First Tow Vehicle for towing family across the country

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by bfrank76

Unfortunately we need to buy the vehicle first for monetary purposes, plan to tackle the used travel trailer market once we have one likely 6months after. Wish we could know which trailer first but just not in the cards for this situation and I don't think finding a trailer for us will be an issue with a 1/2 ton with towing packge. If that doesn't jive with this forum thats understandable and I'll move on.

That sounds reasonable and there are thousands of trailers that can be towed just fine by a properly set up 1/2 ton truck. That said, a large percentage of people end up buying a trailer that is far too big for their TV whether it's a compact truck, half ton, 3/4 or even 1 ton. Sounds like you have more realistic goals. Just remember to take whatever a truck or trailer salesman tells you with a gigantic grain of salt and that manufacturer's dry weights or vehicle max tow ratings are largely fiction.

Cheers,
DAve

[IAlreadyGot1]

Originally Posted by bfrank76

Unfortunately we need to buy the vehicle first for monetary purposes, plan to tackle the used travel trailer market once we have one likely 6months after. Wish we could know which trailer first but just not in the cards for this situation and I don't think finding a trailer for us will be an issue with a 1/2 ton with towing packge. If that doesn't jive with this forum thats understandable and I'll move on.

It isn’t unfortunate that you’re buying the truck first. What some have suggested, is that you look at a few trailers to get an idea of what will work for you before pulling the trigger on the truck.

You are absolutely correct that you will be able to find a trailer to tow behind a 1/2-ton. Will you be satisfied with the trailer after a few trips? How about 3-5 years from now, when the kids are bigger? Changing trucks and trailers can be an expensive habit.

If you aren’t going to get a trailer for 6 months, what’s the rush to get a truck? Take your time on this. We don’t want your next thread to be another “How much can I tow with a 1/2-ton?”

[DR60]

I have had really good luck with all brands of modern trucks [ 1980's to the current models.] Most with just basic maintenance have gone 250,000 for gas engines, and well over that for diesels. So I would not consider 50,000 miles much at all. Even the car warranty people will cover you up to 200,000 mi. So they think its a safe bet.
Good Luck with what you get. DR

[Rosy]

Originally Posted by bfrank76

Unfortunately we need to buy the vehicle first for monetary purposes, plan to tackle the used travel trailer market once we have one likely 6months after. Wish we could know which trailer first but just not in the cards for this situation and I don't think finding a trailer for us will be an issue with a 1/2 ton with towing packge. If that doesn't jive with this forum thats understandable and I'll move on.

If you're sure a halfton will work for you and reliability is your top priority, you have to go with a 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra.

[move on]

For cross country travel you're going to be on the interstates where traffic is moving over 70 MPH. In order to be safe you're going to need a decent rig. A good starting point is the old rule of thumb that your tow vehicle should weigh more than your trailer.

[tuffr2]

I would not want a Tundra for a cross country trip. I would want more driving comfort and the Tundra is to truck(ish) for that trip. Plus you would spend a fortune on gasoline.

There are several half ton trucks that ride like a big car. Ram, GM, and Ford build very comfortable long haul half ton trucks.

Not all half ton trucks are equal. Look at the payload (cargo) capacity on the drivers door jam. I like the Nissan Titan XD which has a longer wheelbase and a lot of good towing features. Also Ford builds a few different F-150's. These trucks even have a different thickness to the frame and even wheelbase depending on bed length.

Ram trucks were 1st to have an extra fancy interior. I thought the Ram leather interior was as nice as Lexus and BMW. I think they started in 2018 with this interior. Ford matched this interior a few years later. One feature of the newer interiors is the bigger 12" center stack display screen. Ford had the 10 speed transmission starting in 2018. Nissan improved their interior too and now uses an 9 speed transmission starting in 2021.

With half ton trucks the Nissan Titan XD can tow more then most half ton trucks. So can the F-150 with the HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) option. These trucks have a stronger rear axle, more payload with the longer wheelbase. The longer wheelbase helps control the travel trailer.

[xc-mark]

With out haveing any hard facts on the trailer its hard to give good advice so here is my .02c.

If your trailer is going to be 26~27' long and under 6500lbs loaded and you NEVER plan on putting 500 + pounds of cargo in the bed of the truck then Yes your idea of a 1/2 ton works fine. as other have pointed out not all truck are equal in the 1/2 ton marketplace. The ford 3.5l ecoboost 4 door with 3.73 gear ratio is probably the best choice for pulling weight in the mountains, then after that is a big V8 with the same gear ratio in the rear end. For my money nothing less than a 3/4-ton truck with 4.10 gears in the rear end but I would rather never think about overloading tires or thinking about can I stop this going down hill.

Newer 1/2 ton Ram trucks have VERY low payload number, similar to Toyota trucks so you need to watch the hitch weight and bed cargo on those trucks .

Figure on getting a good weight distribution hitch and make sure its set up correctly, Ask someone that knows trailer other than your installing dealer if it looks like your set up correctly. Way to many trailers are being sent out on the road by dealer not set up correctly and leaving the owners with a less then fun driving experience.

[Rosy]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I would not want a Tundra for a cross country trip. I would want more driving comfort and the Tundra is to truck(ish) for that trip. Plus you would spend a fortune on gasoline.

There are several half ton trucks that ride like a big car. Ram, GM, and Ford build very comfortable long haul half ton trucks.

Not all half ton trucks are equal. Look at the payload (cargo) capacity on the drivers door jam. I like the Nissan Titan XD which has a longer wheelbase and a lot of good towing features. Also Ford builds a few different F-150's. These trucks even have a different thickness to the frame and even wheelbase depending on bed length.

Ram trucks were 1st to have an extra fancy interior. I thought the Ram leather interior was as nice as Lexus and BMW. I think they started in 2018 with this interior. Ford matched this interior a few years later. One feature of the newer interiors is the bigger 12" center stack display screen. Ford had the 10 speed transmission starting in 2018. Nissan improved their interior too and now uses an 9 speed transmission starting in 2021.

With half ton trucks the Nissan Titan XD can tow more then most half ton trucks. So can the F-150 with the HDPP (Heavy Duty Payload Package) option. These trucks have a stronger rear axle, more payload with the longer wheelbase. The longer wheelbase helps control the travel trailer.

For towing, I'd rather have a truck with leaf springs than coil springs. As far as halftons go, that leaves you with the 2nd Gen Tundra, GM twins and Nissan Titan.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Rosy

For towing, I'd rather have a truck with leaf springs than coil springs. As far as halftons go, that leaves you with the 2nd Gen Tundra, GM twins and Nissan Titan.

Ummmm, F150?

Dave

[tuffr2]

If you can swing for a 2018 F-150 you get a 10 speed plus get the powerful 3.5 litre Eco-Boost with the towing package that will also have a 36 gallon fuel tank. I had this on my F-150 and solo that truck would go 700 miles before needed to stop for gasoline. Towing the 3.5 Eco-Boost will not get real good mileage so figure 9 mpg towing.

[varmonter]

I'm a big proponent of buy once cry once..
We tow our 31 ft tt gvwr 11k with a 1 ton diesel dually.. If this is something you think you will do even after the kids are gone there is so much less white knuckle experiences with a 1 ton truck..
You may want to upgrade in the future to a nicer heavier camper. If that happens you will have to also buy a bigger truck.. there is no such thing as too much truck.. your mpg towing will be better in a 1 ton than a half ton..if the truck is a daily driver
then you have to bite that bullet..but if you buy a 1/2 ton gasser and only use it to tow you can probably expect 6 to 8mpg towing a 7500 lb camper. A one ton diesel would probably get 12-13
And not even break a sweat doing it..if your maxed out your truck will wear out much quicker..so it's better to have too much truck if longevity is a buying factor..

[frozen]

It's better to over-buy than to buy over.

[grassy]

Buy your rig FIRST ..so you know what you need to tow it with.. have seen that mistake more times..

Especially because you will have little ones in the truck..

[Danj2001]

I chose a 2005 Ford Excursion 6.0L Diesel and could not be happier. I had some work done on it initially to rectify some OEM issues that engine had and it's been picture-perfect ever since. I tow a 40 Ft. Heartland Mallard M335 and it's a breeze. It's huge and my 2 Greyhounds love the back with the seats down. At 60-65, I get 12 MPG and with a 44-gallon tank, there is almost no limit.