Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Topic: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY??? (Read 3628 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #25 – June 14, 2013, 09:38:47 pm

Just for info, we went from a 3300# Subaru Outback to a 4600# Chrysler Town and Country. I was really concerned about the increased weight but I can barely notice the difference behind the motorhome. I feel confident now that I can go to a full size pickup at some time in the future.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #26 – June 14, 2013, 09:49:04 pm

Kent,
The 6V-92 in the real world is used with heavy trucks and they are not HP monsters, they sure get the job done, so with your combined weight, you are still under half the normal weight. Relax and enjoy, just remember you gotta stop it.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #27 – June 14, 2013, 10:03:35 pm

Quote from: Dave M – June 14, 2013, 09:49:04 pm

Kent,
The 6V-92 in the real world is used with heavy trucks and they are not HP monsters, they sure get the job done, so with your combined weight, you are still under half the normal weight. Relax and enjoy, just remember you gotta stop it.

Yes Sir - I use to pull 8900 gallons of unleaded gas with one of those! You do the math. The Silver 92 was a real step up horse when it came to the hills when loaded. Would drag that load much better than to old style 6V-92!!!

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #28 – June 14, 2013, 10:18:56 pm

This thread really made my day. DW and I had been really disappointed our personal favorite car could not be towed four down so I modded my old 1998 accord coupe to be towed.

No substitute for our 2007 Toyota Solara convertible. This thread referred me to remco. They now make a pump for the Toyota. Thanks. Made our day.

No substitute for the convertible. Pretty good off road to a point.

I own a super duty 4x4 pickup and a garage full of dirt bikes so I understand the toyota s limits.

Its been off roaded many times. Just carefully.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bob

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #29 – June 14, 2013, 10:43:16 pm

PatC, Guess you know one of the big reasons the Silver 92 was so much more HP, mainly doe the the bypass blower , freed up about 30 flywheel HP, the 8V gained about 36 hp, that is noticeable, other things helped too, injectors & turbo & DDEC.
Cheers
dave M

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #30 – June 15, 2013, 07:34:14 am

I guess I'm still the only one towing a Mini. Nothing beats a Cooper S ragtop for fun driving with 35 mpg. Just need the manual trans. Put into neutral and tow.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #31 – June 15, 2013, 08:45:31 am

We tow a 2010 Honda Fit. The owner's manual tells me how to set it up to tow. We've towed it since we bought it in 2010 with no problems. But we do follow the instructions on how to set it up. It's quite light weight and I don't notice it behind our '96 U295. It's actually light enough that we might not need a brake controller but we use the Blue Ox Patriot and love it.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #32 – June 15, 2013, 10:26:08 am

most states call out 3000 lbs as max w/o aux braking. Honda element about 3200 lbs. I tow it w/o any aux breaking, no problem so far.

SOme will say that is crazy, but then my wife might concur that I am crazy!

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #33 – June 15, 2013, 10:44:20 am

We tow a AWD 2005 Toyota RAV4 manual. This is the last year the RAV4 was available in the states with a manual transmission. It is about 10 lbs under 3K so I have never connected the aux brake.

Fairly compact compared to most SUVs, it is up off the ground so does super well off road and in snow. It laughs at deep snow that will high center Subaru AWDs and will go over Donner Pass in winter snowstorms without spinning a wheel.

Only down side is the stick shifts are hard to find and all RAV4 models are expensive on the used car market. 140K on it now with absolutely zero problems. Read online reviews.

Pierce

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #34 – June 15, 2013, 11:09:38 am

We are another member of the Jeep Wrangler 4x4 club. Bought our 1999 SE (4 cylinder) Jeep last year specifically for use with the RV when we head out. Found a BrakeBuddy for $200 on craigslist just a few weeks later. Have not towed it yet but have put 3,000 miles on it; mostly on the Moses Lake Sand Dunes ORV park which is just 15 minutes from our driveway.

2-door Wranglers can come with a soft top and 2-piece doors. The upper piece is easily removable in warm weather and the rear windows can all be unzipped to make it wide open in warm weather but still shady. If you want a convertible just take the fabric top off. They come with roll bars but ours has a custom roll cage for extra safety. Although ours came with the upper door piece with plastic windows, I found uppers with sliding glass windows for $100 on (where else?) craigslist. Just lift out one and plug another in. Takes less time to install them than it does to go into the garage to get them.

This little Jeep gets 17mpg average and probably better if it was all on-the-road but I've never had a tank of gas that didn't include trail running or sand dune riding. It has 33" tires and is lifted 4" which makes it a little difficult to get into for a woman in an evening gown; so the DW never buys evening gowns!

At only 3100lbs it makes it a good toad for our U225 which is not what one might call over-powered.

Last month I took Hailey (12) out to the sand dunes. pulled the driver's seat all the way forward, put it in 4wd low-range and let her get behind the wheel for the first time in her life (she has steered our SUV while sitting on my lap and also has shifted the pickup when instructed so she was not completely new). I figured that low-range in the sand was perfect for a new driver to learn how to use a clutch and a 5-speed. She did surprisingly well.

The Jeep is loaded up right now for an overnight camping trip into the Cascade Mountains at Liberty, WA (an old gold mining town just off Highway 97) where a bunch of local off-roaders are spending father's day. The back seat is out and the space filled with tent, sleeping bag, cooler, cookstove, food and snacks. Plus 5-gallons of water and ice tea mix. (I'm not a big beer drinker.)

It's not a "Swiss Army Knife" thought.... because anyone who wants to ride in the back seat is crazy. And if they aren't, then they will be when you get there!!!

So far, the only place it hasn't taken me is to the opera.

Craig

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #35 – June 15, 2013, 05:46:21 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – June 15, 2013, 10:44:20 am

It laughs at deep snow that will high center Subaru AWDs and will go over Donner Pass in winter snowstorms without spinning a wheel.

Pierce

Pierce, I normally don't argue with your research but the Rav4's ground clearance has been reduce from 7.5" to 6.3". The Suabaru Outback has been reduced to 7.87" from almost 9" after 2008. And they carry much more cargo, have a better ride and cost less.

I like Subarus. Can you tell?

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #36 – June 15, 2013, 05:54:45 pm

I bought a Saturn sl2. It had about 75K miles was in excellent shape AND set up for towing. It weighs less than 3k lbs. It tows like a dream. I did not wish to spend a lot for a car just to tow and have been happy with it. I understand the Saturn Vue (SUV) is also easily towable. All you have to do is hook it up, put in N, and the key has to be left in on position. I have had no trouble with battery going down. The reason I bought this one was it fit the bill and did not wish to spend a lot for a car that I planned to use pretty much only for a tow vehicle.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #37 – June 15, 2013, 06:01:09 pm

We had a Saturn SC2 as our first toad. It was great, fun to drive, 33 mpg and relatively comfortable but it was too low to the ground for this old body. I think the View is also a great choice but they are hard to find and they are pretty small inside.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #38 – June 15, 2013, 06:24:58 pm

Correct. 2011 Honda CRV manual does in fact say it's towable 4 wheels down. Precisely why Honda USA gave us our money back on the spot without even blinking after the transmission failed. No letter writing. One phone call. Very impressive.
I have the CRV Blue Ox base plate if someone wants it.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #39 – June 15, 2013, 07:33:10 pm

Quote from: Kent Speers – June 15, 2013, 05:46:21 pm

Pierce, I normally don't argue with your research but the Rav4's ground clearance has been reduce from 7.5" to 6.3". The Suabaru Outback has been reduced 7.87". And they carry much more cargo, have a better ride and cost less.

I like Subarus. Can you tell?

I just punched a couple of holes in our drywall after reading your post.

Can't figure where your source got their info. I just took a tape out to ours and the lowest point is at the front engine/gearbox protection skid and is just a fraction less than 9 inches. We have 235/65 16 tires mounted. Think this is pretty much the stock size. My son's girlfriend had a new Legacy and got it stuck in not so deep snow on her first day with it.

Actually, I am a real Subaru fan. Would love to have a WRX as a toad. Now that Saab is out of business, I noticed a huge number of Subaru models on the east coast of the U.S. this last fall. Lots of Vanagons with Subaru engines.

Pierce

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #40 – June 15, 2013, 07:50:24 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – June 15, 2013, 07:33:10 pm

I just punched a couple of holes in our drywall after reading your post.

Can't figure where your source got their info. I just took a tape out to ours and the lowest point is at the front engine/gearbox protection skid and is just a fraction less than 9 inches. We have 235/65 16 tires mounted. Think this is pretty much the stock size. My son's girlfriend had a new Legacy and got it stuck in not so deep snow on her first day with it.

Actually, I am a real Subaru fan. Would love to have a WRX as a toad. Now that Saab is out of business, I noticed a huge number of Subaru models on the east coast of the U.S. this last fall. Lots of Vanagons with Subaru engines.

Pierce

Do you know how happy I was to finally catch you on something. Here's the link 2013 Toyota RAV4 Test Drive - Popular Mechanics. There is no doubt you will find the flaw in this article. How about that, I trust you more than Popular Mechanics.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #41 – June 15, 2013, 08:02:03 pm

I just looked at trading my wrangler in for a grand cherokee overland. I think it might be a nicer ride and it will lock. It will be sad to see the wrangler go. It has been around since 2001 but it is time for a different approach.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #42 – June 15, 2013, 08:49:46 pm

Woops. Typo. 2001 CRV was the problem. Our 2011 was fine but didn't meet our needs. Wrangler does.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #43 – June 15, 2013, 09:44:13 pm

it was too low to the ground for this old body (from Mr. Speers)

BUT, sure was a lot of laughs watching him try to get out of it...Carol and I called the move the rolly polly......

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #44 – June 15, 2013, 10:40:11 pm

I have used both my Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Dakoat truck as my tow. Like the Jeep better....more fun with open sides and windows. I have looked at also getting a Jeep Overlan Summit or Jeep Sahara 4 door. I really like the Sahara, but for now I will keep my Wrangler for the next 5 years or so until I get a little older. Then comes the Sahara for probably and if God willing will graduate to the Cherokee Overland Summitt, what a great vehicle!

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #45 – June 16, 2013, 09:28:54 am

We tow a 2003 Jeep Wrangler, because it gets lousy gas mileage, doesn't have much room, and has a bone-jarring ride. Still, it's a hoot with the top and doors off on a pleasant day.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #46 – June 16, 2013, 04:12:43 pm

I have loved towing my wrangler. It is a hoot but it is time to go with an Overland now I think.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #47 – June 16, 2013, 04:22:41 pm

John, DW & I looked at the new Jeep with most of the options, seems it goes well into the $40's, so sticking with the CRV for the moment. What is the Overland ?

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #48 – June 16, 2013, 05:05:03 pm

It is a trim level on the grand cherokee.

Re: Which Toad Did You Chose for All 4 Wheels Down, AND WHY???

Reply #49 – June 16, 2013, 05:33:20 pm

Dave M.: you don't need most of those options even if you 4-wheel in serious conditions. I just got back from an educational trip with our local off-road club. These folks are not amateurs; but I am. The roads they took me on (up to 6400 feet elevation starting at 2,000) terrified me. The only reason I didn't turn back about six hills into this trip was the thought of going back over those six hills. One of these was so steep that when the Jeep was headed up the hill I still had to duck and look for the summit that barely hit the top of the windshield... this was about a 200-foot-long climb.

If someone had told me Friday that my Jeep would be able to go up those hills (rutted, muddy, rocky, rooted up, and twisty) with me at the wheel I would have laughed at them. I doubt that I'll do it again but it gives me a whole new perspective on what that Jeep will do if asked.

I don't have "lockers"; only have a 4-cylinder engine; it's lifted 4" and has 33" tires (not mudders, though), a custom roll cage, rock sliders (they protect the bottom sides of the Jeep and let you rotate around a sharp turn by putting the bar up against a tree or rock and using that as a fulcrum), and front/rear custom bumpers. The sliders, cage, and bumpers were on the Jeep when I bought it. Done by the previous owner. All I've done is replace the rear shocks.

Everything on a Jeep can be customized at much less cost than Jeep will charge you.

I was too terrified to take photos during the Saturday trip but I drop out via a much easier (but still not easy) road this morning; also up to 6400 feet. Through an area that was burned last fall. Plus I discovered a potential forest fire when I spotted a root system fire in flames and led firefighters back to it.

Craig

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