[A/S] Towing with a Jeep - Is it Over yet?

[Chuck H <funchucky@xxxxxxxxx>]

It's funny how even big people do that "I got you
last" thing.  You know, where they say their piece,
then say, "let's all stop talking about it" so their
opinion and only their opinion goes down as the
correct one.

So I'll put in my two cents, and sure, I'd love it if
no one else writes on the subject, but I'll bet you
all can't stop. <g>

First off, I like to bolster the US economy as much as
anyone, and I'd like to keep mericans working.  And
yes, I drive an American truck.

That having been said, there is no reason to say that
no imported vehicles are suitable for towing. 
Especially for towing the smallish trailers she was
asking about.  A Nissan Pathfinder Armada or Titam or
even the new Honda Truck would probably be ok.  Yes,
check the wheelbase length - it makes a difference.

As far as power and stopping - there are MANY vehicles
that would do just fine.  The trailer should be
stopping itself 100% of the time.  In case of
unexpected trailer brake failure, it's true that a
one-ton truck will do an ok job stopping a Bambi or
Safari. But let's lok at the real world.  When
comparing apples to apples, let's assume that the
one-ton truck driver has his tow vehicle matched to a
34' trailer.  Someone pulls out in front of him (or
her), and he slams on the brakes.  The trailer brakes
fail........You jacknife, mess up your trailer and
your truck, and pray everyone is ok.  This is the same
result as a smaller truck pulling a smaller trailer in
a similar situation.  You only gain the stopping
safety advantage when towing a small trailer with a
huge truck.

As far as a truck's ability to pull - maybe you would
all be VERY surprised to find out how much power some
smaller veicles have today.  Yes, even some with the
smaller-displacement, higher-revving engines.  You CAN
have optional engines AND optional rears in many
smaller sport-utes and trucks.

Now, on to wheelbases.  That's where I am pretty much
on the bandwagon.  You DO have to worry about this. 
And it's hard to explain it to someone who hasn't
really experienced towing with a short-wheelbase
vehicle.  Also, don't forget that some short-bed
regular cab 1/2 or 3/4 ton trucks actually have a
shorter wheelbase than some crew-cab mini - or
mid-size trucks.  Something to think about.

Here's my story - I used to tow with a Toyota 4Runner.
  It was a '97, with the 3.4l V6 and the 4.10 rear
end.  And it had a manual transmission (VERY difficult
combination to find).  We towed a '62 Avion T-20 with
it.  Similar to a 20-foot A/S, maybe a couple hundred
pounds heavier.  Of course we used leveling bars (a
weight distribution system).  I always carefully
stayed within the vehicle's weight limits - by hitting
the local truck scales at the start of each trip,
especially when we were heavily loaded.
The truck did okay pulling - I mean, it was no rocket,
and we'd only be going 45 up the Grapevine in CA. 
When it came to braking, I used a Tekonsha Prodigy
brake controller.  The trailer essentially does its
own stopping, so I NEVER had any problem.  Now, with
the controller dialed all the way down, the trailer
felt HEAVY.   There is no doubt that it would have
been dangerous to attempt to stop from any speed over
30mph without funcional trailer brakes, especially in
a panic.  But, you know what?  Even the big rig
tractors couldn't stop THEIR loaded trailers if the
trailer brakes fail.  They can't plan for everything;
they can just keep their equipment (ie the trailer
brakes and connections) in good working order).
What did I do to improve the overall package?  I added
a supercharger.  It's actually made by Toyota, and
dealer-installed. WOW! Then, we had power!  I could go
up the Grapevine with a 4500 pound trailer at 85 mph
(not that I would do such a thing) and downshift to
pass people if I needed to.  Yes, really.  And the
supercharger made a neat screaming sound, especially
under heavy load.
Well, we used that setup for many thousands of miles. 
Went from California to Oregon...went from SF to Lake
Tahoe (and there are some BIG hills there, too) about
a dozen times.  Went to southern CA, and did two
cross-country trip, NY to CA.
So, going was easy.  And stopping was easy.  Then
there's the thing - sway.
On a straight road with minimal wind and no trucks,
buses, or RV's, driving was easy.  But when there WERE
larger vehicles (especially passing us) or if it was
windy, my knucles were white.  And I was sweating.  I
think I just thought that's how towing is.  It was
really unnerving.
Somewhere in there, we bought a 1967 Avion T-22. Also
a single axle trailer.   This one had a Reese dual-can
anti-sway system.  Magic!  No sway!  

Now, I have subsequently moved up in the tow vehicle
world.  I now drive a 2003 GMC Sierra with a Duramax
Diesel engine and the Allison transmission.

There IS a difference!  No sway, ever, no matter what.
 My trailers are 20 and 22 feet long.  When people
say, "Boy, I can't even feel the trailer back there,"
and they have a setup like this, they mean it.

This is when I have realized the value of a longer
wheelbase.  If you do compromise and have a
shorter-wheelbase vehicle, it is of the UTMOST
importance to use a GOOD sway-control system.  A
Hensley Arrow would probably be even better, but a
dual-cam system does a good job.

Do I have a summary?  Longer wheelbase does offer more
stability and thus, safety, there is no doubt.  Is a
22 foot truck necessary for a 22 foot trailer?  No.
Can you find a reasonably-powerful smaller tow
vehicle? Yes.  
Think of how much of the time you'll be towing, too. 
that should help to influence your vehicle decision.
Is a top-quality brake controller (like the Prodigy or
Ultima) important?  You bet it is.
And keep your running gear in order.

Just my $0.02.  Or $0.03.

Chuck H.