They used to be the cheap alternative, not now though.

I chose a Duel Cab Ute for similar reasons to Jenny and Barry. I love my Collie. If buying again or get a spare $4,000 approx I would have a Aluminium back on it not the tub and canopy, for ease of getting things only. Not as good looking as the matching canopy but more practical IMO.

Just make sure you don't overload it, including a van hooked up and your van is under the ATM and your Twin Cab Ute can tow it easily.


Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

We use duel cab to put the smelly stuff in the tub

We have the D-Max. The new model Triton ute would be OK, the older model is under powered and gearing is not suitable for towing

It seems that all these dual cabs are fighting one another ( duel ).!

Chris

We have a wagon because (in no particular order):

1. Our dogs travel with us.  If its good enough for us to have heating in the cold weather, and air conditioning in the hot weather - so can they.  Belgian shepherds don't do well in the heat, and summer travelling for them would be particularly unpleasant in a ute with a canopy.  Been there, done that - I'd suggest it's almost cruel
2. With a teenage son, rear seat room is important.  I have never seen a mid size dual cab that has a decent back seat space for teenagers (sure, the big yank trucks have awesome back seats, but who can afford one of them!  I sure can't :) )  When its all said and done, there isn't a midsize dual cab on the market that can approach the Y62 patrol for rear seat and legroom 
3. Again, teenage son and his sporting commitments etc, we have the need for 3rd row seats from time to time
4. Compared with a dual-cab, I would suggest most comparable wagons have less rear overhang - less leverage when the van is connected, better rig stability (physics are physics)
5. When we carry gear in the back, no issues with dust sealing etc.  I've never met a dual cab with good dust sealing in the tub/canopy
6. Vehicle can be at GVM, and max towing weight, without breaching GCM.  Most dual cabs have to shed at least 500kg somewhere in order to be legal

While I understand the appeal to many people of dual cabs (we had one 2 vehicles ago) - like everything, they are a compromise.

We have both a 4 WD wagon & a 4WD dual cab & they're chalk & cheese!

You asked about a tow vehicle & mentioned Pajero; we have one. I like it as a tow vehicle, it has it all over our dual cab as a tow vehicle & on road touring vehicle, both in comfort & the ability to handle higher tow ball loads.

ALL dual cabs used as tow vehicles are susceptible to the chassis' bending, due to the physics of the towed weight being so far behind the rear axle. You mention Triton; just google bent chassis dual cab ute. The pictures are frightening!

Flip side; the Pajero is a tad ordinary on corrugated dirt roads (I'm being nice here!) - Our Navara D22 is a stand out car off road & only cost us $26,990 drive away brand new in 2013. But its a superseded model & no longer sold in Aust.

With dual cabs now selling for >$50K & well up into the $60K's, the price advantage in buying one is gone!

There is a 3rd class, which is the "wagon" versions built on ute chassis' (R51 Pathfinder, Holden Colorado 7/Trailblazer, Ford Everest, Mux, Fortuner, Pajero Sport etc) But they're VERY expensive for what they are IMO.

I have a Pajero Sport pulling around 2.6T loaded, like the the new 2.4ltr Triton it is rated to tow 3.1T with a 310kg ball load the difference is that it has an 8 speed transmission, different rear end suspension and a number of other features that makes it a little more comfortable for the passengers. I bought it rather than the dual cab because I spend 20% of my time towing and the other 80% just running around so the ride and extra creature comforts sounded a little more attractive. My original preference was the larger Pajero but I was turned off when I read that the ball weight reduced to 180Kg from 300kg whenever the load exceeded 2.5T. Like the others have said whether you buy a dual cab or a wagon will depend on your own personal needs just make sure that whatever you buy is rated to do the job.

Jenko1 wrote:

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Mutley wrote:

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We have both a 4 WD wagon & a 4WD dual cab & they're chalk & cheese!

You asked about a tow vehicle & mentioned Pajero; we have one. I like it as a tow vehicle, it has it all over our dual cab as a tow vehicle & on road touring vehicle, both in comfort & the ability to handle higher tow ball loads.

ALL dual cabs used as tow vehicles are susceptible to the chassis' bending, due to the physics of the towed weight being so far behind the rear axle. You mention Triton; just google bent chassis dual cab ute. The pictures are frightening!

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 I did a lot of research on dual cab bent chassis and found that nearly every one I read about was either overloaded or most had air bags (regardless of brand). All boils down to people trying to tow and carry too much.

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 This Mazda BT50 isn't looking too good. Overloaded & too much tension on the WDH.

rockylizard wrote:

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Desert Dweller wrote:

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Jenko1 wrote:

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Mutley wrote:

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We have both a 4 WD wagon & a 4WD dual cab & they're chalk & cheese!

You asked about a tow vehicle & mentioned Pajero; we have one. I like it as a tow vehicle, it has it all over our dual cab as a tow vehicle & on road touring vehicle, both in comfort & the ability to handle higher tow ball loads.

ALL dual cabs used as tow vehicles are susceptible to the chassis' bending, due to the physics of the towed weight being so far behind the rear axle. You mention Triton; just google bent chassis dual cab ute. The pictures are frightening!

---

 I did a lot of research on dual cab bent chassis and found that nearly every one I read about was either overloaded or most had air bags (regardless of brand). All boils down to people trying to tow and carry too much.

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 This Mazda BT50 isn't looking too good. Overloaded & too much tension on the WDH.

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Gday...

Whilst it is quite possible that THIS instance was caused by overloading or indiscriminate use of airbags, I very much doubt that a WDH would have caused this - or even contributed to it. Although with the 'weak/fault' point of this vehicle seemingly in the middle, airbags and overloading per se may not have caused it either.

The WDH, when fully connected up, causes the rear of the vehicle to RAISE - rather than go lower and cause the middle of the vehicle to arch upward.

A picture may be worth a thousand words ............... BUT lots left unsaid about this example. Just observing 

Cheers - John

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 Threw the WDH in as a joke Joyce. Just to see how many bites we got. Have no idea how this ute ended up like this.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Monday 23rd of January 2017 07:58:09 AM

PeterD wrote:

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Desert Dweller wrote:

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Jenko1 wrote:

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Mutley wrote:

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We have both a 4 WD wagon & a 4WD dual cab & they're chalk & cheese!

You asked about a tow vehicle & mentioned Pajero; we have one. I like it as a tow vehicle, it has it all over our dual cab as a tow vehicle & on road touring vehicle, both in comfort & the ability to handle higher tow ball loads.

ALL dual cabs used as tow vehicles are susceptible to the chassis' bending, due to the physics of the towed weight being so far behind the rear axle. You mention Triton; just google bent chassis dual cab ute. The pictures are frightening!

---

 I did a lot of research on dual cab bent chassis and found that nearly every one I read about was either overloaded or most had air bags (regardless of brand). All boils down to people trying to tow and carry too much.

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 This Mazda BT50 isn't looking too good. Overloaded & too much tension on the WDH.

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 You claim that last statement was a joke. If it was genuinely joke then it was in extremely poor taste. Newer members are likely to take things like that as fact, unless we severely admonish people like you.

Bent chassis are the result of overloading and bad driving. People quote air bags as the greatest cause of chassis bending. People firstly overload their vehicles. Then they don't like them looking down at the heel so they add air bags to pick the rear end up. They then drive over jump-ups and cattle grids without slowing and end up with a broken chassis. It was actually the overloading that started the chain of events. They should have considered reducing their loading to be within specified limits rather than modifying the suspension.

See this page -- Bent Utes  - it explains things better than I can.

As far as WDH goes, it transfers weight from the rear suspension reducing the downward force that is likely to bend a chassis. It will possibly do the same ore nearly the same lift as air bags will do. There is no reason to remove it on the average gravel or natural formed roads. Just remove it when you are in severe conditions with sharp curves and dips.

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Mention a WDH & all s**t breaks loose! Loosen up a little.     Haven't you got a sense of humour?

Definition of a DUEL CAB: One where the grandchildren can fight in the back seat...

C00P

Sometimes it gets very confusing but I appreciate the information and I even get a spelling lesson from Vanman who must have been a teacher.

Jenko1 wrote:

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Mutley wrote:

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We have both a 4 WD wagon & a 4WD dual cab & they're chalk & cheese!

You asked about a tow vehicle & mentioned Pajero; we have one. I like it as a tow vehicle, it has it all over our dual cab as a tow vehicle & on road touring vehicle, both in comfort & the ability to handle higher tow ball loads.

ALL dual cabs used as tow vehicles are susceptible to the chassis' bending, due to the physics of the towed weight being so far behind the rear axle. You mention Triton; just google bent chassis dual cab ute. The pictures are frightening!

---

 I did a lot of research on dual cab bent chassis and found that nearly every one I read about was either overloaded or most had air bags (regardless of brand). All boils down to people trying to tow and carry too much.

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My research was done in my driveway! Stock standard suspension, car was empty, not even a driver, supposedly 280kg allowed on the ball in that situation. I put a caravan with 165kg on the ball onto it & the Ute was dragging its arse like a dog with worms. Any modification to the suspension, or just driving it like that over a spoon drain/servo driveway etc & I'd have had a very bent Ute!

I love the car to bits, but they are not a good tug.

Our Pajero barely moves when I hook the same van onto it. Stock suspension & no WDH.

If I were never going to tow a van again (certainly on the cards!), our Ute has it all over our wagon for getting out there & getting dirty! BUT, the OP was about a tow vehicle. Like I said above; chalk & cheese! Our wagon comes 1st, 2nd & 3rd as a tow vehicle over our dual cab. I imagine a L/C 200, or a new Patrol would be even better!