How big of a truck do I need?
 

Ok right now i have a 1500 Z71, 5.3, 4x4, extended cab.

the 35's are not hellping me i am sure. haha


I am pulling a baja 252, its 7000 total weight with the trailer.

it works, but It sure stops better with my friends 2500 Duramax.


so i am going to sell my truck and move up, that way in a year or so i can go a head and get a bigger boat. BUT i do not want to have to swap trucks again.

the next boat will most likly be a 302, 342 baja twins and maybe a genset.

the begest i would EVER end up with is a 38 special.

SO would a 2500 handel both the bigger boats fine? or should i just get a dualy 3500?


OK discuss...

I'd say keep the current truck till you are ready all the way around for the switch. Do what i did on my 98 Tahoe and install the hydraulic brake system from a 2500 or 3500 truck. And then switch the brake lines to stainless braided and it will be a world of difference! :D Its a bolt on system...just nbeed to replace the brake booster with the hydraulic unit and swap the power steering pump along with it all...

A 302 or 342 would likely be OK with a 2500 but a 38 really should be behind a dually. I went from a 2500 to a dually and couldn't believe the stability difference the extra set of wheels gives you. If I end up in an "oh chit" moment those extra wheels are going to give me a huge advantage.....btw: I don't drive the dually as a daily driver and would hate it if I had too!

You better get yourself a 4x4 Diesel Dually. If you plan on getting a heavy boat like a older 38 foot Cigarette Top Gun, you are going to be towing over 15000lbs. That is maxing out a dually. Also, I personally would get a standard transmission. My first purchase was a 2000 4x4 dodge Daully. I destroyed my transmission every 250 miles of towing. I had to get my tranmsission rebuilt 4 times in one summer. I sold it, purchased a brand new 2007 Dodge Diesel 4x4 Mega Cab STANDARD. I have had no problems since I purchased it. I now have 98000 miles on the truck.

You will NEVER regret purchasing a dually.

Agreed - I love mine.

I don't KNOW, but a 38 Special on trailer, loaded with fuel, liquor and Mardi Gras beads could probably creep up on the 13-14k range on an ALUMINUM trailer. That is dually range, and truth be told - on the edge of a 350/3500 series range.

Oh - and I agree Urban Dist - I LOVE my manual transmission and had to look high and low to find the 6-speed manual, with Lariat package and push button 4X4, but when I am sitting at the ramp I just drop it in L, let off the clutch and it rips right out.....

I fugured with the 38 i need a 3500, but with just a 302-342. the 2500 would work and it will be a while before i move up to a 38 Speacial.

thanks for the imput, still looking at both.

If you are not planning on towing all over the country, then a 2500 would be fine for a 302. I don't know about the 342. You will not regret a dually.

[Fixed your spelling, hope you don't mind.]

Get the 3/4 ton for now and swap axles when you buy the bigger boat. If you do that you'll have the truck a LONG time so make sure the interior is set up the way you want it(although it can be fun to do those upgrades). My favorite option is the radio controls on the steering wheel. If you don't get that right up front it's almost impossible to refit the controls into the wheel. Every other upgrade(leather, electronics) is pretty straightforward. Another great upgrade is Dynamat sound deadening in the cab.

go with a dually, you wont go back to a SRW after towing with a dually. I have a 2006 Dmax 4x4 dually. LOVE IT. Have pulled triple axle toy haulers and up to 42ft fountains with no problems and very stable. Im not getting into brand loyalty because its all personal preferance to me.

+1.

I tow a 38 w/ a D-max 2500. yes,I am pushing the legal limits of the truck but it tows great. 5" lift w/ 33's 13.5 wide make it feel like a dually. BIG BIG BIG difference towing a 30 footer compared to a 38. 30 footer you can go anywhere....38 you have to plan ahead for the extra length, like what gas stations you can make it in. BUt I agree...a dually would be best for 38 plus boats.

update?

Looking to sell an 01' 2500 Suburban with 94' miles if anyone is interested. I will tow a 30 with no problem. I tow my Apache with it occaissionally but its under rated for it. The brakes were changed for the first time at 90k miles, other than that is been tires and wiper blades! Lol. It's amazing how trouble free the Chevy HD's are! Great trucks! All the ford guys I know have to do brakes and front ends a lot, and head gaskets for the diesels.

[QUOTE=t500hps;3170591.btw: I don't drive the dually as a daily driver and would hate it if I had too![/QUOTE]

That's what keeps me from getting one.

I daily drive mine every day - full 4 door, full length bed. You get used to it so quickly you don't think twice about it. If you have the boat that requires a dually just get one - you'll be used to it in under a week.

Don't take this the wrong way but what do you do for a living?

For me it's not about getting used to it as much as being practical. I have to drive to Jersey City and NYC (tunnels and narrow streets) once or twice a week. I also work in an office building and would need to park far enough away to fit. Most of the parking garages don't allow dually's nor do they fit. I also have to drive customers to special events, dinners, lunches etc.

Ideally I need two vehicles but that's not in the cards. A pick-up is streching it but I will do it if it's a crew-cab, just can't see a dually right now.

Until you want to go through a bank drive thru, car wash, or downtown parking garage.

I agree that a dually is much more stable towing. I had one before. My 2500HD with an 8.1 tows 10k just fine.

The Duallys are no big deal as a daily driver.But I am in an International with a 26ft box all bay long so thats probably why its like driving a toy.Franks right though would not want to take in the city because parking can be an issue.Plus they would charge you a fortune they charged me oversize for my wifes Denaili.

Hey Tim, don't leave the keys in that dually of yours...you might find it in Middletown!!!

Awesome truck you have!

well parking in not an issue, haha I live in Alabama.....

if your tow mirrors fit through the bank a dually will (if you can drive), ive gone through plenty of car washes with no problem again, if your mirrors fit our fenders will...and a parking garage is usually limited to height, not width..atleast the ones ive ever been in.

I drive a semi for a living and for months at a time, so when i jump in my dmax, its like driving a go cart.:evilb:

mittens, if your ever in the ATX with your boat and im in town, ill let you yank your boat around with my dually for a couple hours through the hillcountry on the way to the lake...you'll want one

I have a ford f450 and have parked it in the downtown parking garages in Chicago several times. The turning radius is really tight which makes it easy. It is very nice inside but I would get rear airbags if I were driving people around, especially on crappy roads because the rear springs make it quite bumpy in the rear seat. I also drive it to work in the winter a lot and parking in a parking garage with no problem. I haven't gone through a standard carwash because the tracks don't look like they would accomodate duallies. Overall it is a great multipurpose vehicle.

Whatever you decide to do, ditch those huge tires. I wouldn't have anything bigger than 305's on a tow vehicle or an everyday vehicle. If you need a mud toy buy an older truck and jack it up to the sky.

I don't have a problem in bank drive throughs, but I haven't found a car wash yet that will take my truck.

why not run a off road tire its a truck?

Maxxis Mudders....LOVE those tires, last a long time, handel a good load, handel mudd, ride good and are not loud.

look good too.

I Just picked up a '97 302 Baja and I was towing it with my 2005 Escalade and with Electronic trailer brakes it was a beast to stop. Not to mention my MPG were reading at 5mpg (im sure my 22" wheels were not helping).

I have since stepped up to a F250 with the 7.3 and I LOVE IT. I went for the long bed vs the dually because I came across a great deal. I have no problems towing and it feels great both on the gas and on the brake. Id say step it up to the dually if you have the option.

I pulled a 29' Outlaw (within 100# of the 302) with a Chrysler Aspen. More than enough power, but I certainly knew it was back there!

Used to have a 302. I've pulled it with a 2000 Expedition. I couldn't run the A/C while pulling it. Barley stopped it. Sold it and bought a 2001 Dodge 2500 deisel. I handled it easily. I sold the Dodge and got a 2001 Chev 3500 dually 8.1, 6 spd gasser. The dually pulled best of the three but I didn't have to use it as my daily driver.

F-450/F-550 has a 4" wider front axle to increase the turning radius over a standard 350 or 250. Thats why it turns is a parking lot way better. I see people all the time where i live towing 15,000lbs with a 4x4 f-250 daily. I do have to say the dually is way more stable with the extra two tires. Duallys are a pain to drive everyday due to the extra width of the truck not to mention your buying 6 tires instead of just 4 when you need tires. I would say a 2500 4x4 with a duramax would be great. Thats what i would buy anyway. I think a dually would be a little bit over kill unless used every weekend of the summer to pull the boat long distances. Its a shame that a diesel will almost be required in this case due to the weight. The diesel is going to cost 8000k more than a gas motor right off the lot, not to mention the 100 dollar oil changes, $10 a gallon Diesel Exhaust Fluid, higher fuel price, more expensive fuel filters, Shorter service intervals, and not to mention a 10,000+ dollar repair if you get bad fuel. Its almost cheaper to buy a new gas truck and deal with less power.

If you want a new truck you only need a 2003 or newer 2500 gas. A diesel would be worth the money and make towing more enjoyable. Personal opinion if you want a 2wd or 4wd. You do not need a dually. You can get one if you want but do not need. I tow a 53ft gooseneck 3-4 car hauler which weighs 20,000+ lbs with a single rear wheel 2wd dodge cummins all over the country. Stock truck with rear firestone air bags. I have over 360,000 trouble free miles. I used to have a 2008 dodge dually and went back to a single wheel. I also pull my boat out of the water with no problem in 2wd. Good luck with your new truck and boat shopping!

You must not be a commercial hauler. DOT would never let you get away with being as overloaded as you are.

If you actually new what the FMCA DOT rules are you would not have spoke.

But for everyone else on here I own a legal car hauling business, a 100% clean record with my DOT number. Been through almost every state, all commercial scales and inspection stations. Never had a ticket or warning.

Again, any newer 2500 truck would tow a powerboat great. That is of coarse if it is mechanically sound and the boats trailer is also.

Yeah a medium duty would be cool, a CXT, or a totter home, etc. But not needed. Save your money and put some fuel in your boat and go explore some of the beautiful water we have in this country!

Enjoy looking for your new truck and boat!

Cat has a propensity to spout off about many things he has little or no knowledge, this being one of them.

I run all 48 states (marine transport) DOT legal, KW T660 and 53' Myco.

You are absolutely correct.

Pull it safe, but pull it smart.

I posted this thread on an LTL site. It's not a car haul site but these guys are all professionals and they have hauled vehicles. I'll let them speak without comment;

http://ltlhotshot.myfreeforum.org/ft...94-0-asc-0.php

Catmando, you must not have a very interesting life when you find time to post questions about me on other forums. If you want to know the real answer then look up the rules yourself. But wait, you would first have to know more about my business, license, plates, permits, insurance, age, gender, race, and favorite color to be able to research correctly! It would be like someone posting a question on OSO asking, "some guy said he has a huge offshore boat with only 500hp each motor and it goes over 100mph" ! Well lots of people on here would say yeah right, not enough power, etc etc. But we do not even know what kind of boat, cat or v, length, etc. Obviously most of those guys on that forum do not know the rules either, nor do they know what my details are. So assuming that I am this and that, I am a liar. So assuming the guy with the fast boat has a 46 black thunder he is liar, it only goes 72mph! LOL!

If you have a question for me or about me, ask ME. You can pm me and maybe I will answer. I know that I have a legal business and rig. I know how I made it happen because I studied the laws. I could tell all my secrets on this forum but then everyone will be hauling cars stealing my money. Do you tell everyone secrets on how you flip burgers at mcdonalds faster then everyone else and got a 25 cent raise?!

The question that started this thread has nothing to do with commercial, he is only towing recreational. We don't even know how far, and how often he needs to tow. The majority of boat owners rarely even use thier truck to tow the boat compared to not towing. And the distances are usually very short. So if I can get 361,000 miles towing commercially 20,000lbs everyday in all weather and terrian, then sharing my info with other people might help them out. Unless I am just a liar like you say. Its funny how in this world people always think other people are guilty and have to prove themselves innocent, even though moraly, and legally we are supposed to be innocent untill proven guilty.

As we all see, you are a pro posting on this forum and I am new. I have been reading this and different forums for years and rarely find time to post. This thread explains why. This is the first and last time I will waste any time with you Catmando or anyone else. Hopefully you learn and stop running your mouth so other people on here can enjoy reading the opinions of people like me before you chase us off here. At least I thought us Dodge guys could stick together!

For a lurker you sure like to put up long, convoluted posts. As to my post count, it's much larger than you think. Counting my two bans, it would be closer to 12,000.

The reason I put up that post on LTL is I've never hauled anything that I needed to get weighed for, so I don't know what DOT looks for, but I did think they they checked weights and overloaded axles. Imagine my surprise when I found out they don't care about those things. :eek: :rolleyes:

I never called you a liar, but you say I flip burgers at McD's. I'll call you a liar for that. You don't know fukall about me.

It's funny, but almost all the pros back you up. I posted about you on two other sites and here's what one of the guys said;

"DOT doesn't care about axle weights on hotshots, only tires. In the 11 years i was running hotshots other then going across scales i have only been weighed once by a DOT and that was so he could make sure I was in the 26k + bracket so he could write me a ticket.. I crossed the scales from Ohio to Kentucky and had 21k of barn wood on the trailer and all they wanted was my dot# paperwork, never even cared about the weight".

So you can get away with using a 3/4 ton truck to haul 20,000+, but pulling it safe and pulling it smart? I don't think so. Gary said it all when I asked him if he would give you any loads; "no sir I would not".

And this is all I will say to you on this subject. To the OP sorry for the hijack.

Why were you banned?

Subscribed! This is getting interesting!

Well let's get back to the OP's question; 30 or 34 he can pull it with a 2500. 38 would be towed best with a dually.

As far as I'm concerned, Sydwayz is THE expert on OSO for towing boats. The OP would do well to heed his advice.

Bought a truck. I know its not a dooly but it pulls great! should do the job.

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