Tow vehicle

Nap22

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Looking for some input on a tow vehicle. I am looking to buy a new 2275 GCW 150 hp with the sps package. I also need to purchase a tow vehicle to pull it. I don't have the exact weight of the package, my guess is 4,600 lbs for the boat, motor, and trailer. My wife wants to buy a Toyota highlander to haul it with. I believe they are rated at 5,000 lbs capacity. Will the highlander tow the pontoon or will it not be enough power. We don't travel very far but will be using it to launch the pontoon. Any opinions or experiences will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
Get a Chevy Tahoe! Love mine, and have plenty of power. I did put a K&N cold air on it though. Mine is a 2010 LT Z71 which came with the tow package including brake controller, extra trans and engine cooler. I trailer all the time a 2275GCW
 
As long as you don't have far to tow, the Highlander will pull it, 4wd is the important part with a vehicle of that weight, getting up the ramp can be tough with a lightweight 2wd.
 
And this is where I disagree with the consensus. If you tow your boat any distance >10miles, you'll be miserable. You need a vehicle with the towing capacity to pull a pontoon which may only weight 4600lbs, but tows like 10,000lbs+ due to wind drag. My Chevy Tahoe(2011 LTZ with heavy duty tow package) was beat up after towing the 400 miles to NC in our move. The short wheel base of the truck also is not conducive to smooth trailering at speeds above 50mph.

If I were looking for a new tow vehicle, I'd look for a longer wheel base, 4 wheel drive, and V8 power plant.
 
Get a Chevy Tahoe! Love mine, and have plenty of power. I did put a K&N cold air on it though. Mine is a 2010 LT Z71 which came with the tow package including brake controller, extra trans and engine cooler. I trailer all the time a 2275GCW
I'm glad you have had good service with your Tahoe, I have a 09 with the LT3 package and tow package, I have had too many problem to mention. I tow weekly a 2500 lbs cargo trailer (toy trailer) and I had to replace the rear end at 40k miles. Tons of electrical problems, my AC went out yesterday.

I must have either bought a Monday or Friday build, never another GM for me. I've been looking at the Ford F150 with the eco-boost... sweet ride if you like a pick up.

Steve
 
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There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a tow vehicle. I always felt more comfortable when I had quite a bit more towing capacity than was required. The ride is better, less strain on the tranny, etc. Other factors include:

How far to your favorite watering holes.

Steepness of the boat ramp....I had a few embarrassing boat ramp incidents trying to pull out my old boat with the wife's mini van.

Are the roads around your area flat or hilly. Those peaks and valleys can be tough on a lower capacity tow vehicle.

How else you will use your vehicle when not towing. My brother in law purchased a Ford F-350 diesel to tow his boat 2-3 times per year. practical.
 
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And this is where I disagree with the consensus. If you tow your boat any distance >10miles, you'll be miserable. You need a vehicle with the towing capacity to pull a pontoon which may only weight 4600lbs, but tows like 10,000lbs+ due to wind drag. My Chevy Tahoe(2011 LTZ with heavy duty tow package) was beat up after towing the 400 miles to NC in our move. The short wheel base of the truck also is not conducive to smooth trailering at speeds above 50mph.

If I were looking for a new tow vehicle, I'd look for a longer wheel base, 4 wheel drive, and V8 power plant.
Well put. It's not the weight you will have a problem with, it's the wind resistance. I have the smaller boat, 20 SLM. It's like towing a huge parachute. My 2011 GMC (5.3 , 3.42 gear, 6 speed) crew cab short bed, will pull my toon sideway until just above 60 mile an hour. 65 and above it will start to hunt ( trans trying to figure what gear is best). Above 70 and it will rarely will shift into overdrive. Below 65 and the truck rarely even downshifts climbing moderate grades. I know see why you don' t see many pontoons being towed. On top of that, it states warranty may be void if you tow with the playpen installed. This truck will pull my 28 foot car hauler loaded with three snowmobiles, tools, and everything my wife can imagine to bring, without any issues. This is always a great topic. Soon we will get into the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge!

AWK
 
Looking for some input on a tow vehicle. I am looking to buy a new 2275 GCW 150 hp with the sps package. I also need to purchase a tow vehicle to pull it. I don't have the exact weight of the package, my guess is 4,600 lbs for the boat, motor, and trailer. My wife wants to buy a Toyota highlander to haul it with. I believe they are rated at 5,000 lbs capacity. Will the highlander tow the pontoon or will it not be enough power. We don't travel very far but will be using it to launch the pontoon. Any opinions or experiences will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
You're leaving yourself about an 8% safety margin.

I recall pulling an empty single axle 6x12 enclosed utility trailer with a Subaru forester when I had almost a 25% margin. (1900lb trailer vs 2500lb capacity.) It was not fun.

If I were pulling a 5,000lb wind catcher and I did not yet already own an appropriate tow vehicle, I would look for a 3/4 ton pickup or SUV.

That's a 2500 series Chevy, an F250 series Ford or the equivalent Chrysler.

I would also, given the limited amount of use I'd be looking at, seriously consider looking for a high mileage cream puff. And yes... 4wd. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
 
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We have horses, so towed a 2 horse aluminum trailer for many years to shows and such. Animals are what is known as a "live (standing) load", in other words, very high CG and can move around some. One was known for pounding the side of the trailer with his right rear at stoplights. There is also a lot of wind resistance, like the pontoon. We learned many lessons even in "short" 10 mile hauls that I'd care not to repeat, wind shears, holes in the road, flats on brand new tires, aggressive drivers around us, etc. At first we used a 1/2t Avalanche 5.3l, and while it was ok, the soft rear end caused a lot of problems, even with weight distributing hitch. We eventually went to a 3/4t Avalanche 8.1l 4wd with leaf springs and it was a terrific tow vehicle for our use. The long wheelbase and weight distributing hitch really worked together to make it a smooth ride. With $4+ gas it's not an everyday car, despite being very comfortable, but it did the job.

Basically, you need long wheelbase, weight, and torque (like diesel) to counteract that big parachute behind you. I think the high mileage "cream puff" as a secondary vehicle is a great strategy if you can swing it.
 
... On top of that, it states warranty may be void if you tow with the playpen installed. ...

AWK
Did you mean playpen cover?
 
I tow with a 2009 2500 Suburban. The long wheelbase makes a huge difference on the highway. We tow 1000 miles up to Canada every year. This year with the 6 speed transmission I towed a 22ft pontoon at 70 - 75 mph with the cruise on for 90% of the trip. I have always used Suburbans to tow. A short wheel base can pull the load but the real danger is in emergency stopping and handling the semi wind blasts. When we raced, we pulled a 26ft enclosed trailer. Up in Michigan a ubolt broke and the axle shifted and tried to flip the trailer. It bent the ball mount but the Suburban (with the whole family sleeping in it) stayed upright and in its lane. I would not tow a pontoon with a short wheel base truck. I buy 3 year old trucks with higher mileage for great prices. Got a 2004 2500 Suburban w/Quadrasteer (it's unbelievable) very high mileage for sale :D
 
And this is where I disagree with the consensus. If you tow your boat any distance >10miles, you'll be miserable. You need a vehicle with the towing capacity to pull a pontoon which may only weight 4600lbs, but tows like 10,000lbs+ due to wind drag. My Chevy Tahoe(2011 LTZ with heavy duty tow package) was beat up after towing the 400 miles to NC in our move. The short wheel base of the truck also is not conducive to smooth trailering at speeds above 50mph.

If I were looking for a new tow vehicle, I'd look for a longer wheel base, 4 wheel drive, and V8 power plant.
I agree with that, i guess we need to know what not very far means.

If that means from the marina storage to the boat ramp, then a 4wd Highlander would be fine.

I pull mine around the parking lot, and to the gas station 1/2 block away with a Cushman Truckster.

Brenda pulls it 15mi. to the lake with a 1/2 ton V6 Chevy, while i pull the camper with a 1 ton dually 8.1L 4wd.

It's a matter of 'how far' and safety has to be the first priority.
 
Had 3 Bennys. 1- 22 ft. 2-25 ft. 600 miles Round trip to Cumberland & Norris. 2004, 2008, 2011 Tahoe LTZs. . Never a problem.. Love the WB. Turns very easily in small parking lots and ramps. Have a 2500 Chevy p/u, not as pleasant to pull with as the Tahoe. Too long a WB. The trailer makes a difference also. Love my Tahoes.. Gerry
 
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2x spinzone. The wind and trailer profile makes a huge difference. I have a LTZ Suburban and pull two different boats, virtually the same weight. The pontoon (2575 RLi)is a handful at almost any meaningful speed. I cannot imagine using anything with smaller or with less power. I also have a Wake Boat (a little heavier than the pontoon) and the thing pulls like a dream @ 70+ MPH. Lower profile, bigger trailer tires, etc.

Longer wheel base and more power is the right call.
 
I used to tow with an 03 Tahoe Z-71 5.3, it would tow my 09 2075GLi with no real problem, wasn't always super happy about the big hills in the park where we go boating, but it did it. The Caddy has a 6.2 in it and didn't even know it was behind you!! Now with the 2275RCW, the Caddy knows it's back there, but chugs away with out a problem. One thing that should be noted is TRAILER CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! We have 14" tires and tandem axle, it does put the boat a bit higher and wind resistance is noticeable, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Love my trailer! If anyone from EZ LOADER reads this, feel free to shoot me a message and I'll tell you a couple of changes that could and should be made to it, but all in all, great unit!

Derrick
 
Thanks for all the replies, pretty much what I expected. Most times it's in town travel of about 5 miles, sometimes 30-40 miles over to the mississippi river. Since this post yesterday I think we have switched gears and the wife has been looking non stop for a used Toyota tundra. I think we will be much happier with that option. I will sure miss the gas mileage of my Honda civic, but that is going to our nephew for his 16th birthday.

I appreciate all the feedback and hopefully will have our Bennington ordered in the next week. It will be a long winter waiting in anticipation. We are looking at a new 2275 GCW with 150 hp motor.

Thanks again......
 
Going from a Civic to a Tundra with a Benny on the back? That's one extreme to the other...

The Highlander (if 4wd) would work for SHORT trips. You'd be pushing the Mississippi trip with a loaded vehicle. If it was just you alone, you could do it.

I have an Envoy. The tail definitely wags the dog. A Tahoe or truck wouldn't fit in my garage without giving up work space or tearing out storage. The Envoy is comparable to the Highlander and I tow a 24SSL about 20 miles on the interstate home once in a while to clean it up. It does okay, but works pretty hard. It has the 5.3 V8 in it, but it still works hard. I've had it up to 70 and didn't die... But I was scared! If you're scared, say you are scared, right Kahuna? If I had the wife and kids and luggage in the Envoy for a trip, I would NEVER tow the boat with all that. I only tow the boat with just me in it.

One of the bad things about a smaller vehicle is you can't see around the boat at all backing up. I have extended strap on mirrors, and still can't see well at all.

If your wife goes back to wanting a Highlander, it's doable, but like others have said, not advisable. But if you have to, you can make it work. You can go slower, etc.

One thing I am impressed with is the trailer brakes. Stopping is almost unnoticeable (that the boat is there).
 
Thanks for all the replies, pretty much what I expected. Most times it's in town travel of about 5 miles, sometimes 30-40 miles over to the mississippi river. Since this post yesterday I think we have switched gears and the wife has been looking non stop for a used Toyota tundra. I think we will be much happier with that option. I will sure miss the gas mileage of my Honda civic, but that is going to our nephew for his 16th birthday.

I appreciate all the feedback and hopefully will have our Bennington ordered in the next week. It will be a long winter waiting in anticipation. We are looking at a new 2275 GCW with 150 hp motor.

Thanks again......
I had an 08' Limited and loved it. Good choice for a tow vehicle. Good luck with the new toon. B)
 
If you go with the Tundra, which is what I tow with, be sure to go with the big 5.7 liter v-8. Plenty of horsepower but more important is lots of torque. If memory serves me correct, it's 391 hp and 290 ft lbs of torque.
 
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