Tow Vehicle for Tab 400

cowboypete

I have a 2018 Tab 400, That I pull with with a 2003 Ford F150 std cab, V6 and 5 speed MANUAL transmission, I did add air shocks to the rear.  I also live in middle TN. with lots of hills to climb in most directions.   I've bought my truck new and it does a good job, unless I am backing UP hill to get in a site.  Then the clutch plate get hot and unhappy.

I am going to replace my F150, with a more current (used) model of ANY brand whenever the prices are not so crazy!  

I AM JUST CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT OTHER TAB 400 OWNERS ARE USING TO PULL THEIR RIGS.

Thanks, Bob

dsfdogs

2022 F150 XLT super crew, 3.5 Eco boost, max tow package...love the comfort, the power, the ease of driving...

cowboypete

Thanks.

cowboypete

I think I am going to have problems finding a factory tow package, though that would be great.

dsfdogs what is your towing capacity and are you pulling a 400? Thanks again , Bob

xdr

2020 Ram 5.7hemi with 8 speed transmission pulling a Tab400 boondock. Tows the trailer quite well, super comfy to travel in. 

qhumberd

We found a used 2016 Tundra 5.7 V8 3 years ago with the factory tow package and it works great with no sway control needed and plenty of power for TN hills. Gas mileage is around 13 mpg but that seems to be pretty common and we have another vehicle for daily driving. We are also in middle TN

cowboypete

qhumberd, how many miles were on your Tundra when you bought it.  I've seen a few Tundras with over 200K which scares me (I'm very old school), but they sell right away! My F-150 has 140K. Thanks, Bob

qhumberd

We lucked into ours and it had only around 40K at 3 years. We just passed 84K on it now and it has been a very comfortable ride, No real mechanical issues.

DMattern

We got a 2021 F 150 Hybrid with the crew cab. We are in Washington state so we have plenty of hills and it does just fine. We like the good mileage when we aren't pulling our TAB, about 23 - 25 mpg. We also like that the hybrid doubles as a generator (7.2 kW!).

cowboypete

@Qhumberd, did you buy from a private party, or from a used or new car dealer?
  
@DMattern, Thank you for the info.  I would never had thought of a hybrid as  a tow vehicle.  What engine is the back for the hybrid, EcoBoost V6?  Very curious now.  Does it have a factory towing package? Thanks again.

Tabinator

I second @DMattern.  I also have a 2018 400 and just acquired a 2023 F150 Powerboost with the 7.2kW generator. The truck tows like there's nothing behind it and the onboard generator makes it possible to camp literally anywhere. The ICE is an Ecoboost V6. 

qhumberd

cowboypete said:

@Qhumberd, did you buy from a private party, or from a used or new car dealer?
  
@DMattern, Thank you for the info.  I would never had thought of a hybrid as  a tow vehicle.  What engine is the back for the hybrid, EcoBoost V6?  Very curious now.  Does it have a factory towing package? Thanks again.

@cowboy we got our Tundra from a dealer in 2019, total serendipity, and pre pandemic so not sure I’d be so lucky now. My model had tow package and one owner with low mileage. Prices had not gone crazy then. Tow package has been a great help with the 400 as no sway control has been needed and the rear suspension barely drops on hookup. Only downside is gas mileage, but that seems to be the cost of most all rvs.

marleecamps

I tow my 400 with a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, factory tow package.  No concerns - of course, the engine works harder going up hills.  In my personal opinion, the factory tow package is a must, as it has more to do with a beefed up engine to handle the towing rigor than an installed hitch receiver.

ScottG

@cowboypete, on a tangential but related note, I've experienced the same unhappy clutch issue while backing my 320 uphill into a site with my manual transmission Frontier. Part of the problem is a tall reverse gear that makes backing up slowly difficult without slipping the clutch a lot. I've found that shifting into 4WD LOW before backing up keeps both the clutch (and me) happier!

paulgbernard

Rivian R1T. Can't even feel the Tab 400 behind us.

RobInPA

paulgbernard said:

Rivian R1T. Can't even feel the Tab 400 behind us.

Looks like a nice setup.  What kind of range you get when towing?

paulgbernard

Depends on a lot of factors, much like towing with an ICE vehicle. As an example, when I was towing to Montana this summer, we went from Chilliwack to Princeton, about 190 km, without any drama. I arrived with about 75 km of range left, charged, and carried on. Lots of climbing to get there.

If I were to guess, flat highway towing at a steady speed may easily increase my range to above 300km.

We plan to head down to San Diego this Spring, so I may have more detailed data to share.

Foobar

Also tow with an R1T. I get around 150 miles per charge on average. Longest trip I’ve taken was Long Island to Sugarcreek OH. The charging wasn’t so bad but decoupling to charge was a nusiance. 

johnfconway

Plenty of mid-sized pickups have towing capacity to spare for a 400. If you're going to frequent forest roads, the shorter length of TV can be a bonus.

DM159

2022 TAB400 behind a 2013 Tahoe 5.3L V8 with factory tow package.  NO problems hauling on the flats.  Uphill it has to work especially in the mountains but we are in no rush so we take it easy.  Just turned over 261223 miles.

manyman297

I know the Tacoma gets a lot of (some deserved) criticisms around towing but for those who are simply weekend warriors who take the occasional extended trip, it’s an acceptable TV. Anything larger would’ve been overkill for the majority of how we use it. 

Alive

Tow Package w Brake Controller on a 2020 Ram 1500. Haven’t gone far, but you can barely feel it. I can see it on my gas gauge though!

den1jen

09 Silverado 5.3, 4 speed tranny with tow package. I didn't have any issues pulling it home. Our 1st trip is this coming week. 

I have upgraded to 2023 RAM 1500, towing has averaged 12 - 14 mpg. Tows no problem especially with the 8 speed. 

schatten

2024 Silverado crew cab regular bed with 3.0 Duramax Diesel engine.  17 mpg towing my Tab400 and 25-27 not towing.

BillCB

2011 F350. Don't even know we're towing anything!

bandr1tnj

Just got our new to us 2019 TAB 400 last month and tow with a Rivian R1T (large 135kW battery pack and 20in AT wheels). Normally get 2.1mi/kWh (283mi) but dropped to 1.1-1.5mi/kWh on our recent trip from NJ to Acadia National Park in ME. New to towing so we were conservative and stopped to charge every 100-150 miles which works out better for my back anyway. R1T tows like the TAB 400 wasn’t even there but it does take a range hit like any other ICE truck. Finding chargers hasn’t been an issue so far (and it helps to have access to Tesla stations) but most don’t have a pull-through spot so unhitching is a pain if I have to so I usually plan around less busy times when the lots are usually empty (aka early or late hours).

fwunder

Another vote for F150 Powerboost w/7.2 kW. 300+ mile range in toy hauler mode. 600+ normal. Just powered house yesterday after tree took out power pole. 

tabiphile

Ford owners generally stick to Fords so if it were me, I'd look for another one of those. Rams, Rivian's, Jeeps, Silverado's, no self-respecting Ford owner would be happy making those switches. You might be pleasantly surprised by the Tundra. 

schatten

RPM runs below 2000 most of the time (1300-1700) and pulls my Tab effortlessly.  

TBurton

2020 Nissan Titan pulling a 2022 T@b 400. 8 cylinders 5.6 with tow capacity of 9300. Had a Ram Hemi. Titan gets better gas mileage. Around 12 mpg towing in upstate NY which is hilly. Effortless towing with factory tow controller.

bergger

2018 Nissan Titan Pro4x.  Tows and rides like a dream.  Best truck I've ever owned.