Trucks for Boats

[KVH]

I hate to get rid of my '94 350 Suburban (1500 Series 5.7 L Silverado). What a great truck it's been. But it just lumbers pulling my bass boat on any incline, and it's starting to make odd transmission noises. At 158,000 miles, it may be time to sell it or donate it. It sucks, because I've babied it and it's like new.

I want a double cab or extended cab pickup truck, maybe Diesel, that'll pull my 20 foot bass boat anywhere, up any hill without dropping speed down to 38 miles an hour. I need the storage of a double cab, or extended, something I can put a good bed liner in. Probably don't need a 3/4 ton, but I'd consider it.

So, do I forget gas and go to Diesel? Walk away from Chevy and go to Ford or Dodge? Just get a bigger gasoline engine? What's the best move.

I'll go 1 or 2 years old, and don't want to spend a fortune.

thx

 

[oldjeep]

How much does your boat weigh? Ought to be able to tow any bass boat I've seen with a ford ranger.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Sounds to me like you just need to fix whatever is wrong with your suburban....

No reason for a bass boat to be even noticed behind that rig. You REALLY REALLY REALLY do not need a diesel!

That burb should be able to pull the biggest bassboat 70 mph up just about any grade.

I had a 94 chevy pickup w the same drivetrain and I towed a 38' fifth wheel and a jeep behind it and yeah the mountains would pull me down into the high 40's but then I was pulling 4 times the weight you are.

 

[alldodge]

I hate to get rid of my '94 350 Suburban (1500 Series 5.7 L Silverado). What a great truck it's been. But it just lumbers pulling my bass boat on any incline, and it's starting to make odd transmission noises. At 158,000 miles, it may be time to sell it or donate it. It sucks, because I've babied it and it's like new.

I want a double cab or extended cab pickup truck, maybe Diesel, that'll pull my 20 foot bass boat anywhere, up any hill without dropping speed down to 38 miles an hour. I need the storage of a double cab, or extended, something I can put a good bed liner in. Probably don't need a 3/4 ton, but I'd consider it.

So, do I forget gas and go to Diesel? Walk away from Chevy and go to Ford or Dodge? Just get a bigger gasoline engine? What's the best move.

I'll go 1 or 2 years old, and don't want to spend a fortune.

thx

If you ever go diesel you will love the pulling power. No gaser will ever touch the torque the diesel can provide.

Exp: A guy I know buys a new 2500 every year (probably lease, don't know). One year instead of buying a diesel he buys the high output V98 gas. After 3 months he wants his diesel back. Says it pulls fine and is quick, but every hill it comes to even not pulling anything, it down shifts, the diesel s don't down shift unless there is a heavy load

 

[Scott Danforth]

Something is wrong with your truck. Fix that and you won't even know the bass boat is back there. I'm pulling double your weight with 2 less cylinders

 

[KD4UPL]

You say you "baby" the truck but do you maintain it? The transmission should be serviced every 25,000 miles when used for towing. The plugs and wires should probably have been changed at 100,000 miles. That truck shouldn't notice a bass boat. Check your manual for the proper service intervals and follow them. Also, have a mechanic go over the truck. At 158,000 miles it should have a lot of life left in it.
As for a replacement, if you've enjoyed the Chevy and gotten good service from it (and it sounds like you have) why would you "turn your back on Chevy"?
You have no reason what so ever to get a diesel. I've had several and have one now but I regularly work the truck hard and pull some very heavy loads. If all I was doing was driving around and pulling a boat I would have a gas engine. A diesel is more expensive to buy, more expensive to maintain, and the fuel is more expensive. Yes, they make some huge HP and torque numbers but you don't have need for that.
If you want a newer suburban you could look for a 2500 with the 6.0L or even the 8.1L gas engine. They would both be a huge upgrade.
It sounds like all you need is a 1500 crew cab truck. Any of them should do what you want. I love Chevys but if I had the light weight requirements you do I would look hard at a Toyota truck.

 

[KVH]

Sounds to me like you just need to fix whatever is wrong with your suburban....

No reason for a bass boat to be even noticed behind that rig. You REALLY REALLY REALLY do not need a diesel!

That burb should be able to pull the biggest bassboat 70 mph up just about any grade.

I had a 94 chevy pickup w the same drivetrain and I towed a 38' fifth wheel and a jeep behind it and yeah the mountains would pull me down into the high 40's but then I was pulling 4 times the weight you are.

I've owned the Suburban since new. It never tows well uphill. Somewhere between 35 MPH and 42 MPH is the speed it wants to go. There's a complete power drop on any incline unless I gun the engine into passing gears, jump the RPMs at 3800 and above 4000, and race constant like the engine is popping out of the hood. On a five mile long incline I have a tribe of people behind me aching to get around, get home, or shoot me. My boat is not huge. Fiberglass, 20 foot, maybe 3700 lbs, 200 hp engine. It drags. I can live with it. There are more serious issues in life, but this doesn't seem right. I lose an hour or more commuting each way to the lake, and the vehicles that pass me with like size boats are usually pickup trucks that I assume are diesel or 450s, or maybe better torqued or with better rear end ratios.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Take it out of overdrive for towing

 

[alldodge]

I've owned the Suburban since new. It never tows well uphill. Somewhere between 35 MPH and 42 MPH is the speed it wants to go. There's a complete power drop on any incline unless I gun the engine into passing gears, jump the RPMs at 3800 and above 4000, and race constant like the engine is popping out of the hood. On a five mile long incline I have a tribe of people behind me aching to get around, get home, or shoot me. My boat is not huge. Fiberglass, 20 foot, maybe 3700 lbs, 200 hp engine. It drags. I can live with it. There are more serious issues in life, but this doesn't seem right. I lose an hour or more commuting each way to the lake, and the vehicles that pass me with like size boats are usually pickup trucks that I assume are diesel or 450s, or maybe better torqued or with better rear end ratios.

Probably have a high gear rear end but you also have a heavy boat/vehicle combo. You need either a big block or diesel. For those who have never owned a diesel its just talk. Today diesel cost more, but the efficiency is 30 percent higher then a gas. Also the 30 percent increase will also use more fuel when your not pulling something. Diesels are not cheap, but if you need to haul something, they are the only way to go, push the pedal down going up a hill and leave those gaser's and rice burners in the smoke

 

[o2bfishn]

I had a 1989 5.7l and it had the same thing. I tinkered with everything with little or no help until I replaced the catalytic converter and the muffler with a Magna flow exhaust system. What a difference. With the old exhaust when I let off the gas the truck would slow down. The new one I had to start using more brake coming off the highway. Plus I picked up about 2.5 miles per gallon.

 

[Silvertip]

There is definitely something wrong with your vehicle. Good grief I used to pull a 25 foot travel trailer with a 305 two-bbl rated at a ridiculous 145 HP and I was never in anyones way. Did you buy this vehicle new, and if so, what axle ratio['s are installed. It takes a lot of HP to make up for a bad axle ratio decision. By the way, you don't have passing gears. You have a four speed automatic with fourth gear overdrive and a lockup torque converter. That vehicle should tow your boat any speed you want to go with the selector in "3" . If this is a 4WD vehicle, you aren't using 4WD LOW are you. Yes - I do know people that don't have a clue how any of the 4WD stuff works. That selection provides a roughly 64:1 gear reduction in low range and is used for pulling stumps -- not highway use. As another comparison of something wrong with your rig, I used to pull a 19 foot Century 3000 (351 Ford I/O) with an early S10 Blazer with a 2.8L motor. It was the only one I could find with 4.10 gears and it towed just fine.

 

[naturelover]

I'd agree, there is something wrong with your vehicle.

As mentioned above, I'd check the catalytic converter. My 4.3 Chevy S-10 was clogged, and removing it made a significant difference. I could tell it as soon as I pulled the first hill. This truck would downshift unloaded on most hills before, and seemed to struggle pulling my ATV trailer and 2000lb popup camper.

You wouldn't need a diesel to pull that load, any full size 1/2 ton pickup should pull that without even knowing it's there. However, sometimes wants overcome needs...

 

[KVH]

I always drop down to "drive" and out of OD. I've always had cat converter problems. I can't see pouring another $3000 into this old truck no matter how much I like it. It needs paint badly, a cat converter is small fortune last I checked, and the tranny is making a crazy noise. I suspect I have a bad gear ratio in the diff, and that I've always had an exhaust system problem--based on what I'm reading. Wish it were otherwise but that's the case.

 

[Chad Flaugher]

My company trucks are all chevy's of the same year, and even the half ton 2wd would yank that boat up the mountain at 75mph.... Even though I think it's a problem with yer truck, I think ya ought to sell it and find ya a craigslist truck for equal value. All makes and models of trucks have pro's and cons.

 

[KVH]

I'll check my gear ratio. I just can't figure why you guys feel the power should be there. I'd literally have to jump the accelerator in Drive so it drops into lower gear and races at high RPMs, and even then I'm holding up a line of cars and trucks. I'm sure you know what I mean--an engine laboring and racing for more than a minute or two without letting up is a bit unnerving to say the least. Maybe that exhaust is an issue. I'll call my buddy at the dealer.

 

[redneck joe]

when I had a 20' ski boat my 4.3 6 cylinder pulled it just fine you definitely have something wrong.

that said - -diesel is great. I had chevy first 40 years then the dodge just bought my second (and should be last) one.

been hearing good things about the new eco diesel

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/ecodiesel/

 

[Scott Danforth]

I'll check my gear ratio. I just can't figure why you guys feel the power should be there. I'd literally have to jump the accelerator in Drive so it drops into lower gear and races at high RPMs, and even then I'm holding up a line of cars and trucks. I'm sure you know what I mean--an engine laboring and racing for more than a minute or two without letting up is a bit unnerving to say the least. Maybe that exhaust is an issue. I'll call my buddy at the dealer.

Its ok if you have to press the accelerator. its what it is there for. you wont wreck the motor by bringing the RPM's up.

 

[bigdee]

Something definitely wrong here. I use to tow 3300# with a 4 cylinder S-10, 5 speed stick and it would maintain the speed limit as long as I downshifted on hills. I drove up some steep and long inclines in 3rd gear at 55 mph.

 

[ondarvr]

Over the years I've had many Chevy trucks and vans, all of mine would have pulled it easily, even the V6's, but I've also driven some model years that with certain equipment packages didn't seem to tow as well. So I understand what you're talking about. All my Fords would have towed it easily too, again, even the 6 cylinder motors. We used a few diesel pickups at work and for very heavy loads they were great.

As for gas or diesel, some of those passing you may have been diesels, but even a gas rig should pull that boat at near the speed limit up hill without being overly stressed.

If you want a diesel, get one, but there's no indicated need for one. I know all the pro's and con's of D verses G, and from my experience, and those of friends, many of which are fishing guides that pull boats like this frequently, is that over-all diesel tends to cost more, many times much more, to keep on the road as a daily driver and tow rig. I've seen repair bills for what some people consider routine maintenance that almost equals what a new motor would cost for my gas F-150.

When it comes to normal driving I would much rather drive a gas rig, I find diesel rather annoying until the load requires the extra torque, then it's great.

 

[redneck joe]

If you want a diesel, get one, but there's no indicated need for one. I know all the pro's and con's of D verses G, and from my experience, and those of friends, many of which are fishing guides that pull boats like this frequently, is that over-all diesel tends to cost more, many times much more, to keep on the road as a daily driver and tow rig. I've seen repair bills for what some people consider routine maintenance that almost equals what a new motor would cost for my gas F-150.

I just gave my 269k mile one to my brother (bought with 53k on it 9 years ago) and I did not have any expensive repairs other than the tranny which is about the same on all. I did have about $1500 of stuff done when it hit 200k and just did about another $2k last couple months in brakes and front suspension / drive shaft but now it drives like new. It was my daily driver.