Just got a boat, what to tow it with?
 

Well, I just got an '87 v20 steplift. I am working on getting it running and just realized that my g35 coupe will not tow it;)

So, my question is... can i get a v6 Explorer or similar class 4x4, or do I need to step it up to v8?

Thanks!

I would never buy an explorer. Get a full size pickup. V8 would be preferred or you'll just end up wishing you had.

I tow mine with a V6 Explorer (2006). No problems at all, plenty of pull on flat land and over bridges. Never towed it up a real hill.

Probably would not be great on long hauls and mountains but for 10 miles to the ramp its fine.


I also used to tow it with a V6 Rodeo with no problems either.

Are you trailering or will you be getting a slip? If your docking it, you could keep the g35 and borrow or rent a truck twice a year.
I think about that every time I gas up my 4x4 Explorer (17 mpg). :head:
The yearly savings in gas would easily pay for someone else to tow it.

I tow mine with a 4Runner. It has a v8 but when doing my research I found the v6 would have worked too. Also nice family car too.

1500 Suburban, Tahoe, Silverado. I've got a 99 Suburban, and an 02 Suburban, each will pull a V with no problem. How much do you want to spend?

I have a Tahoe with 4.8, never towed with it but my pick up with same motor did it great any where!

Depending on your budget, I'd look at a Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0L inline 6 engine. Tons of torque. I towed my V from Fla to it's home in NJ (1600 miles) without a hic-up with mine. Yes, there are nicer, bigger trucks out there (and more expensive also) but you'll have to look hard to find ANY vehicle with a more reliable engine. The 4.0L is legendary for being just about bulletproof.

I towed all kinds of stuff with my old CHEROKEE, and they can be had for fairly cheap now so you can justify having it just for a tow vehicle.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I've been told that a v6 will be fine especially because my trailer has dual axle.

A V-6 in most any decent sized SUV will do the job so long as it has a GOOD hitch(not a bumper hitch but a class 3 or 4 receiver hitch), and is setup with a decent tow package(trans cooler and lower gears for towing). I wouldn't go out and find an explorer with 3.08 gears, and expect to tow a V-20 with it, but if you can find one with 3.73's and a trans cooler you should be fine. I'm a GM guy myself, but the FORD will do the job just fine. Heck I still remember back when I was a kid and we used fukll size cars to haul boats to the ramp. They would do the job, but getting up the ramp was a PAIN to say the least. I still rememeber asking people at the ramp to climb in the trunk so we could get traction.

Yep, which brings up another hotly debated topic. 4x4 or 2 wheel drive.... If the majority of ramps you will be launching from are long shallow ones, then you'll probably do fine with a 2 wheel drive vehicle. BUT, if the ramps are steep, and especially if they are subject to tides, then you'll probably want to go with a 4x4 (yet another reason for the Jeep Cherokee) I cannot tell you have many vans, cars, and 2 wheel drive pickups I have towed up a ramp through the years because their rear wheels were sitting on wet concrete with seaweed or slime on it and they could not get any traction. Go for 4x4...trust me on this one.

gotta agree with d, i trailered boats for 20 years with 2wd, never a big problem, but sometimes an adventure. my wife bought an 02 4wd tahoe in 07. we love it. it has an5.3 V8. not a big powerhouse, but tows the v fine an gets decent mileage 15 town,17 on the road. completely changed our launching procedure. now she launches & retrieves, i stay in the boat and glide off & drive on. she puts it in 4wd lo and idles up the ramp. not sure of your budget or location, but they can be had for around $3500-$6500 around here.

Agree about the 4WD. You will never need it until you NEED it. Luckily the wifey is a good sport and hasn't minded the few times we've been in the 2WD and had too jump on the back bumper to get us up the ramp....I love that woman.

My wife's Honda Pilot with V-6 tows the V fine, but not as well as a full sized V-8 truck/SUV would...if I were buying a vehicle specifically to tow the V, I would get a V-8 Tahoe or Suburban or Silverado or Expedition or F-150 (if you are a Ford fan).

If you are having to buy anyway, might as well get one that does the job easily instead of "just gets by".

I used to tow my v18 with my fathers 91 GMC 1500 with a 350 and it struggled. It was pretty tired at that time though. I picked up my GMC sierra 1500 with a 5.3 in 05 and it didn't even break a sweat. Once I stepped up to a larger boat I was kicking myself for not getting a 2500 with a diesal. You're always going to wind up wanting a larger boat. Better to be prepared with thd truck to tow it.

pull mine with a 4.3 liter v6 and towed a v20 from Deleware back to ohio it did NOT like one minute of the trip through the mountains but made it. Around here on flat land there is no problem what so ever truck pulls it just fine.

I downsized from a diesel to a Frontier V6. Already got quite a few miles on it towing my quad and trailer. Feel pretty confident about towing the V20 once its (if its) finished.

My old GW does the grunt work these days

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...psc1404798.jpg

Best tow vehicle ever made! 2002 F-350 Super Duty, 7.3l Diesel Dually, Super Cab.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...psde943a50.jpg

Spoggy, I gotta admit you may have the prize with that one. I love my Hemi 5.7 Dodge, it's got more power than I know what to do with, but for overall pure looks etc, that dualie is really sweet. :beer:

if anyone is interested, I have my 1999 Suburban up for sale. 1500 2wd, third row seats. 80% tread Michelin LT series tires. Leather interior. 5.7/4l60E. 235K miles. The car run great, I'm in the process of fixing a few minor issues and giving it a much needed bath. The body and paint are in great shape with only a few minor door dings. Best mileage I've seen was 17 high way running 70+. The bad news, AC is out, debating on fixing it. I'm having anew windshield installed next week. The drivers side seat has a tear in it and its worn. The carpet is dirty. Other than that, its pretty good to go. I've owned this car since it had 80K on it and have maintained it myself. I wouldn't be scared to drive it to New Jersey right now just to do a burnout in front of Charlies house. For the V20 crowd, as is $3500.

I think Charlie lives in NY, but if you go call me, I might wanna ride with.

If you do decide to fix the AC, buy a GPD compressor from rockauto. They have the best price, and I've had REALLY good luck with GPD compressors. They fixxed the issue with the old style compressors with theres.

And heres my dinghy hauler. Just a little SEARAY 270 that I hauled for the neighbor.

And the AW4 auto that goes with is just as stout. 231K and counting on mine. My last had 249K when I sold it.

Thanks! I kinda fell into this. I was using an Explorer as a tow vehicle, and a friend of mine was using this in his horse hauling business. He had a bout of bad luck with his back, and essentially couldn't drive anymore. He offered it at a price that was dead center of blue book, and I jumped on it. It was detailed at Western Hauler in Texas, has got a wood trimmed interior, gooseneck hitch in the bed and an air ride system for trailering. I know it is rated for 25,000 pounds. I've pulled 14,000 through West Virginia and it never missed a beat. I don't think she even realizes the V20 is back there.