Age of tow vehicle

[RBRV]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

It's not about sag, I installed an air bag kit on the 02 and it caries the weight just fine.

I'm talking about legal payload, our 02 SR5 4wd 4.7L V8 has 1,500lbs of payload which for towing the 5.0 I consider the bare minimum. All of the new or newer Tundras we have looked had between 1,100 to 1,300lbs payload.

If you have a pin weight of 800lbs, and your total payload capacity is only 1,300 that only leaves you 500lbs for the hitch and everything else which is not enough in our opinion.

Ford F150 have a mostly aluminum body and so their total dry weight is around a thousand pounds less than most other trucks in the same class. This allows F150s to either have more heavy goodies or more payload.

I too would be looking at the f-150 if I were ready to upgrade. the new tundra looks like it came from another planet and I will never buy a first generation vehicle ever again no matter what the brand after a horrible experience with a honda civic back in 96.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by RBRV

Just curious about how many here tow with older vehicles? 10-20 years old, or more?

I think I have y'all beat with my 1993 Ford 150 XLT. When it turned 100,000 miles at 25 years I gave it a major facelift and it's beautiful. Or at least it will be again soon. It's in the shop now getting a Christmas Day phoo-bah fixed on the passenger side. Yes, it's taken seven months to get replacement parts.

I love my truck.

[Tom&Joan]

I'll be the first with the age of the towee (correct term?) Two weeks shy of 82. The truck has just over 1500 miles and has not yet towed, but will soon. My brother still tows at 83 and is still an excellent driver, so he is not done yet either.

Tom

[MrLynn]

2013 Ford Expedition XLT, bought used in 2014. Has only 80k miles, but frames and undercarriage parts rust out here in salty New England, so won't last forever. Very versatile truck: seats 8, with seats down can haul lumber, 4x4, tows c. 9k lbs. Basically an F150 with an SUV body.



When we got the Escape in April, had to buy an extra-long shank for the Fastway E2, so the Expy liftgate could clear the tongue jack. I wish they used old-fashioned tailgates instead of the power liftgates.


Thinking of replacing original rear shocks to reduce pitch on bumpy roads—don't know if it would make a difference, though. The E2 does do a nice job of preventing sway, but not pitch.

[cpaharley2008]

Be careful with those extra long shanks, they reduce your towing capacity....

[brroberts]

My ‘98 had not been restored. I can’t find insurance to make restoring it financially viable yet, but it’s a solid truck with bad paint. I wish I could do a fiscally responsible restore.

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Be careful with those extra long shanks, they reduce your towing capacity....

Not much I can do about it, short of unhitching in order to open the hatch.

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by RBRV

I too would be looking at the f-150 if I were ready to upgrade. the new tundra looks like it came from another planet and I will never buy a first generation vehicle ever again no matter what the brand after a horrible experience with a honda civic back in 96.

2021 Tundra here, toolbox on the bed, after that there’s not much room left in the 6’ bed when it’s all hooked up.
If I were worried I could put some heavier items in the camper, the truck pulls over 10,000-

I do agree on any first generation, but think back why you wanted a Toyota in the first place.

[Dave & Penny Smith]

We are towing our 2015 17B with a 2008 4Runner. We have some 88,000 miles on the vehicle. The V6 is adequate for the relatively light-weight of the 17B, and the cost of any replacement keeps me hoping that the 4Runner will last for many more years!

Dave

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Thinking of replacing original rear shocks to reduce pitch on bumpy roads—don't know if it would make a difference, though. The E2 does do a nice job of preventing sway, but not pitch.

I put Rancho 9000XL's on my F250, made a world of difference. Have them set to 7 of 9 for towing... I don't drive it empty enough to be worth setting them back to 3 or 4 which would be a better ride empty.

I've tried various truck shocks before, I think the Rancho 9000 XL's are as good as you're going to get until you get into the serious hard core off road reservoir shocks like King, Fox.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Not much I can do about it, short of unhitching in order to open the hatch.

Dependent upon tow vehicle, sometimes that may be your only option, otherwise you may be adding issues you are not aware of with that extension.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I think I have y'all beat with my 1993 Ford 150 XLT. When it turned 100,000 miles at 25 years I gave it a major facelift and it's beautiful. Or at least it will be again soon. It's in the shop now getting a Christmas Day phoo-bah fixed on the passenger side. Yes, it's taken seven months to get replacement parts.

I love my truck.

And I love your truck also. Mainly because if it broke down I could pop the hood and probably fix whatever was wrong. With my much newer truck, well that's why I belong to BCAA. I could check the fuse box but that's about it. Not knocking it, it's a super tow vehicle but I miss the simplicity of the older vehicles.

Ron

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

And I love your truck also. Mainly because if it broke down I could pop the hood and probably fix whatever was wrong. With my much newer truck, well that's why I belong to BCAA. I could check the fuse box but that's about it. Not knocking it, it's a super tow vehicle but I miss the simplicity of the older vehicles.

Ron

Some people call that progress, others may call it planned obsolescence, either way changes are made.

[mfschu]

Our 2004 F150 has 343,XXX miles and has given us great service. We took it from St Louis, MO to Sumas last year to pickup our 21NE. We do have a 2022 F150 on order and expect delivery late this year.

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Some people call that progress, others may call it planned obsolescence, either way changes are made.

It's not all bad, I wouldn't go back to carburetors for anything and I'll keep the electronic ignition as well.

I might not be able to fix it but they break down a lot less often. I can't remember the last time I was stranded somewhere because of a breakdown.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Dependent upon tow vehicle, sometimes that may be your only option, otherwise you may be adding issues you are not aware of with that extension.

Remember when ETI was selling/installing Andersen WDH for bumper pull? The stock stinger was very short and caused a lot of headaches for people. Andersen realized this and offered custom ordered shanks to allow people to open truck beds and tailgates.

I had that problem with mine, yet when I switched to the Pro Series I didn't have any problems as the ball is about 2.5" further back. Doesn't take much in many cases to make all the difference.

[GeorgeB]

1993 Ford 150 XLT, ahhhhh so nice, I had a blue one with extended cab with dual gas tanks. I miss old blue. Great truck to work on but rusted out...sent it out to pasture. My sister abuses it as a farm truck. I'm glad to see one still on the road.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I've been using a ~ 12" ball mount with my F250, it allows the tailgate to open without hitting the jack crank. As the truck has a 1200 lb tongue weight rating, and a 12500 lb tow rating, I don't think the extra few inches matters with my 4500 lb E21 ...

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by GeorgeB

1993 Ford 150 XLT, ahhhhh so nice, I had a blue one with extended cab with dual gas tanks. I miss old blue. Great truck to work on but rusted out...sent it out to pasture. My sister abuses it as a farm truck. I'm glad to see one still on the road.

I actually get more compliments on my one-owner truck than on my beloved trailer. Ain't that something?

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I've been using a ~ 12" ball mount with my F250, it allows the tailgate to open without hitting the jack crank. As the truck has a 1200 lb tongue weight rating, and a 12500 lb tow rating, I don't think the extra few inches matters with my 4500 lb E21 ...

Total length of the 2x2 shank I had to get is 16".