Full-time traveling family looking for ideal tow vehicle for small camper

[STREGA]

Full size is the only way to go IMHO. Which brand is a toss up they all break or have some issue. If it was me I would get a Ram Power Wagon in the Tradesman package and put a FWC Hawk pop up shell on the back which would fall in your price range new. The FWC could do double duty as a storage area as well as a camp rig for when you want to go somewhere the trailer can't go. As you probably know being a full timer everything has to be able to do more than one function if possible. With the 6.4L Hemi it would have enough power to tow the trailer and since it's a gasser going south of the border should be no problem for you. Doesn't sound like your to excited about Chrsyler stuff but PW's are so capable right off the showroom floor that for me anyway it's the way to go.

Going from a 42' class A to a 17' Casita will be a change for sure! We went full time last year, went from a 1200 sq. ft. House to a 32' 5th wheel were still downsizing on stuff.

 

[sargeek]

I would get a full sized truck. I have a Tacoma and pull a 20' hybrid trailer with it. The truck is full with my wife, two girls, and two Newfoundlands. The trailer puts the weight close to maximum.

It's manageable, but the V-6 has to work really hard. Mileage drops below 8.

I think you would be much happier with a full sized truck. Now that my girls are getting older, they really don't like the back seat.

 

[armymgdude]

We are going to start fulltiming in this when I retire in 2017. The Ram 1500 is the same width as the Casita, so basically if the truck fits the trailer fits. I would NOT go smaller for a tow vehicle, regardless of what the Casita forum says. FWIW, I am setting up the rig for boondocking. We have solar, custom storage box in the truck, and the rack carries our canoe. We plan on lots of gravel roads, and if the road is too gnarly we are set up to camp comfortably in the truck or out of our backpacks. My truck is not a jeep, but it gets to some pretty good places.

I just traded the '12 1500 for a '07 regular cab Power Wagon. The half ton was just too close to the limit with everything we need for fulltiming.

 

[pugslyyy]

We have an Irish Wolfhound who is over 8 years old (and has outlived all our previous ones) so great to hear yours is 9+/- !

Personally I would consider a diesel van over a fullsize pickup. One of the advantages to a van is cheaper insurance and tags (at least in North Carolina) - because vans don't require weighted tags but pickups do. I'm not sure that I would consider 4x4 necessary. A good LSD can get you a lot of places, probably more than you would want to take the Casita anyways.

 

[redthies]

I've travelled 6 months at a time with a trailer and fullsize pickup with canopy. Two of us and three dogs. I would HIGHLY recommend a pick-up over any van or SUV. The main reason is safety. In a van or SUV, all the trappings of life on the road become missiles in the event of a crash. Yes, you could get some sort of cargo barrier, but then it might as well be in the bed anyway! You're talking about a lot of weight. The extra water alone is 200lbs. You will be at 1000lbs of cargo in your tow vehicle before you know it. I think a 2500 is the minimum to comfortably do what you are planning, regardless of how high the payload and tow ratings are on half tons. You'll be at that weight fulltime. Not just one or two weekends per month. I used an F350 with 460. Not exactly a fuel efficient choice, but it was totally reliable. In six months of nonstop driving I replaced the alternator. That's it!

The Tradesman PW is a great choice. My basic 2014 Dodge has been flawless! I love it!

Some pics of our longer trip and the tow vehicle:

 

[p nut]

... I'm not sure that I would consider 4x4 necessary...

I disagree with that, since they will be traveling through the rockies. 4WD is a MUST, in my opinion. Traveling the country, you want to minimize the risk of getting stuck (or worse), especially with a young one on board.

And regarding the weighted tags on trucks, I wouldn't let ~$100 in reg fees deter from purchasing the right vehicle.

 

[Rck18]

You're talking about a lot of weight. The extra water alone is 200lbs. You will be at 1000lbs of cargo in your tow vehicle before you know it. I think a 2500 is the minimum to comfortably do what you are planning, regardless of how high the payload and tow ratings are on half tons. You'll be at that weight fulltime. Not just one or two weekends per month.

The Tradesman PW is a great choice. My basic 2014 Dodge has been flawless! I love it!

Doesn't the Power Wagon have a similar payload to a 1500?

 

[jeep-N-montero]

What about a Tdi Toureg, it will tow very well while being quiet and smooth, plus get very good mpg.

 

[mkitchen]

Are you looking at new or used?

If you are considering a used vehicle, I would suggest looking into a 2003 era Ford Excursion. My son has had his for quite a few years and it has been very dependable. It has the 7.3 diesel and it would meet all your needs of providing room for family, pets and pull a trailer with no problem and give you good mileage as well. I can't vouch for the later model diesels but I know the 7.3 is a good, dependable engine. You could also look for a crew cab with that motor but the Excursion would certainly be my first choice.

I have a 2006 Tacoma and I pull a small trailer (an AT Horizon) a lot and even that trailer works the pickup quite a bit. I have come to the conclusion that the Asian engines have a lot of power but limited torque. For pulling a trailer, I would prefer torque.
Regardless of your choice, I envy your decision to maintain that lifestyle. My wife and I did the same thing for quite a few years when we had only one child and we loved it.
Mikey

 

[calicamper]

What about a Tdi Toureg, it will tow very well while being quiet and smooth, plus get very good mpg.

Towrag

 

[Bobzdar]

Half ton extended cab pickup (of your preference) with a camper shell would probably suit your needs perfectly. Should be plenty of room in the cab for the family/dog and plenty of dry storage in the bed for whatever else you need to bring, along with extra sleeping quarters if needed in a pinch. Outfit the truck however you see fit, they can be had with quite a lot of 4x4 equipment from the factory, including a selectable rear locker, skid plates, etc. I think with that small of a camper, a 3/4 ton or 1 ton would be overkill, especially given how capable modern half tons are. Hell, a diesel Colorado would probably be capable enough at this point but might be a little cramped in the cab for the whole family.

I have a mid 2000's Chevy silverado with electronic 4x4, it has an auto mode which is great for snow/gravel/light mud and can also be locked in 4hi or 4 low. I didn't get the z71 with all the off-road stuff as I have a Jeep for that, but it does it's job well and has plenty of room for a family of 4 with a decent sized (75lbs) dog in the cab. We've never full-timed in it but it'd mostly just be a matter of a combo washer/dryer in the camper and a few other food prep things vs. what we usually take. The enclosed bed is great for both bringing things with us without having to load it all in the camper (we usually leave the camper packed lightly) and also if we have guests - just add an air mattress in the back of the truck and you have an extra full sized bed. We tow a 5000lbs when loaded camper without issue, so I doubt you'd have any issue with your smaller camper unless you pack REALLY heavily.

I don't know how long you plan to stay in one place, but we camp around once a month so a decent amount of towing (1-3 hours away). 4x4 doesn't get used too much but as always, when you need it, you need it. I've also camped with just the truck by myself or with my wife and it was fun - certainly beat having to set up a tent and much, much better in cold or rain. Plenty of storage in the cab on those trips, but usually we need the seating.

As to Chevy/Ford/Dodge - if I were to buy another, I don't know that I'd get the Chevy. It's pretty good, no major problems but enough minor ones and some worrying corrosion that I might try something different next time. Of course, they've changed a lot since I got mine.

 

[Bobzdar]

I just wanted to add, my previous truck to the Chev was a 460 powered srw f350. It was great in that you couldn't overload it. Best I could tell the payload was so high that there was no way to reasonably fit enough in the bed to exceed it. I tried once with crushed stone (I told them just put as much as will fit) and was still almost 500 hundred pounds under the gross weight of the truck. It rode nicely with 3000lbs in the bed, too. However, it rode like a damn dump truck when not loaded to the gills. If I were towing over 5000lbs every single day I could see it...It was dead reliable as well, but overkill for my needs and not a nice vehicle to drive empty. The Chev is a cadillac by comparison and rides nicer than even the half ton fords I've been in, though they handled a little better so it's a tradeoff.

 

[kraven]

What about a Tdi Toureg, it will tow very well while being quiet and smooth, plus get very good mpg.

It is pretty quiet and smooth, and returns good mileage. The shorter wheelbase and indy rear suspension make it a little twitchy towing stuff with any length. And if it breaks you're looking at time and $ for repair.