What 1/2 ton are you towing with? (no diesels and 2014+ newer)

[Fman]

3 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Man call me crazy, but the F150 looks real good lowered too.

(if my interwebing is correct, this is 1.5 front, 3 rear ground force kit)

Plus you probably end up getting better mileage too.

Is that 2 wheel drive?  you can also save quite a few bucks going 2wd over 4wd.  That is a clean looking truck! SD, are you thinking about going with F150?

[teamerickson]

Don't get 2wd! Sometimes you need 4wd pulling up the ramp. 

[Bawshogg]

I've had trucks longer than boats, but have been a towing boat owner for the better part of the last 2 decades. I've had a mix of both 2wd and 4wd trucks through all of them. I can't think of ONE time I have HAD to have 4wd to get up a ramp. And I have boated all up and down the west coast and some in the central southern portion of the US. Did just fine even at the nasty ramps at Shasta when it was down 50 ft with a 2wd. 

I currently have a 10 year old LOWERED dually and it by far is one of the BEST tow rigs I have EVER had. The 2012 ecoboost 150 was a close second. 

Having had lifted rigs, lowered rigs, stock rigs... the low life is SOoooooo convienient especially with small kids. Gotta love putting kiddos in car seats with a 6" lift.... 4x8 sheets of plywood and drywall... slide right in.  Everything in the bed is at arms reach and DOESNT require you to climb in to get anything. 

A properly dropped tow rig is a real thing of beauty if you ask me. 

[IXFE]

Just now, Bawshogg said:

I've had trucks longer than boats, but have been a towing boat owner for the better part of the last 2 decades. I've had a mix of both 2wd and 4wd trucks through all of them. I can't think of ONE time I have HAD to have 4wd to get up a ramp. And I have boated all up and down the west coast and some in the central southern portion of the US. Did just fine even at the nasty ramps at Shasta when it was down 50 ft with a 2wd. 

I currently have a 10 year old LOWERED dually and it by far is one of the BEST tow rigs I have EVER had. The 2012 ecoboost 150 was a close second. 

Having had lifted rigs, lowered rigs, stock rigs... the low life is SOoooooo convienient especially with small kids. Gotta love putting kiddos in car seats with a 6" lift.... 4x8 sheets of plywood and drywall... slide right in.  Everything in the bed is at arms reach and DOESNT require you to climb in to get anything. 

A properly dropped tow rig is a real thing of beauty if you ask me. 

Baws... I liked your post, but I'd feel a lot better about it if you shared a pic of that low rider.  Such an amazing sled!

Oh, and a video of the horn if you have it!  

[oldjeep]

21 minutes ago, teamerickson said:

Don't get 2wd! Sometimes you need 4wd pulling up the ramp. 

not once, ever. I live in mn and have only wished for 4wd twice in 25 years. Both times were getting stuck in a field full of snow pulling a car trailer. Both times we unloaded the jeep off the trailer and pulled the truck out to the road;)

Edited October 29, 2016 by oldjeep

[Bawshogg]

That would make me a "troll" right? Posting content not relative to the subject of " 1/2 ton tow rigs". I MUST be on my best behavior now.

[Pnwrider]

I couldn't get up this ramp without 4wd. the river is tidal and dropped after I launched that morning. I use this ramp pretty much every weekend from nov-jan. 

[Bawshogg]

I guess you could call that a "ramp" .... or a river bank. Your choice. Most people with a 100k dollar wake boat can afford to use "improved" facilities... but to each his own. Nice to save 7 bucks I guess. 

[jk13]

4 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Man call me crazy, but the F150 looks real good lowered too.

(if my interwebing is correct, this is 1.5 front, 3 rear ground force kit)

Plus you probably end up getting better mileage too.

*Crocodile Dundee voice* "You call that lowered? That's not lowered."

@Bawshogg's rig and my Tahoe are lowered. But like he mentioned neither fit in this thread. I do have 4wd and I use it all the time on our slimy ramps and pushing a Snowsport plow in winter. Next one will be 4wd too. And it'll be 4-5 inches lower than the F150 pictured here. Likely a GM 1500 crew or a Ram 1500 crew RamBox if not a newer short GM SUV.

[MadMan]

Australian Toyota doesn't do so well on the "moose test":

 

 

[Soon2BV]

To the original question - 

I have a 2014 GMC Sierra with the 6.2, Active Fuel Management (goes to V4 at cruising conditions). 

Crew Cab / All Terrain / 20" wheels / 3.42 Axle / 4x4 / 6 Speed Auto / Trailering Package / Bed Cover

It is listed at 11,800 towing capacity.  Pulls my 26 foot TT or my 21 LSV with ease. Merging, accelerating not a problem.

Highway MPG (no trailer) - about 22-23 @ 70 MPH.

 

[Pnwrider]

1 hour ago, Bawshogg said:

I guess you could call that a "ramp" .... or a river bank. Your choice. Most people with a 100k dollar wake boat can afford to use "improved" facilities... but to each his own. Nice to save 7 bucks I guess. 

Most people with 100k wake boats can afford to check the 4x4 box as well... but you're right, to each their own and there is a real ramp under all that mud. 

[Bawshogg]

So you'd roll your blinged up Boatmate with 18's or 20's as some folks prefer , with low pro rubber through that mess?  

I can understand your duck hunting rig, or maybe even a small fishing boat,  but I'm not pulling ANY large wakeboat down THAT ramp... I think the community here  might agree. Even if I didn't get stuck the hours I spent cleaning that mud off the boat and the trailer , let alone inside the boat and tow rig would be deterent enough. 

I'm not saying folks round here can't afford a 4x4 by any means. I just don't feel it's a necessity in a tow rig purposed for wakeboats. I've had enough boating tenure to give that opinion this far. 

[Pnwrider]

Of course not, that's where I launch my duck boat. my only point was there are situations where people need 4 wheel drive to use boat ramps. 90% of the time I don't, but the 10% I do I am happy I have it. I would imagine resale on a 2 wheel drive would be rough around here as well. 

[Stevo]

would't buy a non 4wd or AWD tow vehicle.

and absolutely would go without 4wd in a truck.

I assume without a transfer case they have room for a nice velvet pouch to hold your purse.

 

 

[shawndoggy]

3 hours ago, Fman said:

Is that 2 wheel drive?  you can also save quite a few bucks going 2wd over 4wd.  That is a clean looking truck! SD, are you thinking about going with F150?

No that's 4wd with 1.5/3 drop. 

[shawndoggy]

1 hour ago, jk13 said:

*Crocodile Dundee voice* "You call that lowered? That's not lowered."

@Bawshogg's rig and my Tahoe are lowered. But like he mentioned neither fit in this thread. I do have 4wd and I use it all the time on our slimy ramps and pushing a Snowsport plow in winter. Next one will be 4wd too. And it'll be 4-5 inches lower than the F150 pictured here. Likely a GM 1500 crew or a Ram 1500 crew RamBox if not a newer short GM SUV.

Yeah I like the LOOK of the 3/6 drop a lot better but I wouldn't want to sacrifice one iota of factory ride quality, personally. Been there!

[shawndoggy]

I have never used 4wd with my trailer hooked up ever. But I have used it to get to work in the snow. 

[Stevo]

I use it every once in a while at the delta ramps, they seem to have more slimy growth on them.

also when water levels are lower late in the season some lakes go to dirt and gravel ramps .

When we go to the snow, or dirt biking it can get slippery 

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by Stevo

[Cole2001]

3 hours ago, Pnwrider said:

I couldn't get up this ramp without 4wd. the river is tidal and dropped after I launched that morning. I use this ramp pretty much every weekend from nov-jan. 

You guys down south make us up here in Canada seem as if we're missing the party.  On Vancouver island we've got ramps like pictured above, wood ones where you put a "safety" rope to save the truck from sliding down, ones where the concrete ends before the water and there is a bump you have to make it over. Don't even get me started about stumps EVERYWHERE. 

What I was trying to say was, I would never own a tow veichle without 4 wheel drive. Borrowed a friends 1500 AWD Denali and it was tough getting up.  

[bamaboy]

I just don't get the purpose of not buying a truck with 4wd.  Are you trying to save money?  Better gas mileage?  Honest question here.  

 

Not to mention that it will most certainly hurt resale 

Edited October 29, 2016 by bamaboy

[Fman]

I personally would not buy a 2wd truck either, you can save a few bucks but not worth imo to sacrafice 4wd and 4 low gear reduction.  Am I the only use uses 4 low on the ramp when pulling boat up to take some stress off the auto trans?

[RyanB]

My dad (now retired) worked for Chrysler.  From speaking with him, I know that all the manufactures sell a LOT of trucks that are 4x2 in places like Texas and California.  I remember once someone mis-ordered a Jeep Cherokee that he got stuck with.  If I remember correctly, the auto auction wouldn't even take it.

The advantages of 4x2 are better MPG, less weight, sometimes a lower step in height, less maintenance, and lower cost.  Resale somewhere like Texas probably is OK.

That said, I would NEVER buy one.

Back to topic, I still think you should check out a GMC Denali with the 6.2 before you make your decision.

[jk13]

2 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

Yeah I like the LOOK of the 3/6 drop a lot better but I wouldn't want to sacrifice one iota of factory ride quality, personally. Been there!

I've spent the last 28 years lowering hundreds of vehicles (more than 40 of my own) making sure I don't lose ride quality. As with anything, got to know what you're doing, what products work best for each vehicle, and all the little tricks involved. What comes in a 'kit' is almost never the final combination. Hard red poly or black rubber bump stops especially are the first to get pitched. Uneducated people are always amazed at how my rides...ride.

My wife has degenerative joints in her spine, among other pain issues. There is no way she'd let me lower them all if the ride sucked. She now insists on it as first mod on every vehicle. BTW I'm more of a static 5/8 kinda guy on 4wd pickups. And I drive them hard on WI roads. No ___ given and no hard bottoming out.

[Stevo]

57 minutes ago, RyanB said:

My dad (now retired) worked for Chrysler.  From speaking with him, I know that all the manufactures sell a LOT of trucks that are 4x2 in places like Texas and California.  I remember once someone mis-ordered a Jeep Cherokee that he got stuck with.  If I remember correctly, the auto auction wouldn't even take it.

The advantages of 4x2 are better MPG, less weight, sometimes a lower step in height, less maintenance, and lower cost.  Resale somewhere like Texas probably is OK.

That said, I would NEVER buy one.

Back to topic, I still think you should check out a GMC Denali with the 6.2 before you make your decision.

If I do Make sure that sierra Denali is a 4wd and not AWD