Truck verse SUV strictly on towing a Bass Boat

[YoungRE2]

I don't post a lot but have been a member a long time. I love to read all these post because as an old man I find a lot of info on various topics. I have a 1996 Chevy Tahoe that I bought new in 1996 (ordered it from the factory). Its always been garaged kept since new and I got it strictly to tow a bass boat up and down the interstates in Florida and the SE part of the country. In the last 12 years all I have used it for it towing my Bullet 21XDC/300XS 10 to 12 times a year to fish the Stick Marsh. It has never left me down and looks damn near new. I have been down a lot of really nasty roads with it. Most to the threads I have seen about towing boats are done using various truck brands. In my opinion I don't think there's been any comparesion on truck verse SUV when it comes to pulling our toys around the country. I love the short wheel base of the Tahoe, It's completely enclosed so every thing is dry and I have pulled my boat out of ramps that F250 4 wheel drive trucks had trouble pulling it out. I have two wheel drive with 273 posi (limited slip) and I cant remember the last time the tires slipped pulling it out. Any comments on others that have one or both these vehicles and how you would go if you had to buy another new one.

[jigman51]

I have a buddy who tows his 21 foot Triton all over the country with his GMC Yukon. He loves it.

[22RangerZ520R]

I had a 2007 Tahoe and pulled a 2009 Z520 with it. It did ok, but the rear end bounced a lot on the interstate and it would have to down shift on the tiniest of hills/grade.

I then got a 2013 F250 and then my current 2017 F250. I will never go back to gas for towing. The maintenance of the diesel isn't bad at all. The ride of my 2017 F250 is comparable to what my Tahoe was, it's quiet and smooth. And when towing with the F250, it feels like walking a dog that wants to come out of it's leash! Even on steep upward grades my F250 stays in 6th gear and rumbles up the hill at like 1200 rpms, where my Tahoe would downshift and the rpms would shoot up to like 3k. The crew cab is huge and I have a flat ARE fiberglass topper, so I have tons of dry storage.

I prefer the truck over SUV...

[GZ ONE]

I'm a SUV guy myself ( guess my mancard needs to be turned in w that comment) but needing a truck here soon but have thought about a suburban w a max tow package and 33's though . Chevy is offering a 6.2 this year in a RST package w the 6.2 where you don't have to buy a Denali . But if you can find a GX 470 Lexus w low mikes you should be fine for towing and longevity of that vehicle

[Ky-triton]

I love the way a Tahoe pulls a boat. I like the turning radius and the vision. I would never be without a 4wd on my tow vehicle though. Mainly because I duck hunt and launch boats in some rough areas.

That being said. Pulling a boat is easy around western Kentucky. If I was pulling my 21’ bass boat up and down hills I would probably invest in a diesel.

[n2ratfishin]

That Stick Marsh road will ruin about anything on the road! I've seen a radiator rattled right out of an Explorer. We ended up changing it in the parking lot of the hotel...fun stuff when you're out of town. I've worked on a few trailers at that hotel over the years including my own.

I like the longer wheel base of a pickup on the longer interstate pulls. The new half tons are just plush. I've been down there in several vehicles. I guess my fav is the Laramie Longhorn Ram. Super comfortable vehicle to make a 12 hour ride in. With the pickup you don't have all the dirty stuff in the back, not to mention throwing a nasty boat cover back there. SUV's can and will do the job, but I prefer the truck for boating duties. It all boils down to what you prefer.

As for 2 or 4WD. We have only needed 4WD one time down there. A couple of years ago we launched my RT in the ditch when the water was super low. The only other people in there were the college students with their row boats. The ramp was plumb out of the water, just sand and the boat was on the other bank as soon as it was off the trailer. It took 4WD to get it back out. I was glad we could launch there that day. No way could we have fished the big lake in my tin boat with 30 MPH gust and a steady 20 MPH wind. We sat down in the ditch and caught fish all day long. I've needed 4WD a couple of times in AR launching on their so called "improved" ramps. They essentially launch between a couple of bushes and the road down there looks like it was cut with a dozer. It can be a straight up mess if it's been raining.

[n2ratfishin]

PS, your 96 most likely has a 350 with a 3.73 rear end, 4 speed transmission. 3rd gear is straight 1-1. Most new Tahoe's have a good ole 5.3 and a 3.08 rear end with a 6 speed transmission. There is no more 1-1 straight drive. The 5.3 is no where near as strong as your old 350. At least from what I remember my 97 Silverado with a 4.10 rear end.

[basscat21]

Want to sit in your living room while towing? Excursion, tows like a dream. Sleep in the back, just plain comfy.

[ZO6]

I have a 2012 Yukon SLT. Towing package which is a trans cooler with 3.45 rear, 4x4. Bought new. Only changed oil and fluids on recommended schedule. 81,000 mi, probably 30,000 pulling my boat. Lake and Bay Bocagrande would guess it all weighs 36/3900 lbs. Does downshift on hills. Had aTahoe LTZ 2007 before that I ran to about 110,000. Pulled about same load but not as many mi towing. No problems related to towing. Loved them both. Getting ready to buy another one fairly soon.

[printman71]

My 2014 4WD GMC Yuon with 3.08 gears and the 5.3 was AWFUL.
My 2018 4WD Ford F-150 with 3.55 gears and 3.5 EB is GREAT.
I know most if it was gearing, but still....

[Bassman Ia.]

I rode in a friend's Tahoe from Dallas to Amistad. Towing a 19 ft. Triton, never missed a beat and at that time it had over 150k on the clock.

Another year I rode from San Antonio to Amistad in a friend's Excursion ----- a very big SUV

[ECobb91]

I’m in the SUV group. I tow with a 2014 Dodge Durango v6 AWD and has a 6200lb towing capacity. Granted my boat is light but I’ve never felt it push me while stopping or slamming on the breaks, never slipped even when full size trucks were losing traction, and I get 19mpg towing. A full size suv is definitely a great option for towing and everything is secure inside rather than having a cab or tonneau cover. It all depends on what you’re preference is and what you’ll be comfortable with. A truck will last longer due to a bigger transmission and cooling system but bass boats are also only 4500lbs at the absolute heaviest for 21ft boats loaded.

Dont be suprised when the truck crowd crowd comes in saying you need a 250 diesel with a 6” lift kit and truck nuts to pull an 18ft bass boat however they aren’t the ones buying the vehicle. Test drive a few and choose whatever fits your needs. Absolutely nothing wrong with an SUV as a battle wagon (they are also better for sleeping in and camping too).

[SoonerFan]

I like my pickup simply because when I fish alone, which is 99% of the time, I can climb up into the bed and step over to the bow from the tailgate...never a wet foot.

Back when I towed with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, I had to either wade in the water to unhook the boat and climb in to launch or do the rope trick where I hit the brakes and jumped out and grabbed the rope clipped to the bow eye and then lead it over to the dock....something that doesn't work on every ramp.

[Garfish]

In my humble opinion the best tow vehicles ever made were Ford Excursion diesel 4x4, Chev Sub 3/4 ton with air ride, 4 wheel drive and 8.1ltr gas

[21XDC]

Your 22ft boat pulls like an 18 ft skeeter, ranger, basscat., triton etc... I have friends that pull my 21XDC/250 with a traverse, mini blazer, etc... It's fine.

[Cestratton]

I have a 98 2dr 4x4 LT Tahoe with 218k trouble free miles but I hardly ever drive it. My Tundra pulls the boat. I'd love to freshen up the ol gal but like most things it probably won't get done any time soon.

[smghaley]

I sometimes use my wife's 2006 Lincoln Navigator to pull my 21 foot bass boat. The short wheelbase is nice when staying overnight and parking at a hotel.

[Rip Bass]

I’ve been towing with Suburbans since 1995,on my fifth one now. IMO, nothing tows as well as a full size SUV. Plus I can put all my stuff in it and have it dry and fairly secure. I have a small mattress that fits down one side of the back and I have slept in it many times,hard to do that in most newer pickups.

[KYSkipper]

If you have a pickup, about the only way to keep stuff dry and secure on a long trip is a camper topper. When you add that to the truck you might as well have a Suburban.

I'd like to see someone offer a diesel Suburban like they did with the Excursion back in the day.

[CodyZ518]

I tow with a SUV now and will be going back to a truck as soon as I can afford to. The majority of the time I'm fishing alone and the ramps on most of the lakes I go to regularly are very shallow so I get my feet wet taking out.