Re: Tow vehicle

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

Kristen L Olko <krisolko@juno.com> said:


>If you were getting the ultimate tow vehicle for a 2 horse trailer on the
>XP 2001, bumper pull, what
>ONE feature would be most important to you -
>
>Manual vs automatic transmission
>
>Dually
>
>4 X 4

I'd pick 4x4.  The trailer you are hauling is *small* as trailers
go, so there's no reason for a dually, whose purpose is to support
the weight of 10,000 pound+ goosenecks.  You're not planning
to put a camper on the back of this, are you?

Either manual or automatic would do--depends on how good a shifter
you are.  More important would be what kind of shape the
tranny on a used truck is in, whether manual or automatic.

You don't know what dirt roads or odd places you might be getting
into, so 4x4 traction would be a good precaution.  My 3/4 HD GMC
has everything *but* 4x4 and I frequently miss having it.

But seriously, there are other things more important:

 - engine size (how big is it)
 - rear axle ratio.  This is the single most important determinant
   of towing capacity.  Most trucks come with a choice of
   a low (around 3:20), a medium (around 3:73), and a high (around
   4:10).  The higher the ratio, the worse the mileage but the
   better the torque and towing capacity.  For example, on a
   little 1/4 ton Dodge Dakotah pickup, the medium axle can tow
   4,000 pounds, but the high axle can tow 7,000, with exactly
   the same engine.  (I don't know if you get 4x4 whether you
   still have a choice of rear axle ratios.)  For your little
   2-horse, you might be able to get away with a low ratio truck.
   Medium would be better.  High would be kind of overkill.
 - wheel base length.  This determines how stable and resistant
   the truck is to being jackknifed by the trailer.  With just a
   2 horse, you might get away with a short bed pickup, but longer
   is always better.
 - towing package add-ons like transmission coolers and heavy duty
   brakes would all be a big help towing a horse trailer cross
   country in summer!

Owners, not to mention car dealership salesmen, frequently have no
clue what is actually on a truck.  Some trucks list their options
in the glove compartment.  If the truck is a Chevy or GMC, get
the VIN number out of the glovebox and have a dealer's parts
department run the number through their computer connection to
GMC--you'll get a computer printout of everything that was on the
truck when it was new.  I don't know if Ford does this.

But if I were towing a horse in nether regions for thousands of miles,
first and foremost would be overall mechanical condition of the truck.
I'd want low mileage and excellent maintenance and repair records!

Please send us reports as the XP progresses!

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA