# Suv



## gonewiththewind (Apr 7, 2012)

So we just bought our first "official" horse and we are looking to buy a trailer for a full showing season ahead. Buuuut, we have a problem. My parents are not interested in buying or driving a truck. We are wanting maybe a 2 horse slant load trailer (we don't have one yet) in aluminum. The biggest debate remains to be the type of SUV that would be best suited for our needs. I don't know if y'all would have any kind of opinion or experience that could point me in the right direction? But if you did it would be very much appreciated. Thank you


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

We pull a 2 horse alum side by side with my expedition. Does great!! I adore my vehicle. Paid 8500 for it with 95k miles on it late last year.
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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

And it looks like new!
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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I will tell you what I know from my own experience. I have a steel trailer, 2 horse BP, x long, x wide. Heavy. Best friend has an Exiss aluminum, 2 h BP w. dr. WE have pulled both trailers with her vehicle as well as mine. Both are SUV's. Hers-Plymouth Aspen, Mine-Ford Expedition. NO comparison. WE both HATE towing with hers. WE think it is the wheel base. The trailer moves much more and you feel everything. Plus-her gas mileage is AWFUL. Mine is much better. I (actually so does hers)have the towing packing, sway bars on the trailer as well as the E-brake installed on my dash. Tows like a dream. Well, as good as it will get for a BP. I highly recommend it. If you are getting one, try and get the back up camera-it helps immensely with hook up. I do not have it.


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

I've pulled a 2 horse, bp, with both a Jeep Grand Cherokee (V8, towing package) and the Jeep Commander (V8, towing package) and they both pulled it fine, stopping got a little hairy tho...


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## ls6firebird (Mar 8, 2012)

i think the only 3 suv's i would personally pull a trailer with would be an expedition, excursion, or suburban (preferably a 3/4 ton with the 6.0). theres pros and cons to the three of them, but they're all very capable of pulling a trailer


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

By the way, I get about 15 mpg pulling.
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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Me too Cakemom. I do not think the newer ones are as good on the mileage. My hubby has one and his is not as good.

Adam-personnally-I used to pull with an Explorer. Sure it worked, but if I had any hills-it was tough. Nearly needed to get the horse out and walk it. And downhill-he was pushing me all the way. And I only hauled ONE horse, yeah a draft cross, but still. Not again. Might be fine for short hauls on flat ground. That is it.


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

Yeah, mine is an 03.
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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Mine is an '09-and I will turn 100K shortly. I drive a lot. lol


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

There's a major problem with SUV's and trailers. A lot of SUV's are at or nearly at their rated max weight. When you find one you are interested, best look up online what their curb weight is and what they are rated for. All that extra steel in them doesn't leave a lot of room for hooking up a trailer.

The other thing mentioned up above is wheelbase, the shorter the wheelbase the more pry a trailer will have on you. Staying away from any short wheelbase vehicle is optimal even if it has the ponies to tow.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Darrin said:


> There's a major problem with SUV's and trailers. A lot of SUV's are at or nearly at their rated max weight. When you find one you are interested, best look up online what their curb weight is and what they are rated for. All that extra steel in them doesn't leave a lot of room for hooking up a trailer.
> 
> The other thing mentioned up above is wheelbase, the shorter the wheelbase the more pry a trailer will have on you. Staying away from any short wheelbase vehicle is optimal even if it has the ponies to tow.


First off-check again on the Expedition WITH THE TOWING package. THere is plenty of room to hook up a 2 horse BP. Tongue weight also factors in with trailers, not just the axle weight.

Here is the towing package I referred to:

Heavy-duty trailer tow package
Expeditions equipped with the heavy-duty trailer tow package are prepped and readied for towing at the factory. The package includes a heavy-duty V-5 rated Class IV trailer hitch with weight distribution capability, heavy-duty radiator, heavy-duty auxiliary transmission fluid cooler, hitch mounted 4 and 7-pin trailer electrics connector and factory prewiring for an electronic trailer brake controller module. The brake controller wiring harness is located under the dash on the driver’s side for easy installment of the brake controller module.
Expeditions are also offered with an adaptive electronically controlled pneumatic suspension system with self leveling, payload leveling and trailer load leveling capability. The pneumatic suspension can automatically detect when a heavy trailer is coupled, such as a travel trailer, and level the load. Additional sensors placed on the left and right sides of the SUV also monitor and compensate for any listing caused by improper cargo loading. This keeps the Expedition running straight and level while towing, and at night helps to keep the Expedition’s headlamps from blinding oncoming traffic.
As of the 2010 model year, the Expedition received trailer sway control (TSC) as standard equipment. TSC builds off of the AdvanceTrac traction & stability control system to detect trailer oscillations and corrects it via asymmetrical breaking and reducing engine power until the Expedition and its trailer are both back under control.[46]
[edit]

And here are your weights:

Over the years the Expedition’s towing capacity has grown from 8,100 lbs to a current rating of 9,200 lbs (when properly equipped). The list of towing features is also ever growing. Towing features common to all generations of the Expedition include: smallest possible turning radius for increased trailer maneuverability, large side view mirrors to improve rearward visibility, side view mirror rearward-facing lane departure/turning indicator lamps, which are helpful to other motorist when the Expedition is towing a long trailer providing added visual safety, heavy-duty flashers,[45] heavy-duty large robust disc brakes to withstand prolonged braking while towing and an available heavy-duty trailer tow package which includes necessary additions for heavy-duty towing.
[edit]

WHen I referred to wheelbase, I was referring more to WIDTH, not length. The extra width gives you a more stable base.


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

Franknbeans, cakemom: I will be the first to say, the Expedition is FANTASTIC at towing, I had a friend that had one with the diesel option, and he pulled everything with it. 

I threw the Jeep out there as an option in case they were looking for something that could tow, but is not purpose-built to haul (something a tad smaller, easier to get thru town, easier on gas, yadda yadda yadda) 

The new Grand Cherokees properly equiped are rated to 7400lbs, (with weight distro hitch), has trailer sway control, some kind of engine break for hills (not messed with that one personally, just read up on it) 7 pin for the trailer harness, and is wired for a trailer brake. 

Here's me with my older Jeep:










Boat: 3600lbs. Trailer: 1200lbs. Content: ???lbs. Total Length: 30'.

Pulled this guy ALL OVER southern Indiana. Never really had a problem, and I had a few panic stops. However, let me add this one caveat:* if my trailer brakes would fail me, I am fairly sure I would wind up as a stain on the highway.*

But anyways, I just presented this as another option. Heck, somewhere posted on here is a vid of a guy hauling his horse in the back of a Ford Ranger, people do all kinds of crazy things when they haul / tow :rofl:


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Please don't take this wrong, but with a sailboat in Central Indiana, at least from my brief memory of living there.....you would HAVE to go a ways to use a boat that size. Plus, it is extremely flat, the roads are straight......Not what many of us deal with in other areas. Mind you that memory is 30 yrs old, but I doubt there are now hills.....and curves. I will certainly never forget living there...I will say that. lol


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

LOL! I was puzzled by the 'flat, roads are straight' until I looked at what I listed for my location. I guess I'm more southern Indiana (I am south of Bloomington) Your memory is pretty much spot on for anything north of interstate 70 tho. We show sometimes up in Gordyville (Gifford IL) and once you get north of 70 it's soooooo flat and booooring....


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