Towing on a V6
02-17-2009, 08:09 AM
#11
Moderator (Ret.)
An honest question deserves an honest answer. But I'm not honest. 
IMO, anyone who tows with a bumper deserves what happens. Forget the stereos and buy a receiver. I have an 02 with a 4.2 and its OK out of the hole but sucks over the road. Pull the same boat up the same grade as my 73 390, second gear baby. On the flat road be preparred to use the 4 way flashers. Cruising stuff is not there. The truck will handle the weight and with the aid of trailer brakes are OK. Forget the rest. Be safe and cautious, loose the thought of the bumper ball.
IMO, anyone who tows with a bumper deserves what happens. Forget the stereos and buy a receiver. I have an 02 with a 4.2 and its OK out of the hole but sucks over the road. Pull the same boat up the same grade as my 73 390, second gear baby. On the flat road be preparred to use the 4 way flashers. Cruising stuff is not there. The truck will handle the weight and with the aid of trailer brakes are OK. Forget the rest. Be safe and cautious, loose the thought of the bumper ball.As to pull power, I have no complaints with my 4.2 V6. I recently pulled an open U-Haul trailer loaded with my Harley Dresser (around 700 pounds), my 3 tier tool box (about 400 pounds of tools), and the bed was loaded with boxes, furniture, etc. I wasn't towing the maximum rated weight the truck could handle, but the truck did great from Dallas Texas to Orlando Florida. I turned off the overdrive going east on I-10 in Texas, as there were a lot of hill climbs. Once on flat highway, the overdrive was turned back on. Gas mileage was better than the V8's, as I averaged 17 MPG on that trip. Great engine, the 4.2 V6.
