"Best" tow rig?????

[hkunz]

I've been reading the posts on the boards, and perhaps more importantly, watching the action on the launching ramps. Our 160,000 mile Grand Cherokee Limited is nearing the end of its useful life. While it can still drag the boat to the lake and back, we are thinking it needs replacement. The replacement must not only be able to tow the boat, but also my CJ-5 on its trailer (a 6,700 pound load) AND, it must be towable behind our motorhome. I hate the daytime running lights, so a Chevy is out. Since this is replacing our main passenger car, it has to have a full size back seat. The GC has been a great boat tow rig, never slipped on the ramp with its full-time 4x4.
This brings us to a 4x4 with lots of power and a selectable transfer case with a neutral position. My first three candidates were the Dodge Cummins Quadcab 4x4, the Super Duty F-250 6.0 Powerstroke Supercab, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Hemi. While visitng my local Ford store, they suggested the F-150 Supercab 4x4 with the 5.4 Triton. My brother-in-law had an Excursion of unknown capability that wouldn't pull his boat, but I don't talk to him much so don't know why.
The Grand Cherokee is a known quantity to me, it works well in a 96 model, with the improved power of the 05 model it should be great for this purpose.
So, does anyone have an F-150 that they tow their boat with? How does it work? Can you crest the hills on the 58/40/15/10 at speed, or are you holding up traffic? Does the 4 wheel drive work well when leaving the ramp? This truck has 20's, how do they work? Do they or the truck overheat crossing the dez?
How about the Dodge? Any complaints? I may be able to get a lease return 2005 Cummins 4x4 with manual transfer case for less than the F-150 or GC.
How about the F-250 6.0 Powerstorke? They seem to sell fast, the lot only had a couple, and one was over 50 grand.
So, the question restated - what are people using, and what are they happy with, among the Grand Cherokee Hemi, F-150 5.4, F-250 6.0 Powerstroke, and the Dodge Cummins?

[goneboatin]

Don't dismiss the Chevy yet.
You can always pull the fuse for the DRL's or splice in new bulb sockets that make use of the DRL's place as an extension of the turn signal / parking lights.

[phebus]

That's funny, the Chevy is out due to daytime running lights.
Boy, that's a real valid reason to dismiss a choice.
That's like saying the Ford is out, because it is a four letter word.
:hammer2:

[SBullet]

I have a brand new F250 4X4 Diesel and I couldnt be happier with the performace and ride.. I use to have HD2500 and I dont have anything bad to say about chevys either.

[Outnumbered]

I had a quad cab Cummins 4x4 for about a year and then replaced with a 2004 Hemi Durango 4x4 after the Cummins was in a bad accident. The Hemi Durango is a great tow vehicle and I can honestly say that I like it 90% of the time more than the truck. Its so much more comfortable, rides so much better, and easy to drive. Since its my wifes car there is no question that its a great kid hauler etc. Its rated to tow over 7,000 lbs. I just took our 24' Ultra from Phoenix to Flag to Powell and back. It averaged 10.8 MPG. Its gets a solid 15 mpg city and 17 hwy. The Flag summit is 7,200 ft. The boat was loaded heavy with camping gear, food, etc. The boat/trailer empty weigh about 5,000#. I would guess we were towing over 6,000# plus the people and stuff in the truck. It pulled the grade from Phoenix to Flag at 70-75, no problem. We were passing many a Chevy and Ford on the way up. The Hemi is strong but likes to rev, so its totally different than the Diesel. It makes 340 HP and I think 400# torque but its up near 5,000 RPM. The power to weight ratio in this truck is impressive. I would say if your boat weighs more than 6,500 # loaded I would get the Diesel. Otherwise its overkill.

[riverbound]

Hands down this is it.
Great mileage, Easy to park and gets plenty of attention form the ladies. ;)
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/681Picture039_15Mar05.jpg

[riverbound]

this is the BESTtow rig we have owned.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/681Picture_323-med.jpg

[riverroyal]

traded our excursion for a 05 F250 6.0 powerstoke,4x4 crew cab long bed,we love it,gas milage is great,ride is good,its plenty fast.Havent used 4wd yet,I just think with the long bed the 2wd looks stupid.I pulled out 37 ft fifth wheel no problem,so Im sure any boat would be easy........GM is cutting prices,may be a good option also,just get the duramax if you go GM

[LAFD]

I Have A 03 Dodge 1500 Witht He Hemi And Tows Great. Up Hills You Can Still Accelerate. Would Like A Diesal But Cant Afford It Yet.

[Speedin' Ian]

My brother has an 04 F-150 Supercrew with the 5.4 and it tows great, I believe it is rated to tow 9000lbs. I have a 25' Commander and his truck tows it great

[hkunz]

That's funny, the Chevy is out due to daytime running lights.
Boy, that's a real valid reason to dismiss a choice.
That's like saying the Ford is out, because it is a four letter word.
:hammer2:
Ok, and they're ugly as well :D
Perhaps I should clarify - The Chevy DRL's seem to have one light out quite a bit. That makes me wonder what else is wrong with the truck.
I am trying to think of a long term rig, and in the past Chevy trucks have had serious issues with the steering boxes pulling off the frame, and the idler arms bending during heavy use. These are not easy fixes. Ford and Dodge, by comparison, while may have had thier various issues (the first release Powerstrokes, for example), they are easier/cheaper issues to take care of.
Branding is another issue I'm leery of - there's a Cummins, a Navistar (International), or an Isuzu. Cummins and Navistar have a distinctly different reputation than does Isuzu - the former are North American "big rig" powerplants, the latter more of a prime mover/stationary powerplant big in the third world. While the required reliability for something to work in the third world is a bonus, third world powerplants tend to be detuned for that exact reason.
Hope that makes it clearer.
Mike

[hkunz]

My brother has an 04 F-150 Supercrew with the 5.4 and it tows great, I believe it is rated to tow 9000lbs. I have a 25' Commander and his truck tows it great
What speed do you crest the hills at?
Mike

[PHX ATC]

We have a 2001 Dodge Cummins and a 2004 Dodge Cummins. They work great as tow vehicles. PM me if you want specifics, mileage, setup, etc.
That way I won't start a brand war.
Bottom line, get what you wish and what works for you.

[life's a river]

I have an 03 crewcab Duramax. The wife loves the nice ride compared to my 01 F350 4x4. I like the Chevy's interior, the Ford's have the largest rear seat area. I think all 3 have there +'s. Just a matter of make preference. Test drive all 3 before you make up you mind. My .02.
LAR

[slingingsmoke]

I set the cruise on 72mph on the '04 6.0 Superduty. I get 15.67 mpg (hand calculated--you should/can never trust the overhead computer) towing my 22' boat over the hills on the I-40 from cali to havi.
oh and its a 4x4.
JON.
oh and $50K???? dont get ripped off.
in 2003 I ordered my 2004 for 37,900.

[Outnumbered]

Did you guys miss the part about towable behind the motor home? That is why I recommended the Durango. I don't think you will find a more powerful tow vehicle of its size anywhere. If the MOHO was not an issue than full-size p/u 2500 would be a must.

[PHX ATC]

Did you guys miss the part about towable behind the motor home?
Who reads for retention anymore? Hello, it's summer time... :D
BTW, I didn't know you "recycled" your Cummins. That's too bad, but I'm glad you're happy with your Durango.
Ever make it out here in QC?

[Outnumbered]

Who reads for retention anymore? Hello, it's summer time... :D
BTW, I didn't know you "recycled" your Cummins. That's too bad, but I'm glad you're happy with your Durango.
Ever make it out here in QC?
Ya, I was bummed. The wife got rear-ended by a 1978 3/4 4x4 Chebby, was spun and then t-boned by a Honda CRV. I tried to have it totalled but lost the fight with the insurance. We ended up getting it fixed and trading it in. I miss that truck but the Durango is a much better family car. Its got leather, DVD, 3rd row, etc. Its pretty nice and got top marks in the crash tests. Not the cool factor but sure a lot more fam friendly. BTW, I had mu Cummins weighed at the scales @ 7,700 lbs with a full tank of fuel and two people in it. Not the best MOHO tow-behind unless you have a Monaco or a Prevhost :rollside:

[RidinRed]

Did you guys miss the part about towable behind the motor home? That is why I recommended the Durango. I don't think you will find a more powerful tow vehicle of its size anywhere. If the MOHO was not an issue than full-size p/u 2500 would be a must.
Yes i wondered the same. Everyone got too into the best tow rig. I think as a towable you are looking at a half ton truck/SUV.

[Eliminator 4 Life]

Ok, and they're ugly as well :D
Perhaps I should clarify - The Chevy DRL's seem to have one light out quite a bit. That makes me wonder what else is wrong with the truck.
I am trying to think of a long term rig, and in the past Chevy trucks have had serious issues with the steering boxes pulling off the frame, and the idler arms bending during heavy use. These are not easy fixes. Ford and Dodge, by comparison, while may have had thier various issues (the first release Powerstrokes, for example), they are easier/cheaper issues to take care of.
Branding is another issue I'm leery of - there's a Cummins, a Navistar (International), or an Isuzu. Cummins and Navistar have a distinctly different reputation than does Isuzu - the former are North American "big rig" powerplants, the latter more of a prime mover/stationary powerplant big in the third world. While the required reliability for something to work in the third world is a bonus, third world powerplants tend to be detuned for that exact reason.
Hope that makes it clearer.
Mike
Thats funny I had a 2004 ford 6.0 amd it was lemon lawed cause it was a pile of $hit paper plates with a drip pan under it to catch all the oil it leaked well now I got a gmc dismiss what you want but a headlight out is better then a freakin drip pan under your truck while it sits in the drive way. The service manager also told me they are doing 50 buy backs a month wonder why they are changing the motor in 2007 porbably cause of this issue but who am I to say :cool:

[Brian]

I have an 04 Dodge with the Cummins and a 6 spd manual. So far @38k miles, it's been nearly trouble free. There's a small rattle in the dash I need to get fixed but that's it. Compared to the new GM and Ford vehicles I've had in the last few years (including an 00 Superduty diesel and an 01 GM 8.1), this Dodge has been far more reliable. Also pulls like a freight train and gets good mileage. They're coming out with a full crew cab this year, so that would be one to look for IMO.
:cool:

[Wild Twin]

My bro had a 2004 crew cab chevy 4x4 duramax. It was an awesome truck. Towed great, rode great, lots of backseat room, got good gas mileage. Then it got stolen. I have heard of ford having problems with they trannys. The only problem I have heard of in the chevys is the fuel injectors. They have know fixed that.

[Outnumbered]

I have an 04 Dodge with the Cummins and a 6 spd manual. So far @38k miles, it's been nearly trouble free. There's a small rattle in the dash I need to get fixed but that's it. Compared to the new GM and Ford vehicles I've had in the last few years (including an 00 Superduty diesel and an 01 GM 8.1), this Dodge has been far more reliable. Also pulls like a freight train and gets good mileage. They're coming out with a full crew cab this year, so that would be one to look for IMO.
:cool:
You under cover now?

[Brian]

You under cover now?
Yeah, something like that... the old name was getting a little wierd... LOL! :D

[hkunz]

We looked and looked at rigs, the 250/2500 size rigs run up to 8,000 pounds, making it a bit of a load on the motorhome. The F-150 was a nice rig, but the only trim level that has a 4x4 stick (as opposed to a knob with no neutral) was the XLT, which left out the leather seats and other upgrade items. A quick calcualtion of the new payments, along with the fact that she'd have to trade in her beloved retro T-Bird, and we figured we can modify the dickens out of the Grand Cherokee and have it paid for by September. So, it's looking like an aluminum radiator, hood louvers, and electric fan(s) are soon to come. We put the new "street" tires on it today, with a lower profile and quieter tread pattern.
Even if I have to put in a Mopar crate motor next year, we are still money ahead of the purchase price of a new truck.

[Sleek-Jet]

You know what I don't like about the Ford or Dodge 3/4 ton pick-ups??? You have to crawl into the damn things. At least the Chevy's have a more normal step in height.
The tow behind requirement would put me squarely in the Jeep camp though. Way more capable 4x4, stock, than the F150, and the Hemi gives it enough poop to pull a good load. It looks better than the Durango as well.

[Danhercules]

The best thing on the Chevy is the duel climate control. I got the AC on sub zero on the way home from the river, and the wife next to me is not freezing her ass off. :coffeycup

[FILUCKY]

I might be out of line, but i havent herd any talk about a Toyota. If your looking for something to go the long haul why look past a very good truck/4runner, Honestly have you ever really seen anything go more miles without major repairs? And their now all built in the U.S.. Everything drives great when its only 1 or 2 years old, but after a few years some are really built better then others. Just an idea...

[hkunz]

No, I haven't looked at the Toys. Mostly the pulling power deficiet (in my mind, no research done), and the reputation as a "small" truck kept me from looking at it. Oh, and the price tag - a Jeep Grand Cherokee runs about 40 grand, a Land Cruiser runs about 65 grand - I could buy a Hemi Grand Cherokee and a Wrangler Rubicon for the price of one six-banger Land Cruiser.
I found a guy today that builds a 408 inch stroker 318 that bolts into the Grand Cherokee. 450 ft-lbs of torque; that'd pull a boat.

[djunkie]

No, I haven't looked at the Toys. Mostly the pulling power deficiet (in my mind, no research done), and the reputation as a "small" truck kept me from looking at it. Oh, and the price tag - a Jeep Grand Cherokee runs about 40 grand, a Land Cruiser runs about 65 grand - I could buy a Hemi Grand Cherokee and a Wrangler Rubicon for the price of one six-banger Land Cruiser.
I found a guy today that builds a 408 inch stroker 318 that bolts into the Grand Cherokee. 450 ft-lbs of torque; that'd pull a boat.
But will it pass smog?

[Beer-30]

You know what I don't like about the Ford or Dodge 3/4 ton pick-ups??? You have to crawl into the damn things. At least the Chevy's have a more normal step in height.
I made mine even easier to step into :wink:

[Outnumbered]

I might be out of line, but i havent herd any talk about a Toyota. If your looking for something to go the long haul why look past a very good truck/4runner, Honestly have you ever really seen anything go more miles without major repairs? And their now all built in the U.S.. Everything drives great when its only 1 or 2 years old, but after a few years some are really built better then others. Just an idea...
The Toy has nowhere near the power of the Hemi. Toyotas are solid but not a good heavy tow vehicle.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Perhaps I should clarify - The Chevy DRL's seem to have one light out quite a bit. That makes me wonder what else is wrong with the truck.
I had a 99 suburban with DRL's and they worked all 6 yesrs I owned it. Hope my new one works the same.

[liquidasset]

I have an 2004 2500 hd dura max crew cab ,and it has no trouble pulling my 26ft commander sig . In fact it has plenty of power to spare getting 17 mpg going to Havasu.

[BoatPI]

If you are looking at a pick up truck, look at the 06' Dodge crew cab. It is way larger than anything else on the market. The rear reats recline so something like 22 degrees. And from what I hear all 06' Hemi trucks will have modified displacement like to 300C.

[slingingsmoke]

If you are looking at a pick up truck, look at the 06' Dodge crew cab. It is way larger than anything else on the market. The rear reats recline so something like 22 degrees. And from what I hear all 06' Hemi trucks will have modified displacement like to 300C.
yeah, but its Fugly! :hammerhea

[cc322]

WARNING
This truck is powered with a TRITON V10
Due to possible breathing problems under rapid
acceleration, all females are advised to remove
any tight fitting or constrictive clothing
for their safety. :D

[hkunz]

But will it pass smog?
I don't know about that yet. I do know we have to modify the computer, which I see as a bad sign on the smog front. "And what year did you say this 408 was out of?"
I found a three row tow radiator on eBay to replace the two row radiator now in it, that should make an improvement. :shift:

[hkunz]

If you are looking at a pick up truck, look at the 06' Dodge crew cab. It is way larger than anything else on the market. The rear reats recline so something like 22 degrees. And from what I hear all 06' Hemi trucks will have modified displacement like to 300C.
The big trucks are too hard to tow behind the motorhome, so my choices are getting fewer. I almost went with the F-150, but the trim package for the proce was way down. The lack of a towable neutral was the sticking point.