tow hauler and family mover

[schmism]

Whats your ultimate tow hauler and at the same time family mover.

Hears the setup.

You live in rural area, have a hobby farm. tow farm stuff once a month on a 10K equipment trailer. tractors, sq bales, implements, project cars etc.

You have a 22' RV trailer. Perhaps a ski boat....
18' horse/livestock trailer.

At the same time your a road trip familiy. You pack up the wife,kids,dogs and go for trips. you make alot of trips to see the rest of the family especially during holidays at around 5hrs ...some are shorter 3hrs or less...others are 2 week long adventures across the US.

Now pick ONE vehicle to do it all.

After thinking about it for the better part of a year i think ive narrowed it down to

3500 sprinter... got a 2.7L Mercedes Turbo Diesel... pick up a used fleet van for cheep have a basic interior put in it and roll!

With a basic interior you could still make it work truck ish to pick up 2x4's and drywall from your box store without feeling like your stuffing your high end SUV with building materials.

Whats your perfect version?
Excursion?
Quad cab/supercab with topper?

 

[tlbuser]

tow farm stuff once a month on a 10K equipment trailer. tractors, sq bales, implements, project cars etc.

I think you'll be sorely disappointed there. The Sprinter 3500 only had a 5,000 lb. tow capacity. They were available in the US from freightliner in '02 before becoming a Dodge. In 2007 they boosted the towing to 7500 lbs. after getting a repower.

 

[schmism]

The Sprinter 3500 only had a 5,000 lb. tow capacity.

DOH!

now thats a load of BS right there..... based on the vehicle weight, "1 ton" classification with dual rear wheels.... wheel base length.... I suppose thats proof right there how bloated the "tow rateings" on US 1/2ton trucks are...

i wonder what the real mercedes benz verion is rated for over in Europe.... (cant have a box van stealing the thunder from dodge trucks now....)

 

[tlbuser]

Well, I'm not sure. These things are kinda built to move stuff and people, not really to drag it around I guess.

 

[DIRTROAD]

ONE OF THESE

 

[wallace]

Here's mine pulls a 10 and 20k equipment trailer.
It also pulls a 18k 5th wheel rv.

 

[wmonroe]

No kids but this this takes me the wife and dog the 8.5 hours to my in-laws, takes me all over the logging roads at my hunting camp, tows my fifth wheel camper, and gooseneck trailer.

 

[Soundguy]

after much looking around and guidance from members here, I finally settled on this.

hals good.. has a roomy cab.. totes 5 adults just fine, could tote 5a + 1 smaller adult.. or a medium child as well.

can pull bumper, gooseneck or 5thwheel .. I love it. with a 4.88 rear end she won't win any speed races.. but she tows fine.

soundguy

 

[schmism]

the lack of toppers in the group is due to fifthwheel/GN requirements i assume?

 

[Soundguy]

it is for me.. though I do have a dodge 1/2 ton with a hard cover and a pop up GN ball... have to remove the topper to use the gn.. thus the ball has livved 'down' most of it's life..

soundguy