tow hauler and family mover

[Dmace]

I'd pretty much stick to a quad cab pickup like wmonroe's but would opt for the Megacab for it's incredible interior room for those long trips. To make up for the small 6.5' bed, I would have a small enclosed utility trailer for hauling stuff that wouldn't fit in the bed. It's easier to load at a much lower height and can typically carry more payload than a 1-ton truck.

Something like this with the legendary Cummins engine:

 

[buck12]

My ultimate hauler is my 09 super crew cab 4 X 4 F150 Lariat. It pulls my litte Mahindra, ATVs, boat, jetski, etc and hauls the family all over playing soccer. Plus it rides better and is more comfortable than my wife's Maxima.

 

[jayste]

What's with vehicles around like this one with government plates, big antenna's and dudes with high and tight haircuts riding in them?

 

[Diamondpilot]

For me I need 4x4 due to the places I go and the snow we get plus I need to tow 15,000# plus all the time. I have been very happy with my Diesel Ford F-350. I like short beds with the extended cab but no topper because I use my bed all the time.

Chris

 

[aczlan]

How about an E-350 with a diesel?
My parents have one like this:
2000 E-350 Extended Passenger Van with 7.3L Diesel Theirs has over 200k troublefree miles on it.
Similar ones like these could also fit the bill:
2004 E-350 Extended Cargo Van w/6.0L Diesel
2002 E-350 Cargo Van (not extended) w/7.3L Diesel

Any of those should be able to tow a 10k pound trailer with relative ease.

Aaron Z

 

[Renze]

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....)

I worked at a place where we converted them into 5th wheel haulers.
The Sprinter 416 (4.6 ton GVW, 160 hp inline 5) had a max CGVW of (at least, cant remember exactly) 7.5 ton, which is 16535 pounds.
The Sprinter 518 of MY 2006 had a 3 liter V6, 6 speed tranny, 184hp and 400 Nm of torque, and with tow package it had a CGVW of 8.75 ton which is 19290 pounds.

They do seem to downrate them for your market... The latest Sprinter 519 is already putting out some more power, but you can still get another 50 horses by putting a chip of an E-class limousine to this engine, where it is used at 250hp and 520 Nm.

The ride is as close to a passenger car as it will get. The new chassis came out in 2006 but already in 2007 you could get parts from wreckyards: They rode so nice that many youngsters from parcel companies, forgot that they werent in their VW Golf but were moving along with 5 ton and a high CoG....

 

[Highbeam]

My last truck had a topper/canopy and I won't be buying another one of those. Too much of a pain in the rear when you use a truck as a truck to haul things. Say you want to pick up a load of gravel, manure, a load of firewood, or move a motorcycle, or have a pallet of something loaded into the bed. That canopy is in the way and they aren't cheap. A good compromise is a soft tonneau cover that is easily stowed.

I use my truck exactly as you describe. I have two kids, a wife, and a boxer dog to move great distances while towing my travel trailer. Often it is just me towing the tractor or other project on the 10k equipment trailer.

More often I daily drive my truck to work and stop by the store on my way home so I want a driveable, comfortable, safe, economical, and easily maneuvered vehicle that is also capable of doing all the needed work.

Enter the one ton single rear wheel crew cab short bed diesel pickup. It'll do everything and is availble for pretty cheap. The kids love the huge crew cab area of the ford plus I've fit myself and 5 policemen in the cab with good comfort.

 

[schmism]

Say you want to pick up a load of gravel, manure, a load of firewood, or move a motorcycle, or have a pallet of something loaded into the bed.

I understand... i have resisted putting a topper on my toyota for the past 10 years for the same reason. But the reality of it is, i dont daily drive my truck anymore so the idea that im "caught out" and need to load something "odd" doesnt exist. If i jump in the truck its because im planning to do something specific with it. And if thats the case its just as easy to hook up the 5x10 utility trailer (or switch trucks to the dumptruck and take the equipment trailer)

Its also why i liked the cargo van as a replacement... the idea of opening the back and having a pallet forked in the back is a possiblity. The only thing that isnt feasable to put in it is loose material.. firewood, mulch, gravel, dirt etc but thats why i have a dump truck :thumbsup:

I have a car for DD

but I kinda want to consolidate my
1 ton dump truck
92 4runner
94 toyota 4wd pickup

into ONE vehicle that will do all of it as stated above.

 

[tlbuser]

Something like this with the legendary Cummins engine:

Let's take that one step further with a 6.7, jake and 6 speed auto, 4wd. the LQ trailer provides for us and the horses. a quick pressure wash and changeover to a toy hauler. Leave that behind and I can pull most any configuration, load pallets direct. Add sideboards and haul whatever.

 

[ModMech]

It's just my opinion but.....

Pickup TRUCK + Topper = Station wagon!

Take a capable pickup TRUCK, add a topper and it's no decomissioned to the status of a really expensive HD station wagon.