The next time a person tells me their 1/2 ton gasser tows great..

[GRN ENVY]

My frontier tows pretty good, and its a V6. I have towed close to 6000lbs with it and its rated just under 7000llbs. I tow a 20 ft bass boat several times a year. My truck pull that flawlessly. Yeah a diesel would be ideal. But I can't afford the $100 fill up or the fact that its 30k for a used one. Yes nothing compares to towing with one but, when you have 650+ ft lbs of course that would tow better then 320 ft lbs that comes in the 1/2 tons. But 1/2 tons tow just fine.

[Sea Six]

My 1/2 ton gasser tows great.

[TheHammer]

I'm in the 3/4 ton diesel camp
Driven and towed with them for years

[mrvette]

Almost 20 years ago, I started fishing around for a used boat, a old neighbor buddy owned a landlocked marina in Rockville Md....so I bought a ~22' with a 350 chebby in it....but the rig outweighed the tow car...my '72 Lemans/GTO convertible....so I returned it and bought a 4 cyl Volvo ~20' boat....towed wonderfully....guy across the street has a ~27' with a 250 hp Suzuki engine on back....he manages to tow it without any diesel anything, just a SUV, or a pickup.....course there are no mountains to contend with here in Florida....



edit....my 455 Pontiac had about 550 ft lbs at idle....

and DPFI.....1000 cfm flow....

[jda67gta]

Originally Posted by Gozar

I am gonna tell them bullshit to their face. I towed our boat with our 3/4 ton 6 liter Suburban today and it felt pathetic compared to my Duramax truck. Sure it trailed fine and braking was more than adequate but there is no freaking comparing the two. They don't even belong in the same sentence.

Why'd you use the Suburban if you love the Duramax so much?

Thanks for the review.

[Hoog]

Perspective. It will change permanently after towing just once with a diesel.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Gozar

I guess my point is that so many people think their trucks pull fine really haven't experienced a real towing vehicle.

and...

Corvette - Ferrari
Timex - Rolex
Honda - Harley
Black & Decker - Milwaukee
Bob's Baltimore basement wine -Napa wine
Swisher Sweets - Cuban
Outback - Ruth's Chris
Wife - Porn Star

...

[clutchdust]

Originally Posted by Hoog

Perspective. It will change permanently after towing just once with a diesel.

Not necessarily. My '06 1/2 5.3 was way more comfortable in every way than my '99 1 ton 6.5 dually. If I was only towing my car to and from tracks, there is simply no question I would take it over the diesel in a heartbeat. Now if I were comparing an '06 Duramax to that 5.3, then I could probably see your point, but not all diesels are created equally.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Gozar

The Duramax will pull my boat (about 6k lbs) with ease and get 14mpg doing it. (less in the hills)

It gets up to speed with ease. Not a little easier, A LOT easier. It also rides just fine as my daily driver and I have owned 5 different 1/2 ton trucks in my day.

I guess my point is that so many people think their trucks pull fine really haven't experienced a real towing vehicle.

Have a CDL and have driven (towed) a lot of different rigs. Both large & small)

I understand the diesel well and for my own personal towing my 2500 HD (gas)Silverado did a real good job of towing anything I wanted to tow. A few different boats and firewood in the mountainous area I call home.

Now where I live I have the opportunity to see a lot of crazy towing combinations by people hauling boats & camping trailers. (Mostly underpowered rigs trying to SLOWLY haul up the mountain roads or stopping OK)

My 2500HD handled that job well without having to go for the expense and problems of a diesel (starting outside in -25F for one)

Of course if you’re doing a lot of towing of super heavy trailers/weight a diesel is king, but for most of us a GOOD big V8 in the ton type capacity does well and makes a good cheaper DD.

[Kerrmudgeon]

I think the point here is a lot of us have never experienced towing with a Duramax for comparison, and for that, I for one will have to take your word on that. BUT, I've towed big cars, big boats up steep ramps, and heavy trailers with my 4X4 Chevy 5.7 gas, and NEVER had any problems.

[ZipZap]

The newer 1/2 tons are definitely improved as my friend's Titan does pretty well. I tow about 7000# regularly with a 2001 F-150. On the flats it does ok, but it is a dog on any inclines. I would love to add an ATV to the mix, but that would push it over GVWR. 6.7 F-350 is in the future as soon as they iron out the new model bugs.

[NB2K]

Originally Posted by 6spdC6

Have a CDL and have driven (towed) a lot of different rigs. Both large & small)

I understand the diesel well and for my own personal towing my 2500 HD (gas)Silverado did a real good job of towing anything I wanted to tow. A few different boats and firewood in the mountainous area I call home.

Now where I live I have the opportunity to see a lot of crazy towing combinations by people hauling boats & camping trailers. (Mostly underpowered rigs trying to SLOWLY haul up the mountain roads or stopping OK)

My 2500HD handled that job well without having to go for the expense and problems of a diesel (starting outside in -25F for one)

Of course if you’re doing a lot of towing of super heavy trailers/weight a diesel is king, but for most of us a GOOD big V8 in the ton type capacity does well and makes a good cheaper DD.

This is by far the best post in this thread.

Most people don't know jack about towing; they load a rig slap up to the manufacturer's overly-optimistic ratings and wonder why they scatter shit all over the median.

They don't factor fuel or water weight, they don't account for people or cargo weight in the towing vehicle and they don't bother to check air pressures (esp. on hot days).

[LATB]

Originally Posted by NB2K

This is by far the best post in this thread.

Most people don't know jack about towing; they load a rig slap up to the manufacturer's overly-optimistic ratings and wonder why they scatter shit all over the median.

They don't factor fuel or water weight, they don't account for people or cargo weight in the towing vehicle and they don't bother to check air pressures (esp. on hot days).

I would think vehicle manufactures are conservative with their max towing numbers.
a) because of liability
b) it's what engineers do

[VatorMan]

3/4 ton long bed here-NFW would I try and tow anything I cared about with anything less.

[Omega Man]

I think you would be surprised at how well the Ford EcoBoost can tow. It is comprable with my 2001 F250 7.3 power stroke.

The 01 had 250 hp/ 500 tq and the '11 has 356 hp / 420 tq. The power on the Eco is in the lower RPM and it drives just like a diesel.

I promise with the F150 I could drag it around no problems, also the sway control is the titties.

[Barn Babe]

Originally Posted by 6spdC6

Have a CDL and have driven (towed) a lot of different rigs. Both large & small)

I understand the diesel well and for my own personal towing my 2500 HD (gas)Silverado did a real good job of towing anything I wanted to tow. A few different boats and firewood in the mountainous area I call home.

Now where I live I have the opportunity to see a lot of crazy towing combinations by people hauling boats & camping trailers. (Mostly underpowered rigs trying to SLOWLY haul up the mountain roads or stopping OK)

My 2500HD handled that job well without having to go for the expense and problems of a diesel (starting outside in -25F for one)

Of course if you’re doing a lot of towing of super heavy trailers/weight a diesel is king, but for most of us a GOOD big V8 in the ton type capacity does well and makes a good cheaper DD.

You would have loved the parade we put on on Monday during "rush hour" through our town. I had the guy who sold me the horse I bought include delivery (about 30 miles, I don't have a trailer). The oil pressure on his duelly dropped. He pulled off and by the time I got back to him I wasn't sure if he put oil in or not, but he was ready to go.

When we got off the freeway I noticed he was going really slow. I pulled over and got out just as his truck came to a loudly knocking stop and died. I offered to call AAA but he said his sun was on the way.

When his son arrived in his older truck I naively thought we were going to unload and unhook the trailer and switch trucks. NOOOOOOOO.... instead he gets a rope - YES, A ROPE! - and hooks his son's truck to his truck! Okay, they must know what they're doing...

I get back in my car and start to lead this mess (old duelly towing an older duelly towing an even older stock trailer) to my house. They hadn't gone 50' when they stop again, they had decided to use a chain. They had a chain???

We finally get going, slowing traffic (Traffic in Aledo consists of every luxury vehicle imaginable and us) for the next 8 miles. I kept wanting to pull over and let folks by, which I did a couple of times but I think the guys were getting frustrated. I never stopped, just pulled off onto the shoulder or went thru a parking lot.

Anyway, it was an experience and we got to my place intact.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by VatorMan

3/4 ton long bed here-NFW would I try and tow anything I cared about with anything less.

I've towed with long bed...short bed...V8...V6...straight 6...auto...manual...3/4 ton...1/2 ton...2wd...4wd...full size...small...pickup....van....

proper set up & due diligence get it done every time.

sure a one ton diesel truck will do it better, DUH!

but 99% off the big F350's and HD GM and Dodge trucks are rolling down the road w/o a tow rig behind them.

personally, I'd never own a diesel truck. not my thing. I'll also never own another 3/4 ton truck. no need.

the only thing I'll probably ever tow in the future is a boat...and if a 1/2 ton V6 pickup can't pull it...it needs to be at he marina.

my .02

[Montehall]

is tow vehicle:

[Grey Ghost]

Thought the thread was about these..

[clutchdust]

This thread is rapidly turning into your standard 'bigger-is-better' pissing match. I could kill a coyote with a .308 just as easy as I could with a .223, but why? Right tool for the job. For me, a newer gas half ton with AC, a decent stereo and comfy seats will be a better tool for towing my 3000# track car/trailer rig than my big, heavy, uncomfortable, shitty 6.5TD. And no one on this board or anywhere else will convince me otherwise.