Anybody pulling their boats with a Tahoe?

[Marvin willis]

Thinking about trading my 08 Chevy 2500 to get my wife a new Tahoe. Just wondering how it tows the boat. I had a 96 Chevy 1500 before with 37s and 5:13 gears and pulled terribly.

 

[Bruce]

Which engine would it have?

Most of the current generation have 5.3 liter Ecotec engines with high gear ratios for fuel efficiency. A friend has a loaded 2014 GMC Sierra that I would love to own except the towing capacity is around 6,000 pounds. This would tow the boat but would be overloaded with the family and supplies for Bimini on board. But he gets high teens for fuel mileage.

I have a 2007 Sierra Denali which has a 6.2 and is rated to tow 9,800 pounds. I have upgraded the brakes and it has additional cooling for towing. I can tow our SX230 way faster than is legal with it. I have towed over 12,000 pound trailers with brakes on both axles several times and as far as 30 miles without any problem. But in get low teens fuel mileage in my rural hilly area, 17 to 18 on long 65 mile per hour trips and 9 to 11 towing the boat.

 

[bronze_10]

I drive a 2014 tahoe with the police package but not the pursuit suspension. ... I pull a twin axel enclosed trailer with a 4 person Polaris side by side utility vehicle in it.. all total it has to be under 4000 pounds and I hate it.... my 2005 durango with the hem pulls the boat much much better that that tahoe pulls.... an I have always liked chevy trucks. I am disappointed with this one.. I feel like i have to stand on the gas to get it to go... even just driving it around town it's like it doesn't want to down shift right

 

[Marvin willis]

I feel like my 2500 down shifts too much. Even without the trailer i can't go from 55-60 without it down shifting. Plenty of power but it always wants to downshift to go. I do love it for pulling the boat.

 

[PEARCE]

If it were me I'd keep the 2500. Nothing beats a heavy duty truck for towing. A member on this board @HawkTX has a new Tahoe loaded with the heavy duty tow package. He came from a F250 diesel and he had mentioned that the Tahoe handled it fine the few times he's towed with it. There's plenty of power in whatever engine you have to tow one of these boats, it just comes down to gearing. I came from a '01 1/2 ton Ford before my current Ram diesel and it is incredible the difference between the two. The Ford never hunted for gears, but I had to keep it in drive or run at 70 or above in overdrive to keep it in the power band. It had a 3.55 rearend. It's a stress free towing experience for me now.

 

[Wayloncle]

I think the newer vehicles with 6 and 8 speed transmissions and high geared differentials seem like they are underpowered just because they try to stay in a higher gear for gas mileage.

When I first got my '09 Silverado I didn't like it because it seemed like it didn't down shift when it needed to, when I tow any trailer I put it in trailer mode, seems to help.

In reality when I figured it all up, my 3:42 rearend with 6 speed transmission is lower geared in the first two gears than my '04 4 speed I had with 3:73 rearend. It just feels so much different.

 

[GTBRMC]

I am pulling my 08 SX230 with a 2012 Tahoe LTZ with 4WD and HD tow package...so 3.42 ratio, oil cooler, transmission cooler and has six speed auto transmissiin.

It is a competent tow machine equipped this way. I forget the exact tow rating, but it is more than enough for any trailerable jetboat. The mileage is a bit worse than the 3.08 but not awful. In addition to towing, it drives very well for a real body-on-frame truck when not on towing duty.

It does not have the pure grunt my Hemi Durango had, but is a better towing vehicle in most every other way. Also, I expect it will last longer after the twin huge disappointments of body rust through and lifter issues at <5 years and <90,000 miles on the Durango.

One thought: Consider getting the extended version (Suburban or Yukon XL) as the extra interior room and better tracking at freeway speeds may well outweigh the minor parking lot hassles for you.

 

[mark_m]

I am pulling my 08 SX230 with a 2012 Tahoe LTZ with 4WD and HD tow package...so 3.42 ratio, oil cooler, transmission cooler and has six speed auto transmissiin.

It is a competent tow machine equipped this way. I forget the exact tow rating, but it is more than enough for any trailerable jetboat. The mileage is a bit worse than the 3.08 but not awful. In addition to towing, it drives very well for a real body-on-frame truck when not on towing duty.

It does not have the pure grunt my Hemi Durango had, but is a better towing vehicle in most every other way. Also, I expect it will last longer after the twin huge disappointments of body rust through and lifter issues at <5 years and <90,000 miles on the Durango.

One thought: Consider getting the extended version (Suburban or Yukon XL) as the extra interior room and better tracking at freeway speeds may well outweigh the minor parking lot hassles for you.

I have similar - 2013 Tahoe LT with the 3.08 rear end and 6 speed transmission and I have zero issues towing my '07SX 230 with galvanized trailer.

I've towed it on long distance hauls with no problems getting around 13 on the highway with the boat.

I'm sure the redesigned 2015s are even better/fuel efficient.

 

[bronze_10]

I didn't say the tahoe wouldn't pull it.. and do a fair job.. it just disappointed me.... my 2005 durango with 103,000 miles doesn't miss a beat.. it will jump up and take off if I don't watch it..... and no rust here in nc!

 

[GTBRMC]

I am pulling my 08 SX230 with a 2012 Tahoe LTZ with 4WD and HD tow package...so 3.42 ratio, oil cooler, transmission cooler and has six speed auto transmissiin.

It is a competent tow machine equipped this way. I forget the exact tow rating, but it is more than enough for any trailerable jetboat. The mileage is a bit worse than the 3.08 but not awful. In addition to towing, it drives very well for a real body-on-frame truck when not on towing duty.

It does not have the pure grunt my Hemi Durango had, but is a better towing vehicle in most every other way. Also, I expect it will last longer after the twin huge disappointments of body rust through and lifter issues at <5 years and <90,000 miles on the Durango.

One thought: Consider getting the extended version (Suburban or Yukon XL) as the extra interior room and better tracking at freeway speeds may well outweigh the minor parking lot hassles for you.

OK, I just looked it up. As mine is equipped it is rated to tow 8,200 lbs. The identically equipped Suburban version is rated for 8,000 lbs.

Note the tow rating drops a bunch without the HD tow package and a bit more with the 3.08 ratio and no tow package.

Worth noting I had to look around a lot before finding my Tahoe when I bought it used earlier this year. Relatively few of the 2012s were equipped with 4WD/3.42/HD tow package as I wanted it.

I have zero experience with the new generation (2015-present) Tahoe/Yukon, FYI. Too rich for me at this point.

From the 2012 Tahoe/Suburban owner'a manual:

 

[Unreal Yammi]

Or you could consider a Toyota 4Runner or a Sequoia. They both can easily tow any Yamaha product, get 15+ mpg and go 250,000 miles with any drivetrain issues. Oh and hold their resale value high even with those miles. They won't tow loads of hay, farm equipment nor 10000 lbs but would suffice any Yamaha boat owners needs for towing their boat. I have owned nothing but Toyota products since 1998 with good results. I tired of repairing my Chevy often. I was a Chevy man prior.

I do work for Toyota in manufacturing to be up front and do not get great purchase incentives, just FYI. Almost any good haggler can beat our team member deals and I always buy used with low miles. Just offering a thought and am hesitant to interject and certainly wouldn't dog a Tahoe, I think they look great. Good luck.

 

[H2Oload]

I have a 2015 Yukon XL Denali with the 6.2 8speed. I just towed my 242 to florida 1000 miles each way. It pulled really well. Had a 5.3 Yukon XL prior and thought it was a bit underpowered. I really didn't want the Denali but it was the only way to get the larger motor. I don't remember the exact stats but I think it's 80-100hp more. I normally run 87 octane but manual says 93, noticed a significant difference in towing. It is no comparison though to my 13' f350 SRW power stroke.

 

[Marvin willis]

Nice truck but I'm definitely not buying a $85000 truck.

 

[Just1more]

I have the 2015 Tahoe LTZ. Love it . Pulls our ar 240 just fine.

 

[H2Oload]

Towing the boat wasn't my primary motivation. However I will say that having the right tow vehicle makes all the difference. i agree with @GTBRMC that the longer the wheelbase the better. I also think everyone worries about pulling power and not enough consideration to braking power. You can't pull a 24' boat with a minivan and drive 70 mph safely. Sure you can go 5 miles to the lake and it will pull it but 1000 thru mountains is a joke. Any full size pickup or suv can handle the workload pretty easily.

 

[H2Oload]

I have the 2015 Tahoe LTZ. Love it . Pulls our ar 240 just fine.View attachment 27563

Good looking rig!

 

[BigN8]

I bought the 2015 Tahoe for my wife as well. I think it tows fine. We don't tow very far though and my boat is wet slipped most of the time. The key is my wife is very very very happy driving around in her new whip!!!! And that makes me very very very happy!!!

So be sure to consider how much you will really tow compared with how happy the wife will be cruising around in that badass looking Tahoe!!!

Also, just FYI the 4x4 has a lower rating than the regular Tahoe.

 

[Kevin M]

I have a 2013 Avalanche. It pulls my boat fine. I've been to Marco Island, Punta Gorda and Lake Cumberland with it. Never had an issue and it's been loaded with gear and four adults. It does have the HD tow package and is rated for 8200 lbs.

 

[mark_m]

I bought the 2015 Tahoe for my wife as well. I think it tows fine. We don't tow very far though and my boat is wet slipped most of the time. The key is my wife is very very very happy driving around in her new whip!!!! And that makes me very very very happy!!!

So be sure to consider how much you will really tow compared with how happy the wife will be cruising around in that badass looking Tahoe!!!

Also, just FYI the 4x4 has a lower rating than the regular Tahoe.

+1 @BigN8 the wife's consideration is paramount here. The Tahoe is fully capable to tow our boats.

 

[Marvin willis]

Thanks everybody. We're in between trading my truck that is almost paid off or wait a little bit while building our saving back up from loosing my job a couple years ago and lawyer bills to sue my ex boss(separate issue) and trading my wife's Malibu ltz That way I get to keep my truck. Might have to wait a year but everybody wins.