Truck advice, please.

[TrackerMike]

The Nissan will pull about anything, but stopping is another story.

John,
Have you considered brakes on the new trailer? If you are satisfied with your truck, it would be cheaper to go this route than trade trucks.
Mike

[Col Forbin]

I guess it all depends on how far and how often you will be trailering. I have a triton tr-20 that I pull with a Ford Explorer (v6), however, I only tow, on average 10 miles one way. Every once in a while I will make a longer trip. It does fine. I have trailer brakes, and that will make a huge difference. I do turn the overdrive off - and I live in western KY where it is flat for the most part.
I do wish I had a larger truck, and may eventually (next several years) get one, but because of luxury not necessity. If I were making longer trips more often (hour or more each way) I would probably want a little more power and larger set up. But I am more than pleased with my set up now. If you are comfortable launching with a standard, and don't feel the need to drive like Jeff Gordon while towing - I would try yours out. But once again, trailer brakes will make a huge difference.

In terms of fuel effeciency, I don't do so well on gas mileage. A larger V8 would get better gas mileage than mine, it would have to work a little less.

[mattbay]

If you want comfort and good fuel mileage pulling a bass boat I recommend a chevy silverado extended cab with a 5.3 engine. I pull a 17' bayliner bass boat and get about 15 mpg.

[tglass]

I have a 03 suburban right now and it does great towing my big center console boat. I have towed my friends ranger with it and you can't even tell it is back there. i have the 5.3 in it and it is 4 wheel drive. i had a 98 extended cab Z-71 before this and it towed my boat great too but it suffered on wind drag because my boat is like a parachute. It catches a lot of wind but the only way you can tell is the gas mileage. I also have trailer brakes and with my big heavy truck and my big heavy boat i have no problem stopping in either truck. My center console is a nitro bay 1900 boat so like one of the other guys said rangers and nitros are heavy and both of my chevys did great. With you buying a bass boat you will do great with a short bed extended cab chevy with a 5.7 or 5.3. With trailer brakes you should not have a problem stopping. without them it will take a little more effort. I probably drive too fast when towing but what i got for gas mileage with my trucks were on the Z-71 i got 17 or better not towing and only around 10 of so towing. When i went to my burb i get 15 or 16 not towing and 12-13 towing. So i got the burb because it knocked some of the wind off my boat. i would probably need a diesel to get better gas mileage.

[kyjake]

Does anyone tow with a 4.3 or 4.8 Chevy?I am looking also.
Jake

[Tyme2fish]

What is the maximum weight your truck is rated at towing? If your boat is over that weight and you have an accident, your insurance will not cover the claim.

[Chubminnow]

Lots of interesting info everyone is sharing here. I have a 97 Silverado 4 x 4 with a 5.7 and I pull a 24' SeaRay Sundancer with it. This isn't a bass boat but it gives you an example of what a 5.7 is capable of pulling. I don't have limited slip but if the ramp is slick I just put it in 4-wheel drive. Honestly, the Sundancer is probably about as big a boat that I care to pull with a 5.7. I don't get in a hurry, I live in Louisville and may pull it to Taylorsville or I may pull it to Cumberland, all in all I haven't had any problems "yet"...although I'm thinking about putting a transmission cooler on just for added protection.

[worm1]

I pull with a 99' Chevy Silverado, Ext. cab, 4X4, 5.3 V8. It pulls great and gets fair gas mailage.

[18'stratos]

I have had a Trail Blazer, Nissan Frontier and a Chevy 1500. All of them lacking the power that I wanted for towing. Now I have a fully loaded Quad Cab 4x4 Dodge Ram 1500. (2004) Yes it has a HEMI! My boat is a 18-1/2 foot Stratos and my truck has NO problem pulling or stopping. The smaller vehicles were a little Squirrelley in the back roads and it felt like the boat trailer was in control. Now with the Dodge I feel like I am in total control and comfort. The gas mileage is decent at about 14-15 towing the boat and 16-19 on the Interstate. The small V-6's will pull but it is a pretty good strain on it. The mileage on the nissan and chevy 1500 was actually worse than the Dodge. The way I see it is that I am saving money on gas with the bigger truck not to mention the wear and tear I was putting on those small engines.

[BigB]

Does anyone tow with a 4.3 or 4.8 Chevy?I am looking also.
Jake

I pull with a 03 chevy ext cab with a 4.8 and have no problems what so ever. I have a 1996 205LS hydrasport and have pulled it from Ky to Guntersville at 80 mph with not problems. (very heavy boat) Just make sure if you have a big boat put brakes on it no matter what you pull it with.

Big B

[MarkW]

I have a 1997 Ford F-150 5.4 liter 4wd and I pull a 21 foot bass boat--no problems.
I feel the bigger the better. More HP if you need it and bigger brakes---you will need that. OD type transmission. Now I do only get about 10 MPG, but I have never owne a Ford truck that got better then 12 mpg.
Good luck.

[CMIDD]

The Chevy 4.8 is not a bad engine either. I have seen very few problems with them. Honestly, I have seen very little trouble out of the 4.8, 5.3 or 6.0 engines. Other than the plastic intake on them.