We have a new-to-us 16' Scamp 2006 and getting ready to purchase a TV. For our situation in the NW, best advice seems to be a min. 6 cyl. pickup. with a tow package. How necessary is it to have 4-wheel drive? We are looking for a late used one but haven't ruled out a used Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander too. All wheel drive also seems to be an option but we're seeing front-wheel and back-wheel drives too. All comments appreciated.
Sat, 08/27/2016 - 17:15
#1
4X4 or no 4X4
Having a 4x4 Tow Vehicle is more of a lifestyle choice rather than a requirement for towing your 16.
Whenever choosing your Tow Vehicle you always want to consider what activities you will be doing when you are NOT Towing the trailer. If you are into deep back woods style camping then the 4x4 makes more sense then if your style is all Interstate driving and staying at mostly commercial campgrounds with a few state or national parks sprinkled into the mix.
If you were already a 4x4 enthusiast and did a lot of rugged roads then a 4x4 would be a natural choice.
One thing to consider, if you have a really good 4x4 with great mountain tires (knobbys) that can climb extreme hills, then that vehicle would probably be a poor choice for towing the trailer because those type tires tend to "float" when driving at highway speeds and pulling a trailer your rig would sway around too much to be safe. On the other hand, if you had a more moderate 4x4 (with less aggressive tires) your towing experience would probably be just fine. The trade-off is that with the more moderate tires you won't be climbing those extreme hills.
For towing I would stay away from front wheel drive vehicles simply because the trailer's tongue weight would be taking weight off of your drive tires and bad weather would compound any weight loss from the drive tires (think snow).
Unless you are going 4-wheeling then the all wheel drive option is totally unnecessary, and if you are going to be 4-wheeling, then get a proper 4x4 designed to go 4-wheeling.
One last suggestion, don't get a Tow Vehicle that just barely meets the towing requirements for your Scamp 16. Get a Tow Vehicle that has maybe 50% more towing capacity then is necessary to pull the weight of your Scamp, you will appreciate the extra towing and handling capabilities of a beefier Tow Vehicle.
As Always,
Happy Scamping !!!
Great info, thanks! Diana
Gary and Diana
2006 16' (New to us 2016)
2010 Ford F-150 (Harley Davidson model)