Is there a huge difference pulling a boat?

[Brian Manthe]

I am wondering if there is a huge difference (ie. gas mileage and power) or any huge benefits between pulling a 20ft. bass boat with a 1/2 ton truck or a 3/4 ton. And if there is a huge difference then is there much of a difference between pulling with gas or diesel. I am specifically wondering about late 90's trucks, not new one's.

Thanks,

[JT-Madera]

Ok, Here is a qualified ansewer, the qualifier is that I have only had experence with Chevy half ton trucks..

My 1990 Chevy towing a 18ft boat single axle=averaged 14mpg

My 1996 Chevy towing a 20ft boat single axle=averaged 16.5mpg

My 2003 Chevy towing a Ranger 520VX dual axle=averaged 18.2mpg

the 1990 and 1996 both had the same rear axle and a 350 V8
the 1990 was a shortbed standard cab
the 1996 was a extended cab short bed with flowmasters added
the 2003 is a extended cab short bed with GM's new towing package and a 5.3liter

I live in Madera which is close the Fresno and I am averaging all my towing. I tow my boat all over the state. I drive hard!! freeway 70+
However the new towing setting on my current truck I believe saves me quite a lot in milage..I believe the overdrives in the 1996 and 2003 work better the faster you drive...he he

Flowmasters will up your milage from 1.5 to 2 mpg so I wouldn't have a tow truck without them...

Hope this helps

JT-Madera

[Fishin' Dave]

Go with the 3/4 ton; bigger brakes and better spring rate to haul that boat.

[rexford]

I agree 3/4 ton. I had to replace my rotors 3X on my 1/2 ton
and lost 2 trannys prior 50K miles. My 3/4 ton is still towing
strong at 80k. both are Fords

[Dewayne]

Brakes is one big difference. The 3/4 ton trucks are better equiped for towing and usually have better brakes. On flat land there is little difference. With my 1/2 tons I could get a transmission heat alarm by the time I reached the top of Hwy 29 heading through Napa to Clear Lake. I would also have more issues with brake fade when comming down the hill. With my F250 I have never seen the transmission temp guage even move and never any brake fade.

The 1/2 tons will do fine, but you have to take it a little easier.

[eddybilt]

Brian I pull a 19' Champion with single axle and hyd trailer brakes. My pull vehicle is a 04 Dodge 1500 Quad w Hemi. On Highway I averaged 11.9 going from bay area to Shasta. From bay area to Don Pedro I averaged about 10.5...I do have kinda of a lead foot averaging about 65 mph.
As for power the lower end is so so, mid range is where the power comes in and stays. As far as braking, 4 wheel disc on the truck so it really has not been an issue for me. I just had a brake conversion on the trailer from drum to disc and notice a big improvement in the braking. Not nearly as much dust on the truck rims.
The most important thing is that I don't even feel the boat behind me.
P.s I brought my boat from Southern California and pulled it back with a dodge dakota V-6 grapevine and the wind did all kinds of things to the drive back...needless to say I traded the dakota in about a month later and upsized...Great Investment...
Good Luck
Hopes this helps
Ed

[MIKE209]

So JT what kind of milage do you get when your not towing
your boat? 18 mpg gallon towing a boat you must get at least
23-25 mpg when your not towing. I might buy one
for my commute

[Sacto John]

I am not Jt but my wife used to have a 1/2 GMC with the small VORTEC (4.3L?) V8 and it had very good milage for a truck. It avereged 19 CTY 24 HWY. the best milage we got was a trip down to LA, 75MPh cruise controle almost the whole way got close to 27 MPG

[JT-Madera]

Strange thing is...I only get about 19.5 not towing my Ranger...Thats on cruise control on the hiway...and I travel about five over..but not over 75mph..I drove back to New Mexico last year and averaged 20.4 by the computer..I have a bed cover..that will give you .5 to 1.0 extra mpg..Flowmasters add about the same.
I think both of those really add up..and I stay out of the gas when I acclerate..I don't race from stop sign to stopsign..

I have NEVER overheated my Chevy towing my boat and I have towed it to Wyoming, Oklahoma twice..New Mexico three times...Columbia River....Sorry guys, but Fords and Dodges both have sucky gas milage. I have owned both in the past...they are good trucks!!!!! However, they suck big time on milage and Ford trucks have always had problems with their brakes on the halftons... My Dodge was a fourwheel drive and I towed a lot of Chevys and Fords out of the mud. My Ford was always running hot, from the day I bought it. So I sold it and bought a Chevy...

Buy whatever you want, we all drive differently, that will change everthing...I may get good mileage and you may not, driving the same thing..

A buddy and I both towed our boats back to New Mexico together, we both had Chevy trucks.. I drove a half ton and he had a 3/4 ton.

We both filled up together and he used a extra 20 gallons going to the same place...His brakes didn't work any better or stop his boat any faster. Both our Ranger trailers have disc brakes, so why pay more for gas????

I don't mean to put down any other truck, they're all good...

Just my 0.02 which isn't really much when you think about it..Har, har..

JT-Madera

[BShafer]

I know theres a difference between 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton. I normally pull my 20 ft boat with a Dodge Ram 2500 now every so often when I leave it for normal maintence at tyhe shop my brother works at I'll use my Dads 1/2 ton and when it comes to stopping and going there's a big difference.

I used the wifes Durangoo this summer for a night trip with 2 of my daughters, the Durangoo has a V8 with the tow package and again there was a big difference in stopping and going.

My primary tow vehicle will remain a 3/4 ton.