by Gonefishin » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:45 pm
Deryk: Its both drag factor and weight. I've never been to New Jersey, and don't know if you have any hills, mountains, or grades climb there. Out west, there isn't much flat ground, and where it is flat, the wind blows often and hard. (always seems to be a head wind too, both ways!) As speeds increase into the 60-75 mph range, the drag from the taller trailers and wider trailers becomes more of a factor. Throw in some head wind, and its like pulling a lead brick. I have a boat that rides lower and narrower than my cargo trailer, and weighs slightly more. Yet, the boat tows easier, and results in better gas mileage because of better aerodynamics behind the tow vehicle. Its heaver, but tows lighter due to less drag.
When we get to a hill, the weight becomes more of a factor. If underpowered at all, you don't' go up the hills too fast unless you suck the gas and floor the pedal, down shifted. And we have elevation too, usually between 4,000 and 8,000 feet. When I tow my boat to Florida, for example, its like its not even back there through the plains and into Florida. Piece of cake. Flat sea-level towing, 75 mph all day, and better mileage. The hilly terrain is a different ball game.
At sea level, on flat roads, at moderate speeds under 65 mph, you can probably get by with an underpowered or maxed out loaded vehicle. However, as some have said, expect shorter transmission life and more wear on your suspension system. Not sure of the mechanical "why's" of that, but have experienced it with smaller trucks with lighter suspension systems and smaller engines towing loads over the years. All the good mechanics say that too. Same with transmissions. The newer ones with coolers last a lot longer. I had to replace springs on an Explorer once after about 50,000 miles because it rode with the nose up and hitch "bottomed out" really bad due to worn out springs from 50,000 miles of towing a heavy boat. The tranny "went out" on that same Explorer at 68,000. Lesson learned.
Just balance the load as best you can, and take any extra steps you can to keep the trailer small and the tow vehicle as beefed up as you can. You will never regret keeping your tow vehicle on top of things, even if there's an initial higher up front cost or you have to go smaller with your trailer for a given vehicle. Wind drag matters. Power matters. Suspension matters. Transmission matters. All together, having plenty of tow vehicle makes a difference between a fun trip and a pain in your behind.
