I was wondering what everyone who tows uses as a rover dragger. I am looking at an F250 XLT 2wd CC SB SRW 6speed V10 to tow a couple rovers around and to use as a daily driver family vehicle. I figure if it in non rover and 2wd I won't modify it and/or wreck it offroad and with a warantee I won't have to fix it either.

I saw a couple other people do this and I would like your feedback on the idea and also where you found a suitable trailer. Maybe some pics of the set up?

Ron

PS as my wife is a rover ergo ford employee I plan to get a ford not a chevy/dodge

It has to tow a 110 and a disco. I don't want the PSD either.

Ron

The biggest joke is that (in Queensland, Australia) that a Range Rover Classic (models from 1970 to 1995) can legally tow more than a F250. A Rangie here can legaly tow 4 tonnes which is 8800lb. I dont think you could even do that with an F350.

I got an F250 with a 460 big block ('79 model, we put the 460 in had a 351 stock) It will tow the ring out of anything. Use it mainly to tow a 28ft gooseneck trailer with 4 horses on it. Great machine, I love it. Used it today to pick up a rockwell 2.5t steering axle (well almost an axle, its complete except its missing the entire third member but it was cheap. Just to have a play with). Did the job well.

Sam

Hmm.. don't want the diesel, huh?

I like my diesel, but to each his own. I know Bill Ritchie loves doing burnouts with his gas dually.

Mine is an F350 Crew Cab, short box, single rear wheel. 6 spd with psd, 4x4. Works great, tows everything. I'm going to be moving up to a dually soon to tow a 3 rig gooseneck. I'll probably look for the exact same truck in a 550 with a service box.

-John

Why is it that you don't want the powerstroke? There's no way I'd buy a big gas motor in a tow rig especially one I was trying to haul 2 trucks with. Diesel and 6 speed is the way to go for me. One nice thing about getting a diesel is that you could put an exhaust brake on it, which would be nice for hauling 2 trucks. On the Fords you can hotwire that heat riser valve and make it work as an exhaust brake. I use an '02 Dodge/Cummins 2500 but the Ford powerstroke would be my second choice and the duramax a distant third.

Sounds like you need a little freightliner John or if you're obsessed with those cornbinder motors an international with a DT466. I'm afraid all that may be too much for the T444E :D

Originally posted by Fear Factory

Sounds like you need a little freightliner John or if you're obsessed with those cornbinder motors an international with a DT466. I'm afraid all that may be too much for the T444E :D

Yeah, I would love to do that.. one problem.. I need this thing to also be able to be a daily driver if necessary. My D110 has been down for a couple months awaiting time and parts and I've been driving the big Ford. Actually, the other problem is that I live in the land of Homeowner's associations that don't like industrial trucks. They say you can't have a 1-ton even, but I figure I'll just put on some F150 badges and they're such idiots, they'll never figure it out. No complaints about the F350..YET!

And, I have a Banks package to go on that PSD that will upgrade the turbo, intercooler, exhaust, and computer as well as add an exhaust brake. I got a deal on a scratch-and-dent package that I couldn't pass up. I'll just have to do a little exhaust modification to make it fit a F550 if I can find one.


I agree that the power of a gas is nice, but for towing, nothing beats a diesel. On the way to the Chile Challenge, I drove flat out for 23 hours at between 80 and 95 mph the whole way with the bed loaded with spare tires and my D90 on a flatbed trailer. I still got 10 mpg and had no problems hauling up the mountain grades. And that's with a totally stock F350.

-John

wont suit your needs but its a gorgeous 1999 Chevy Suburban 2500 with all leather, a 454, 4L80E trans, and oh yeah, a DVD player :D

Diesel is major $$$ per gallon here and I am low mileage so gas for me is more economical. V10 is a beast enough for me.

So everyone like CC shorties eh?

Ron

Even though my '02 is a short bed quad cab, if I towed a lot I would get the long bed. As with most other things my dear Merv longer is better. A longer tow rig is more stable. My last 3 tow rigs have been long wheelbase dodge cummins 4x4 duallies and the rock solid feel is wonderful. I haven't gotten to tow with this one yet but I hope it's close to the same stability of a LWB duallie.

If you're going to get a 2-3 car gooseneck a duallie is mandatory. What kind of trailer are you going to use? I wouldn't try towing 2 big vehicles on a tag trailer but its been done, doesn't mean its right though. Really the people trying to pull 3 car haulers behind duallys are over the GCWR of the truck, they're all too cheap to get a medium duty.

Originally posted by Fear Factory
Even though my '02 is a short bed quad cab, if I towed a lot I would get the long bed. As with most other things my dear Merv longer is better. A longer tow rig is more stable. My last 3 tow rigs have been long wheelbase dodge cummins 4x4 duallies and the rock solid feel is wonderful. I haven't gotten to tow with this one yet but I hope it's close to the same stability of a LWB duallie.

If you're going to get a 2-3 car gooseneck a duallie is mandatory. What kind of trailer are you going to use? I wouldn't try towing 2 big vehicles on a tag trailer but its been done, doesn't mean its right though. Really the people trying to pull 3 car haulers behind duallys are over the GCWR of the truck, they're all too cheap to get a medium duty.
I have a bone to pick with you.... Delete your attack on WAY or get banned! I'm sorry I missed your other posts,since then, this should of been sooner!
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44324

Dualie is out of the question. Too wide for where I live and drive.

Long bed is pretty much out of the question as well as with the CC it is too long, but a CC SB is almost the same length as a extra cab long bed.

I was thinking about a gooseneck flat two car trailer

Ron

Keep in mind that in certain states, the max combined GVW of the truck and trailer has to stay below about 26000 lbs to keep from getting up in the Commercial license range. In Texas the max is 26000 lbs. My truck GVW is 11400 lbs, and the flatbed trailer I was using had a GVW of 15500 lbs. For a combined GVW of 26900 lbs. Over the limit for commercial licenses. However, there is some debate about this combo being a "not for hire" combo, and thus is not restricted by commercial gvw's.

The trailer weight was about 8000 lbs, D90 about 4500 lbs, and an engineless 4Runner about 3500 lbs(guessing). This would make the trailer 16000 lbs with just 2 vehicles. Certainly you could pull a slant 3 car hauler with more weight (and I see them all the time here in Houston). But you will exceed the manufacturers limits on towing with a 1-ton or less rated pickup. And you need to be careful to stay within the weight restrictions of the tires of the trailer and the truck.

My suggestion is to move up to the F450 or 550 if anyone plans on actually hauling a 3 car hauler gooseneck.

As far as long or short bed goes, I would stick with the long bed. With a gooseneck or 5th wheel, your hitch (and front portion of the trailer) will be physically closer to the cab (especially with a 5th wheel) in order to center it over the rear axle. When maneuvering or backing you may hit the cab with the trailer neck (just ask Matt. P. at Rockware).

Also with a short bed, you don't have much room for an Aux. in bed fuel tank (although there are alternatives). This is almost essential for pulling a big long trailer on anything but the Interstate, as not all fuel stations are long trailer friendly.

For comparison purposes:
My rig:
2001 Chevy 3500 HD 4x4 ext. cab long bed 496 ci gas/allison/4.1 rear end/slightly oversized tires

city unladen - 9-10 mpg
highway unladen - 12-13 mpg
highway pulling 16' pull behind with D90 - 7 mpg (at 75 or so)
highway pulling 32' gooseneck with 2 vehicles - 5-6 mpg (at 75)

Of note, the big gooseneck trailer loaded down pulled like a dream. Much more stable going down the highway than the pullbehind with just one vehicle. I didn't really notice it was there except for hill climbs, passing, and the gas gauge. It would easily cruise at 75 on the highway. Any more than that and it was downshifting too much to be comfortable.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, hope some of this helps,

Blister

ps. Parking a dually is not that bad. It took a little getting used to, but it is really not that much different.

Bill is right on the money here. I am of the opinion that all the guys pulling 3 car haulers with 1 tons are accidents waiting to happen. Not only are they exceeding the manufacturers GVW for the vehicle, there's no way they can safely stop a load like that.

A 450 or 550 would be a little better, they have the advantage of not looking commercial like a medium duty truck especially if you put one of those beds that look like a pickup bed on.

Sometimes I think I made a mistake by not buying a Peterbilt 330 that was for sale around here. For only $25K i could have had real power and safely towed anything. Problem is it wasn't 4 wheel drive, a feature I won't give up in a truck.

If you are dead set on single rear wheel I would put on a set of 19.5 wheels and tires, they can take a lot more weight than 16" E load range stuff.

Ron,
It sounds like what you're looking for is Blister the rover geek's :flipoff2: set-up with a Ford. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the SRW truck can tow more than the DRW truck due to the fact that they want to keep the GCVW below 20k lbs. I wouldn't believe for a second that the SRW will tow better than a DRW.

Personally, I'm going to either stick with my "little" truck with the diesel or move on to the F550 if I can make that work. I want the stability and capability that I can't get with my current rig. I do understand your problem with driving a LWB DRW truck in the crowded east coast megapolis. That would be why I bought what I did while I was living there. However, If I had it to do over again, I'd get the DRW rig and the better exercise that comes with parking it at the far corner of the grocery store or mall parking lot.

And yes, with a short rig, you can still get big fuel tanks. I have an 86 gallon capacity in underbody tanks under my current rig. Funny thing is that I still get the urge to fill up when my primary gauge reads 1/4 tank. Then I think about it and realize that I still have 20 gallons there to play with. That's still 200 miles even towing at 85 mph!

Good luck!
-John