It is almost summer and we are singing the praises of fun in the sun! Heading to the beach, the mountains, and the plains. We are ready for the outdoors, and with all of our outdoor play (jet skies, motorcycles, bikes, camping equipment, etc…) we are in need for a strong enough truck to tow all of our toys.
If you are anything like me you think that you can put a hitch on the end of your 4-cylinder compact and tow anything. But the reality is we need the proper vehicle to accommodate our tow load. According to Forbes Auto it seems like I am not the only one with this misconception….
“Truck experts stress that you should match a truck’s capability to the loads you intend to tow. “Many people tend to overestimate what their vehicle can tow,” said Mike Satlak, medium-duty market manager at International Truck. “The engine’s torque rating is one of the best indicators in measuring the towing capacity of a truck.”
Pay attention to transmission gearing and the final-drive ratio, too, says Robert Krouse, trailering design engineer for General Motors’ full-size trucks. They should allow the engine to pull effectively at midrange engine speeds of about 2,000 to 3,000 rpm. At GM, he says, transmission and final-drive gears help determine a truck’s gross combination weight rating, the maximum weight for fully loaded truck and trailer together.
Frame structure is another important attribute, explains Krouse. The truck should be built upon a full frame, he advises, with a trailer-hitch platform in the back that is structured to manage trailering loads.
The first step is obviously to determine what you need to tow. Is it 5 bikes and a tricycle or 5 horses and a pony?
“It is important that the tow vehicle always remain in control of the combination, and when trailer weight exceeds tow-vehicle weight, the opportunities for things to go wrong — especially from a dynamics standpoint, such as handling or braking — greatly increase.” For full-size trucks, that begins with trailer weights above about 5,000 pounds.”
Top 10 Biggest, Baddest Trucks for Towing
2006 International CXT
2006 Ford F-350 Super Duty
2006 GMC Sierra 3500
2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
2006 Dodge Ram 3500
2007 International MXT
2007 Toyota Tundra
2007 Nissan Titan King Cab
2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT
2006 Hummer H2 SUT
For more great info. visit…. Forbes Auto
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