Tow Rig Poll

[S4Cruiser]

I've gone back and forth about this way too much and just want someone else to tell me what to do .

In the past two weeks I've almost bought a 09 Dodge Crew Cummins, 09 Tundra Double Cab, 08 Ford Powerstroke 60th anniversary, and would've bought a 07 GMC 2500 Duramax Classic if it hadn't sold before I got to the dealer.

Seriously - I will drive the truck daily for work, etc. It will see tow duty for the 40 most often and the 80 very rarely (I plan to make a trip out West in the next year).

Do I really need a diesel or would the Tundra do enough. A diesel would be by far my first choice if money grew on trees...but it doesn't unfortunately .

 

[Mtbcoach]

Voted diesel for sure. Drove a Dodge 3/4 ton '96 Cummins turbo for almost 7 years and loved every minute of it. Towed a 30+ foot 5th wheel trailer and it only dropped 1-2 mpg on extended trips. I'd do it again the same way if I needed a tow vehicle...

 

[southerncruiser62]

Let's let Allen chime in on towing with the tundra I know headed to the outer banks he couldn't stay off my bumper while towing and let's say I was moving at a pretty good rate.

That said we pull daily with F350 and F550 and mileage gain over gasoline engines is huge, we did this comparison prior to purchasing. Also for what it is worth I have seen a new Tundra pull an 11,500 # boat easily but when you look at at the mileage readings overhead and see 4-5 MPG average you start to rethink.

You have to also consider the longevity of diesels over gasoline engines if you plan to stay in it a while.

Some other items to consider are the way you intend on wheeling the trucks, the biggest thing for me is that the 80 is an ideal truck to drive to and from the trails. and not have to worry about all the other items like where to park the truck and trailer, etc. not to mention the added expense of tags, tie downs, insurance, TRAILER, etc.

Ask yourself if you are truly going to wheel either one of those beautiful trucks you have hard enough to warrant a trailer?

 

[S4Cruiser]

Ask yourself if you are truly going to wheel either one of those beautiful trucks you have hard enough to warrant a trailer?

Good point...

I'd like to do Moab and Rubicon eventually and think the 80 would be better suited, BUT I wouldn't really want to drive it cross country, wheel it break something and have to worry about getting home.

For the 40...it might or might not ever be wheeled hard, but there are times like OBX that I would rather have it than the 80. However there is no way I can travel with the wife and dog on a trip and drive the 40, just not enough comforts and storage.

So maybe I really don't need a diesel...but I'm going to buy a truck just don't want to 'wish I would've' a year from now. Know what I mean.

 

[GarnerFJ40]

I voted you didn't need another toy! Drive that 40!

 

[lt1fire]

There is no question about it a diesel for sure. At work we have every kind of truck ever made..... almost. From Hino's, F650's to single cab ford rangers. We have a New Tundra and there is no way I would use it to tow over any of the diesel full sizes that we have. Mileage is a ton better. With the diesel it feels the same wether it is towing or not. The trailers loaded with 10k of tires are barely noticable.

 

[S4Cruiser]

That said we pull daily with F350 and F550 and mileage gain over gasoline engines is huge, we did this comparison prior to purchasing. Also for what it is worth I have seen a new Tundra pull an 11,500 # boat easily but when you look at at the mileage readings overhead and see 4-5 MPG average you start to rethink.

From reading on the Powerstroke forum it seems the new 6.4l gets horrible gas mileage b/c of all the added emissions equipment (DPF, etc). Are your work trucks the old 7.3 or the new ones? I'd hate to buy a diesel and average 10-12 mpg not towing.

 

[lt1fire]

Yeah the new 6.4's get horrible (for a diesel but still better than gas) mpg's. The 7.3's and the 6.0's get great gas mileage. There are also plenty of companies that sell economy tunes for the diesel. I know one of my friends back home did hit 25mpg with his 2500 HD running this.

 

[mtweller]

Jon, you know how I feel about my Duramax! Set the cruise at 75 and forget anything is behind you. It is quiet, fast, and fairly efficient. Towing to OBX I saw my best mileage just over 14 - but get 16-17 mixed daily use and over 20 pure highway. I have not seen less than 12mpg towing yet, and that was toying around w/ the right foot a bit much. If I was running the EFI live tune, I might get over 15 towing, but I am running a Superchips tuner that came with my truck. The 40 is like a big sail even w/ the windshield down (that didn't yield any increase in mileage, got 13.4 on the URE trip).

I am a Chevy truck guy, so I will just keep my mouth shut on the other manufacturers. Also, currently diesel is cheaper than gas. Likely not to stay that way, but I'm just sayin'.

 

[mtweller]

2006 Silverado Dually Duramax

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/1146237716.html



There's a bunch under 30K on craigslist. Use craigshelper, it's your friend

 

[uzj100]

How often will you tow or carry a load in the bed?

The fullsize diesel trucks are set up to ride better loaded. The Tundra will ride better unloaded.

Also, the Tundra can be equipped with a supercharger for extra fun that will carry a full powertrain warranty if installed at the dealership.

I would say crewmax 4x4 tundra with a supercharger and be done with it. If you tow occassionaly it will work great but for the rest of the time it will ride much better than an unloaded diesel rig.

Another option is to wait for the tundra diesel due out next year, with 4.5 Twin Turbo.

 

[mtweller]

How often will you tow or carry a load in the bed?

The fullsize diesel trucks are set up to ride better loaded. The Tundra will ride better unloaded.

Also, the Tundra can be equipped with a supercharger for extra fun that will carry a full powertrain warranty if installed at the dealership.

I would say crewmax 4x4 tundra with a supercharger and be done with it. If you tow occassionaly it will work great but for the rest of the time it will ride much better than an unloaded diesel rig.

Another option is to wait for the tundra diesel due out next year, with 4.5 Twin Turbo.

I think my 2500HD rides quite nice, even unloaded. Supercharging isn't really the answer for towing, but sure would be a lot of fun. I like the Tundra, and went and drove one before I bought my truck, but for the money the diesel is the way to go if you are really wanting a tow rig. The towing capacity of the Tundra is impressive for a 1500, but my Allison tranny is NICE! In tow mode it uses engine braking to help slow you down, and my brakes will stop my rig on a dime. If and when I do Moab or Rubicon, I will likely beg borrow or steal a gooseneck (my truck is already outfitted for one) and tow two rigs and split the fuel cost with someone. I really think a cross country trip would be fine in either truck, but not towing two trail rigs like that. I went Duramax and am going to drive it till' the wheels fall off!

R

 

[uzj100]

The supercharger was for fun (saw the S4 sold in the signature line) and not towing. The tundra with supercharger would be 6 seconds or below to 60 and that is just crazy.

I would say drive them back to back and see which one you prefer.

 

[mtweller]

He could wait until the diesel Tundra comes out Here's a picture of one I saw at SEMA in '07:

R

 

[uzj100]

Dig that paint!

 

[lt1fire]

He could wait until the diesel Tundra comes out Here's a picture of one I saw at SEMA in '07:

R

That one was a concept with a 8.1 ltr hino engine in it.

P.S. the toyota tundra diesel has been shelved once again.


John if all you are going to do is use it to tow occasionally get a 99 F350 or first gen duramax for cheap and be done with it. Good gas mileage... they are built to last and not any huge payments for a truck that isn't being used that much. No point slamming down 35k plus for a tundra and get much worse mpg to boot.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

My 2 cents for whatever its worth nowadays.

I went out in 98 and told my wife i was buying a truck. I came home with a brand new 3500 Ram. I am very happy with it. Have pulled an M-1 tank with it, but thats another story for another day. I will never sell this thing and it has been payed for , for awhile now.I am of the story do it once and be done with it. That is why the wife has a 2500HD GMC. She can tow anything she needs to also. As was said before i can haul my 2 car trailer with 2 vehicles on it and not feel it. Had a 40 and a 82 pickup on it from GA to here and no issues. My wife loves her truck with the 8.1 and Allison.

All this being said the 3500 is not my DD, but could very easily become it if needed.

 

[77cruiser]

I have a 1500 Chevy silverado z71. I towed my 40 to tellico last year which was about a 7 hr drive, on a u haul trailer which was heavier than alot of tow trailers, and when it was all said and done, Mileage was ok but it tow'd just fine on most of the trip. Up the larger hills it was noticeable but for the long distance trips, thats why I have the 62. i can pack it down, drive it anywhere, wheel it and drive it home. I rarely wheel it hard enough to think I am going to do catastrophic enough damage to not be able to drive home especially if I know I have to drive home. Plus I love my trucks and dont want to destroy them so I am a little eaiser on them on the trails than some.

 

[Fort Knox]

Let's let Allen chime in on towing with the tundra I know headed to the outer banks he couldn't stay off my bumper while towing and let's say I was moving at a pretty good rate.

Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the Tundra, to say the least. It has plenty of towing capacity for what I need, but then again.....I don't tow that often. If I were buying a truck based solely on towing capacity, and I planned on towing often, I would probably have gone with a diesel. However, I knew that I'll only be towing a couple/few times a year, along with a few trips to either Home Depot or the dump. Also, when I bought the Tundra, gas prices were pretty much at their peak, and diesel was significantly higher.

Gas mileage. Yeah, that's the Tundra's downfall. The thing will tow 10k lbs. all day long, but it's thirsty. Towing the 40, I usually get 10-11 mpg. Granted, as Greg said.....I don't tend to take it easy on the skinny pedal. Even if I did, I don't think I'd get more than another mpg or 2. Around town I get about 14. Highway....19ish. Gas mileage wasn't a huge consideration for me, since I only have a 5 mile commute.

Even though I absolutely love the Tundra, I can't say anything bad about the diesels. To be honest, I don't know a whole lot about them. Obviously, for pure towing power, you can't beat a diesel, and they get better mileage. Some say that they don't make good daily drivers, but I don't see why not.

Oh, and for whoever said that you could put a supercharger on a Tundra and run a sub-6 second 0-60.....Toyota claims that a Regular Cab with the 5.7 V8 already does that, without a supercharger. You want to see something cool? Go to youtube and look for "Tundra supercharger". There are a couple videos of SC'ed Tundras that make me wonder where I can lay my hands on a spare $5k.

 

[uzj100]

Tundra with SC would be crazy fun and fast.