Vehicle used to pull
 

I have a Ford F-150 ecoboost 4x4. Max distance 200 miles.

Was looking to downgrade. What do you use to pull?

Was curious about 2wd Forerunner, 2wd Tahoe, and the real question late model Grand Cherokee V6 4x4?

Thanks!

Hi
What are you looking to tow with the vehicle. The overall weight of the trailer and contents will determine what kind of a tow vehicle you should have. Also, presuming it's a boat, what kind of launch ramps are in your area. Here in NJ, where most ramps are fairly steep, 4wd is just about a necessity. I cannot count the number of vehicles I've towed up the slippery ramp of Leonardo State Marina because they only had 2wd.
Personally, as my sig states, I'm using a Dodge Durango with 4WD and a 5.7 (345 CI) Hemi engine. It's got the power I want and need and I just never have to worry about towing. Before that I had a Land Rover Discovery with a 4.0L V8 and I still have my Jeep Cherokee with it's 4.0L inline 6 engine. True, 4wd's are not as gas efficient as a 2wd, but for my money the peace of mind is well worth the few extra bucks. Other's here can give you exacts on the various vehicles you just asked about. I know that Jeep Grand Cherokees had lots of engine and trans problems back a few years, don't know how they are now so can't help you with that one.

Boat
 

Thanks. 1987 V-20 cc in Alabama

I've had my V20 for 25 years, so I've been through a few vehicles. Started with a dodge van w/318 . Then dodge pick up w/318. Next was dodge pick up with 360. Currently with a 02 chevy tahoe 4wd w/5.3. Out of all of them, tahoe is the most comfortable. I also have a tandem trailer, which i believe helps. I think the 5.3 is a little weak, but my tow is only 5 miles round trip. I've pulled it to the keys (750 one way) and wished i had the 6.0.

I'd look for a 2000-2004 tahoe/yukon with less than 150,000 miles. Around here, priced anywhere from $3500-$5000. Agree with D, 4wd is a big plus.

I think you're underestimating your 5.3l. Alot of people think they're weak, but it's simply because they're not used to an engine that needs to turn high rpm's. The LS engines are 15 degree heads and I believe your engine uses the cathedral port heads. They make ALOT of power, but it isn't like any of the older engines you list. The 5.2l and 5.9l magnum engines were low rpm grunt motors whereas the 5.3l is a higher rpm screamer. Turn her up some and she'll surprise you. And chances are if the 5.3l left you feeling lacking, the 6.0l would as well. Below 3800 rpm's, they both make similiar power. It's when the rpm's go up the extra displacement shows.

As to the op, you don't need alot to tow a v-20. Many here have done it with Honda Pilot's, Jeep Cherokee's, and the like. 2 vs 4 wheel drive comes down to mostly the condition of the ramp you use.

probably right ferm. i'm an old man and drive like it. i like the fuel mileage of the the 5.3 vs the 6.0. probably put 15000 miles a year 0n it with 14500 non towing.

if i had it to do over, i;d look at suburban/yukon xl. absolutely no room behind third seat

I tow my V on a tandem trailer with my 4WD V6 Nissan Frontier. Its fine for my usual trip to the ramp which is a half hour away. I also regularly go to ramps that are an hour away without too much thought. I live in NY so some of the longer trips to Maine and Canada are hilly. For those I'm not satisfied with what I have and we usually take my buddies Duramax. I will probably go to the smallest V8 pickup I can when its time to get something new - Ram 1500 maybe..

I have towed a 22' Trophy with my Cherokee down 295 but it wasn't fun. When I have to pull the V I borrow pops Avalanche. Not even comparable between the two when talking V6 vs. V8

Hard to beat a Chevy 5.3 Turck/Tahoe/Burb for pulling a V, that being said, I have an 99 E350 Van and a 97 F350 dually, both with the 7.3 diesel. My wife drives the 02 Burban

Yep the Honda Pilot can do the job! Scary ride in a 2001 chevy 1500 Pick up a few years ago. My friend and I were driving home from a fishing trip towing the V and after a few miles he said I have no brake's. Get to the shoulder of the road. He down shifted and even applied the E brake criss crossing lanes until we finally stopped. God was with us. Well you guessed it rotted brake line.So he said he would wait for the tow truck and thats were the Honda Pilot came to the rescue. I drove the Pilot turned off the overdrive and was sup prized that it handle a dual axle trailer. But that would not be my choice only that time.

The 5.3l and 6.0l have been proven to get almost identical milage when setup the same. Most who have swapped out the 5.3's for 6.0's, haven't hardly seen a change in mpg. The big differences between a 2500hd with a 6.0l and your tahoe with a 5.3l is trans gearing, torque converter stall, rear end gears, and shift strategy. The 1500 tahoe is setup primarily for mpg, many had 3.42 gears, a low stall torque converter, a REALLY deep 1st gear with huge rpm drops between the shifts, and tuning setup to keep the rpm's down to furthur optimize milage. All 2500hd, 3500, and many 1500hd's with the 6.0l had 4.10 gears, they all had the 4l80e trans geared for optimal towing, a LOOSE converter to keep the rpm's up, tuning that is setup to hold the shifts out even driving easy, and the torque converter is basically on or off, not varied like the 1500's to keep rpm's down as much as possible at all times. Put a tune in your 5.3l, and it would be a completely different animal towing.

Done all my V towing with a GM 5.7. First in a 1994 GMC C1500 and presently with a 1992 Chevy C2500.

Thinking about switching over to a first gen tundra with the 4.7 I-Force.

For my V20 I used a v6 Rodeo and a v6 Explorer for 15 mile rides with no problems and plenty of pull.
I also used an OLD Ramcharger 318 that was a dog that couldn't move itself.
I would not want to use any of them for lots of long hauls on highways with hills.

My 05 V6 Explorer crapped a transmission last fall at 198K miles. Now I have a brand new Hyundai Elantra and have to borrow a truck to launch this spring. I haven't been truckless since the 80's.

I'm towing my V20 (150 OB, dual axle trailer) with a 2014 Ford Explorer (6 cyl XLT). It's been great. I launch 20-30 times a season.

Thanks for the replies. You all have given me something to think about. I also have a tandem axle trailer as well.

97 gmc sierra z71 with 250k. ive had her since 98 with zero major problems and have towed many boats and various trailers with her. in fact probably half of those miles have been pulling a load. at the ramp i put her in low and just let the 5.7 idle. even with the old heavy 23 chapparral walk around, no
throttle needed.

guess what im saying is your honda can suck it!!! and your little nissan too!!!! buy a real truck! MERICA!!!!!!

yall know im kidding, right? those little jap trucks are cute

Carefull with the Jap comments, my DURAMAX says ISUZU all over it. And I doubt you want to compare a 5.7l vortec to it.

My Diesel IHC Scout had a Nissan 722 6 cylinder engine in it. That thing was a workhorse.

Lots of rigs can pull a v-20, but not all of them can stop so good. Like others said weight is important. I've pulled with an old 1997 land cruiser for years, (it's in my shop now for repairs & I'm bummed) Nothing better, full time 4wd, turns tight and that sucker weighs a ton (or 2 1/2).
Over my career I've towed with anything you can imagine, vans, minivans!, suburbans, jimmy's, s-10's, 4x4's of all makes, brush trucks, and I'd say that the only thing that compares to my cruiser is a suburban, The suburban has more power, but far bigger turning radius. SUV's definitely out pull pickups because of more rear weight. Shorter pickups with 4wd would be my second choice.

All that being said, I live near you & unless you plan to use some of the more primitive sandy launches you should be fine launching & recovering with anything that would tow your rig safely 2 or 4wd, although you probably want to avoid a standard tranny, ramps can eat up a clutch pretty quick.

Couple of the comments remind me of a thread I read on an offroad/bugout vehicle thread on a different forum. Couple of guys were somewhere like the baja or some far off wilderness with their modded out 4x4s carrying gear, hilift jacks, had winches on the front and back etc. They got out to walk a particularly bad section of trail to plan their angles etc and as their walking back to their rigs they get passed by an old native type driving a rusted out '85 2 wheel drive nissan pickup with bald tires and 7 kids under ten riding in the back.

like garbubba said, stopping is important. Does your trailer have brakes on both axles? if so u can get away with a lighter vehicle. It might not be as fast up a hill but you will be able to stop better. I have a f350 superduty 7.3 and a older f250 460. but I also pull a 28 ft camper and a skidloader. The 250 is a lot shorter and easier to turn but terrible gas mileage. I almost always use the 350 but its a crew cab 4 door with 8 ft bed. I also have one of those jap vehicles! but would not pull the boat with it.
I would say go with any good condition 1/2 ton truck or v8 suv. unless u pull bigger stuff or want better fuel mileage. my 7.3 got 19 mpg before new injectors and chip, haven't checked it since. I don't want to know what the 460 gets! but would guess 8 or 10.

120 miles round trip each time ........2004 Ford Explorer V6...140,000 miles, has been towing fine for years.

Boat is V21 with 525lb outboard, 60 gallons of fuel, twin axle trailer brakes on both, curtains up on boat, no issues to date.....cruise along 55-60 mph, overdrive on, A/C, whatever.

Pulls boat out fine too.

That said......sure I'd like a new Tahoe or such........but it is what it is.

I use to pull my V with my 97 Tacoma 3.4 v6 automatic ,and it pulled it ok but stopping it was alittle scary! I added Kodiac Disk brakes to the front axle on the trailer and solved the stopping problem. Now I have a new Tundra 5.7 4x4 TRD Crewmax and it doesn't know its behind it.

2002 Chevy Silverado 4.8 pulls like a dream after that a 5.3 GMC and that also pulled out like a dream any half ton pickup will be great