Just got a boat, what to tow it with?

[buckleyjr]

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.

[spareparts]

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?

[macojoe]

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

[Destroyer]

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.

[THEFERMANATOR]

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.

[jjuriga]

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

[THEFERMANATOR]

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.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

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 remember 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.

[gw204f]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

The 4.0L is legendary for being just about bulletproof.

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