chevy or gmc 5.3 , 6 speed towing??

elhippie64 · **Joined:** Wed May 07, 2008 2:59 pm **Posts:** 25

Ok guys,,,,,
I'm looking to replace my current tow vehicle (tahoe with a 5.7, that pulls with no problems but is 2 wheel drive an has no room for extra gear)
I have been looking into a sierra 4x4 crew cab with a 5.3 and a 6 speed with the towing package.

I have a 99' horizon 200 that I believe is near 3k lbs dry + the 1k lbs for the trailer and would like to hear opinions from some with a 5.3 6 speed Chevy or gmc who tows there boats...
Id like to tow comfortably on long distances, but wonder if it would be to much strain on the 5.3.

My current lake I play at is 200 miles from me but I would like to try Powell (8hr drive) and a few other lakes that are a good distance from me.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:20 pm

They are rated somewhere between 6500 and 9500lb depending on package. That is no powerhouse of an engine though (300hp), if you live in a mountainous or hilly part of the USA that wouldn't be the truck of choice.

If you're going to be towing THAT far and much I would look into non dually diesel options your wallet will love you for it. A chipped duramax diesel towing that boat won't even notice the weight and still get 15+mpg going 75mph according to boat owners on other forums with similar weight boats. That 5.3 will get anywhere from 5 to 8mpg towing 4000lb.

400mi round trip in that 5.3 will be around $240 in gas
400mi round trip in a Duramax diesel will be around $110

yrless11 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:51 pm

While I don't have one (yet), the 5.3 with the 6spd tranny and tow package will make a for a nice setup to tow your h200. I've been looking at burbs with that setup and they are rated at 8100k. The key is to make sure you get the tow package with the 3.42 gearing. I can't speak for mountainous areas, but I think if your in flat or even somewhat hilly areas, you should be fine.

boater · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:00 pm

I had the 5.3 in a 2003 Sierra for a couple years.
It will tow the boat with no problem and get around 15 mpg
doing it in normal conditions. ( whatever those are )
I thought it was a great tow vehicle.

elhippie64 · **Joined:** Wed May 07, 2008 2:59 pm **Posts:** 25

Here in New Mexico it's mainly flat highways no matter where you go.....

Only reason I'm shopping is I could use a 4x4 since we have some really bad sandy beaches that are really really easy to get stuck in (and it would b nice to have an actual bed for hauling camping gear back and forth).

Originally I was thinking diesel but I really can't justify the extra expence of one since I don't tow anything other than my boat.

So it sounds like a 5.3 with the towing package should work fine for my local lakes and for the long distance trips .....

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:31 pm

This is just me talking, but if I was in the market for a new tow vehicle I can't even fathom wasting it on ancient technology. That 5.3 engine is just a 305 from the 70's with a little bit of kit added on to it. The ford ecoboost, toyota's offerings, and really diesel is the only purchase i'd make. You can get mid 2000's dodge diesel trucks for almost nothing and they're amazing.

Baldo · **Posted:** Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:32 am

That may all be true, but I would not recommend anyone purchase a mid 2000 Dodge anything. The Ecoboost is turbocharged I believe and the jury is still out on whether it will hold up for years of towing any significant weight.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

The 2006 and prior dodge diesel is desired due to no regeneration exhaust system...the trann has problems though and that's a 5,000 dollar replacement part. You don't need a diesel for that boat....mycurrent tow veh is a ford 250 power stroke, which is not needed for the boat.....any half ton with a tow package will be fine for your boat......the 4x4 will come with the desired gear ratio too. Mileage for the 4x4 will be less so I assume r tow MPG will be around 10ish.

Fyi ... I have the diesel for pulling a gooseneck not because of boat. And 5.9 dodge cummins trucks here are high....most for sale in the 8 to 10k range have almost 300,000 miles on them and r wore out.

slbdeerhunter · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:58 pm **Posts:** 25

I have a 2010 Chevy 1500 Z71 with the 5.3 and have no problems pulling the 220. My highway mileage is around 14 mpg. You shoul have no problems.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:28 pm

Ric don't you realize that the small block Chevy of today, has been totally revised as of 1997 it isn't the same old small block we grew up with as the very fine 283/327/350/400 etc. The only thing thats the same is the 4.4 in bore center dimension. All the rest is new. And I'd take an engine thats been out and proven any day over the latest tech. How much will the twin turbos on the Ecoboost cost to fix when you have an issue with them?
Personally I am partial to the Chrysler Hemi in trucks, it is fast and not bad on fuel. The MDS system helps quite a bit and is totally unnoticed by the driver. The one in my 07 Jeep pulls my 200 like it's not there. All that Jeep needed to be a great tow vehicle is a pair of Air Lift bags in the rear coils. The next gen trans they are going to use in Chrysler trucks and Jeeps with the Hemi will be a ZF 8 speed auto trans. I bet it will be way better with that. The current 5 speed with Tow/Haul is very good, much better than the old 4 speed Torque Flites.

cabwizard · **Posted:** Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:47 am

I pull my H200 frenzy with Toyota Highlander. It does ok but we have no hills here to speak of and I only tow a short distance. Last summer we had a week at Lake Cayuga and the Toyota pulled fine no overheat at all. I do have the heavyduty tranny cooler fitted. great on gas as it is the admirals everyday car. I cant fit any extra help on the rear springs so when they or the shocks get weak I will just repalce them.

Hodge · **Joined:** Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:43 pm **Posts:** 35

I haul my H220 with a 2010 silverado Z71 extended cab, 5.3, 6speed auto w/tow package. I'm in KY so it's not flat but it's not huge mountains either, just lots of rolling hills. I have no issues at all. I don't think mine ever uses 6th gear when in tow mode. I have had the 4cyl mode kick in on slight declines. Kinda funny to be towing a boat and have the inst fuel econ show 50+ mpg. although it's not long before the other side of the hill come up. I usually run 65-70 and while it does downshift for hills i never really have to slow down.

kmack · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:58 pm

I have a '00 Suburban 4x4 w/ the 5.3 and a 4-speed auto. It currently has just over 236k miles. We used to use it for towing our 5000 lb travel trailer and would average between 8-10 mpg thru the Tx Hill Country. Now it tows the boat and I get between 10-12 mpg. I could probably get better mileage if the motor wasn't so loose because of the miles.
While it is definitely not a powerhouse engine (wish I still had my HD2500 w/ the 8.1L), it does alright and should be just fine for your towing requirements.

RedRocketSS · **Posted:** Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:19 am

ric wrote:

This is just me talking, but if I was in the market for a new tow vehicle I can't even fathom wasting it on ancient technology. That 5.3 engine is just a 305 from the 70's with a little bit of kit added on to it. The ford ecoboost, toyota's offerings, and really diesel is the only purchase i'd make. You can get mid 2000's dodge diesel trucks for almost nothing and they're amazing.

The new line of Chevy engines is far from ancient technology. As mentioned previously in this thread, the pushrod V8 was revamped in 97 when the LS1 came out in the Corvettes. Do you know what is currently in the 5th Generation Camaros? How about the C6 Corvettes? And yes, even the Silverado, Sierra, Denali, Avalanche, Tahoe, Suburban (you get the point) have the same old school pushrod V8 that is only a variation of the bigger motors in the sports cars.

I know plenty about the whole line up of GM's small block Gen III/IV motors. I have owned four 4th generation Camaros and my current one is rocking a 6.0L from a 2003 Silverado that will be fed by a 76mm turbo. My old 2000 SS put down 390 rwhp with full bolt ons (headers, intake, etc.) and a simple cam/spring swap. The 5.3L is 325 CI and leaves about 10-15 hp on the able compared to the 5.7 346 CI LS1. These motors are so easy to get power out of it isn't funny. I know a lot of people in the LS community (general term for a Gen III/IV motor) that are scooping up 5.3L motors from trucks because they are plentiful, dirt cheap, and can make big power.

So where am I going with this rant you ask? The 5.3L is MORE than enough to tow a 20' boat. I own a 02 Avalanche with the 5.3 and it towed my buddies Crownline 225br with a big block like it was nothing. Pulling my 18' Horizon it barely breaks a sweat. My cousin has a 07 Duramax that he uses for farming but also has a 2011 Tahoe. He pulls his 2011 Crownline 245SS with the Tahoe and it does perfectly fine.

IMO, a diesel is not needed to pull a boat of this size. Would it make it easier? Sure! Diesel repair is expensive though.

I have driven a newer Dodge Hemi and it got TERRIBLE gas mileage and did not feel any more powerful than my Avalanche, although I know on paper it may have more power. Any of GM's Gen III/IV motors are EXTREMELY reliable and cake to work on.

elhippie64, I know you started this thread a month ago, but if you haven't gotten a new tow vehicle yet then there is no reason not to go with the Sierra you have been thinking about. The 5.3L makes more power in all RPM ranges than that 5.7L does in your Tahoe currently, and will get better gas mileage.

Good luck!

Rhryniewich · **Joined:** Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:13 pm **Posts:** 15

Only way to pull a boat to Powell is with a diesel hands down unless your coming from phoenix

www.iFourWinns.com

chevy or gmc 5.3 , 6 speed towing??

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