Towing w Midsize Truck

[jkk]

I pull my Lowe 175 with a 2023 Ranger EcoBoost 4X4 10 speed with a tow package. Pulls it like it's not there really don't even put in tow haul mode for the most part still get 19 mpg average...........Had one incident of what I would call a panic stop when a vehicle pulled out in front of me truck handled it very well and controlled. Used to pull it with a 2022 3/4 Ford Diesel over kill for that boat for sure..... before I downsized to the Ranger after retirement this year.

[Rangerdeepv]

There is enough motor and frame in both trucks for that boat.....but as mentioned it is always about putting the skids on and how long it takes.

[jjue1979]

My manager was towing his 1980's Porsche autocross race car on an open tandem axle trailer with a 2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4x when we first launched the vehicle without any issues. With that being said, they are rated for around 6500 lbs (varies per package and wheelbase) and can tow every bit of it. You shouldn't have an issue towing your boat with a midsize truck; my uncle use to pull the Skeeter SF-175 that I own these days with a Chevy S10.

[rtlgator]

My boat has about the same weight as yours, tow mine with Honda Ridgeline AWD, never had any ramp problems and one is vey steep. Hardly know it's behind going down interstate and Ridgline is very comfortable.

[Highcentered]

My boat has about the same weight as yours, tow mine with Honda Ridgeline AWD, never had any ramp problems and one is vey steep. Hardly know it's behind going down interstate and Ridgline is very comfortable.

This is why I keep circling back to the Ridgeline. Seems capable enough and most frame trucks will beat you to death here in Arkansas.

[Rick422]

I had a Tacoma with a 18 foot Charger. About the third time I slid through a stop sign I said no more. It will tow it fine, it just does not have enough weight to stop especially if streets are wet. Keep the Tundra.

[jdbassman]

I had a Z518 I towed with a V6 Toyota Tacoma and I was very happy with how it towed. You would have plenty of power to tow a 17’ boat.

[mean_dean]

I tow with a 2021 Ford Ranger. 4 cyl ecoboost. A weeks worth of food drinks, bedding and clothing 32 gallons of fuel in the boat. It works great and stops good too.

What do you tow?

The Ranger is on my short list to replace my Expedition, 7500 towing they claim on the website. My boat/motor/gear/gas weighs ~3K so should be fine. I'm towing a Nitro Z7 not some huge 20-21 foot boat.

[ECobb91]

What do you tow?

The Ranger is on my short list to replace my Expedition, 7500 towing they claim on the website. My boat/motor/gear/gas weighs ~3K so should be fine. I'm towing a Nitro Z7 not some huge 20-21 foot boat.

with a z7, a Ranger will be fine. You’re at less than 50% tow capacity. Heck a vehicle with a 5000lb capacity is way more than adequate for that load.

[dbs1]

I have a friend that tows his 26’ offshore rig with a 1980 4 cyl Toyota. Never had an issue…

Ive got another friend with a 12’ tin knocker and 8hp motor that insisted getting a gm kodiak years ago to make sure he had no issues towing it.

Ive got the strangest friends

[TheBarBack]

I used to tow my phoenix and triton with a colorado zr2... did great, sure it revs up high on big hills... but was never an issue. Had less sag in the rear than my raptor does now

[Kramos26]

Id be happy to pull my 19 foot with my brothers v6 tacoma. Just make sure the trailer brakes are in working order. The only time the Tacoma would get dicey is on the bigger mountain climbs. Love my twin turbo and 10 speed for that. Tacoma would do it just slower. The new 4 cyl trucks are better than the older midsize v6 trucks on paper so I'm sure they would do just fine. Like mentioned above my raptor squats more than his tacoma does.

One thing to note midsize trucks run out of payload quick. If you're gonna pack up all your gear in the bed for a long trip and hitch up the boat it could get close to max on the rear axle. The new tacoma for example has a max payload of 1700lbs. My boat is probably 500lbs of tongue weight. so you can only put 1200lbs of people, stuff, and fuel. Same thing with a raptor

[Bass_boat_boy]

I have a 21' tundra and it's a beast, saying that my dad has 23' taco and while it's a small truck it tows my bass cat cougar with no issues.

[DaveBrabec]

F150. Gm or Dodge 1500 are midsize trucks. Tacoma / Ranger are mini trucks.

[Mcjenson]

Mid sized works fine for any bass boat. The only exception I would make is the guys that are on serious mountain passes, or put a bunch of miles towing on their rig. I would like a midsized for commuting / parking in the city, but a 1/2 ton is great when you are pulling on mountain passes.

[zaprod71]

What do you tow?

The Ranger is on my short list to replace my Expedition, 7500 towing they claim on the website. My boat/motor/gear/gas weighs ~3K so should be fine. I'm towing a Nitro Z7 not some huge 20-21 foot boat.

I have an 1880 Vexus

[GrahamS]

I have been towing a 19' Tuffy with a 2007 crew cab / longbed frontier for 15 years, it will work just fine. It definitely eats the gas while towing though...like 10-11mpg these days, but then again its a 17 year old truck, so I'm not really worried about the fuel economy.

[Mcjenson]

I have been towing a 19' Tuffy with a 2007 crew cab / longbed frontier for 15 years, it will work just fine. It definitely eats the gas while towing though...like 10-11mpg these days, but then again its a 17 year old truck, so I'm not really worried about the fuel economy.

To be honest it's not like the half tons do much better towing mpg wise. I think most are between 11-13 towing a bass boat, with only the diesels doing a little better (but you get the diesel headaches as well).

[Highcentered]

To be honest anyone getting a midsize truck for the gas mileage is buying it for the wrong reason. If they do get better than their fullsize counterpart in the same brand it isn't much. I've said it before and I'll say it again that when the fullsize trucks are getting good discounts the value just isn't there for the midsize. I guess it's a good way for a brand to get data saying people were choosing the fullsize over the midsize to make it easier to discontinue the smaller truck AGAIN? Back in the late 90's my dad chose a Dakota over a Ram because he wanted the Dakota even though he could have gotten the Ram for just a little bit more. That said, his Dakota soured him on Chrysler products forever. He traded that thing in at 68k with overdrive not working (would slip in and out if he tried to use it). It pulled his pleasure boat fine and never used overdrive doing that. The truck as a whole was just a POS.

I personally HATE parking my fullsize truck in tight parking lots. Many on here seem to forget that not everyone has a 4000 pound glitter rocket like they do. Not everyone drives several hours each way to the lake either like some on here do. For the short drive to the lake that I do a Ford Maverick with the 4k tow package would be just fine. I can go from my recliner to my first spot on the lake in half an hour and that includes hooking up the boat and getting drinks and snacks loaded.

[davidsa]

at 2000#, anything more then a v6 is over kill and towing capacity of 3500# should be fine on most vehicles if trailer has surge brakes. The real challenge if finding a late model mid-size in great shape without the turbo motor. I follow toyota more then nissan. as I previously posted, finding a great shape Toyota Highlander would be much easier.

If your tundra is not rusted, I could see keeping that as well. Maybe keeping as a second utitiliy vehicle and having a nice high mpg sedan. best of all worlds