Best Truck To Pull A Boat

[Zone18]

Not trying to be disrespectful, but this is a load of BS.

Shame on you for giving the OP info. like this when he's trying to get legitimate info. to help make a decision.

You would be operating this rig wayy over its rated capacities and putting lives at risk around you, including your own. I don't for a second believe your mileage data and you post all this like you are proud of your accomplishments.

These types of actions are why the government thinks they need to constantly enact policy to save people from themselves. This is the kinda of S*** you see out on the road that makes you laugh and people take videos b/c it is so ludicrous.

The average curb weight of a light duty pickup is 4200 to 4700 lb. The curb weight of a BMW X5 is 4900 to 5,500 lbs. I don't think you have all your facts straight and your emotions are getting involved. I'm truly sorry for whatever happened to your family, but BMW x5s are not the snake in your garden. In fact, the X5 would definitely tow a boat better than your light duty pickup would.

[Rick Pierce]

Well… That held true to form as the emotions got enlarged, opinions overrode facts, and comments definitely diminished.

Kudo's to those that kept this thread on track those first few pages. Once the Bow Tie vs. Oval crew gets lined up, then the comments will diminish in value.

Those first pages and comments were very quality and well worth reading. There are some really solid comments in this one.

Rick

[Highcentered]

Well… That held true to form as the emotions got enlarged, opinions overrode facts, and comments definitely diminished.

Sadly, there are people on here who act like towing with something less than a 2500 or 3500 diesel makes them less of a man. Some would say you're putting lives at risk if you tow with a half ton. When logic starts being ignored and emotions take over it's time to step back and come back to your senses. That said, recently I saw an Eyra at the ramp being towed by a 2 door Wrangler. I've heard many who have owned one of those say they're terrible tow rigs. I just hope it was hooked to that boat because it's easier to wiggle in and out of an awkward parking spot at the camp site. Logic would tell me to not tow with anything very heavy with a short Wrangler, a Prius, any econo box car, etc. I'd tow something as big as a Jaguar with my single cab short bed Ram without thinking twice because it pulls like a freight train. While it's more than sufficient some would put it in the same category as a Ford Maverick because it's a gas burner.

[hankgun]

I pull my Skeeter 21 iClass with a 2024 Ford 150...V6 Twin turbo. Being a GM man forever, I am impressed with this Ford V6. I have to look back to make sure the boat is still there. 14mph on highway pulling the boat.

[RipRapRanger]

Another vote for the 3.0 diesels. Traded a 6.2 gas for the 3.0 Duramax last July and although the 6.2 was a powerhouse and would run off and leave the traffic while towing the baby Duramax with its low rpm low end torque is simply a more comfortable pull of me. Also much better mpg and I'm not paying for higher priced high octane fuel that the 6.2 seemed to want.

[Arctic cat 1000]

As a mechanic that has worked on the baby duramax and the bigger one. If you’re going to just keep a truck under warranty or lease. Go ahead and run the duramax. But if you plan on keeping it for a long time. Run don’t walk away from it. Just saying. I have one baby duramax I’m working on right now. It’s just sitting. Needs a parts and GM don’t even have em back ordered. They take special oil and constant check engine lights. And once it’s out of warranty. Labor rate is the diesel rate. So it adds up real quick. Money maker for me.

[PatriotAW4]

As a mechanic that has worked on the baby duramax and the bigger one. If you’re going to just keep a truck under warranty or lease. Go ahead and run the duramax. But if you plan on keeping it for a long time. Run don’t walk away from it. Just saying. I have one baby duramax I’m working on right now. It’s just sitting. Needs a parts and GM don’t even have em back ordered. They take special oil and constant check engine lights. And once it’s out of warranty. Labor rate is the diesel rate. So it adds up real quick. Money maker for me.

I agree with you but unfortunately on here you will find the opinion of someone who has only owned one and has less than 100K on it is more valid on here than advice from us mechanics who work on them all the time.

[El_Guapo]

Sadly, there are people on here who act like towing with something less than a 2500 or 3500 diesel makes them less of a man. Some would say you're putting lives at risk if you tow with a half ton. When logic starts being ignored and emotions take over it's time to step back and come back to your senses. That said, recently I saw an Eyra at the ramp being towed by a 2 door Wrangler. I've heard many who have owned one of those say they're terrible tow rigs. I just hope it was hooked to that boat because it's easier to wiggle in and out of an awkward parking spot at the camp site. Logic would tell me to not tow with anything very heavy with a short Wrangler, a Prius, any econo box car, etc. I'd tow something as big as a Jaguar with my single cab short bed Ram without thinking twice because it pulls like a freight train. While it's more than sufficient some would put it in the same category as a Ford Maverick because it's a gas burner.

I’m leaning towards the 2500’s mainly because you can’t find a “middle ground” half ton on a dealer lot. They’re either stripped, or have a 72” tv in the middle of the dashboard.

I will always maintain that the best (boat) tow rig I’ve ever had was a ‘93 Bronco (5.0/5 speed). The parking lots at the lakes around here used to be nothing but Broncos, Blazers, Ramchargers and half ton Suburbans…..with the odd conversion van thrown in for variety.

[WVBullet]

Every bass boat I’ve ever owned has been pulled with a 1/2 GMC or Chevy PU. 2 and 4 wheel drives. Love my 4x4’s though. No issues and I’ve hauled a few heavy ones before too (non bass boat).

[PatriotAW4]

I will always maintain that the best (boat) tow rig I’ve ever had was a ‘93 Bronco (5.0/5 speed). The parking lots at the lakes around here used to be nothing but Broncos, Blazers, Ramchargers and half ton Suburbans…..with the odd conversion van thrown in for variety.

Those were the days.

[Shicknicky]

I will always maintain that the best (boat) tow rig I’ve ever had was a ‘93 Bronco (5.0/5 speed). The parking lots at the lakes around here used to be nothing but Broncos, Blazers, Ramchargers and half ton Suburbans…..with the odd conversion van thrown in for variety.

351 Windsor and aside from the gas mileage (under 10) it was great.

BoatBronco.JPG

[Shicknicky]

I will always maintain that the best (boat) tow rig I’ve ever had was a ‘93 Bronco (5.0/5 speed). The parking lots at the lakes around here used to be nothing but Broncos, Blazers, Ramchargers and half ton Suburbans…..with the odd conversion van thrown in for variety.

It is like you called me out... Current tow vehicle. It was hard to find a G20 (3/4 ton) in the shorty.

Attachment 571574

[DaveBrabec]

Disagree. Short wheelbase Bronco and Blazer suck as towing vehicles. Backing up is tedious

[rangered]

I tow with a Lincoln Navigator XL. It has a 3.5 ecoboost in it and it pulls my 520r very well. I was surprised coming from 6.2 GM'S that
it does as good of a job as it does. Lot's of power and very stable.

[dwtaylor]

Had 1/2 ton's all my life. 2013 bought a used Ford F250 diesel.

I will never own another diesel. It's been a decent truck, but I do all my own maintenance and most of my own repairs. When it comes time for that, you will pay dearly. The new 1/2 ton turbo v6's pull just as good and in some ways better with the 10 speed automatics, compared to my old 4 speed auto.

just an example. My oil changes are $210, and I do it myself (don't pay anyone to do it). Rotella T6 and a FL1995 filter. 5 gallons of oil, usually have a little left over after an oil change. After 5 oil changes there's enough leftover for a "free" oil change. It uses zero oil between changes (so far...it's got 260 some odd thousand miles on it). Little stuff costs a lot more. Likes to eat tires every 30,000 miles (due to the weight of the truck, right around 8,000 lbs). EVERYTHING costs more on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, especially the diesels. Keep that in mind.

I'm actually considering selling mine and going back to a 1/2 ton. I bought the 3/4 ton because I also was using it to pull the enclosed trailer w/race car in it all over this part of the country, and it did it just fine as long as I wasn't in a hurry.

also remember even though the diesels will get 17-22 mpg depending on which truck it is and how you drive it, you also have to consider the cost of DEF.

the nice thing about the 3/4 ton diesels, though, is that engine's additional weight over the nose. If you have 4wd (and I recommend it), the extra weight over the front really helps on a slick ramp, and in the snow, ice, and sometimes mud (although mine gets stuck VERY easily in the mud, due to weight, it just sinks).

My dad farms and traded his 2023 ram 2500 with the cummins in for a new ram 1500 with the hemi for reasons you mention. He is selling his cattle so he won't need to haul gooseneck trailers. He also has a 2003 dodge ram 2500 with the 6sp manual and the cummins to essentially tow heavy trailers and that this much less powerful than the newer trucks in both torque and horsepower and also get worse milage.

[PatriotAW4]

My dad farms and traded his 2023 ram 2500 with the cummins in for a new ram 1500 with the hemi for reasons you mention. He is selling his cattle so he won't need to haul gooseneck trailers. He also has a 2003 dodge ram 2500 with the 6sp manual and the cummins to essentially tow heavy trailers and that this much less powerful than the newer trucks in both torque and horsepower and also get worse milage.

Got 2-3 MPG better out of the 5.9 6 speed than I do my newer 6.7 Cummins auto, and with a few modifications it had more power as well.

[BIGHUNT14]

Ive driven GM half ton trucks with the 5.3 for a little over 17 years. MY last 21 with the 5.3 could pull my 19ft skeeter, but it didnt like it on hills I also have a hunting buggy that i opull in the winter time, and after 3 years of towing most weekends my transmission started acting up. I went ahead and bought a 2020 f250 with the 6.7 powerstroke, and i wont ever go back to a half ton gas burner. Dont even know the boat or hunting buggy are back there. Also went from getting around 10mpg with the chevy to getting 16-17 while towing with the f250. delted, tuned, w/ 37s.

[El_Guapo]

Disagree. Short wheelbase Bronco and Blazer suck as towing vehicles. Backing up is tedious

I’ve always found backing much more pleasant when the truck is shorter proportionally to the trailer. Especially pulling end dumps that get backed a long way, I want the shortest tractor I can get away with.

All that aside, there’s an old rule of thumb about wheelbase to trailer length- wheelbase/5 = trailer length in feet. Bronco is a 105” wheelbase - 105/5 makes for a 21’ trailer length. More than adequate for most bass boats.

[digthemup]

So it was a GM 3/4 ton, no wonder it sucked.

Did you ever own a 2007 GM 2500 HD 4x4 6.0L ext cab long box with 3.73 rears with plow and tow package? I had one for several yrs with a heavy Western BOSS 8' plow, that pulled a 30' Grand Design Imagine during the summer without any issues, or my Cobra 201DC, Merc 225 EFI, let alone a little 19'.

I would have loved to drop a chain between my 2007 GMC 2500 HD and that supposed bad a$$ BMW X5 and drag it around like a Rottweiler with a chihuahua at the end of a leash.

[digthemup]

Disagree. Short wheelbase Bronco and Blazer suck as towing vehicles. Backing up is tedious

Were you backing up a single axle trailer? which is a PITA with any towing vehicle. I had a 2001 Tahoe 4 doors as a daily driver for my wife, which was used occasionally for towing a 10' enclosed trailer to the lake house and launched the boat at the near by ramp about a mile down the road at Hurricane Joe's without any issues ever.