Towing with a Car - Someone Splain this to me!

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TrepMan

TrepMan

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OK most folks know i'm a station wagon kind of guy (don't have one now due to my MOM totaling it last fall), but the reason i've gotten from everyone why a car/wagon even with a BIG V-6 (Tarus, Subaru.. or V-8 Crown Vic) can only tow upto 2000lbs has been "because its a Unibody NOT a ladder frame like a Truck/SUV". Well we all know the older cars like the Crown Vic used to be rated to 5000lbs and now only 2000lbs.



So, someone "splain" to me what a Dodge Magnum wagon UNIBODY with a 5.7 Hemi can be rated to tow 3800lbs (MORE then ANY unibody MiniVan)??? Huh??



So, Was I right a few years back that it have LITTLE to do with the vehicle dynamics/capabilities and MORE to do with the Automakers NOT wanting to loose $$ on the HIGHLY profitable Truck?/SUV market? Since they have been able to say "No you can't tow that Bass boat with a car/wagon, you've GOT to get you a Ladder Frame Truck/SUV!" and they laugh all the way to the bank!!



Ok, anyone got this one figured out???



Maybe it's because most of the newer the Dodge/Chryslers are riding on last years Benz technology/frames and the germans build stronger cars???
 
Ahh come on now Chris just call it what it is "a Benz!!" At least the cars, not the same on the trucks though!!!



My wife has always love the dodge producs (sorry Mac), her last was a 96 Ram Club Cab 383 V8!!! Man that thing towed my 14 ft Jonboat!!!! LOL



I just wish the quality, transmitions and such would come up to par, maybe this German influence will help. I could see her getting a Magnum with a V6 in a few years if consumer reports recommends them!
 
Trep I think the frame plays an important part but so does the suspension and the drive train. The suspesion on those wagons and vans are designed to give the most comfortable ride well with a comfortable ride you loose stiffness in the shocks and suspension which really hurts the your ability to hook a trailer to the back of them. They tend to grag the ground when you put weight on the back of them. And the next is the tranny, you need the proper gear ratio's to make pulling less of a strain on the drive train.
 
Trep, id bet there are a lot of factors as to why. One is it has more motor, plain and simple. Rwd wheel drive im sure helps(front drive not the best for towing) and id bet the suspension is a little beefier then most minivans. From what i can see on dodge's website its mostly motor, the v6 magnum can only pull 1000#.



Also the big reason a frame is prefered over a uni body for towing is simple. The frame can take it long term, a unibody cant. Its really that simple. Take a 2500# trailer and tow it with a unibody vehicle and over a few years time that vehicle will have nothing but squeaks and rattles and feel all loose. Tow the same trailer with something that has a full frame and you wont get that at all. Another thing to think about is the suspension in most fwd minivans. Its car suspension that isnt sprung stiff enough to take on a big load, its not just tounge weight tbut also being able to control trailer movement. They also dont have the brakes to stop it. The leaf springs you see in trucks have a much higher load capacity and ability to control a load and they all will generally have enough brakes to stop with a load. Trucks also have much stronger drivetrains( axles, tranmissions etc)



Btw the magnum cant tow more then the chevy astro. The astro van is a unibody/subframe and can tow up to 5400# in passenger van trim and 5800 in cargo van trim.
 
Only thing I can say Trep is...Anything with a Uni-body is not designed to tow stuff. Might be designed for load more than tow capablities:) Only SUV or wagon I ever owned worth two dead flies for towing was an Astro van I had.

BTW...The Magnum V6 can only pull a 1000 lbs? That's sad man...my 91 S10 could pull 2500 lbs...no problem:)
 
Come on Trep.....just buy yourself a real truck!!!



Bob G.
 
Tee and Jim - Where are you getting that on the V-6 Magnum, on their website and in Trailer Boats mag it says 2000lbs on the v6, like my front drive Sable did.



Towing Capacity - Standard [lb] 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000

From http://www-5.dodge.com/vehsuite/VehicleCompare.jsp?vehicle=MAGNUM



Bob - Can't afford the Gas in the Truck, though when the kids get older I might get another one.
 
Trep....don't you work out of your house?? You CAN'T spend THAT much gas money going to the grocery store!!..LOL



Get a real boat and a real truck and be done with it!! LMAO



 
Trep,



You shouldn't keep things bottled up like this....
 
You notice that he hasn't talked about his brewing activities latey. I don't think he is getting his usual fair share of hops and such!



Saw a Dodge Ram pickup (older version) with a diesel in it, pulling out many a truck/trailer from a flooded boy scout camp some years ago. After that, I knew what the best thing was.



Tex
 
Trep, your gonna need the HEMI for when you pull the Glass Boat your gonna buy, the Dark Side is calling you!
 
Trep,



Hell, i'll sell ya my 2001 929 and my 2003 Dodge1500 HEMI... Dont be so cheap, that tin isnt gonna last forever LOL



Good to be back, i've been gone for a few months and havent had much chance to visit this site, i've got alot of catchin up to do...



Mike



oh yeah, dont think tin will win the next rally either... LOL
 
Tex - Have the beer brewed and have been drinking it SLOWLY. ALong with my high cholestoral I had a high Gammasomethingorotherrelatedto your liver so i'm down to 1 beer everyother night!!! Better to live longer!!
 
Trep,

You need to go FORD! And cause we are blue, we get the X-PLAN price. I got a great deal on my 2004 F150, no dealers fees, all the rebates and interest rate and paid about 500 under invoice. Real invoice, the XPLAN and aggrement with our company and Ford states they must disclose this information to us. Also my F150 will tow close to 10,000 pounds, that leaves lots of room for BOAT growth in the future.
 
I tried the 1 beer every other night thing for a while....my quota is filled up until March 23rd, 2014!!!
 
Trep,



Here's the deal...I'm gonna dump my truck in about 2 years at 80k miles and if the stock market ever gets off its arse, I'll be dumping the boat too and I'll give ya a good deal!! My truck with 3.73 gears is rated to tow 8000 lbs. If I had gotten the 4.10 gears, it would be rated to tow 10,000 lbs.



You and your family could ride in style in a Crew Cab and it will tow just about any boat you would get at 90mph!!



Bob G.
P6190613A.jpg
 
I don't think that the Triton V-8's in the F-150's will tow 5,000lbs let alone 10,000lbs for very long. After working on them day in day out, they are not much of a motor. I have seen repeeted problems even without towing. Bad timing chains breaking links and cutting the plastic valve cover (yes plastic) like a chainsaw. Rods through the side of the oil pan. Broken exhaust manifold studs in the head. Definately not the reliability of the real Ford motors. I won't even get into all the problems with late model GM trucks that I see. Thats another whole story. Buy Dodge and just hope you get a good tranny. And by the way -- I have towed my boats with my 79 Dodge Magnum (CAR)360 4bbl for 10 years now without a problem. 80mph plus even up the grades. The wife wants a 05 Magnum RT Hemi to park in the driveway next to the old Magnum.
 
Byron,

Are you talking about the new 5.4 liter 3 valve or older Triton V8's. Cause I have the new 5.4 / 3 valve. I dont think ford would put out a truck that would not do what they claim. Besides, they are still the #1 Truck ( sales ) on the planet. They have to be doing something correct. This is my 6th Ford I have owned and have to say the new F150 is nothing like previous models.
 
Lookey Lookey

Byron works on FORDS and is tellin you to buy a Dodge, now that's what I'm talkin about. Byron I also heard the Fords shoot there Sparkplugs out on the Highway when there tired of them. LOL



No wonder they move out of way when they see the HD Hemi bearin down on them.
 
OK forget about the Trucks, we're talking Wagons and Cars here!!! LOL



I just still find it interesting that the Magnum V-8 is the first non-TRUCK that i've seen that has more then a 2000lbs capacity, and the only non-Minivan with over 3800lbs.



Anyway, off to the airport and down to work in Florida, MAN it will KILL me not to fish! But meetings through Friday when I leave and business dinners each night.



Tre
 
Whaddaya' give me for mine Trep? That'll tow that rig of yours anywhere:)
truck 2.jpg
 
Ellie Mae Clampett could pull Treps boat tied to her rope belt,......on a skate board!!!
 
Tee - The minivan EASLY tows the PC 175 NO PROBLEMS!!! Heck it's the ONLY one in 2003 that came FACTORY STANDARD with an auxillary tranny cooler for towing!!!



Brian - I'm Tampa at the Double Tree Guest Hotel, have a dinner tonite, morning meetings and off on the 2:15pm flight back home. Not enough time to meet or fish :-(
 
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