OK, don't knock the Chevy Spark, cousin Louie is using it to tow his 12.5' Sear with 7.5hp gamefisher to the Erie canal or Silver lake during the summer with the "custom" hitch I fabbed for him.Originally Posted by Highcentered
That's it! I'm trading my truck in for a Chevy Spark to pull my boat with. HOW BOUT NOW?
What you described above are all great things to have, which most HD trucks are equipped with bigger brakes, especially rear brakes which is where the kinetic load and forces work on a towing vehicle. 5 link rear suspension is great for handling and performance, but not great for lateral forces applied against a towing vehicle in curves or turns especially at highway speeds.
Here is a great bottom set up: double A-arms, coil overs, 38mm front sway bar, 14.625" front rotors with 6 piston calipers, 14.5" rear rotors with 4 piston calipers, 5 link A-arms, coil overs, 30mm rear sway bar.
Now, that is a great handling and stopping bottom to build on, but it's not meant to tow anything, since it is the set up on my Z06, which will stop on a dime and give you back 9 cents.
Towing forces and high performance/racing forces have very little in common, and unless you get a current X5 with M60i or and older M40i, I wouldn't push an X5 too much in HPDI or open track day.
My boat is heavy for what it is so would leave a good black mark on the rampOK, don't knock the Chevy Spark, cousin Louie is using it to tow his 12.5' Sear with 7.5hp gamefisher to the Erie canal or Silver lake during the summer with the "custom" hitch I fabbed for him.Now can y'all just agree to disagree on how well of a tow rig (or not) the X5 is? Grem likely hasn't had any accidents and his trailer probably has good working brakes unless I missed something. The brakes are still probably sufficient and at least as good as what most half ton trucks have. I'd love to see the X5 compared to all the half ton trucks in a panic stop on wet roads both unloaded and towing. I bet the X5 can hold its own as long as it has good tires on it. I do know my next truck won't be a fullsize because of price and parking it tight places. I like the Colorado with the Turbomax but my mechanic buddy said he would kick me in the nuts if I bought a GM. He drives a Ram because he couldn't afford a used Tundra with a reasonable amount of miles on it. Was the lesser of the three domestic evils from what him and his boss has seen in the shop.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO that's optioned to fit my wants and pulled by a little Ram.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Just smile and walk away.
Yes thats pencil to paper and ive seen 25mpg on cruise control at 60 mph but in reality its approx 1.5 mpg off
The point that gets lost in a lot of these conversations is what you are actually towing. For me a 2500 series truck is just pointless, as I dont need that towing capacity for anything I own. I run a double cab, long bet 4 liter 6cyl Tacoma 4x4. It has reasonable gas mileage to use as my daily driver, and it tows my 3k fishing rig beautifully. What I am towing is only half its capacity, why would it not.
Love life....Love each other
Lots of us tow more than a boat. Travel trailer and heavy construction trailers. What seems to get lost is most 2500 diesel will get better mpg towing a boat than little trucks.
HighcenteredMy boat is heavy for what it is so would leave a good black mark on the ramp
The brakes on the trailer are extremely important especially if you are towing anything over 1500# with a smaller vehicle. I sold my favorite towing vehicle to a family friend few yrs back, a 2003 3500HD ext cab 8.1L 4.10 rears dually which I used for personal and business. Currently, I have a 2013 GMC 1500 6.2L 4x4 3.73 rears towing/plowing package for lighter trailers and bass rig, and a 2023 3500HD 6.6L 4x4 quad cab 3.73 rears single wheels towing /plowing package for 30' RV @11.5K # and business 8 tons deckover for Bobcat mini and skidsteer. I ordered a 2500HD same set up, but I ended up getting a better deal on this 3500HD that a buyer backed out of deal. I always try to get the towing and plowing to get heavier suspension and bigger alternator.
I get a GM salary retiree discount, so it only cost me 60K with nearly 12K+ discounts, and kept GMC for lighter stuff and my wife to drive when she needs it cause she doesn't like the 3500HD being too stiff of a ride.
Agreed, and for those folks a 2500 series diesel makes sense. Its the negativity towards those who tow bass rigs with mid-sized trucks and SUVs who only tow their boat that I was referring to.
Love life....Love each other
I tow my rig with a 15 F150 with 2.7 EB with tow package... Can't even tell I'm towing anything. I have to slow down because I forget I'm towing my boat. I go up the hills and mountains with no issues. IIRC that 2.7 is specced off a diesel, but runs on gas, and the twin Ts really give it some oomph which is great for towing up hills... But then again my boat doesn't weigh as much as a Jaguar.
Going back to the original question. A 3/4 ton diesel is the best for towing the typical tournament bass boat. I have driven many different tow vehicles and there is no comparison between a 1/2 & 3/4 ton truck. The 3/4 ton just makes easy work of the task.
What is best to own is a totally different story. For the person that only tows a bass boat and will use the truck for double maybe triple duty a 1/2 ton is the better option.
I have been shopping for a replacement for my 14 coyote powered F150 for 3yrs. There are reasons that this purchase got drawn out which has given me extra time to contemplate what is best for my needs. Here is why I’m leaning towards another F150. Pros of a diesel are increased capability, fuel economy and resale. Pros of a 1/2 ton is they’re less difficult to drive because of the shorter wheelbase, they cost less in every way except mpg and they’re much better off-road. For me I want mine to do triple duty, tow, commute and offroad/oh shit capabilities.
I will say if one buys a newer 3/4 ton to tow, it will be hard to step down to a 1/2 ton.
Some of these people think you need a 1 ton dually to tow a 5x8 utility trailer to the home improvement store.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO that's optioned to fit my wants and pulled by a little Ram.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Just smile and walk away.
I pull an 18' aluminum boat. The brakes on my Ram 1500 will throw me through the windshield while towing that boat. I can guarantee no one will be at risk if I decide to downsize to a midsize. It's not as big of a deal as many on here claim it is. A 2500 or 3500 truck makes zero sense to most of people who pull a bass boat. Yes they tow better but usually a waste of money and a stiffer ride. You're the exception and not the rule.
Last edited by Highcentered; 05-17-2025 at 10:25 PM.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO that's optioned to fit my wants and pulled by a little Ram.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Just smile and walk away.
Doesn’t matter what type truck or vehicle it is, it just has to stop safely with whatever it is towing in any situation.
I am a full time guide fishing about 220 days a year then duck hunting from my duck hunting boat blind another 30 or so....
So my BMW x5 diesel stays hooked up nearly every day.
My 26ft center console bay boat is 6800 pounds on the trailer.
Duck blind boat is a 21ft Lund Alaskan. It is a treat to tow comparatively.. But I also have to pull my tractor/loader/backhoe which is 7500 pounds including the trailer.
Or the two draft horses in the horse trailer will be 7500 or so.
Or the airboat i Captain for environmental survey work.
Or the 26ft twin engine offshore boat I Captain sometimes for a different charter company.
10 yrs now.... excellent tow vehicle.
Last edited by SGrem; 05-18-2025 at 09:53 PM.
I made the switch to a 3/4 ton diesel after we bought a 30ft camper - towing the camper with the F150 was not enjoyable. Tows the camper with ease and towing my ranger I get 15mpg
I'm under the impression that many on here are lumping your tank of an SUV in with the same category something like a Chevy Equinox would be in. Your X5 seems to be working great for you and the ones saying it isn't are saying this out of ignorance because they probably don't consider a tow rig adequate unless you can't tell the trailer is back there. I still say your X5 is probably a better tow pig than most half ton trucks. I know my Grand Cherokee towed as good or better than the Ram quadcab before it and the single cab Ram I have now. Felt more planted on the road while towing. Not having factory towing and a bad rear end collision from a distracted clown in a Camry is the reason I didn't keep that Jeep because it really was a great SUV. Also missed having an open bed behind me so there's that.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO that's optioned to fit my wants and pulled by a little Ram.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Just smile and walk away.
I skidded right through a stop light the first time I tried towing an 18ft boat with a midsized truck. It was in the rain, the extra weight of the boat simply overpowered the smaller truck (before brakes were required for boat trailers). As long as the trailer has brakes, it'd be safer, but I've always believed in "overkill" over "just enough". Not all brakes are equal as well - my Hummer (over 6,000 lb vehicle) does not stop anywhere near as well as my Grand Wagoneer (also an over 6,000lb vehicle). Difference is staggering, the Hummer probably would have issues if the trailer didn't have brakes.
Something else to consider - 3/4 ton trucks have a beefier suspension over 1/2 ton trucks. Towing takes a toll on your suspension parts.
The tires that replaced my factory tires are leaps and bounds better. That makes a big difference. I'll be going with another set of Falken Wildpeaks even though they wear out faster than a lot of other tires. The soft tread is amazing on wet roads AND WET RAMPS. If I go midsize the same tires will go on it probably sooner than needed. On the stopping my dad gave me a good lesson when I was a kid. When he had to borrow the '66 Chevy II Nova with manual brakes his parents had until the late 90's he knew he had to be more cautious with it because they didn't hold a candle to the modern power brakes he was used to. He also learned to drive in that car so he knew it well. He applied those same lessons towing a 19' Spectrum deep V with an '87 Ranger, '90 Ranger, and '97 Dakota. No brakes on that trailer either. Just had to be aware and expect the unexpected. He didn't want to spend the money on a fullsize truck and he worked in downtown Little Rock where parking was tight.
Last edited by Highcentered; 05-21-2025 at 11:54 AM.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO that's optioned to fit my wants and pulled by a little Ram.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. Just smile and walk away.
If your pulling heavy bass boat ain’t heavy. Maybe when trump gets everything straightened out maybe we’ll see a real diesel engine again. These over complicated pieces of crap ain’t worth the price or hassle.
Just bought a new f 250xlt gas 6.8 minizilla 4x4 and ain’t looking back.
No start stop no turbos no def gets 15.5 around town and have gotten 17.9
on longer trips hand figured. It does ride like a 250 but hooked up to trailer rides great.
Im not bashing anyone for buying one but if towing 13,000 or 15,000 or more regularly by the diesel
But If you rarely tow anything more than a bass boat do you really need it?
Just to make some of yalls heads explode. And some ammo for yall.
I towed that twin engine offshore boat from Minnesota to Galveston. Cruise Control on 75 much of the way. The bay boat is my daily tow at 6800 pounds. The tractor/loader/backhoe is pushing 7500 pounds on the trailer.
And before some of yall lose your mind even more that single axle flatbed is rated at 8400 pounds... look close that is 6" I beam frame front to back and 8 lug axle.
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