# Will my truck pull my boat???



## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

I have a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 longbed, 4.8 litre, 2 wheel drive, reg cab V8 Gas engine rated at 6200 lbs towing. My boat is a 20' Bayliner Trophy walkaround, 150 Merc outboard on a tandem wheel aluminum trailer. I fiqure the total rig, with gas, at about 4500 lbs. I live in a hilly area. Should I worry about pulling this boat? Will tranny hold up to the job? Thanks, in advance, for all replies.


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## Palmetto (Jun 28, 2004)

Do you have the boat & truck already? Why not hook up to it, and see what happens man? That truck will pull the boat, but wouldnt be good enough for me because for the last ten years I have been driving a Cummins Diesel. When you go from that to a gasser, it's a real letdown.

I'm not sure how much towing experience you have, but be careful towing in the hills. Give your self plenty of room to slow down becuase I doubt you have trailer brakes.

Also, this is a good excuse to get that heavy duty truck you have always wanted....LOL


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

Oh,it'll pull it,But will it stop it? It will be in a bind all of the time in those hills and if you don't take it out of overdrive, you can expect to be spending money on a transmission! for a few trips a year, you should be fine "as long as you have trailer "brakes". But if you pull it a lot , get another "puller"!


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

you will be fine 

put the shifter in tow/haul mode and take your time.

it's stopping you need to worry about , always allow yourself more than enough room


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## Supergas (Nov 30, 2004)

What CO said previously...

The truck will pull the weight & it will also stop the boat just don't get in a big hurry...

You do not need to put the late model GM trucks in 3rd gear, just use the Tow/Haul button & you will be fine....

I pull a 20ft Wellcraft Cuddy with a 1/2 ton 07 Sierra & have no problem. 

I do not have trailer brakes on that trailer, but I do on the 20ft utility trailer that I also pull...

Good luck...

SG


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## bwguardian (Aug 30, 2005)

It will pull it. Years ago, I had a 1500 regular cab short bed with the 350 in it. I bought a 25' Whaler Outrage on a Sportsman tandem trailer (no brakes) in Florida. I paid the guy to bring it to Mobile where we would make the exchange (I had already flown down and sea trialed the boat). The wife was laghing at me as to why I was worried about towing the boat back until I backed up and hitched the trailer...we could pass anything but a gas station. What I found was never attempt to tow when the pavement was wet as the boat would literally push the truck while attempting to stop. I also put a transmission cooler on it and never had issues with the transmission. That boat lasted through 3 trucks as I had 3/4 and 1 ton diesels after that 1500.


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

I was told that this truck has the smallest V8 engine that GMC puts in it's work truck. (Like a 280 something or other). I had the truck and then found a great deal on a 20' Bayliner. I have pulled it up an incline. I used the "Tow" button and had no problem. I just took it real easy. When I bought the truck, I thought that since it was a 1500 series that it was a 350 1/2 ton like my last 1500. I assumed wrong. I mostly worry about the tranny. Just 28K miles on this truck.


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## Supergas (Nov 30, 2004)

*4L60E Tranny*

Same Tranny in all 1500's unless you do like I did & buy the VortexMax towing package... Then you get 6.0L, SD 4speed auto (M70) larger ring gear third member.... & some other HD goodies....

If you do not have a transmission cooler, just add one.. they are easy to do & you can do it yourself....

SG


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## bwguardian (Aug 30, 2005)

Supergas said:


> If you do not have a transmission cooler, just add one.. they are easy to do & you can do it yourself....
> 
> SG


That is what I did on the truck above and it worked for the rest of the time I had the truck...no problems with the tranny when I sold it at 170,000? miles.


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

I have a like new HD tranny cooler off my old 3/4 ton GMC. I'll stick that in. I thought that I would add air shocks to the rear axle and put a set of equalizer bars on the hitch (I have two sets sitting in my garage). Would that be much of a benefit?


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## bwguardian (Aug 30, 2005)

Unless your tongue weight on the trailer is putting excess load on the truck, all you should need is the tranny cooler. If the truck is squating, then your boat needs to be pulled back on the trailer.


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

Thanks for the tip. FF


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

Supergas said:


> What CO said previously...
> 
> The truck will pull the weight & it will also stop the boat just don't get in a big hurry...
> 
> ...


 "just don't get in a big hurry" who knows what the road will bring? Do you pull yours in the hills? It will do it, but not a "safe" bet!


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## boashna (May 28, 2004)

there are 52 weeks in a year and how many of those was used to go fishing . if you fish like most , then 10 trips a year is all you do. invest according to usage . 

Gm gets the best mileage overall and as a result I would keep it in lower gear to ease the pressure on transmission , how far and time of the year is important . if round trip is less than 100 miles in hilly area during summer I wouldn't worry about it since only few trips are taken on the truck . 

I use a 1983 suburban diesel on a flat area with round trip of 100 miles with a weight of $3500 without any problems. I have had to slam on break once at 35 mph without any problem . I thought the boat going to be on my lap .


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## Figfarmer (Nov 25, 2007)

I drive 130 miles one way from 2000 feet elevation in the northern California mountain foothills to San Francisco bay (0 elevation). Downhill most of the way going and uphill most of the way home. Closest boating for my taste in still 78 miles one way to Sacramento river delta. Alot of driving. Ungodly amounts of gas. Expensive toll bridges and then $10 to launch your boat at any boat launch (and those are the cheap ones). I've been doing it about once or twice a month for 28 years in California . My house in Aransas Pass (Have had it for 5 years) is 6 blocks to the entrance of Conn Brown harbor. 2 minutes of driving and a free boat launch. Why am I still in California? ( My job. Keeps the gas flowing) It just might be time to retire and stay down in Texas. (Could ya'll just do something about those hurricanes???).


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## catchysumfishy (Jul 19, 2008)

Figfarmer said:


> I drive 130 miles one way from 2000 feet elevation in the northern California mountain foothills to San Francisco bay (0 elevation). Downhill most of the way going and uphill most of the way home. Closest boating for my taste in still 78 miles one way to Sacramento river delta. Alot of driving. Ungodly amounts of gas. Expensive toll bridges and then $10 to launch your boat at any boat launch (and those are the cheap ones). I've been doing it about once or twice a month for 28 years in California . My house in Aransas Pass (Have had it for 5 years) is 6 blocks to the entrance of Conn Brown harbor. 2 minutes of driving and a free boat launch. Why am I still in California? ( My job. Keeps the gas flowing) It just might be time to retire and stay down in Texas. (Could ya'll just do something about those hurricanes???).


Yes sir, that's a pull, most of these guys that are posting have great intentions , but most have never pulled in long steep inclinations/declination's. It's not about the pulling power at this point, it's about the stopping power and that half ton does NOT have ample breaks after they start over heating and you can only go so slow due to the traffic in your area! Yes, you can get away with it, but why take the chance? and that is exactly what it is , is a chance! OK , it is also about the power and fuel consumption at this point because what goes down, must come up and with that little motor you have there, it will be in a major bind pulling that load back up hill and every part of that drive train will be working way harder than what it was designed to do and that is dangerous, if not for you, then for everyone else you may encounter on your trip and i know that you don't want to endanger anyone else! The whole trip down, you are working super hard on your breaks, the whole way back up, your working everything else on your drive train harder than designed! this should answer your question in complete! Danger vs Safety, which will you choose?


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