13 maybe it will become a 16) and power, the extra horsepower really is very noticeable.  

[whoofit]

I switched from the Escape to the F150 towing the 16DB because people wince and brace for impact, cower and run away, when I approached..


One thing I'll mention. The F150 had more perceived sway than the Escape has. I attribute this to the much longer wheelbase where any sway will appear to be worse because of how it translates along the longer line. Not terrible but noticeable and nothing the Andersen did not completely eliminate.

[gnies]

My new ride!!

We went out for the weekend and the drive was way better than with the Escape! There was a lot of hills I am glad I had the F150! It is nice to have a 136L tank of gas to I was able to get there, do a lot of driving within the park and come back home without refiling, usually when I go there with the Escape I have to stop for gas.

[2moonunit]

[quote timestamp="1463689966" source="/post/21318/thread" author="@paul"]I think we will get the Ford f150 this is what we are going to look at next week!

You can't go wrong with a 150..
[/quote]I have a 16 DBS, I was towing it with a 2013 hyundai sante fe.  It is rated for 5000 lbs with a 3.3 l engine.  I had no issues with power or braking. The problem was the rear springs were to soft.  I was wearing the tires out on the inside edge.  I was less than 500 lbs tongue weight, I had my generator in the bathroom, my Davey Crocket smoker in the shower and the bikes on the rear bumper to lighten the tongue. I also had trouble with the rear diff actuator, it failed twice. Not sure if it was related but if it was out of warranty it was 1000 bucks to replace. So for piece of mind i figured an aluminum trailer deserves and aluminum truck.  I went with the f150.  I bought the 2.7 eccoboost, so fuel economy is almost the same as my car was.  I am getting 12.5 L/100 kms (19 MPG for our american friends) in mixed city hwy driving. (17 L/100 kms towing, 14 mpg)  Very happy with my purchase.

Doug

[david]

Congratulations Paul! I feel a little bad that my comments may have pushed you to upgrade from your Escape. But if you like the truck, then all is well. You will be safer and more comfortable towing with the F150.

David

[bobbie56]

My new ride!!

We went out for the weekend and the drive was way better than with the Escape! There was a lot of hills I am glad I had the F150! It is nice to have a 136L tank of gas to I was able to get there, do a lot of driving within the park and come back home without refiling, usually when I go there with the Escape I have to stop for gas.

Yes, the 136 litre tank was the biggest reason I went with the F150 over my Trailblazer.

It's like it was made for towing!

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/21460/thread" timestamp="1464095819" author="@david"]Congratulations Paul! I feel a little bad that my comments may have pushed you to upgrade from your Escape. But if you like the truck, then all is well. You will be safer and more comfortable towing with the F150.

David[/quote][font size="3"]Don't feel bad, David. If I had been able to use this forum to justify a new 150 I'd be sending you a six pack of your choosing  8-)   . Better safe than sorry, but much better with a new 150! I don't hear Paul complaining.[/font]

[gnies]

[quote timestamp="1464095819" source="/post/21460/thread" author="@david"]Congratulations Paul! I feel a little bad that my comments may have pushed you to upgrade from your Escape. But if you like the truck, then all is well. You will be safer and more comfortable towing with the F150.

David[/quote]Actually I've been wanting a truck for a while and I didn't had a really good argument to convince my wife and this one sure worked! So I thank you for your post and I do like the truck a lot! It feel way safer when I tow and I don't regret it, it's way better than the Escape!