Tow Rig Questions and Opinion

[forjar]

Looking to purchase a new vehicle for the family and I am looking at a 2007 Tahoe and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with towing their boat with the Tahoe. I currently have a 2005 2500HD and it pulls the boat fine.

I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on the towing of the Tahoe for the boat.

[ajholt7]

Just my opinion but if you currently are pulling with a diesel I doubt you will be happy towing with a Tahoe. I have towed my boat with a Tahoe and it pulled fine but nothing like my F-250. I would suggest looking for a diesel Excursion.

[Wickedcummins]

Better keep the diesel

[robert theisen]

nothing beats a diesel for towing!

[Wickedcummins]

Yah going from diesel to gas your gonna hate life

[skippabcool]

I was looking at possible going to a Yukon XL for more room, there are six of us. I currently tow with a Dodge diesel, we can all squeeze in like sardines. My buddy had towed a '85 2001 Ski Nautique, small compared to my boat, with a Tahoe and said don't do it. He upgraded to a V10 Ford and said he would never go back.

[forjar]

Not a diesel, gas 6.0

[Wickedcummins]

Buy a dodge mega cab there HUge and very roomy

[Ewok]

I have never pulled with w diesel so I don't know what I'm missing, I want a diesel for my next truck, but my 4runner did very well towing my rz2 from TX to WA via Los Angeles, and a Tahoe would have even pulled it better.

[wallacmc]

I have never pulled with w diesel so I don't know what I'm missing, I want a diesel for my next truck, but my 4runner did very well towing my rz2 from TX to WA via Los Angeles, and a Tahoe would have even pulled it better.

I pull my RZ2 with a '07 Navigatior. We bought it for the exact same reason, needing a rig that could pull a boat while also serving as a family vehicle. As far as the GMs go, they have that huge V8 available that the Fords don't, but my smaller V8 does just fine. We pull it over Jellico mountain traveling into Tennessee just fine. IMO, any V8 has the power to get it done.

However, the major consideration is the handling. While the power is sufficient, the shorter wheelbase of the Tahoes and such can make you feel like the tail is wagging the dog. It generally isn't a huge deal, save for when you are in between two semis through a construction zon on those narrow lanes - makes you grit your teeth a little. If you have adults riding any further back than the front two seats, be prepared to have them bouncing all over. The tounge really puts some liftign force on the rear of the vehicle.

If you get the Yukon Xl, Excursion, Navigator L, Suburban, etc., you get an extra foot or so of wheel base, and I imagine it has to help in the handling department. Same goes for those big trucks spoken about above. I didn't go that route, because this was going to be my wife's car day to day and I didn't want her negotiating parking lots in one of those.

Some on here pick the Fords due to a philosophy of not wanting to buy a ride from "Government Motors." - just a matter of taste.

In fine, I say pulling with any of the full sized SUVs could get a little uncomfortable from a handling perspective, but performs fine. There was a guy on here last year that was planning on pulling his with one of those Porshe SUVs. Again, power aplenty, but I would hate to drag a boat with that thing on an interstate and have to keep it in one lane. The longer the wheelbase the better IMO.

[laserfish]

Pulled mine for years with a half ton suburban. Pulled OK, but stopping was sometimes an adventure. Last summer got a gas F250. Pulls much better and stopping is incredible. No comparison in towing ability. Have pulled it with a diesel before, and it would be the only way to go, but I could not justify the extra expense initially or in maintenance for the summer weekends of pulling the boat. The only way to know for sure is find someone or a dealer that will let you pull with the vehicle you are looking at. Won't take you long to know if it is right for you.

[Timmy!]

I have never pulled with w diesel so I don't know what I'm missing, I want a diesel for my next truck, but my 4runner did very well towing my rz2 from TX to WA via Los Angeles, and a Tahoe would have even pulled it better.

I doubt it. You said that you got 12 mpg towing with your 4 Runner and that will NEVER happen with a Tahoe. I used to get 6 mpg towing the RZ2 with my Avalanche with has the same engine. I hate the 5.3, the torque and hp are up way too high in the rpm range to be useful for towing.

[flyguy]

Buy a dodge mega cab there HUge and very roomy

x2.

I'm towing with an '06 Dodge Cummins quad cab and will never go back to a gas powered tow rig in the mountains.

[Timmy!]

What kind of terrain will you be towing that boat in? Lots of hills or mountain passes? If so, I would skip it but if you are mostly flat land you would probably be fine and you are at sea level too.

[Billua]

x2.

I'm towing with an '06 Dodge Cummins quad cab and will never go back to a gas powered tow rig in the mountains.

Aint that the truth!

My first Dodge Cummins was a 2001 3/4 ton short bed. Pulled my trailers and my tige like they weren't even attached until, I got a 24 ft enclosed trailer for a business that I used to operate.

The box trailer would feel like it was pushing the trucks rear end straight when I went around curves at highway speed. Going by a semi from the opposite direction was an adventure!

So, I rectified that buy buying a 2005 4 door, 8 ft bed Dually.



I'll tell you what, no trailer tells that truck where to go. You talk about stability and braking. Yes, total overkill with just pulling a boat but man, rolling effortlessly down the highway is really nice.

It is really a fine balance with weighing use, family and dollars but there are great deals out there on used diesels and these things usually last a few hundred thousand miles with just basic oil and filter changes.