Tow vehicle suggestions.....Yukon or Tahoe?

[Snake334]

If you have narrowed down your choices to a Yukon or Tahoe, I would suggest the Yukon. We own a Bentley Tritoon and a travel trailer. Our normal tow vehicle is a 2011 Yukon XL. This thing tows like nothing. With 7 people in the car and all our luggage, we towed our travel trailer, weighing in around 5000lbs from east Tennessee to the beach and averaged 12.5 mpg. Pulled it with no issues at all. We purchased our Bentley in Kentucky, about a 3 hour drive. We used my In-laws 2014 Tahoe to go pick it up. It was pitiful to say the least. With 4 of us in the car, we averaged 8 mpg and even in Tow Haul Mode, the transmission stayed in passing gear pretty much the entire trip. I was worried we were gonna break something. Both have the 5.3 with the 6 speed transmission. The only difference the rear end gear. The Yukon just seems to handle the towing alot better.

 

[jkust]

You might want to check JD Powers reliability rating on your choice of vehicles. Expedition 5.4 or Sequoia would be my choices.

So call me crazy but you can get a new body style Navigator L with 4x4 loaded up maybe 5 or 6 years old for a song with under 100k compared to an escalade or even a Yukon XL of the same year. I know the 5.4 is a bit of a slug compared to the 6.2 to put it kindly but they look like a nice cruiser for long trips with a good amount of cargo capacity.

 

[thumpar]

So call me crazy but you can get a new body style Navigator L with 4x4 loaded up maybe 5 or 6 years old for a song with under 100k compared to an escalade or even a Yukon XL of the same year. I know the 5.4 is a bit of a slug compared to the 6.2 to put it kindly but they look like a nice cruiser for long trips with a good amount of cargo capacity.

Fords have always been cheaper, even new. My girlfriend has a 2007 Expedition EL 2500. I still prefer my 2000 Yukon. Fords don't have tow/haul mode. I can take the same amount of people in either one.

 

[bassman284]

And 25 cubic inches less. Again, "properly equipped" comes to mind. A larger engine coupled with a higher ratio differential that I believe the Toyotas typical run can make a world of difference. How about gas mileage? Could it be that these vehicles are not easily found because they are indeed kept by their owners or snapped up the minute they do go up for sale. I just did a search for Yukons and Tahoes at my local GM dealer and there were again, only three. 2007, 2010 and 2011. Even the local "Well Used" bargain lots and the local Ford/Chrysler dealer have zero inventory. I find it hard to believe early 2000's are all in the bone yards -- especially since I see so many every day on the road. If the OP does find a Yukon/Tahoe, why not hook it up to the trailer and see if it does the job. If not, look for something else or move to the 6.0. It might just be that one persons idea of a suitable tow vehicle is very different than another. Not everyone needs a dually diesel to pull a rowboat.

Whoa, Silvertip! This is iboats! You ALWAYS need a dually diesel to tow. Nothing less will suffice.

 

[naturelover]

Raise a glass to that!

They have their place though, and yea, mine is waayyyyy overkill for my measly towing needs, but I can tow anything I'd ever want to, and know I have enough vehicle to do it.

Was at the boat ramp this Saturday watching a ford ranger spin it's way up the dry boat ramp with a dual axle trailer and a larger pontoon boat. Id never attempt it with my Ranger, it was definitely full size truck territory.

Do you need a diesel dually to pull a jon boat, and single axle trailer, or a popup camper? I didn't.

However, I'll never have to worry about not having enough truck. (But I just really really wanted one....)

 

[cjjjdeck]

Actually, you can get a 6.0L if you went with a 2500 Series Suburban/Yukon, unfortunately the 6.0L is not available on the Tahoe & Non-Denali Yukon. I have a 2002 GMC Siera 1500 with the 5.3L and it has plenty of towing power as long as you have a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio.

It would be best to find one with the factory trailer tow package. Otherwise you will have to add additional items/systems (ex: heavy duty flasher, transmission oil cooler etc) to handle the stress. It would also be important to check the axle ratio code in the glove box to see what the vehicle has.

Here's axle codes for what you are looking at:

GQ1 -- AXLE REAR, STD RATIO
GT4 -- AXLE REAR, 3.73 RATIO
GT5 -- AXLE REAR, 4.10 RATIO
GU4 -- AXLE REAR, 3.08 RATIO
GU5 -- AXLE REAR, 3.23 RATIO
GU6 -- AXLE REAR, 3.42 RATIO
G80 -- AXLE REAR, LIMITED SLIP (POSITRACTION)

HC4 -- AXLE REAR, 4.56 RATIO

Bear in mind that you could have 2 axle codes if the vehicle has Limited Slip

 

[cjjjdeck]

Fords have always been cheaper, even new. My girlfriend has a 2007 Expedition EL 2500. I still prefer my 2000 Yukon. Fords don't have tow/haul mode. I can take the same amount of people in either one.

Although I currently own a 2007 Expedition XL, I've also owned 1999 Suburban and am still a big fan of them. However, I currently prefer the Expedition, which is a better tow vehicle, primarily due to the 3.73 rear axle ration (My Suburban had 3.23... not good for towing even though it had the factory tow package). Slight correction to above, Ford does not make a 2500 version (3/4 ton) of the Expedition, but mine does have a 8700 lbs tow rating. Also, Ford did add the tow/haul mode to the 6 speed OD trans eventually, I believe in 2008 (damn, I missed it by a year!). Although I wish I did have that feature on mine, I really don't have any problem towing my 6,0000 lb boat/trailer with the current setup.

Reading some of the comments on the 5.4L V-8, I have over 150K on my engine, and have not had any issues with the spark plugs popping (although I know that some owners have been effected by that. The V-10's had that issue as well). From what I can tell, if your aluminum heads were too soft, you had this problem, if they weren't, you didn't. The good news is that I don't hear of this problem in newer 5.4L (like 2009 and newer). This engine is a true truck engine, with 7 quart oil capacity, 300 HP and 365 ft lbs @ 3,750 rpm. Our company had Ford E-350 box trucks with this motor and over 300,000 miles on them with pretty much normal maintenance. So my experience has been pretty good with the 5.4L and love the Expedition overall.

 

[jkust]

Actually, you can get a 6.0L if you went with a 2500 Series Suburban/Yukon, unfortunately the 6.0L is not available on the Tahoe & Non-Denali Yukon. I have a 2002 GMC Siera 1500 with the 5.3L and it has plenty of towing power as long as you have a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio.

It would be best to find one with the factory trailer tow package. Otherwise you will have to add additional items/systems (ex: heavy duty flasher, transmission oil cooler etc) to handle the stress. It would also be important to check the axle ratio code in the glove box to see what the vehicle has.

Here's axle codes for what you are looking at:

GQ1 -- AXLE REAR, STD RATIO
GT4 -- AXLE REAR, 3.73 RATIO
GT5 -- AXLE REAR, 4.10 RATIO
GU4 -- AXLE REAR, 3.08 RATIO
GU5 -- AXLE REAR, 3.23 RATIO
GU6 -- AXLE REAR, 3.42 RATIO
G80 -- AXLE REAR, LIMITED SLIP (POSITRACTION)

HC4 -- AXLE REAR, 4.56 RATIO

Bear in mind that you could have 2 axle codes if the vehicle has Limited Slip

Just to add on to the list above because the differential and axle selection is really an important one but is so often overlooked...

The G80 is a full locking Eaton Differential not a limited slip aka positraction.
The G86 is the limited slip aka positraction.

Keep in mind the newer suv's/trucks have a computer that performs multiple functions that can act in some respects as an electronic LSD in addition to if they do or don't have a manual locker or LSD. Some non Chevy Trucks only have an electronic LSD and no Manual locker or Manual LSD option to available to buy.
I have one of each. The RPO sticker inside the glove box in invaluable since Comp9 no longer gives you free build sheets.

 

[thumpar]

Although I currently own a 2007 Expedition XL, I've also owned 1999 Suburban and am still a big fan of them. However, I currently prefer the Expedition, which is a better tow vehicle, primarily due to the 3.73 rear axle ration (My Suburban had 3.23... not good for towing even though it had the factory tow package). Slight correction to above, Ford does not make a 2500 version (3/4 ton) of the Expedition, but mine does have a 8700 lbs tow rating. Also, Ford did add the tow/haul mode to the 6 speed OD trans eventually, I believe in 2008 (damn, I missed it by a year!). Although I wish I did have that feature on mine, I really don't have any problem towing my 6,0000 lb boat/trailer with the current setup.

Reading some of the comments on the 5.4L V-8, I have over 150K on my engine, and have not had any issues with the spark plugs popping (although I know that some owners have been effected by that. The V-10's had that issue as well). From what I can tell, if your aluminum heads were too soft, you had this problem, if they weren't, you didn't. The good news is that I don't hear of this problem in newer 5.4L (like 2009 and newer). This engine is a true truck engine, with 7 quart oil capacity, 300 HP and 365 ft lbs @ 3,750 rpm. Our company had Ford E-350 box trucks with this motor and over 300,000 miles on them with pretty much normal maintenance. So my experience has been pretty good with the 5.4L and love the Expedition overall.

The EL (extended length) is what replaced the excursion. It is bigger than a suburban. The tow rating is 9200lbs.

 

[Blind Date]

"Actually, you can get a 6.0L if you went with a 2500 Series Suburban/Yukon, unfortunately the 6.0L is not available on the Tahoe & Non-Denali Yukon. I have a 2002 GMC Siera 1500 with the 5.3L and it has plenty of towing power as long as you have a 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio."

​Getting back to the OP's original question.

First - Get a 2007 or newer. The GMT-900 is light years better than the GMT-800 it replaced. Especially the interior.

Second - Get a Yukon, but get the Denali, only because then you get the 6.2, not the 6.0 as stated above. The 6.2 isn't saddled with AFM like the 5.3 and it's the best V8 gasser GM builds IMHO. if you get an '07 0r '08 model you also get the 6 speed versus the 4 speed mated to the 5.3.

The 5.3 in our '07 Tahoe is really starting to burn through oil. I'd stay away from that motor personally unless it is an older version w/o the AFM. If our Tahoe got totaled tomorrow I'd look for a Denali w/6.2 to replace it.