Cobaltchat.com

Hey yall,
I just put a deposit on a 2020 R5 Surf at the Dallas boat show. I'm closing on the boat next week.

Here is the thing. I can't stop thinking about the R7 Surf. I went to the show to buy an R7 Surf but the dealer talked me out of it b/c my tow vehicle is a Cadillac Escalade ESV. He said I needed a 3/4 ton truck at a minimum to tow an R7.

So I'm wondering if the dealer was being overly cautious? I've been driving myself crazy looking at pre owned F250"s but adding a vehicle in my family just isn't practical. My car is a company car so my wife drives the SUV. Buying a tow vehicle would be an extra vehicle and extra expense b/c of the fact that I have a company car. I wish my company offered an allowance and I'd just drive the F250 but that isn't an option. Now if there is another SUV I could get my wife with a towing capacity capable of the R7 I'd be happy to swap her car.

Anyway I'm hoping to hear from some R7 owners. What type of vehicle do you tow with and did the dealer give me good advice.

Thanks!

Hi Springtown. I'm also in Dallas and bought an R7 from Slalom Shop. Great dealership. Before the R7 I had a 273 and they both weigh about the same weight. In fact, they went on the same trailer. I towed with a half ton pickup truck (2wd) but only locally (less than 15 miles). Not a problem but I wouldn't want to drive too far with just the half ton. I was right at the towing limit. In short, if you are driving short distances I think you will be fine with an R7 behind an escalade.

If you want an SUV with certain towing capabilities for an R7, check out the Suburban 2500. You will have to get a used one (they stopped making them around 2014) but they are pretty neat. 3/4 truck with a Suburban body. I almost bought one in 2016 for the 273 thinking I would trailer all around Texas to check out the lakes. We ended up getting a slip on Lake Lewisville.

Thanks so much!

Hey springtown. Welcome to the Cobaltchat forum. So glad you found us!

Your Cadillac is rated to tow just over 8,000 pounds which is right where an R7 plus trailer will top out.

Honestly I wouldn’t hesitate at all to tow that with your Escalade. She has enough grunt to pull. Just be careful stopping with her in tow.

Now go get that R7 and post pics.

Again welcome aboard mate!

.

Springtown -

Since I am bored on a Friday, went and looked up the info. I am coming up with ~7,800lbs that you will be pulling. That escalade will have no problem pulling it. The stopping and high speed stability will be more iffy. My recommendation would be to spend a little extra on the trailer and make sure to get disc brakes on all four wheels and pay for the Electric over Hydraulic option(EoH). Makes a world of difference in stopping power.

When I bought the boat the trailer only had 4 disc brakes on a triple axle with surge brakes and after hauling the boat a 1000 miles even with a 2500 truck , I immediately bought EoH. Feel much more secure.

Other area is just to take extra time and make sure you have 10% of the weight on the tongue of the trailer. Really helps with the stability.


Below is my comparison, along with the actual weight when I weighed the boat full of fuel at a truck stop.

FWIW, the Ford Expedition can tow 9,300 lbs when properly equipped.

Find the 2500 suburban with the 8.1 in that bad boy. I know 1 guy with one and he pulls his 26 formula with no issues. I don't know if he wants to sell it. He Mentioned it a bit ago. But it's in Illinois. They are hard to find in good shape.
Caddy Esv I've owned a older one. Boy I know that boat would give it a work out let's see what Tuscany says. He has your set up and I think he pulled with the 6.2? Also I would get a 2016 or newer with a 8 speed trans and a ext warranty.

Let’s see.. using a Escalade for towing? 6.2 403hp
Everyone here is spot on from braking to stability so I’ll offer you this.
At that weight in normal flat land towing your borderline. But it pencils.
Add the firestone airbag coil inserts so your auto ride doesn’t melt.

Remember going up a 4-5 % percent grades more than doubles your weight.

And lastly run a ton of brake output in your control, and give yourself the 5 second rule for distance.

I pull our 282 at 11,500 lbs for 5 miles with an Escalade EXT, and I’m praying the whole time.
You’ll be fine with a R7.
.

Where I boat I would never tow my R7 with anything other than a 3/4 ton. But I am in the Ozark mountains. While they are not like the Rockies you still find yourself on some very steep grades. So I know going down some of them I would absolutely cook the brakes. I towed my old baja 272 down to TRL once with a 5.3 silverado and was praying for my life and those in the truck. I think we about melted the tranny and all 4 brakes. After that I said never again. So to me 3/4 ton for sure. But if you are just trailering short distances on relativity flat ground go for it.

cmattj wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:36 pm Let’s see.. using a Escalade for towing? 6.2 403hp
Everyone here is spot on from braking to stability so I’ll offer you this.
At that weight in normal flat land towing your borderline. But it pencils.
Add the firestone airbag coil inserts so your auto ride doesn’t melt.

Remember going up a 4-5 % percent grades more than doubles your weight.

And lastly run a ton of brake output in your control, and give yourself the 5 second rule for distance.

I pull our 282 at 11,500 lbs for 5 miles with an Escalade EXT, and I’m praying the whole time.
You’ll be fine with a R7.
.

I loce Matt's picture with the Matchbox Avalanche EXT in frt of that 282

Big Block Power wrote: Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:48 am

cmattj wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:36 pm Let’s see.. using a Escalade for towing? 6.2 403hp
Everyone here is spot on from braking to stability so I’ll offer you this.
At that weight in normal flat land towing your borderline. But it pencils.
Add the firestone airbag coil inserts so your auto ride doesn’t melt.

Remember going up a 4-5 % percent grades more than doubles your weight.

And lastly run a ton of brake output in your control, and give yourself the 5 second rule for distance.

I pull our 282 at 11,500 lbs for 5 miles with an Escalade EXT, and I’m praying the whole time.
You’ll be fine with a R7.
.

I loce Matt's picture with the Matchbox Avalanche EXT in frt of that 282

I thought that was a Honda Ridgeline.

Bfun220 wrote: Sat Feb 22, 2020 7:03 am

Big Block Power wrote: Sat Feb 22, 2020 6:48 am

cmattj wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:36 pm Let’s see.. using a Escalade for towing? 6.2 403hp
Everyone here is spot on from braking to stability so I’ll offer you this.
At that weight in normal flat land towing your borderline. But it pencils.
Add the firestone airbag coil inserts so your auto ride doesn’t melt.

Remember going up a 4-5 % percent grades more than doubles your weight.

And lastly run a ton of brake output in your control, and give yourself the 5 second rule for distance.

I pull our 282 at 11,500 lbs for 5 miles with an Escalade EXT, and I’m praying the whole time.
You’ll be fine with a R7.
.

I loce Matt's picture with the Matchbox Avalanche EXT in frt of that 282

I thought that was a Honda Ridgeline.

Geeze... I’m good with Avalade.

Thanks so much everyone. Tgrace I went to school at Mo State and we still go back to Springfield a few times a year. I would absolutely wanna bring it to TRL. We also go from Dallas to Grand Lake in OK every year for a week during 4th of July. My last boat was a 2006 Supra Launch and I drug that thing all over the place with this same Escalade. I think the most realistic option for me would be to trade the Escalade for an Expedition. I don’t see my wife driving the 3/4 ton Suburban. Do you think that would be a realistic option considering I’ll be towing the R7 on 5-7 hr trips? Southerncomfort I’ll reach out to the dealer with your trailer specs and see if they can do that. The trailer wasn’t included with the R5 and I told them I’d do the deal only if they gave me the boat show price and included the trailer in the deal. Hopefully they’d do the same for the R7.

Actually. Re reading some of this. It seems I’d do well to swap into the expedition and stick with the R5 considering the amount of towing I expect to do?

Springtown, T grace is right . I tow my R7 with my Yukon XL Denali. However just around Table Rock. Towed once from KC and would never do that again.!!