Truck purchase help

[One Acre Farm]

I am looking to upgrade my 06 silverado 1500 v6. I now need something that can pull approx 8000lbs around town when I make my deliveries. I would like it to be 4x4, and crew cab. Mpg is also a major concern of mine since these deleveries only happen once a week for about 24 weeks. So I don't always need to access all that towing power. I cannot spend more then 16k and would like to hear some thoughts.

 

[dodge man]

You can find 1/2 ton 4x4 extended cab trucks all day long in that price range. Expect it to have some miles on it, maybe 60,000 to 100,000 miles in that price range, depending on the year.

 

[One Acre Farm]

That might be true, but from what I am finding, to tow 8000lb, a regular v8 chevy 1500 isn't enough, I need a 1500hd. Isn't that correct? And those are not easy to find. I am not sure the model in ford, I think it might be the 5.4, f150.

 

[ace10]

You'll be able to find an 07-08 2nd gen Tundra will some miles for that price, if you look around a bit.

Either of the larger two cabs are huge, but the crew cab is absurdly large. The 5.7L is a must for towing that load.

I regularly get 16.0 mpg combined with my '08 5.7 double cab 4X4 if I don't mash it too often. When I tow my big enclosed trailer loaded to 7K+, I get 9-12mpg. On the highway, I can easily get 18+ unladen.

Many will look down their noses at the big Toyota, but I'll put my powertrain up against any 1/2 ton truck.

$0.02

 

[bigbull338]

if your going chevy go v-8 with the z71 suspension with 4x4.an that should allow you to tow the weight you want.as the z71 is the towing suspension.an make sure it has the trailer tow package.

 

[Baucom]

Z71 is not the towing suspension, it's the off road suspension. That's not to say the Z71 package isn't well suited to towing, but the Z85 suspension is GM's handling/trailering suspension.

To tow 8K with a late model Silverado doesn't require a 1500HD, but it does require the right options. An extended cab or crew cab with the 5.3 V8, factory towing package, Z85 or Z71 suspension, and 3.73 or 4.10 gears will handle 8K well enough for the frequency you're looking at towing. If you do decide to get a 1500HD, it's the same truck as the old light duty 2500 with a 6.0 V8 and while it will handle a trailer better than a 1500, your gas mileage will suffer.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am looking to upgrade my 06 silverado 1500 v6. I now need something that can pull approx 8000lbs around town when I make my deliveries. I would like it to be 4x4, and crew cab. Mpg is also a major concern of mine since these deleveries only happen once a week for about 24 weeks. So I don't always need to access all that towing power. I cannot spend more then 16k and would like to hear some thoughts.

Too bad you are so far away. I know where there is a nice 06 F-150 4x4 XLT Extended Cab Step Side Bed. Has a sprayed in bed liner, tow package, new tires, wheel well chrome, dual exhaust, 60,000 miles in you price range.

Has a 9,300# tow rating.
Chris

 

[deerefan]

My 2011 silverado has the 5.3 and3.42 gears Z71 ext cab and has a 9400lb tow cap and has the z85 trailering pkg though I try not to exceed 8k with any 1/2 ton.

 

[bigbull338]

well i know guys that pull 24ft flatbed an gooseneck cattle trailers with f150 4x4s.just the other day i saw that he had 14 4 by 6 bales on the truck.so i figure thats 14000lbs plus the trailer weight.

 

[dodge man]

My truck is a 2002 GMC regular cab 1500 4x4 5.3 liter, 3.73 rear end and it is rated to tow at least 8000lbs, I can't remember the exact numbers. I paid around $9000 for mine. A extened cab would be more money.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My truck is a 2002 GMC regular cab 1500 4x4 5.3 liter, 3.73 rear end and it is rated to tow at least 8000lbs, I can't remember the exact numbers. I paid around $9000 for mine. A extened cab would be more money.

According to my book if its a long bed the tow rating is 8,000# and if its a short bed its 8,100#

Chris

 

[One Acre Farm]

Where is the best place to go to get some side by side comparisons? Also, do I dare ask someone to explain the technical rear end ratio that seems to play the biggest role in all of this?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Tough to find a side by side comparison that is not biased. I currently have a Nissan Titan. Its a pulling beast and the best gas truck I have owned but would not recommend it for you because you want good gas mileage. In the last 10 years I have owned Ford, Dodge, and GM also. Everything said and done in my opinion its tough to bet the F-150 for towing, ride, comfort, looks, toughness, ect. It may not be the best at this but may be the best at that. Its all a compromise.

As for the gear ratios there are mainly 3 common ones. 3.55, 3.73, and 4.10 In a nut shell the 3.55 gear will give you the best mpg all things being equal. The 4.10 will give you better power.

The way it works is on a 3.55 gear it takes 3.55 turns of the drive shaft to rotate the wheels one full revolution. On the other hand a 4.10 gear will take 4.10 turns of the drive shaft to do the same.

Think back to riding a 10 speed bike. When you had a low gear that took say 5 revolutions of the pedals to get 1 full revolution of the rear wheel it was easy to get going but you could not get a good top speed. When you sifted to a gear that maybe took 1 revolution of the the pedals to turn the rear wheel 1 full revolution you could go fast but struggled getting going and up hills.



Chris

 

[One Acre Farm]

Excellent explanation, thanks.

 

[slowzuki]

4.10 doesn't give any more power, just is lower gearing so you have more torque available at the tires starting, and in top gear your engine rev's higher so you don't have to downshift.

 

[One Acre Farm]

4.10 doesn't give any more power, just is lower gearing so you have more torque available at the tires starting, and in top gear your engine rev's higher so you don't have to downshift.

Wait, so in the bike example, 4.10 gearing is the same as when you are in an easy gear on a bike, easy to start, yet hard to go fast in. Is that correct or opposite?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Wait, so in the bike example, 4.10 gearing is the same as when you are in an easy gear on a bike, easy to start, yet hard to go fast in. Is that correct or opposite?

That is correct. I used the wrong phrase stating it "gives more power".

You are correct in your thinking. Sorry for the confusion.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

Going back to the 10 speed bike, use the front set of gears as the example, the ones on the pedals. The smaller gear at the front would be the 4.10 ratio, you have more pulling power but you have to turn the pedals faster. The bigger gear would be like 3.55 gears, you pedal slower, but don't have as much power to go up hills. With pickups, you can't change the rear gears, so you have one or the other, not both.

BTW D.P. your showing your age, they don't make 10 speed bikes anymore, they are all 21 speeds.

 

[om21braz]

Not sure about the others, but that 4.10 ratio is tough to find used around here in a 1/2 ton GM truck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Going back to the 10 speed bike, use the front set of gears as the example, the ones on the pedals. The smaller gear at the front would be the 4.10 ratio, you have more pulling power but you have to turn the pedals faster. The bigger gear would be like 3.55 gears, you pedal slower, but don't have as much power to go up hills. With pickups, you can't change the rear gears, so you have one or the other, not both.

BTW D.P. your showing your age, they don't make 10 speed bikes anymore, they are all 21 speeds.

Tell me about it. My back has hurt for a week. Guess I am getting old.

Chris