Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

[Carter13]

Hello,

We currently own a Ford F350 with a camper and a 05 Centurion Avalance C4. The weight of the boat is 4000lbs, and the trailer weighs about 1000lbs.

When we camp with our boat we have a great set up with no problems. BUT we are considering purchasing a travel trailer and using the truck to haul that and my SUV to haul the boat.

Our current SUV (Xterra) will haul 5000lbs and has a tongue weight of 500lbs. We really don't want to invest in another $50,000 tow rig but we might have to. There are some SUV that will haul 6000-7000lbs. This is also another option.

What kind of add ons can we do to help the SUV be able to tow safer. Or do we need to pony up and buy a new one.

We will only use two tow vehicles about 5 times a year.

Thanks

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

An Xterra is a great tow vehicle but only up to a point. I wouldn't try to tow right at the max with it (does that weight for your boat include fuel and gear?) I'd really want a full size truck or full size SUV for that job. I can't imagine there's really anything you can do to increase the tow rating of your Xterra.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

Your vehicle has a factory tow rating. From this, you must subtract any passengers or cargo in the tow vehicle. Driver and fuel are figured into the tow rating.

There's nothing you can add that will increase the factory tow rating.

You need to weigh the boat and trailer, loaded as it will be when towed, then see if it's within the factory tow rating. Personally, I wouldn't trade vehicles if it's over by a couple percent or so, but any more than that, you need a smaller boat or larger tow vehicle.

Be sure there are working brakes on all axles of the trailer and that everything is properly maintained.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

It sounds like the boat and trailer is right at the max limit without fuel,gear and passengers.The Xterra is a very short wheelbase vehicle and that plays into the handling on the highway a bunch. Sounds like it may be a white knuckle scenario...

 

[superbenk]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

I feel like ~3500 lbs on my 03 Frontier (rated at 5000 lbs towing as well - I have the longbed crew cab so it's probably a bit more wheelbase than you have in the Xterra) is about it's limit. It does fine in most situations with that load, but if I'm hitting a long hill it struggles to maintain speed. I think I'd be very leary at ~4000 lbs and would absolutely draw the line at ~4500 lbs.

We're currently looking at 1/2-3/4 ton trucks to replace the Frontier so we can have some more confidence and room for boat growth. $50k for a mid-range SUV seems like a lot of money to me - have you considered certified used instead of brand spanking new? A fully loaded Titan LE crew-cab with 21k miles certified is catching my attention currently for ~$28k (I'd expect to take it home for ~$25k tops).

 

[rwidman]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

I feel like ~3500 lbs on my 03 Frontier (rated at 5000 lbs towing as well - I have the longbed crew cab so it's probably a bit more wheelbase than you have in the Xterra) is about it's limit. It does fine in most situations with that load, but if I'm hitting a long hill it struggles to maintain speed.

What is important about towing a boat and trailer is not the ability to maintain speed going uo hills, but the ability of the tow vehicle to control and stop the trailer. That is, to safely tow the trailer.

There's another current thread on this forum with photos showing what can happen when the tow vehicle could not control the trailer. Nobody wants to be in this situation.

 

[Carter13]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

Thank you for the replys. We know our Xterra can't do the job! Can anyone recommend a larger SUV? We are looking at the Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 or a Nissan Pathfinder with a V8 both can tow 7000lbs.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

I would look into the full size SUV. The Cherokee and Pathfinder is still considered mid sized.
Maybe a Chevy Tahoe,Ford Expedition....something with that size wheelbase would be much better suited.

 

[avenger79]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

the cherokee may be up to the task but for the most part I would completely agree with Gary. tahoe or expy would be the way to go.
why not a supercab truck? can get some pretty sweet deals on trucks right now. SUVs still seem to bring a pretty good price.

 

[Carter13]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

the cherokee may be up to the task but for the most part I would completely agree with Gary. tahoe or expy would be the way to go.
why not a supercab truck? can get some pretty sweet deals on trucks right now. SUVs still seem to bring a pretty good price.

We have a Ford F350, so we would prefer to have another SUV. It would be my daily car to drive to work and since we don't have kids I would prefer a smaller SUV then a Tahoe. BUT that might be the way we will go. Again, I only need this about 5 times a year when we boat camp.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

I have towed with several differant vehicles. I have a 21ft Tahoe V8 bowrider. We have towed it with a 98 Suburban, a 99 Yukon, an 05 Explorer, a 05 Grand Cherokee, a 06 Navigator mark LT, an unknown year Xterra, an 07 Avalanche and our current 06 Trailblazer EXT. The Explorer was scary, being a V6. Squirelly on the highway and braking. The Grand Cherokee was a Limited V8 HO and struggles to accell and brake, and is also squirelly on the highway. I think the tow capacity on both of them is over 6k, but I am not sure. The Xterra was also scary, but I wasnt driving so I just hung on.

Our Trailblazer is an EXT V8 with the 3.73 gears that my wife drives to work. It tows like a dream. Powerful, longer wheelbase, good gearing, and has a 7300lb towing capacity.

I was reading someplace, might have been here, that some year of Explorer has over a 7k capacity. Then the new Grand Cherokee with the class IV package has a 7400lb tow capacity. Dont have any experiance with either, but that sounds promising for an alternative to our TB, since GM has seen fit to cut that vehicle from their line up and the replacement is a poor excuse for a tow vehicle.

The other trucks I mention are larger, but they all towed great too. We love the Trailblazer because it tows like a larger SUV but is not huge like a Yukon or Expedition. My wife did not want anything that big, and at the time we couldnt find anything with that large of a tow capacity.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

I have an '05 Jeep GC with the 4.7 V8. You can scratch that one right off your possibility list for that size boat.

 

[bassman284]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

Whether your talking about the Xterra, the Grand Cherokee or the Explorer, you have the same problem, short wheel base. No way to overcome that. Don't know about Trailblazer but I think it's about the same.

I have a 1997 Grand Cherokee with 5.2 V8 which is rated to tow 6500 lb. From a power standpoint, you could probably do it, but I think it would be frightening.

My boat grosses out a little over 1800 lb and is an easy tow on interstates or other straight road. Where it gets interesting is on the wndy 5 mile stretch to my nearest local lake. Every curve is an adventure with the tail trying to wag the dog. I've done it many times and know how to plan for the turns, but I often wonder what it would be like towing roughly 3.5 times this weight. Doable I guess, but fairly exciting.

By the same token, I have towed my boat several times over this same route with my buddie's F150 and don't really notice that the boat is there. Actually I REALLY notice it because I'm always expecting the boat to push me around on the curves but it doesn't.

Bottom line, you can probably tow that boat with any of those vehicles if you can tolerate the pucker factor.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Can my SUV tow a Centurion Avalanche C4

^^^agree completely. I have 2 tow vehicles. The '05 GC and a '90 Chevy K1500. The difference is night and day. The Jeep does fine but with the truck you barely know it's there.