Thoughts on Toad

[Fish]

I've got people wanting to buy my dually so I'll need something else to drive. Selling my 5th wheel so I don't need it anymore.

My original plan for a toad for our Monaco was to use our 2010 Silverado 4x4 ext. cab 6.5 bed truck as a toad. Wife drives it now.

Since I need to buy a vehicle I'm looking at Equinox and Colorado. Trouble with the Equinox is I couldn't pull my boat out of the water down in Florida to put it up in the storage yard for the summer when I leave, I'd have to ask for help and I don't like doing that. Also if I decided to move the 16 ft. box trailer I leave down there I'd have to ask someone to do that too.
I'm thinking of hooking up whichever I decide to use with the ReadyBrake system.
Silverado is naturally the biggest and has a camper shell so I could haul stuff in the bed and lock it up. It's also going to make my rig kind of long. I've never towed a car behind a motorhome before.

Silverado 6400 pounds
Colorado 4500 pounds
Equinox 3329 pounds.

So looking for thoughts from the experienced here. Fuel mileage difference, ease of towing difference, pulling grades (Monteagle twice a year). problems turning with the longer Silverado, etc.

400ISL, 10,000 tow rating on 2007 Monaco 42PDQ.

Thanks.

 

[lemondrop9344]

I've towed ether a Frontier pick up or Jeep Trailhawk behind my diesel pusher since 2011. I've not noticed any significant degradation of fuel consumption. I try to keep the RPM around1650 which is the sweet spot for the CAT engine.
Allow additional distance for braking, some degradation of performance on inclines, make sure you can exit or turn around where ever you go. I have Blue OX tow bar/base plate & Air Force One braking system. Hooking up & disconnecting fairly easy.

 

[Headhunter]

How about a new Jeep Gladiator pick up truck. They can pull more than a standard Jeep Wrangler, I believe they have a 7K towing capacity. The weight should come in probably 5500, since my Wrangler Sahara 4 door comes in about 4700 lbs.

PS... nothing tows easier than a Jeep.....

Jim P.

 

[JRS]

Because of the death wobble issues with some vehicles with electronic steering assist systems (vs hydraulic), I would pick a vehicle using hydraulic.
It's been reported with Jeep Grand Cherokees, Equinoxs and Jeep Cherokees. There's a fix for the Cherokees but still issues with the Grand Cherokee fix. Might want to check into this issue with the Equinox prior to selecting it.
Fortunately, I haven't experienced it with our Grand Cherokee yet but would think twice on getting a new one at this point until Jeep figures this out for the GP.

 

["EZ"]

Because of the death wobble issues with some vehicles with electronic steering assist systems (vs hydraulic), I would pick a vehicle using hydraulic.
It's been reported with Jeep Grand Cherokees, Equinoxs and Jeep Cherokees. There's a fix for the Cherokees but still issues with the Grand Cherokee fix. Might want to check into this issue with the Equinox prior to selecting it.
Fortunately, I haven't experienced it with our Grand Cherokee yet but would think twice on getting a new one at this point until Jeep figures this out for the GP.

Our 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk tows like a dream. No wobbles.

 

[JRS]

Our 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk tows like a dream. No wobbles.

I've had zero problems with ours also and love our GC. I have though spoken with 3 owners who have experienced it..... On another forum it's posted extensively. Reason for my post

 

["EZ"]

I've had zero problems with ours also and love our GC. I have though spoken with 3 owners who have experienced it..... On another forum it's posted extensively. Reason for my post

Wonder what the difference is?

 

[Fish]

Only a few months before we leave for Florida and no vehicles to be bought around here right now, not much of a choice.
I'm setting up the silverado as a toad.
We're leaning towards probably buying a Colorado next summer.

 

[Old Bubblehead]

We tow a 2019 Colorado. Our first coach was a gasser, so we set it up for that with roadmaster set up and invisibrake system. When we shifted over to DP we just kept set up the same. Tows great, and has been a good truck for us.

 

[Headhunter]

jeep wrangler.

 

[Fish]

I just ordered a ready brake system for the Silverado.
Blue ox baseplate, nsa Hercules 12,000 tow bar, supposedly everything I need all in a package for 2 grand.

2-3 week delivery time so plenty of time to install before we leave for Florida for the winter.

 

[Fish]

Just got the blue ox on the silverado after working on it for 3 days.
Not full days, I take my retirement seriously.

Tolerance stacking reared it's ugly head several times. Broke my cheap 1/2 inch drill I bought in florida last winter for putting in ground anchors to lash my box trailer down per resort regulations in half drilling the holes, bought a better drill. It almost broke my wrist when the bit caught. No room under there.

The video made it look so easy, of course that guy had his silverado on a lift. I quit crawling around under jacked up vehicles a few years ago , that's why my Monaco is at the truck shop. He also made the safety cable installation look easy. I couldn't find anywhere to snake the cable through, came in and watched the video again 3 times, he just zips it in there. I guess I'll look at again tomorrow. Wife had to leave for work. It's hard to work on something when it's your only vehicle, first time we've had that problem in forever. Actually we've never had that problem.

Still have to route the brake cable and the lights but I can't imagine that being as hard as this baseplate installation has been.

I was looking at a chevrolet traverse this morning for a 2nd vehicle. Wife says Can you flat tow it? I said I don't care, it doesn't matter. (I know I could) We'll be towing the silverado from now on unless we win the lottery. I'm not going through this again.

Amazingly enough when I was younger I took a 413 out of my 1971 Travco, had it rebuilt and put it back in. Also took out the trans and had it rebuilt and put it back in, it immediately leaked out the front seal so I took it out again and they admitted they had put the seal in wrong, and they fixed it and I put it in again.

I'm not short on mechanical aptitude but I've lost all my desire.

 

[JRS]

jeep wrangler.

Do Wranglers still have hydraulic steering systems?

 

[bpaikman]

How about a new Jeep Gladiator pick up truck. They can pull more than a standard Jeep Wrangler, I believe they have a 7K towing capacity. The weight should come in probably 5500, since my Wrangler Sahara 4 door comes in about 4700 lbs.

PS... nothing tows easier than a Jeep.....

Jim P.

My crosstrek flat tows perfectly.

 

[Fish]

I bought a 2018 GMC Terrain yesterday. NOT flat towable so I don't have to resist the urge to try it.

 

[redbaron]

Do Wranglers still have hydraulic steering systems?

Yes, with electric power steering pump.

 

[Fish]

I got my main brake cable and emergency brake cable FINALLY in a few days ago.

Now on to string the wire the length of the truck and wiring up the diodes and lights.