Mine is a full year old and 17k now! I tow a 18foot Satalite tip out with no problem. Of course I had to get the 7 pin hook and class 5 hitch. I live in central Va. So beach or mountains pretty close. I also have a 1.5 ton utility trailer is my Lows and Home Depot Buddy. The gas is better than I expected towing my travel witch is about 14mpg the auto sway control and auto shocks are great. This Truck is my little Swiss Army Knife.

@rusty383

Жыл бұрын

Up date Just traded for a Forest River 19 ft Rock Wood and my little Cruzer doesn't know it even towing

Great informative video. Thank you! 👍

Don’t forget about big 18 wheelers passing you up on the interstate creating sway.

You’re correct with your dual wheel rear side stability however newest trend in large trailers is actually a single rear wheel HD for overall better towing performance. Nice vid 👌🏼

@Pickup Talk Plus SUV Talk: Thank you for investing the time and effort in putting these videos together. I have been on the fence as to whether I want to get into camping and/or overland with my family. Learning about the realistic capabilities of each segment of truck class really helps when considering trailers. As I watch, I understand why many folks go with larger truck for their towing needs with the trade off being the ride quality and fuel economy. It seems to me that it really comes down to how often the truck is used for towing as compared to being a daily driver. It is different for each owner. The folks new to the market really need to learn as much as they can about this because they could make an expensive mistake buying the wrong truck for their needs and having to trade it out for a larger one. Keep up the good work.

Being able to stop is really important to. Sure it can pull but can it stop ?

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

Yup, that’s a big deal.

I agree with everything in this videos. I will never consider towing anything unless I have atleast 20-25% reserve towing or payload capacity after all the numbers are crunched. Although the ratings state you can tow with everything maxed out, it kind of leaves you exposed to any unforeseen circumstances like weather, steep/long hill climbs or descends. These can put extra stress, plus wear and tear on your transmission, suspension, brakes and tires and gets worse the more times this happens. If you are caught at the higher end of your towing, payload capacity and you dont want to purchase the next larger size truck/suv, just make sure you are driving easier and being proactive with your maintenance.

Great vid, I got the non turbo Santa Cruz, can tow 3500lbs. Planning on using it to pull a uhaul enclosed trailer. Was worried for a while there but this vid put me at ease. If you can “almost” pull that RV, I shouldn’t have much trouble with the trailer. Thanks for info.

I'm glad you mentioned the height and length. The frontal area in square feet of a "box" type cargo/camper trailer has a massive effect when towing on the highway. We have a fairly light aluminum + fiberglass single axle camper with a 4,000 lbs. GVWR and tow it with a 1/2 ton Silverado for this reason. Another is because, with hitching equipment and 40 lbs. of propane factored in, the tongue weight is 600 lbs. which exceeds the tongue weight allowance on practically every 5,000 lbs. max tow rated vehicle. There are others on our camper's owners group I've seen towing the same trailer with Toyota Highlanders and Hyundai Palisades in their first photo after buying it and inevitably in the next photo they post to the group they either have a full size truck or full size SUV.

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

I've noticed the same with regards to first towing experiences in a new vehicle then buying something else. It works on paper, but in reality, it is a far different experience.

I'm glad you mentioned that it would be ok to pull a pop up with weight distribution. I've seen too many vehicles on the highway that are way over matched by their trailer. Good video.

@rusty383

Жыл бұрын

I have had mine with me the right equipment I am 66 and is the most fun I have had in a long time and really enjoy driving it every time. It's a really functional fun to drive. I tell people all the time its my Swiss Army Knife

I'm not normally one to comment on a video but I really appreciate the insights. The internet is buzzing right now regarding the Santa Cruz and Maverick with either " Yes, you can tow" or "No, you can't." Thanks for explaining the grey area perfectly!

I've towed a SxS on a trailer with both a regular engine and a Turbo Santa Cruz. Have Had no issues with the Turbo.

Good video. I see people towing way over capacity all the time! Mostly boats here in Mass.

A Tundra with 479 ft*lb of torque weighing 5800 lbs is rated to tow 12000 lbs. A Santa Cruz with 311 ft*lb of torque weighing 4100 lbs is rated to tow 5000 lbs. Which max towing scenario do you think is more underpowered and vulnerable to the tail wagging the dog? Santa Cruz is capped by its weaker unibody construction. If it had a similar body-on-frame construction with the same engine and transmission, it could probably tow 8000 lbs like an F-150. I'm not suggesting that I'm going to attempt an 8000 lb trailer in my Santa Cruz, but I am suggesting that my maxed-out towing configuration is a lot safer than your Tundra's max towing configuration.

I’m trying to find the right combination of trailer and tow vehicle. Since the price per gallon has skyrocketed (and even when it was low) I’ve trying to find a decent trailer (not too small or too big) that could be towed by a hybrid, but they all have a weight limit of about 2,000 pounds…. I was considering a Toyota Prius V, which was the largest of the model line, but all the various Prius tow the same amount…. The Santa Cruz seems to tow a decent amount, as long as you don’t overload and drive cautiously. I liked this video since it taught me about weight and how a combination of factors could mean the difference between a fun vacation and a disaster.

Great video Tim, Very informative. Yes, I can’t believe my 2021 Tundra 1794 C/M with the TRD Off-road 4x4 package only has a payload of 1185lbs. per the door sticker. My wife’s little Subaru Crosstrek has a payload of 905lbs. You mean my big bad beautiful Tundra can only handle another 280lbs of payload over the Crosstrek???

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I routinely see people pulling or hauling more than their vehicle is likely rated for (in terms of payload) yet rarely hear about issues with them. To me payload is a funny figure, sometimes making me feel it's rather arbitrary. I dont think anyone would say that your Tundra is only capable of hauling an additional 280lbs over a Crosstrek. I think of payload as also being associated with the type of vehicle and the intended function it has. Your truck is designed to deal with that 1185 while also being robust enough to offroad or in conjunction with pulling a large trailer.

You also cant tow that trailer cause the tongue weight is too much. I am betting the manual says the max tongue weight is 500 lbs at the most

Wow you’ve been hitting us with lots of math lately. Are we having a test later? Do I need to study?

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

😂

If your truck can't tow the GVWR of the trailer (fully loaded), then it can't tow the trailer, period. You always work off of the max of the trailer weight. And you can't tow a dual axle trailer with those tiny trucks.

Right on! Great video outlining the important numbers associated with towing. BTW, at 5,000 lbs. of tow capacity, the Santa Cruz would be a fine vehicle to tow my Casita 17 Freedom Deluxe camper. It’s “wet” weight is about 2,900 lbs with about 400 lbs on the hitch. Of course, I would want to pay attention to the payload. My wife, dog, and I weigh 380 lbs. My hitch weighs 50 lbs. My tongue weight is 400 lbs. That is right at 800 lbs. My camping gear will go in the back seat and the bed. That total weight has to be subtracted from the truck’s payload. The Santa Cruz has payload up to a MAX of 1600 lbs. HOWEVER, that is the max payload. The real story is on the driver’s door frame in terms of the payload for that actual Santa Cruz. Probably still in fine shape to tow a camper like mine. The bottom line, follow your advice and check the numbers! Thanks for an informative video!!!

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

Great comment and thanks for sharing your thought process. Hopefully others find this comment.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

I’d spend a little more and get a midsize Pickup Truck (body on frame). Unibody vehicles, especially a long one, will not hold up very long when towing. The 1600 lbs payload rating is very optimistic and 5000 lbs tow rating is not realistic at all.

@deanmay338

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q I was using Tim’s example of the Santa Cruz’s capabilities to apply its tow capacity and payload to my camper. It would work, but I hear ya. I am not currently in the market. However, for my camper, and our camping style of towing a minimum of 4,000 miles per year (more now that I have recently retired) I would opt for a mid-size pickup or even a half-ton (in the event that we would get a larger camper down the road or do serious cross country camping). Is the Santa Cruz within specs to tow a camper like mine? Sure. But, would I want to do that camping weeks at a time including mountains? Probably not.

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q Might be a little bit of a generalization there. Durango, along with a few higher end MB/BMW/VAG products have shown unibodies are capable enough for what they are rated to pull.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

@@ALMX5DP I wouldn’t want to tow with one. One good pothole and it’s all over. You really need a body on frame truck to tow.

What do they say about using the weight distribution hitch with the unibody? Seems like that might be a bad idea, but I haven’t looked into it.

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

Nah, it should be fine.

@jayrichards3672

2 жыл бұрын

Just take the additional weight of distribution hitch from the payload of tow unit.

@TravisRez

Жыл бұрын

Receiver I added onto my Santa Cruz said to not use weight distribution.

To end a lot of BS ! The Santa Cruz is more expensive because it has 100k ten years warranty wile the Ferd has ONLY 3 YEARS 35 K WARRANTY! BIG FRICKEN DEFERENCE! AND ! The is cheap! Everything! I am a Ferd Guy ! The Santa Cruz is just made better!

@wetspotswimwear1199

Жыл бұрын

We know you are a Ford guy by the way you spell "Ferd"

Great points Tim. Nothing sucks more when towing when you are getting blown all over the road from the wind. Do those small trucks have anti-sway like most 1/2 tons do?

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

My quick Google search says it does. I’ve never actually checked in real life fyi.

I just went through this today. Was looking at the Pathfinder to save on gas. Have a 5100lb dry 6250 gvwr camper that we tow around 6k lbs Pathfinder gcwr is 11,000lbs - 4600 Pathfinder - 6000lbs= 400 leftover. I take up most of that weight haha. Sticking with my Silverado might get some highway tires and take the level off.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

You’d be crazy to tow that much weight with a car. The Pathfinder is not a truck.

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q it's rated for it though. If it were a liability for Nissan in any way, no way they'd rate it that high. But it is similar to Explorer and some of the other OEMs in that regard, so as long as all other aspects are adhered to it should be fine. Important to remember weight is just one factor. Height, length, frontal and side surface area should all be considered too.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

@@ALMX5DP They can get out of liability many ways. If your in an at fault accident you will be liable regardless. If the transmission or engine overheat warranty will not cover it regardless of the weight pulled. Warranty only covers manufacturing defects.

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q sure, but if everyone is doing it on such a large scale it can still be a potential liability due to class action lawsuits and the like. Warranty is for issues of any kind that meet the criteria. A new vehicle should not have an engine or transmission overheat unless there was a defect.

Hey the Santa Cruz does not have trailer brakes

Big questions a lot of people don't ask while it can tow that much should I

This video could have been much shorter by just stating the obvious...if you need to tow something big for more than a few miles, you need a full sized truck. The Santa Cruz and Maverick are absolutely fine for towing bass boats or a lawn/garden trailer, or even a mid sized camper regardless of how far. I tow my bass boat with a mid sized SUV without issue and plan on buying the Santa Cruz SEL next as long as they don't go nuts on pricing. If you're pulling a 5000 lb or heavier camper or a 26ft Grady White then you probably already know a compact truck isn't for you.

If you do, you better drain the pooper tank, water and empty out the cupboards... :D

13 minutes to answer the question 5,000lbs ? Really ?!

didn't notice a santa cruz in your video

Ford mavericks tow 4000......santa cruz 5000....but which has more hp and better fuel economy.....looks wise i like the maverick and f150 3.3 liter

I wouldn't tow anything bigger that a 17 foot ultra lite camper w/ my Sta Cruz

How about a Geo Pro?

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

Geo Pro?

@ChicagoBob123

2 жыл бұрын

@@Pickuptrucktalk A geo pro 19fbs has a Hitch Weight:479 lb.UVW3,375 lb. Its a smaller camper and I was wondering if might have issues because of height? From your video it looks like any of the smaller trucks might have issues because of this.

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

@@ChicagoBob123 height would be my concern as well. As long as the weather is decent, you should be ok.

@MrTemplarViking

2 жыл бұрын

I Have a 2018 Geo Pro 19FBS and am looking at the Santa Cruz to replace my RAM 1500. trailer sticker on mine says 3065 UVW and 3880 for GVWR (very few build options). I never tow with full water tanks so I think it would be completely fine towing behind the Santa Cruz.

A Santa Cruz is not that short

Those GVWR numbers are all cautionary values, the real deal is that the GEN2 tundras in SR5 2WD configuration has towed safely 14K lbs trailers @ 65 mph for distances of 500 miles safely, just dont get caught doing it, the 2wd SR5's have been doing payload of 2K+ lbs easily in the bed, those trd version tundras are not any good for payload, they sag like nut sacks on a hot day with the soft suspensions they have for off roading. Do yourself a favor and scrape those stickers off the door wells...😂😂, they are useless values...

Hyundai does not include a factory brake controller, making towing 5k dangerous. Injury attorneys will probably say this is a defect and make millions when they chase the ambulances that have to scrape people off the road.

How about maverick? Why your target is santa cruz? They said Santa cruz not a truck. Ford said maverick is pickup truck. I think that maverick is proper example for your camper tow.

@Pickuptrucktalk

2 жыл бұрын

Maverick would be similar. Viewer question was on Santa Cruz.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

The Maverick is a car. Don’t tow a camper with a car. You can tow a boat or small utility trailer.

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q people in Europe tow small travel trailers with cars all the time.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

@@ALMX5DP They tow very light lower profile travel trailers on flat roads at lower speeds. Towing with a unibody will eventually cause body damage if your not careful.

@ALMX5DP

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q Europe is far from flat, and many of their cars have tow weight ratings above what our smaller CUVs typically are rated for.

Watched the entire video, you talk about what the Santa Cruz can tow, the only truck shown is a tundra. Be sure to watch my video on the space shuttle payload capacity. Waste of time.

@Pickuptrucktalk

Жыл бұрын

Because… I didn’t have a Santa Cruz on hand.

Wag the dog.

The Santa Cruz is a car. Towing 5k lbs with one is crazy. The unibody will fold up and the powertrain will fail in short order.

@floridabornoutdoors

2 жыл бұрын

This is an absurd conclusion without any evidence to support it.

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

@@floridabornoutdoors Buy one yourself tow 5k lbs with it for 100k miles and prove me wrong.

@floridabornoutdoors

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-tb7rn1il3q I'm still waiting for you to provide any evidence whatsoever to support your claim

@user-tb7rn1il3q

2 жыл бұрын

@@floridabornoutdoors You are the one that needs to provide evidence that this car will hold up to towing, not me. People are going to spend a significant amount of money on this vehicle. I want to see what happens when it is driven on a washboard road in the oil fields for a 100,000 miles with a 5000 lb trailer. I want to know what will happen when it is driven up a steep grade in high heat. Once again if you think it will hold up, go buy one, put it to the test, and prove me wrong. Manufacturer’s can make claims without backing it up. They already lied to the public when they called it a truck. Trucks are by definition are body on frame.

@jasonnuhfer7440

2 жыл бұрын

People have towed far more with a grand Cherokee for decades without a unibody falling apart.