Truck - Boat Towing Opinions

[mikedatiger]

I have a pretty heavy boat (say 4300lbs on trailer) and am pulling it with a 4X4 Titan. Truck gets terrible gas mileage to begin with but pulling the boat kills it,along with my transmission, unless I am using the tow mode.

I am looking to get a new truck but my question for all of you SC's is should I get a diesel (F-250) or a F-150, and why (if you answer). Those are the only two trucks I am considering, so no chevy die hards pls.

[CatDaddy]

I cant answer that for you.... My dad and eveyone else around my house that has a power stroke HATES them.. Awesome ride, pissy power!...

I know its not the answer your looking for, but I would go with a Cummings!!

If I could, and could afford it, I would have a ford body, cummings engine, and an Alloson Tranny!.... That would be a badazz truck!

[Salty]

http://theaudis4.com/forbes-says-for...-worst-trucks/


And they ain't the only ones. I know somebody that's got a 2010 for sale.

[mikedatiger]

thanks cat - looking at the 2011 F-250. Only think holding me back is the wonderful price tag, but just trying to see if I can get by with the F150 or if i'll have the same problems as with my truck.

[CatDaddy]

Originally Posted by mikedatiger

thanks cat - looking at the 2011 F-250. Only think holding me back is the wonderful price tag, but just trying to see if I can get by with the F150 or if i'll have the same problems as with my truck.

Yea... Beautifull trucks, and awesome interior... Fords are awesome trucks except for the lack of power!

When I first bought my camper, I went get it with my dads truck because I didnt have a 5th wheel hookup in my truck yet. My Dad has an F250 and its like everytime I went to take off, The truck sounded like it was straining so bad, it was gonna burn up... After I got my hookup in my truck, and hooked the camper up to the Dodge 2500 W/ 5.9 cummings.... I almost yanked the front og the camper off... Now I have the 6.7 cummings, and its a BEAST.... and I payed 32,000 out the door... But I will admit that the ride is not near that of a Chevy or Ford!
I will pull my camper and my boat wherever I go camping now!

[LaAngler]

Well considering that 4300 total is less than half of what a F150 is rated to pull, I dont see why not.

Get the 5.4 with the 6 speed auto, with 3.73 gears. The 6.2 and the new 5.0 are supposed to be available soon but who knows.

[adamsfence]

U couldnt give me a new 250 not for a couple years there is a reason they keep changing motors so fast. all the gas burners are gonna suck when pulling but most of them get 18 to 20 when not so no more than i pull my boat ill pay 10 more dollars to pull my boat and save the rest of the time. also dont forget about the 100 dollar oil changes, fuel filters, ruff as hell, injector problems. my advice is dont step up to the diesel til u have 2

[specktator]

Before i got my 08' Chevy Duramax 4x4, I had a 2004 Z71 Avalanche and a 2003 Chevy Z71, both 1/2 tons. They couldnt pull a boat worth a crap, or anything heavy for that matter. Burned a buttload of fuel and u could never set the cruise cause as soon as u got to the slightest incline the truck was screaming!

My Duramax is a beast. I dont even feel my boat back there, and my boston whaler is a tank! I could literally go 80mph, which i dont, if i wanted to. Only downfall is the new Chevy 3/4 tons only come with about a 25 gallon tank, even the diesels. So it takes me almost a tank from Lafayette to BL and back. But if I had a bigger tank it wouldn't be bad. My dad's partner has one just like mine and put a fuel tank/tool box in the back and fixed it to where it bleeds straight into his fuel tank, so he has about 75 gallons.

I never had a F-250. They were just always so plain compared to a GM vehicle IMO. But the 2011 Fords are pretty sweet. Im just a Chevy man. I will never go back to a 1/2 ton as long as I live.

[Salty]

Originally Posted by specktator

Before i got my 08' Chevy Duramax 4x4, I had a 2004 Z71 Avalanche and a 2003 Chevy Z71, both 1/2 tons. They couldnt pull a boat worth a crap, or anything heavy for that matter. Burned a buttload of fuel and u could never set the cruise cause as soon as u got to the slightest incline the truck was screaming!

My Duramax is a beast. I dont even feel my boat back there. I could literally go 80mph, which i dont, if i wanted to. Only downfall is the new Chevy 3/4 tons only come with about a 25 gallon tank, even the diesels. So it takes me almost a tank from Lafayette to BL and back. But if I had a bigger tank it wouldn't be bad.

I never had a F-250. They were just always so plain compared to a GM vehicle IMO. But the 2011 Fords are pretty sweet. Im just a Chevy man. I will never go back to a 1/2 ton as long as I live.

He kindly asked you not to post.

[BayBolt23]

Get a diesel you wont regret it. Listen to me I have a 23 ft Hydra-sports and its heavy *** hell. I had a 2001 chevy 6.0 4x4 gas I used to pull my boat and got 8.5 mpg. Bought a brand new chevy diesel 4x4 and get 14mpgs now. Cruise set at 70 or 75 and no looking back baby that thing pulls T

[specktator]

Originally Posted by Salty

He kindly asked you not to post.

LOL, my bad. I didn't even read that. Well u got my .02 whether u liked it or not!

[wtretrievers]

Heavy load on a gas burner is exactly what's going to happen burn fuel & lots of it no matter what make.

[mikedatiger]

Originally Posted by specktator

LOL, my bad. I didn't even read that. Well u got my .02 whether u liked it or not!

No worries - just didn't want a ford vs. thread popping up. Seems like a ton of issues with the previous fords, which is why i don't want a 2010 or earlier. Just stuck on the fence cause half the people i talk to say diesel and the other half gas. my only real issue is towing the boat back forth to houston from BL and I have the same problem as someone else mentioned about the truck screaming on inclines.

just don't see that going away with buying an f150 but i could be wrong.

[specktator]

Originally Posted by mikedatiger

No worries - just didn't want a ford vs. thread popping up. Seems like a ton of issues with the previous fords, which is why i don't want a 2010 or earlier. Just stuck on the fence cause half the people i talk to say diesel and the other half gas. my only real issue is towing the boat back forth to houston from BL and I have the same problem as someone else mentioned about the truck screaming on inclines.

just don't see that going away with buying an f150 but i could be wrong.

I get about 13 mph towing my big rig around. And mine is a diesel. They say once u break a diesel in, 25,000 miles, it is supposed to get better. Mine has almost 55,000 miles and I havent noticed much.

Yeh I would def go with a 3/4 ton for a good sized bay boat. It is a miserable ride in a 1/2 ton. Only prob is my buddy bought a 2011 King Ranch F-250 4x4 the other day, said he paid $57k. Yikes!

I got mine for $40k, but thats when they were basically giving diesels away when diesel prices were through the roof.

I know off subject, but i wanna see that new 2500 Denali!

[BayBolt23]

You will not get rid of that issue. I tried programmers,mufflers & cold air intake systems the only thing that solved the problem was a diesel. I promise you,if you dont buy a diesel you gunna wish you did.

[specktator]

The same buddy that bought that King Ranch says there is a chip u can put in a diesel and get like 150 more horsepower and like 26 mpg!

[LaAngler]

why not drag the boat to the dealership and hook em up! If I was dropping that kinda coin I would.

i just can't see a new f150 set up right having trouble with that load, even in overdrive.

[wtretrievers]

Originally Posted by specktator

The same buddy that bought that King Ranch says there is a chip u can put in a diesel and get like 150 more horsepower and like 26 mpg!

I put the chip in mine, cold air induction & 5" magna flow & get 24-25mpg w/o a load on interstate, Pulling my boat 24' Skeeter (don't know the weight other than it's HEAVY) I get around 19mpg interstate. That's on a cummins, Plus with chip turned all the way up with the cold air & exhaust dyno'd at 497 hp! Like driving a 6000lb sports car! When you romp on it & that turbo whistles, ya better hang on cause that big beoootch is leaving!

[flyphisher]

Originally Posted by CatDaddy

Yea... Beautifull trucks, and awesome interior... Fords are awesome trucks except for the lack of power!

When I first bought my camper, I went get it with my dads truck because I didnt have a 5th wheel hookup in my truck yet. My Dad has an F250 and its like everytime I went to take off, The truck sounded like it was straining so bad, it was gonna burn up... After I got my hookup in my truck, and hooked the camper up to the Dodge 2500 W/ 5.9 cummings.... I almost yanked the front og the camper off... Now I have the 6.7 cummings, and its a BEAST.... and I payed 32,000 out the door... But I will admit that the ride is not near that of a Chevy or Ford!
I will pull my camper and my boat wherever I go camping now!

judging from the way your truck is sagging with the camper hooked up, you are;
1. improperly loaded gear in the trailer, or
2. simply over-loaded.

You really should not pull a 5th wheel with a short bed truck. The 8' bed trucks give you a better weight distribution.

I've only been selling trucks for 19 years, and watching people buy the wrong truck and overload it for 19 years.

[CatDaddy]

Originally Posted by flyphisher

judging from the way your truck is sagging with the camper hooked up, you are;
1. improperly loaded gear in the trailer, or
2. simply over-loaded.

You really should not pull a 5th wheel with a short bed truck. The 8' bed trucks give you a better weight distribution.

I've only been selling trucks for 19 years, and watching people buy the wrong truck and overload it for 19 years.

I just need airbags huh?