Daily driver towing vehicles: What do you drive?

[juliep]

@hunt_jumpfl

I moved to a 2018 Ram 2500 last May from a 2009 Sierra 1500. I haul a 2 horse Hawk BP and while the 1500 handled it well, that truck was needing a lot of work to keep going for only 150k miles. I don’t know for sure if it was the hauling or commuting that did it in, but I decided this time around to go with the more truck than I should ever need approach. I also changed jobs last year which dropped my overall mileage for commuting but shifted me to almost all in town driving. Even so, the Ram is getting within a couple mpg as my old Sierra - though both are pretty bad lol. Between insurance, car taxes, and registration I just can’t justify a commuter vehicle and a separate hauling vehicle though.

Same! We already have three cars–one that a teenager is driving so my insurance is currently through the roof. And I’d have nowhere to park the 4th! I guess I was hoping for a unicorn where my gas mileage wouldn’t be horrible…between commuting to work and the barn, I average about 400 miles a week–not terrible but for a gas-guzzler, not great either.

[juliep]

@hut-ho78

I drive a Ford crewcab F150 with a tow package. When you are looking at vehicles, check the wheelbase (min 93" for Brenderup and 120" for bumper pull 2 horse trailer), gross trailer weight rating, the tongue weight allowed, gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCVWR). Many of the trucks come with tow packages which typically come with at least a slightly stronger axle ratio. Axle ratios can be 3.21, 3.55, 3.73, 4.30, etc. I think a minimum for the weight is a 3.55. If you haul a lot you may need an F250 or Dodge Ram or Chevrolet 2500. For SUVs an Expedition barely meets the wheelbase. A Suburban is built on a truck chassis. Unless you buy a Brenderup, those are the two unless they are now making another model. What size trailer? We used to all get quarterhorse size and not even think about larger. However, with a lot of warmbloods around, I opted for a warmblood size trailer so I could haul my friends’ horses too. Trailer tires, including the spare need to be replaced every 5 years from manufacturing date. Bearings need repacking, the flooring needs inspection, etc. There are steel or aluminum or a combination the the two. Aluminum holds value. Steel is less expensive and strong but doesn’t hold up as well. Good cleaning will help. There are a lot of good articles online. Take the time to learn as much as you can.

This is super helpful! THANK YOU!

[Sweetums_Mom]

Eco-boost F-150 owner here…year 2015. I don’t haul a lot and mostly local but I do have large horses and an aluminum 2-horse BP with dressing room. We ordered the truck from the factory with the tow package and upgraded everything with regard to towing stuff. I am also a timid hauler but I am comfortable with this truck. I also use the truck for my everyday commute and get an average 20 mpg and have gotten over 26 mpg when traveling long distance (no hauling involved).

[CobJockey]

I have a 2005 GMC Sierra Denali as a daily driver. Gas mileage isn’t the greatest but I don’t have much of a commute, so that works. Previously I used it to haul a steel frame/aluminum skin 2H KieferBuilt straight load with tack room that was 3500lbs empty, plus my 900lb pony. It was well within the truck’s numbers on paper, but in reality I was just not comfortable towing with it. Even with great trailer brakes I still had to plan carefully ahead for stoplights and it took longer to stop than I was comfortable with.

Faced with either upgrading my truck or downsizing my trailer, I downsized my trailer and I am SO much happier towing now. I got a Shadow 1H with tack room that’s 2100lbs empty and I love it SO much, and feel so much safer hauling now. Don’t be me with the old trailer, don’t be uncomfortable just for the sake of hauling with that 4-Runner, get more tow vehicle than you need and you’ll be much happier and safer.

[juliep]

@Sweetums Mom

Eco-boost F-150 owner here…year 2015. I don’t haul a lot and mostly local but I do have large horses and an aluminum 2-horse BP with dressing room. We ordered the truck from the factory with the tow package and upgraded everything with regard to towing stuff. I am also a timid hauler but I am comfortable with this truck. I also use the truck for my everyday commute and get an average 20 mpg and have gotten over 26 mpg when traveling long distance (no hauling involved).

I’ve had my eye on the F150 ecoboosts just for the daily gas mileage! I’m so glad you like it…I’m going to keep that one in my top list.

[juliep]

@CobJockey

I have a 2005 GMC Sierra Denali as a daily driver. Gas mileage isn’t the greatest but I don’t have much of a commute, so that works. Previously I used it to haul a steel frame/aluminum skin 2H KieferBuilt straight load with tack room that was 3500lbs empty, plus my 900lb pony. It was well within the truck’s numbers on paper, but in reality I was just not comfortable towing with it. Even with great trailer brakes I still had to plan carefully ahead for stoplights and it took longer to stop than I was comfortable with.

Faced with either upgrading my truck or downsizing my trailer, I downsized my trailer and I am SO much happier towing now. I got a Shadow 1H with tack room that’s 2100lbs empty and I love it SO much, and feel so much safer hauling now. Don’t be me with the old trailer, don’t be uncomfortable just for the sake of hauling with that 4-Runner, get more tow vehicle than you need and you’ll be much happier and safer.

Thank you for the tips…I’ve been curious about the Shadow one horse trailers – a barnmate has one and she says she really loves it as well.

[CobJockey]

@juliep

Thank you for the tips…I’ve been curious about the Shadow one horse trailers – a barnmate has one and she says she really loves it as well.

Feel free to ask me any questions you have, they are hard to find information on. I’ve had mine for a couple of years now and love everything about it. It has a good sized tack room, and the horse area is basically an oddly shaped box stall big enough for my big bodied 14.2hh pony to turn around in easily, so I ship him loose back there. I did end up adding a ramp after I’d had it for a year and a half, since my pony is shaped like a dachshund and the step up was more like a jump up for him.

I’ve written some extensive review posts that might help you since you’re interested in them, in order from most recent to oldest.

• More Shadow Upgrades: https://www.cobjockey.com/2019/03/mo…-upgrades.html
• Adding a Ramp to a Step-Up Shadow Trailer: https://www.cobjockey.com/2019/03/ad…w-trailer.html
• Product Review: One Year With the Shadow One Horse Slant Trailer: https://www.cobjockey.com/2018/10/pr…hadow-one.html

[juliep]

@CobJockey

Feel free to ask me any questions you have, they are hard to find information on. I’ve had mine for a couple of years now and love everything about it. It has a good sized tack room, and the horse area is basically an oddly shaped box stall big enough for my big bodied 14.2hh pony to turn around in easily, so I ship him loose back there. I did end up adding a ramp after I’d had it for a year and a half, since my pony is shaped like a dachshund and the step up was more like a jump up for him.

I’ve written some extensive review posts that might help you since you’re interested in them, in order from most recent to oldest.

• More Shadow Upgrades: https://www.cobjockey.com/2019/03/mo…-upgrades.html
• Adding a Ramp to a Step-Up Shadow Trailer: https://www.cobjockey.com/2019/03/ad…w-trailer.html
• Product Review: One Year With the Shadow One Horse Slant Trailer: https://www.cobjockey.com/2018/10/pr…hadow-one.html

Awesome! I will definitely look through all of your posts. Thanks so much.

[Natalie]

I’m in a similar situation now, wanting a trailer and needing to upgrade to a larger vehicle that also needs to double as a daily driver. I know there’s strong feelings about them either way, but I’m set on a Brenderup (or later, Boeckmann) since I do not want to drive a big truck and don’t want to bare the cost of maintaining one, either.

So that said, if you’re willing to tune out everyone who suddenly has an engineering degree when they see your trailer :lol:you could tow a Brenderup with your 4Runner, especially if you’re most frequently going to be hauling one horse. You should be able to find a used one for just a bit more than a new stock trailer would cost (I see them most commonly listed in the $6500-8500 range, though also frequently for less).

[woodstock]

Natalie- sending you a PM.

[cutter99]

@juliep

Yes, you’re confirming my suspicions. The total vehicle weight and just driving it everyday makes me realllly question how it could actually tow up to 5,000 lbs?

Length of wheel base is also part of the problem. The longer the wheel base, the more secure the tow vehicle.

[DMK]

For years my daily driver was a 2000 expedition with a tow package and it worked out very well for me. I was commuting to downtown/indoor garage, etc. and I just didn’t want to deal with a truck. So for about 12 years that was my tow vehicle. I was also towing a 1994 Trail Et NY which was from an era when even the “large” BPs were a lot smaller than today’s BPs, so that length issue is a consideration with an SUV, even one suited to the tow weight.

I replaced it with a Super Duty F250 because I knew I had plans to get a larger/longer/heavier trailer at some point (had a larger “tweener” trailer for a few years), but even though I work from my house now and do not drive that much, I really wasn’t a fan of driving that thing every day, every drive. F250s are beasts,suspension wise and the turning radius is almost amusing. Ultimately I got a little hatchback (first a Focus, now a Kia Niro hybrid) for everyday driving. Now I tow an 8’0 wide BP 2H with a side ramp and another 103" of room for my carriage in front of the stalls, so I need the Super Duty power and length. But if I had kept the tweener (sundowner 2HBP WB), I probably would have considered going down to an F150, especially if it was my only vehicle!