Truck advice, please.

[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.