New truck or suv for towing

[4horses]

My F150 is back in the shop again. This time it had a cylinder head temperature sensor go out and they need to take it apart to replace the sensor. If that is the problem and they diagnosed it correctly.

About the 3rd time it has been to the shop in the last year. It’s a 2013, but not used much except when I trailer some place.

I’m starting to think about getting another vehicle. I would like to replace the older car and the 99 Ford Ranger and get 1 vehicle. The F150 will be my main towing vehicle, but I do want a backup vehicle for towing.

A smaller truck would probably work. Maybe a used Toyota Tacoma? Or an SUV? The maximum weight I tow (bumper pull) is 5000 lbs. I rarely take 2 horses in the trailer, so usually under 4000 lbs.

Any vehicle suggestions? I have not looked at SUV’s before. Not real familiar with their towing capacity.

[fourfillies]

I’m no expert but it’s more about stopping power sometimes than towing weight rating. I have a GN 2+1 with DR I tow with a V10 F250 gasser. It is a wonderful set up but it’s just too much trailer for my current needs. Pre COVID I priced Tahoe’s, etc with the idea of moving to a BP. I was paralyzed by the sticker shock on SUVs I felt had enough wheelbase to be safe. Interested to see what others say.

[CindyCRNA]

There is no way in heck I would ever pull with anything under an F150 and I wouldn’t pull with a 150. Most, not all, are bread haulers. You want something with a solid rear axle and leaf springs. I once, back in the day, pulled with a 150. A 250 is way more solid. So in answer to your question, at the very least, replace your 150 with at least another 150. My current ride is a 3/4 ton Suburban 6300 pounds of long body towing weight. I have the long one so I think 121" wheel base. I usually haul one horse so about 4800 pounds but sometimes 2. Gas guzzler. My next will be a 3/4 ton truck.

[gypsymare]

I bought a V8 Durango Citadel to take over towing duties when my F250 dies. As equipped it is rated to 7200 lbs. Same frame with different model options can be rated up to 8700 lbs. I test drove the Tahoe and Suburban but was also trading in my car and didn’t want to feel like I was driving a big truck with massive body roll and bounce over every pothole. The Durango handles like a sport wagon, packs people like a van and pulls like a truck so it does everything I need.

Two horses loaded into a 3200 lb trailer. I can feel it back there but no stability issues. I wouldn’t want to regularly tow it over the Rockies, but for my current needs, short low speed trips with 1 horse 99% of the time, it’s perfect.

And it has WAY more powerful brakes than my F250 . In physical size and function.

Side note, I’ve hauled thousands of miles all over the country with this trailer and a 33’ bumper pull RV. Stability is totally on the trailer. If your properly specced and equipped tow vehicle has to compensate for sway or poor stability you have a big problem. With your TRAILER, not your tow vehicle.

[lorilu]

I towed a 2H BP with a Nissan Titan for a few years… loved the truck and felt really safe. I really liked how the back doors opened - it was an extended cab (which they dont make any more it seems) not a crew cab with full back seat.
Unless you get one of the big SUVs built on a truck frame (not car frame) I wouldnt tow a trailer with it. My neighbor tows with a huge Suburban… and now they are making bigger Broncos again.

[sweetsalute]

A newer Ford Ranger? I’m not sure if what they sell in the USA is the exact same as the one they sell here in Aus, but I’m currently waiting for my 2021 to arrive at the dealership. They’re one of the top two most popular trucks we have here, and I know plenty of people who tow a bumper pull with 2 horses regularly with one of these. It’s definitely smaller than the behemoths that are the F150s (we see them here on odd occasion and by god they’re huge!). The one we have here is rated to tow 7700lbs.

[LCDR]

I love towing the 2 horse with my Lexus LX. It’s the Toyota Land Cruiser with Lexus badges and hydraulic auto-leveling. It has the same engine as the Toyota Tundra pickup. It has body on frame construction, so underneath it is a truck, but with seating for 8 in a pinch, and lots of storage for tack with the third row seats folded. And it is very quiet and stable. I also have a newer GMC2500 long bed pickup, but prefer the Lexus for the 2 horse. The pickup gets saved for the bigger trailer, which is why the 7 year old Lexus has 80,000 miles, and the 3 year old GMC pickup has 8,300 miles.