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How Much Truck do I need?
Boat: Baja 242 Islander Weight 4,400 with no fuel or equipment.
Trailer: 2 axle Load Rite Home Base for the Boat is Lake Anna in Mineral, VA. Problem: My current tow vehicle is a 2004 Buick Rainer (MIDSIZE) with 5.3 V8. Powertrain not a problem but short wheelbase and long distance towing is exciting to say the least. The tow rating on the Buick is 6,500lbs and I'm pushing my luck as it is. I would like to be able to safely tow my boat up to Deep Creek Lake in Cumberland MD. The lake is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains and their are many grades of 6% or more. I also visit Nags Head North Carolina on a regular basis. Last year I took the boat their for a week and it was simply incredible boating with dolphins around your boat. :D I towed my boat to the Nags Head with my dad's Chevy Avalanche (non 2500) with 5.3. Ride was incredibly more stable than my Buick. But after a while I realized I could have used a little more suspension up front. Also I encountered a couple of small hills and steep bridges which I could have used a little more oomph than the 5.3 provided. So HOW MUCH truck do I need. I don't want to get a dually unless I really have to. Would a 2500 HD with a 6.0 cut it? The Allison tranny also seems really nice. I would love to be able to get a TAHOE, DENALI or ESCALADE but I don't know if their cut out for this. TIA! |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
A 2500 HD with the Allison transmission should do fine.
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
My boats a 272 baja,around 4400 pounds plus trailer,fuel and gear. Total weight is over 7000 lbs. First 2 years I towed it with 99 dodge 1/2 ton quad cab w/5.9, got 5mpg towing and it was a slug. I re-geared truck from 3.55's to 4.11s and it did a pretty good job for most part,got between 7.5 and 10 mpg depening on terrain and speed. Right before I re-geared it I blew the transmission up on a trip and had to tow it home 250 miles with a buddies 01 silverado 1/2 ton ext cab (with 4 people in it plus all our gear with) 5.3l,3.73 gears and towing package. It was KILLING this truck,going down into 2nd gear and throwing it around on the highway at 70 mph. Your boat is slightly smaller but sounds like it might be close in actual weight. If you tow alot (I do) the get a 3/4 ton hd,I know its over kill but at least it will tow good. If your tows are short then get something in the 1/2 ton range but 6% grades and mountains will be miserable. My buddies have 3/4 ton gassers with 6.0 litres,I have towed my boat a few times with one of them and it towed great. I didn't want the 10-12 mpg empty plus they have bad resale around here (the 6.0 3/4 tons) so I been buying Duramaxes,first a 02 then a 04 and now a 06. Obviously it would be waaay overkill for what your doing but I can get 18-22 mpg empty when driving the speed limit and can tow my boat at any speed I want,Smitty
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
You would be in great shape with any of the 3/4 ton truck offerings. Don't buy anything less than such.
A diesel would be nice, but not 100% necessary. DON'T get the 6.0L GM. Its not a bad engine, it just has a slight bit more HP than the 5.3, and it sucks almost as much gas doing it as the 8.1L. You would also do just fine with a 2500 Avalanche, Suburban, or Yukon XL; but ONLY with an 8.1L. (Can't get Allison on this platform though.) |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
A 2007 Tahoe, Yukon/Escalade will pull that combination with ease. Assuming you are looking to stay in an SUV.
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Originally Posted by Wobble
A 2007 Tahoe, Yukon/Escalade will pull that combination with ease. Assuming you are looking to stay in an SUV.
The Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade all have coil rear springs. Coil rear springs SUCK ASS for towing. Ask Madcow... he rolled his Avalanche while towing do to poor coil spring towing performance. You can help this issue by installing rear airbags, but the powertrain is going to be maxed out on tow capacity as well. I would only want to tow such described boat/weight with a minimum 3/4 ton vehicle with leaf spring rear suspension. A 2500 GM SUV would get by, but a 3/4 truck would be better. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
BTW, there is nothing wrong with taking your boat with you on the test drive. If you are purpose buying a vehicle to tow, you need to know exactly what it will do when towing. If they don't want to rag a brand new vehicle, ask to take a demo or slightly used example for a test tow.
I have taken the boat to the dealership before, and also take a truck home on a test drive for a test tow. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Originally Posted by Sydwayz
No, none of them will; out of the box. This particular thread based on the boat in question while light, is still long, with a lot of weight in the tail.
The Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade all have coil rear springs. Coil rear springs SUCK ASS for towing. Ask Madcow... he rolled his Avalanche while towing do to poor coil spring towing performance. You can help this issue by installing rear airbags, but the powertrain is going to be maxed out on tow capacity as well. I would only want to tow such described boat/weight with a minimum 3/4 ton vehicle with leaf spring rear suspension. A 2500 GM SUV would get by, but a 3/4 truck would be better. Tahoes have rear sway bars and have had since they came out with the new shape in 2000. This load is well within their towing ability. Most of the models have or have the option of self leveling rear suspension if you can afford it. I have personally towed everthing from a haulmark race trailer/ low boy trailer with midsive tractor, to my 29' boat on a triple axle for about a total of 20k miles of towing on my 2000 Tahoe. I have 130K on it now and my wife drives it since I got my Duramax. I will say that the original Firestone's sucked as did the Michelin's I tried. Found that Yokohama Geolanders work great for towing on that model. My neighbor pulled a 30' haulmark race trailer with his 07 Yukon and reported that it was very stable and with 325hp? not lacking in power. I'm sure the 20" wheels helped. BTW, No offense intended, but I think Madcow's towing accident was due to more than the rear suspension design. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
2001 ford ranger edge 4x4...perfect:D..with firestone tires:D
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Sydways is right about the 3/4 chevy and the 6.0 motor. (I have one) A 3/4 is overkill, but you'll want a bigger boat and this will fit the bill. The 6.0 gets about .7 less gas mileage than the 8.1 and has 95 lbs less torque. (The 8.1 has roughly the same amount of torque as some of the late 90's diesels!) If I had know that when I bought my 3/4 6.0 Burb I would have certainly gotten the 8.1!!!
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Originally Posted by Wobble
Tahoes have rear sway bars and have had since they came out with the new shape in 2000. This load is well within their towing ability. Most of the models have or have the option of self leveling rear suspension if you can afford it.
I have personally towed everthing from a haulmark race trailer/ low boy trailer with midsive tractor, to my 29' boat on a triple axle for about a total of 20k miles of towing on my 2000 Tahoe. I have 130K on it now and my wife drives it since I got my Duramax. I will say that the original Firestone's sucked as did the Michelin's I tried. Found that Yokohama Geolanders work great for towing on that model. My neighbor pulled a 30' haulmark race trailer with his 07 Yukon and reported that it was very stable and with 325hp? not lacking in power. I'm sure the 20" wheels helped. BTW, No offense intended, but I think Madcow's towing accident was due to more than the rear suspension design. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
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Nissan Titan: mine pulls a 29 Fountain with ease and I have yet to use 4 wheel drive to pull it out on a steep ramp. I get about 12 to 13 mpg pulling around 60 to 65 or so. (11 is the worst I've seen but there was a 20 mph headwind). More room in that cab then any other truck I've been in. People at the ramp still don't believe the truck can pull that boat or even pull it out of the water. Next time, I'm going to start betting beers :drink:
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
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Here ya go. And less money than a 2500 :drink:
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
My F-150 w/ 5.4 tows my 288 fine,,, I wouldn't even think of towing anything bigger with it,, and I am right at 7K. I have coil overs, I upgraded the factory class 111 to class 4 everything. a 1/2 ton will do fine, especially the newer ones that when properly equipped will tow 9K... if you plan to tow a lot or very far for peace of minid you might want to consider a 3/4..
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Originally Posted by Sydwayz
No, none of them will; out of the box. This particular thread based on the boat in question while light, is still long, with a lot of weight in the tail.
The Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade all have coil rear springs. Coil rear springs SUCK ASS for towing. Ask Madcow... he rolled his Avalanche while towing do to poor coil spring towing performance. You can help this issue by installing rear airbags, but the powertrain is going to be maxed out on tow capacity as well. I would only want to tow such described boat/weight with a minimum 3/4 ton vehicle with leaf spring rear suspension. A 2500 GM SUV would get by, but a 3/4 truck would be better. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Good grief people :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
That man is towing a 24 foot Baja...not a 42 footer. :drink: :evilb: :drink: :evilb: |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
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Originally Posted by articfriends
Is your tahoe a 2500 or a 1500? My buddy sold his 01 1500 chevy that could barely tow my Baja 272 (as I mentioned earlier in this post) and bought a 04 1500 avalanche w/5.3. Never tried towing my boat with it but he claims it tows more stable and smoother than his truck did other than its still a gut-less wonder with the 5.3. He has towed his new (to him) 95 checkmate 28 ft which is probably another 500 to 1000 lbs heavier than my Baja and he says its killing it,he ordered a 2500 duramax like mine. But back to the original question,test tow your boat with whatever your thinking of buying,a 24 ft open bow Baja should be able to be towed without much compromise by a suitably outfitted 1/2 ton truck or suv,if your towing ALOT then maybe a 3/4 ton is going to make you happier, Smitty
BTW, the Avalanche and Tahoe have identical rear suspension setup at the 1500 level. The design has way better side to side control of the rear axle compared to a leaf spring setup. As mentioned before the original equipment tires were selected for price and ride quality, Tires with a stiffer side wall like the Yokohama's make for a way better tow. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Arcticfriends is right on those GM 5.3 vehicles. In my opinion anything over about 5K is the limit even though the towing capacity is rated higher. My Avalanche 1500 that is mentioned earlier is for sale. :D
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Hey there mr "old navy",if that beautiful avalanche doesn't sell cancel the Duramax and drop off the avalanche (along with a blank check) and we can beef up the trans,re-gear the axles and throw a supercharger on it, :D ,Smitty
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Thanks for all the good responses guys. It looks like I'm going to get the 2500 HD at a minimum. My tows are 200 - 250 miles in length. I would probably due this 4-6 times a summer. Again my biggest concern is going up 6% grades. Towing on flat highways is one thing, but towing up a mountain is a whole different kettle of fish.
I was very disappointed to find out the new Avalanches will no longer be offering the 2500 with 8.1 as an option. The new Tahoe's & Burb currently don't have a 2500 configuration. Hopefully they will be available later down the production schedule. The new Silverado's don't come out till after summer so I guess I'm stuck for another boating season with the little ole Rainer. As far as claims of I can tow my 3x or 4x footer with my little old XXX. Here's my 2cents. My Buick Rainer does have 4.1 gears out back and an air leveling suspension that helps a lot. It's rated to tow my boat, and I get lots of looks around the dock when I pull it out of the water. People are amazed when I tell them I towed my boat from Deleware. But, the fact is it's NOT ENOUGH equipment to do the job properly. There are MANY MANY parts besides engine & tranny that go into a 2500, 3500 vs. any regular sized truck, 1500, F150, Titan, etc... All you need to do is open the case on your rear diff to get the picture. The Gears on a 2500, 3500 are HUGE in comparison to a regular truck. I have had the pleasure to tow my BAJA with a 3500 Dually/Diesel and it was just plain silly easly to do. The major drawback I have with the 3500 is the WIDE ASS DUALLY is never going to fit in my garage and with my HOA rules your not allowed to park a commercial truck out front. I think DUALLY makes sense if I plan to upgrade, but I don't see that happening for 5 years or more. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Can't go wrong with a diesel, probably won't even know anything is back there, plus you got a lot of grunt for a bigger boat. Good Luck with it and post pics. :D
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Re: How Much Truck do I need?
Originally Posted by saubouin
Thanks for all the good responses guys. It looks like I'm going to get the 2500 HD at a minimum. My tows are 200 - 250 miles in length. I would probably due this 4-6 times a summer. Again my biggest concern is going up 6% grades. Towing on flat highways is one thing, but towing up a mountain is a whole different kettle of fish.
I was very disappointed to find out the new Avalanches will no longer be offering the 2500 with 8.1 as an option. The new Tahoe's & Burb currently don't have a 2500 configuration. Hopefully they will be available later down the production schedule. The new Silverado's don't come out till after summer so I guess I'm stuck for another boating season with the little ole Rainer. As far as claims of I can tow my 3x or 4x footer with my little old XXX. Here's my 2cents. My Buick Rainer does have 4.1 gears out back and an air leveling suspension that helps a lot. It's rated to tow my boat, and I get lots of looks around the dock when I pull it out of the water. People are amazed when I tell them I towed my boat from Delaware. But, the fact is it's NOT ENOUGH equipment to do the job properly. There are MANY MANY parts besides engine & tranny that go into a 2500, 3500 vs. any regular sized truck, 1500, F150, Titan, etc... All you need to do is open the case on your rear diff to get the picture. The Gears on a 2500, 3500 are HUGE in comparison to a regular truck. I have had the pleasure to tow my BAJA with a 3500 Dually/Diesel and it was just plain silly easily to do. The major drawback I have with the 3500 is the WIDE ASS DUALLY is never going to fit in my garage and with my HOA rules your not allowed to park a commercial truck out front. I think DUALLY makes sense if I plan to upgrade, but I don't see that happening for 5 years or more. Cant find the output numbers for the 2007 model, probably 345HP to 360 or better. |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
2007 L76 6.0 Chevrolet Motor specs.
Type - 6.0 Liter (Vortec 6000 L76) Gas Drivetrain - Front Engine / -WD Valvetrain - 16-Valve SOHC VVT Cylinder Configuration - V8 Displacement - 5,967 cc Horsepower(HP) - 355 @ 5400 RPM Torque(LBs-FT.) - 365 @ 4400 RPM Redline - 5900 RPM Applications: Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon XL Features: Active Fuel Management Variable Valve Timing Looks like there will be a 2500 Avalanche, this motor makes more HP/Torque than the old 8.1 big block, needs more rpm to make it though |
Re: How Much Truck do I need?
1500 Avalanche/YukonXL/Suburban w/ 4.10 will do everything you need. Add a Hypertech programmer and you will have plenty of power. The 5.3 is not a s torquey as the old 5.7 liter, the Hypertech really helps.
Wannabe |
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