SharkboyEI

I know this will be a very controversial thread lol. Next year I will be going to college and hopefully will make their fishing team. Im not sure how transportation works for it though. Maybe they provide a truck and boat, or I take my own. My question is if I have to use my truck and boat, what truck would be better to tow it? A 2010-2013 sliverado with the 5.3 or my 2010 with the 5.4. I understand the 5.4 is more suitable to towing because of the torque curve and all the torque down low. Before my truck I would pull the boat with my grandfathers 2004 silverado with the 5.3. It did a good job but was more revvy of course than my truck but seemed have less gear searching and lock in OD . The main thing Im wondering about is long highway trips like over 300 miles and gas. The only reason I would consider trading my truck is because the silverado has the AFM. I'm pretty sure on long trips which would be a lot of highway, the silverado would beat out my truck mpg wise. Right now I get around 16-17 on the highway and I know pulling a boat would knock it down to around 14-15. One other thing is the lake I go to right now is just about 5 miles from my house. On that short of a trip I notice I use a good bit of gas which scares me to see how it would be on a long trip. There are only a few big hills I have to pull but they aren't but maybe 1/8th a mile long and then it gets pretty level. Overall I just want to find what would be the most fuel efficient truck out of the two.

SkiSmuggs

The truck that is purchased with the best towing package is going to be the best. You can't compare an F150 with Max Tow and HD Payload to the standard Silverado, nor can you compare an HD Silverado with its maximum towing package to most off-the-lot F150s.
You typically have to order a truck set up for maximum towing and the sales guy probably won't know jack and will lie to sell you something on his lot.

frieed

Colleges have fishing teams?

Sign me up for the beer drinking team

SharkboyEI

Sure does lol

heres a picture



But i guess one of the logos on their shirt's has the answer for me if they do provide a truck

SharkboyEI

I was just assuming that the truck that I would purchase would be without the tow package. My truck doesn't have the tow package either. Also pulling a boat which would be something along the line of a nitro z8 weighs about 4050 pounds as of the Nitro website which shouldn't need a tow package

smurfs_of_war

Forget the mill up front, look at the axle ratios out back. That will be more of an indicator since the 5.3 and 5.4 are pretty darn close in output. Overall, the 5.3 will likely net you a little better mileage unladen overall but the gearing in those GMs is really poor unless you specify the max towing ability, and I think you have to go with the 6.2 to get 3.73s? I may be wrong, so I am open to correction.

The 5.4 mated with 3.55s or 3.73s will out perform the 5.3 mated with whatever granny gears they have in the regular 1500 line up with a load on. As well, if the AFM you are referring to is the Active Fuel Management, it will not make a difference with a load on, Tow/Haul mode disables it I believe, but if it doesn't, just the extra weight will make sure it doesn't activate. Unloaded though, it's a great system for fuel savings.

All that being said- a 4000lbs boat will be a walk in the park for either, so I guess pick the one that your *** sits in best. If your current truck is doing the job, I'd keep it. The devil you know...

Wannafbody

A 5.3 with 3.42 gears will tow up to 9700#. The F150 will probably have a similar tow rating.

Boulevard

You already have the 5.4 so stick with it until it does something that pisses you off or until it proves itself unworthy. This really is your cheapest option and you should a least give the truck a chance to prove itself.

It seems to me that you are rather new to this so maybe you should think a little outside the box. You are going to learn about towing, launching and retrieving. You are going to make mistakes that may result in dents and dings or worse. You may get stuck in a muddy launch or you may get your truck in the water all the way to the doors because you left it in neutral while on the launch. Its best to learn with a cheap(er) truck.

As a rule 5.4's have a rather high tow rating...just as high if not higher than most of the newer stuff so my guess is that your truck will probably haul just as good as anything else that you can find.

The AFM system that chevy uses is a scam and will not save you a nickel on anything. It is very finicky high maintenance system that will fail because of things that you never even thought of. Not changing you engine oil on time or using cheap oil is one of those things.

The AFM system is only meant to operate under very light loads and absolutely will not work while moving an unloaded vehicle at 50 mph. Needles to say it will not work while towing at 50 mph either.

meaz93

I had (wife's rig) a 2009 Tahoe with the 5.3 and 3:42 gears. Pulled my 8k Springdale TT with it. Let's just say on flats it was ok, but hit some 6% grades and it had a hard time...as well as almost warping the rotors going down the 6% grades. Was not impressed with the Chevy at all, hell my Titan at the time pulled it better.
Now...the 3.5 just makes the pulling experience an enjoyable one.

Krookz

I've towed campers and vehicles from Va to Nd several times with a 03 f150. Never had any issues