I am looking at buying a 2005 ish Titan. It will be used to tow a 22 foot toy hauler. Do I need to have a 4x4? If it doesnt have the tow package, can I add it later? How much do they run? Any other advice for what is good to look for when buying would be appreciated!:redblob"
4x4?? Tow Package?? Buying advice??
softballlover
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I am looking at buying a 2005 ish Titan. It will be used to tow a 22 foot toy hauler. Do I need to have a 4x4? If it doesnt have the tow package, can I add it later? How much do they run? Any other advice for what is good to look for when buying would be appreciated!:redblob"
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You don't need a 4WD unless you need a 4WD due to where you'll be towing the trailer. You will need the tow package, or if you choose to go 4WD you'll need the OffRoad package. Those two will have the lower gears you'll need to tow heavier loads. In the model year range you're looking at, the "tell" for the tow package will be a trans temp gauge in the right gauge cluster. If it's not there, pass. The gears, mirrors and almost all of the other stuff can be added after the fact, but the gauge isn't easy to do and I've honestly never heard of anyone adding it afterwards.
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What he said.... ^ lol.. price can range from 10k to about 16k on them depending if its kc or cc.. xe.. se.. le or 4x4 or 2wd... miles... if you list ones you find we can all pretty much tell if its too much or good deal...
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Maybe he's hauling Harleys, not 4 wheelers or dirt bikes. :dunno: It's all about need based on use. 4WD has a higher up front cost, higher maintenance cost, worse fuel economy...Lots of good reasons to go with a 2WD if that's all the need dictates. Sure, toy haulers are capable of being taken off road, but that doesn't limit them being useful to folks who wouldn't take them off road.
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Very true, good point Carbeaux !!
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If you need 4wd to get your trailer to a spot you probably shouldnt be taking your trailer there anyways!
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You do NOT want to be changing gears later....As already posted, check for a trans temp gauge and don't be fooled into thinking just because it has a hitch, even a factory one, that this means it has the Tow Package...
As far as 2wd vs 4wd, there's no real right answer....But I will say this, do you live where it snows at some point during the year?....
As far as 2wd vs 4wd, there's no real right answer....But I will say this, do you live where it snows at some point during the year?....
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Not really true try taking a toyhauler into the sand dunes. I guess im the only one that took my $50k 33' Weekend Warrior 5th wheel toyhauler into spots that it helped or i needed to have 4wd when i had it. I had quads that were not running at tracks. Google Pismo Beach and ask your self if you would need 4wd to camp there since the only place to camp is on the sand. Or try Gordon Wells Rd in the Imperal Sand Dunes, The Cinders in Flagstaff Arizona. Here in AZ most places that you would take a toyhauler to go camping is off the road where 4wd would be handy, but i also do understand that there is alot of people that live in a place or ride track bikes that would not need 4wd. ToyHaulers are not TT's they are built to dry camp and haul bikes, quads, $120K Sand Rails to off the road places or on the pavement places. To say a blanket statement like that isn't realistic.
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You are all giving me great info. Thing that concerns me most is the tow package. So if I find a great truck that is not equipped with the tow package, I shouldn't buy it? And the only way to tell for sure is if it has the trans thermometer????
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I read here once that you can tell if it has big tow by whether the tachometer reads 2K RPMs at 70 MPH. That will require the current owner letting you get it on the freeway and getting up to speed.
But it also true that only big-tow equipped Titans will have the transmission temp gauge.
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Toyhaulers are generally heavy. That being the case, you don't want a truck without the higher numerical gears. The Big Tow gears, in other words. So yes, if you find a truck you like and it doesn't have those gears, pass on it.
The difference? Non-Big Tow capacity is about 7200 lbs. towing vs the Big Tow capacity of over 9000 lbs. towing capacity. It's significant. You know you're going to tow and that what you're going to tow isn't going to be light, so you do not want a truck that didn't come with those gears. As mentioned, the gears can be added, but you haven't already bought the truck, so buy the right one for what you need it to do.
The difference? Non-Big Tow capacity is about 7200 lbs. towing vs the Big Tow capacity of over 9000 lbs. towing capacity. It's significant. You know you're going to tow and that what you're going to tow isn't going to be light, so you do not want a truck that didn't come with those gears. As mentioned, the gears can be added, but you haven't already bought the truck, so buy the right one for what you need it to do.
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If you find a truck with the Off-Road package, it will also have the lower (1:3.36) gears, with or without the tow package. In 2004, you could actually get the OR package in 2WD, but that would be a rare truck I would think. The OR package included the 17 inch 7-spoke wheels, crappy Rancho shocks, front tow hooks, fog lights, big skid plate.
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Dont patronize me, I know what a toy hauler is. Didnt think about the dunes, I live about 3hrs from pismo. Yeah I would want 4wd there. I guess my indirect point was that "offroad" doesnt mean you NEED 4wd, you're just limited on where you can go.
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Yeah you'd want 4X4 if your going to Pismo or even places like Rockotillo Wells. There are spots where in dirt not sand you sink and with a heavy trailer you'll get stuck. I'd rather have a 4X4 and not use it, then need a 4X4 and not have it. There is added expense, the initial 2000-2500 more I'd say on average for the 4X4 initial investment. Then you have a little more maintenance. If you look at it over a 5 year period, it will cost $40-50 more a month to own a 4X4..... Just my .02...
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