Need SUV help

[sidetracked3]

I have a 2008 sunsport 22v and I am looking for a new tow vehicle. We have a 2004 Tahoe that does great but we are looking to downsize if possible. So does anyone knoe of a smaller SUV that will pull this boat with no to little problem? TIA

[michael hunter]

No short wheel base small engine will tow well. Is it size or fuel ecomony you are trying to make better?

[beast 496]

wow. I am surprised even the tahoe towed adiquatly. I guess I am used to much larger vehicles. Why do you need to go smaller? Al

[03bamaGT]

Trailblazer SS...

Almost 7000lb capacity, plenty of power, should get 14-16mpg pulling a boat, and drives great as a DD.

My buddy pulls his 91 Coupe Mustang on a dovetail trailer with no issues.

[wakejmpr]

I have a 24ssv tow it with a tahoe now. Used to tow it with a 07 grand Cherokee. We even get away with using a jeep wrangler 4 door for short trips sometimes. For a 22ft you can probably do a mid size no problem like grand Cherokee, trail blazer, xtera or something like that. Just find out the tow capacity and hitch class and make sure it can handle your boat weight.

[Patrick232]

I towed our Moomba XLV this weekend with our 2010 Traverse. Towed ok, but not like my 1500 Chevy with the 6.2 liter

[jonyb]

You guys can get away with anything. It only takes once to have an accident. Towing with inadequate vehicles is dangerous. Not only for you, but me as well.

Why is the tahoe too much? My Supra throws my wife's Denali all over the road, doesn't want to stop, and gets fuel mileage in the single digits while towing. I can't imagine less. Mid-sized SUV's get the same or worse fuel mileage, and are smaller, so why would you do something like that?

[tg0824SSVGG]

What John said ... I want something BIGGER than our '02 EXCURSION -- except it's not really made --

Why smaller?

Forget the tow ratings -- it's the emergency when you need to have the vehicle bigger than the boat --

[KG's Supra24]

You guys can get away with anything. It only takes once to have an accident. Towing with inadequate vehicles is dangerous. Not only for you, but me as well.

Why is the tahoe too much? My Supra throws my wife's Denali all over the road, doesn't want to stop, and gets fuel mileage in the single digits while towing. I can't imagine less. Mid-sized SUV's get the same or worse fuel mileage, and are smaller, so why would you do something like that?

I feel like my denali pulls well and we have the same boat, no its not a diesel but I don't feel uncomfortable. The power and leveling system work wonders. I have also pulled with a tahoe and like the denali more due to power.

I don't like the idea of a midsize suv, especially if towing any distance at all. If think the tahoe is about as small as you want to go. Buy an old truck to pull and something small for daily driver. Small tow vehicles and large boats make me shake my head everytime I sere them

[03bamaGT]

The TBSS with the dovetail pulls fine...never pulled a boat with it but with the car and trailer weight loaded down should be similar. I live where there is hills and mountains on every road...never felt like the trailer was throwing us around.

[jonyb]

You can load a car on a trailer and control how much tongue weight you have. That's not possible with a boat. My boat seems like it's VERY tongue heavy. The last 1/2 ton truck I had made the rear-end sag 5".

[03bamaGT]

Most dovetails are tongue heavy, due to the axles being towards the rear for clearance issues.

I was just giving the OP an option that I had experience with. I tow my buddies 24v occasionally and it doesn't really feel like it's back there for the most part. My F150 doesn't sag hardly at all with his boat...it is a 06, 4x4, w/tow package.

[sidetracked3]

We were just looking to for a smaller vehicle. My wife drives the tahoe for a daily driver and she is wanting something smaller. I have a car so I figured if I can find a smaller SUV that can still tow our boat will solve the problem where I dont have to go out and buy a truck and a suv. We dont tow the boat very often. We leave it at the lake during the summer and take it home at the end of the season to store in the garage. So I might have to pull it twice a year. Once to the lake and once home. I saw that some midsize suv's had up to 7000 lbs of towing. Like a land rover, BMW X5. I just do not want to have to try and buy 2 vehicles if I dont have to.

[03bamaGT]

Little off topic...but I live right down the road from you sidetracked. I'm in Chelsea, AL.

[sidetracked3]

Cool, which lake do you go to? We have a place at Smith. And your an Auburn fan. WDE!!!!!

[03bamaGT]

We go to Logan Martin because it is close...put in at Clear Creek and run down to Alpine Bay.

WDE!

[DAFF]

Buy a little everyday driver for the wife and an older tow unit for the weekends. Look at for a older full size vehicle which can handle the weight. A older pickup would be great to take care of those honey do lists;)

[michael hunter]

Buy the smaller driver and ask 03bama to tow you to and from the lake for a fee.Or just rent a truck twice a year it will be much cheaper.

[Mani]

I'm with Jonyb on this one. When we used to tow our Jeeps to the trails there'd always be somebody using an inadequate tow rig and wondering why they couldnt get past 50mph.

The big concern isnt "can you get it up to speed". It's "can you make it stop safely". I've seen and heard enough horror stories. The last place you want to be when your trailer gets death wobble, is behind the wheel.

[sybrmike]

As the saying goes - use the right tool for the job.

I was lucky & survived my youth and ignorance - in spite of:
a. 4000 lb tri-hull with a Delta 88 - trailer took control & swayed over 2 lanes and both shoulders.
b. Same boat with a Trans Am 4spd manual - either burnt the clutch or smoked the tires leaving every light in the hills of Austin and eventually cracked a subframe weld.
c. Backhoe with a Blazer - white knuckled, laying on the horn through the first red light since I couldn't stop.

Like Mani said, it's about control - heck, a Yugo will pull a 24 SSV going downhill but that doesn't make it a good tow vehicle. Age changes perspective a bit I guess, so be careful - me, my wife, and kids are on the road too.

[03bamaGT]

The TBSS shares the same rotors as the GM half tons, but with Z51 pads. Braking insnt an issue.

[Mani]

Yes, it is an issue. When the vehicle you're towing weighs as much or more than the vehicle you're towing it with, accompanied by short wheelbase, it makes no difference what brakes you're using. The vehicle and trailer swaying side to side (aka death wobble) can set in, and the only way to escape that is to speed up. Speeding up, when you're trying to break, is not exactly an option.

I'm not trying to an ass, just trying to keep it safe out there, for you, me, and everyone else. I've seen a Wrangler TJ pull 7000 lbs. for a 320 mile round trip without incident. That does not make it a wise choice.

[03bamaGT]

Doesn't the 22' trailers come with trailer brakes as well?

And a TBSS has almost 1k pounds on his 22v. For what he is going to be doing, towing the boat twice a year, it will be fine. Not everyone needs a full size or diesel, or has room for a beater truck.

I was just going from experience on a 22' dovetail trailer with a 3k lb car. TBSS would be my only consideration for midsize though. They are great all around vehicles.

[Gilligan]

Best midsized SUV for towing would hands down be the Jeep GC Diesel. But you have to find a used 2010 or earlier. Jeep discontinued the Mercedes sourced diesel in 2011 models.

In my opinion, you'd be fine with a midsized SUV to tow, as long as you're not exceeding the tow rating. Electric brakes are best but you don't have that option with boat trailers so make sure your surge brakes are working and adjusted.

[Okie Boarder]

If you're only going to tow once in a while, I agree with Micheal. Get what you want for a daily driver and rent something adequate to tow the boat the few times each year you need it. Either that or go buy an old beater truck that runs and tows well for those few times a year.

[mapleleaf]

Just picked up an '02 Sequoia for the wife, seems to tow my wee little Conbrio just fine......Still would like something bigger than the 4.7 l, but that's also in my truck.....
Hers came with airbags in the rear coils, pretty cool deal, zero saggy bottom syndrome....

[04Gravity]

I tow my Comp as well as my car trailer with a 3500 lb. mustang on it with my 2008 Trailblazer SS and it pulls both of them absolutely flawlessly. (Side note: neither one of my trailers have brakes)

The best feature about the SS is the air ride suspension. When you hook your boat up to it and lock the tongue, the bags automatically fill to level it to handle the extra weight.

Contrary to what everyone on here will tell you, you do not need a quad cab dually with a diesal to tow a 22 foot boat. Its just plain overkill. Not to mention the fact that its not practical for a daily driver one bit. (Unless you are very wealthy which I am not)

[jonyb]

Nobody said you need a quad cab diesel. You need common sense, and a vehicle that's bigger than the load.

[DAFF]

Watch out overloading the air ride systems...... Had a Navigator with the air ride system, nothing but issues after a long haul with a trailer on the back. Lost the pump followed by a bag!!!!

I think it comes down to common sense and driving accordingly with a tow vehicle of choice!!!!

[Memmer99]

I went from towing my SunSport with a 4runner to a Dodge Cummins Diesel. What a difference, I feel like a have total control now where I was SH!TTIN my pants with the 4runner. I drive my diesel every day to work or wherever I need to go. It gets better gas milage than the 4runner with and without a load. In fact I gets better gas milage towing than I did daily driving with the runner. Once you go Diesel you never go back! Just my 2 cents.

Oh and no airbags needed.....