# What do you tow your boat with?



## coach57 (Mar 23, 2010)

Kind of off topic, but I am in the market for a new truck, and was wondering what trucks you guys pulled your boats with and how they performed towing on the highway and in town. I have towed with an f150 and was wondering about the newer ones and the silverado 1500. Input on any other vehicles welcome.


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## Pilot281 (Aug 14, 2006)

My dad and I tow his 33' travel trailer and pontoon boat with our Tundras. His is an '08 and mine is a '12. Very happy with them.


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## Charlie in TX (May 4, 2012)

I tow a 5000lb boat plus fuel and trailer for 8000lb plus or minus with a '10 Dodge 1500 Hemi. I only tow about 1 mile. If I was to tow from my home (200 round) I would buy a 3/4 ton. So, my recommendation would depend on what you tow. All of the trucks (big 3 plus Toyota and Nissan) make good trucks. Buy the correct size truck from whichever manufacture suites your fancy.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Any of the new trucks will tow a lot better than the previous generation. I haven't towed with it yet, but just got a new Ecoboost. My old F150 with a 5.4 towed both my boats just fine, but this new motor is a whole lot more powerful, so I suspect it will really do a nice job.

I drove the latest Dodge, Toyota, and Chevy 1500 series offerings. All were noticeably more powerful than my old truck. I would drive them all, pick the one you like best and go with it. Can't hardly go wrong.


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## Brute (Apr 29, 2009)

My 08 and 10 Silverado trucks we not impressive by any means towing my 21' Dargel. I had to keep them out of over drive and 60-65mph is about all they wanted. Stopping was no fun either. 7-8mpg was all they would do pulling. They won't last long like that.

I think the previos generations pulled better. The newer trucks have better brakes though.

Now I have a 2500 Dodge diesel and get 16mpg, can stop if I have to, and can drive what ever speed I want. You hardly know the boats is back there.


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## goodwood (Mar 30, 2009)




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## CKALLTHEWAY (Sep 8, 2012)

The F150 5.0 v8 with the 3;55 gears will tow 9,000 very well if you need more than that the ecoboost with the max trailer tow package and the 3;73 gears is a beast. Be careful when buying a truck that you are gonna tow with that you know what gears it has. The F150 comes with 3;15's 3;33's 3;55's and the 3;73's. The first two rear ends get really good mileage ( 20-22 ) but they are not gonna pull what you want. The later 2 will get 3-4 less MPg's but will run off with your load.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

CKALLTHEWAY said:


> The F150 5.0 v8 with the 3;55 gears will tow 9,000 very well if you need more than that the ecoboost with the max trailer tow package and the 3;73 gears is a beast. Be careful when buying a truck that you are gonna tow with that you know what gears it has. The F150 comes with 3;15's 3;33's 3;55's and the 3;73's. The first two rear ends get really good mileage ( 20-22 ) but they are not gonna pull what you want. The later 2 will get 3-4 less MPg's but will run off with your load.


Curious where you get that info from.

My '13 Eco with 3.31 rear end tows quite well. Mileage depends on a lot of factors.

I came from a '09 F150 5.4 with 3.73. IMO my current Eco setup tows better than my '09.


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## alphaman (Jun 3, 2011)

2011 Dodge Durango with the hemi. Pulling a 2104 frontier with suzuki 175
15mpg crusing 60-63 mph

sent from my Galaxy NOTE II


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## natureboy3002 (Jan 2, 2011)

I use my Tundra and love it. More truck than boat I don't even know it's back there. But I needed a new truck new boat along a little later. 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## natureboy3002 (Jan 2, 2011)

Better truck pic 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

natureboy3002 said:


> I use my Tundra and love it. More truck than boat I don't even know it's back there. But I needed a new truck new boat along a little later.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk


Sweeeet looking sled!


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## BIG PAPPA (Apr 1, 2008)

*Just a Lil Duramax*

250,000 miles and still going....


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## bubbas kenner (Sep 4, 2010)

07 fx4 08 kenner 19 ft vision tunnel


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## TxRaider (Oct 1, 2012)

The Tundra towed the space shuttle so I guess it can tow a boat and its built in Texas added bonus.


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## texcajun (Feb 22, 2009)

I tow my little 16' Alumacraft Tunnel hull with a 2002 Dodge Ram Q-cab with the 4.7l V8 and while it does an OK job, I definitely know I am towing something when it's back there.
But since it's paid for, I'll keep her!


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## Lakeandbay2 (Apr 15, 2012)

I get 10 to 12 mpg at 75 mph pulling. My dad's ford twin turbo is about the same. Only difference I notice is the ford seems to stop with less effort.

Both diesel.

Pulling the same boat with a 2010 f150 I was getting 7.5 to 9 mpg and had to gas it over a mole hill. Not fun IMO


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Lakeandbay said:


> I get 10 to 12 mpg at 75 mph pulling. My dad's ford twin turbo is about the same. Only difference I notice is the ford seems to stop with less effort.
> 
> Both diesel.
> 
> *Pulling the same boat with a 2010 f150 I was getting 7.5 to 9 mpg and had to gas it over a mole hill. Not fun IMO*


You must have been doing it wrong or had one of the little motors. That isn't a very big boat. My old 5.4 F150 pulled much heavier boats than that with no problem. A new EB and that boat would be an afterthought.

Not dissing your cummins. Great motor, but overkill for a flats boat if that's all you're pulling. I hope you have something that will give it a workout.


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## Lakeandbay2 (Apr 15, 2012)

I had a 5.4. And yes it it's a work out. The boat is a 23 cat. 

I purchased the cummins when I was pulling the boat from my parents in SPI to college station every two weeks. It was a real game changer.


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## Brute (Apr 29, 2009)

Gottagofishin said:


> You must have been doing it wrong or had one of the little motors. That isn't a very big boat. My old 5.4 F150 pulled much heavier boats than that with no problem. A new EB and that boat would be an afterthought.
> 
> Not dissing your cummins. Great motor, but overkill for a flats boat if that's all you're pulling. I hope you have something that will give it a workout.


You put the same size tires, toolbox, ect that Dodge has on your F150 and it will down shift on a hill with out the boat.


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## jfish87 (Feb 15, 2010)

Brute said:


> You put the same size tires, toolbox, ect that Dodge has on your F150 and it will down shift on a hill with out the boat.


you'd be surprised how those ecoboost pull... I have one and it won't down shift pulling our 19ft nautic star, fishing load, 49 gallons of fuel in the boat, and four guys.. even going over overpasses it doesn't down shift. Mileage isn't as good as a diesel of course though... I get about 11 w/ cruise @ 70


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## Brute (Apr 29, 2009)

jfish87 said:


> you'd be surprised how those ecoboost pull... I have one and it won't down shift pulling our 19ft nautic star, fishing load, 49 gallons of fuel in the boat, and four guys.. even going over overpasses it doesn't down shift. Mileage isn't as good as a diesel of course though... I get about 11 w/ cruise @ 70


An EB is a lot different than the 5.4L the guy claims pulled bigger boats with not problem.

No problem is a relative term...


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Brute said:


> You put the same size tires, toolbox, ect that Dodge has on your F150 and it will down shift on a hill with out the boat.


I recently traded my 5.4 for an EB. The EB has so much more power it's not fair to even compare them.

That said, I pulled a 23' Whaler Dauntless, T Top, 60 gallons of fuel, and the bed full of ice chests and gear around the Gulf Coast with the 5.4 4spd. I kind of doubt a tool box would have bothered it much. Oh that's right! I had a tool box on it. And it still pulled the boat. Imagine that.

Am I comparing to a cummins? No. If I pulled it long distances weekly, would I want a diesel? Yes.

But for the average person who drags their bay boat to the boat ramp once or twice a month, a 1500/150 class truck is just fine.


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## revag12 (Jul 5, 2005)

I had a 2004 with the 5.4 and it was fine for pulling our +7,500 lb McKee Craft even with 170k on the odometer. You wouldn't win any drag races, but then again, it is a pretty good size load. I have the EB now and it is considerably better at towing. So far, very happy with the EB for heavy towing.


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## Brute (Apr 29, 2009)

I've had nothing but 1/2 tons up until my current 3/4 Dodge. Will always have a 1/2 ton Z-71 on the side. I take care of cattle and do oilfield work all with a 1/2 ton.

I never said a 1/2 would not do the job... but be realistic... its a load... not what I consider a fun drive. That's all Im saying.


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## aggieanglr (Oct 1, 2007)

Have a 21' Supra Launch. Tow it all over the place with my 2012 JK Jeep.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Newbomb Turk (Sep 16, 2005)

It can be a little rough at times backing down the ramp..


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

Newbomb Turk said:


> It can be a little rough at times backing down the ramp..


still pulls more than a ford :rotfl:


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

I can sleep in it , but the gas milage is not all that good. You really don't know the boats back there till you look in the rear view mirror.


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## Gfish (Aug 31, 2009)

2007 f-150


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## bbru (Apr 9, 2010)

2014 4x4 with max trailer package and a 420hp 6.2L


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## ReelWork (May 21, 2004)

Really nice truck but you can only see half of it because that new white Chevy is blocking half of it. :biggrin:




All kidding aside, that is a beautiful truck - congrats!


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## C.Hern5972 (Jul 17, 2009)

LOL^^


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## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

5.7 Tundra 6 speed auto 4.30 rear end.


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## hoogenda (Jul 25, 2006)

*Grady pulled with Suburban*

28 ft grady with twins pulled by my regular 1500 2wd suburban. I was surprised it handled it so well to be honest. Brakes well but of course you have to take your time.


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## 4dd1kt3d (Jun 19, 2012)

This combo works good for me. 1999 Land Cruiser pulling my 1984 Whaler Montauk (yep, not as shiny and new as some of the other stuff but I'm not really liking car/boat payments anymore). Cant wait to get them back on the fish.


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## ReelWork (May 21, 2004)

2011 F250 4x4


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