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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | Will a 2005 Trailblazer LT I-6 4wd tow a 620 DVS Ranger with a 225 Mercury Verado and a 9.9 Kicker on it...rangerboats.com says the boats weighs in at around 2500 lbs...the specifications for the Trailblazer state it will tow 5100 lbs in 2wd and 5300 lbs in 4wd...is this pushing the limit...no I am not getting a Ranger 620 but my Dad has been looking at one for years and he got a quote on it yesterday...I was just curious to know if my car could tow a boat like this assuming I would be able to use it like I can use his boat now...
Big Perc
Edited by Big Perc 3/4/2007 3:25 PM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | It'll pull it, but you won't like it that much. I've pulled a 620 behind my Durango (which is heavier and more powerful) and the Ranger was a pig behind it. Go full size if you're going with a 620, especially the new bigger ones. |
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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | My dad is also getting a 2007 LTZ 1500 Suburban to tow this boat...but the car I have is the one I am worried about being able to tow this 620 DVS if he ends up getting it...I currently have (and will for the next 4 1/2 years) a 2005 Trailblazer LT I-6 4wd...could I tow this as far as 250 miles without putting hardship on my transmission that will hurt the car in the long run?...
Big Perc |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | The Trailblazer will definitely pull it, but you will be pushing the limits of that truck pretty well. Going up hills will definitly put a hardship on that tranny! Personally, there is no way I would pull a boat of that caliber with a Trailblazer. I pull our 18ft Alumacraft with only a 1154stroke and that was plenty for the Trailblazer, definitely didn't have much go to it with the boat hooked up. But that's just my opinion. |
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| Treats- What kind of Durango do you have? I don't have the hemi (standard 4x4 package w/4.7 V8) and I just bought an 05 620 that I'm picking up this weekend in Sioux Falls, SD. Long haul from Chicago but I'll get a real good feel for how the Rango hauls. I've been contemplating getting a diesel because I used to have an 1850 Fishawk and I got 11-13 mpg towing that. The 620 is twice as heavy as the Hawk was so I'm not too optomistic about the fuel efficiency. |
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| Buddy has a Durango and hauls a 1760 Tuffy and gets TERRIBLE gas mileage...like 9mpg ...I'm guessing pulling that 620 you will watch your gas gauge go down as you drive....
boats like that are why big turbo diesels are made! |
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Posts: 786
| I have a 2003 Trailblazer with the six and it tows my small crestliner fine. I have the angler 1600sc with a merc 50 4 stroke. But i'm considering trading in the 2003 for a 2008 in the fall because Chevy is finally dropping the 5.3 liter v8 in the trailblazers with active fuel management. I will be getting the same gas mileage with the eight as I would be with the six! And with the v8 I would think it would handle your 620 just fine. Kdawg |
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Posts: 1188
Location: Iowa | I towed a 17 ft Tracker without a problem around the metro for a weekend...but I am worried about my dads new boat or possibly his old boat...an 1800 Pro-V SE Lund for the time being...
Big Perc |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I've got the 4.7 in my Durango. The 4.7 get's pretty good gas milage, but I swear that they've de-tuned it since they introduced them in 2000. I had a 2000 Durango and currently have a 2003, but have the 4.7 but the 2000 had WAY more snap.
I pulled Troyz's boat back from Eagle River and you could definantly feel it. It wasn't so bad once you got it up to speed, but went starting and especially stopping you could really feel it back there. In comparison I have a 21' bass boat and it pulls that just fine. Granted there's probably a 2000# difference between the two. I also realized that the stated weight in the Ranger catalog for these boats is probably off by quite a bit.
Perc, let me put it this way. If I bought a 620 I would also buy a new/different truck to pull it with. |
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Posts: 5874
| If your pop is going to let you use a $55,000 boat, he ought also let you use use a $45,000 Suburban. Or is the Suburban more than that now? Of course, that would require you to let him use YOUR TBlazer. Are you sure you're prepared to do that?
hehehe
Personlly, I wouldn't tow the 620 to far behind that TBlazer. Local lakes, probably ok. But long distance, I think it's just too much for the Blazer. Hard on the motor, and tranny, and very hard on the brakes. |
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Posts: 96
| Aftermarket transmission coolers can take borderline vehicles and step them up a level. Adding some extra performance like exhaust,air intakes,chips etc... can give you some exta torque.
When I get my F250 powerstroke my only worry will be fuel prices. I will fear no hill! |
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Posts: 5874
| We should not only worry about the power, but also the stopping. Pretty small brakes on the TBLazer compared to the Burban or a full size truck. Also, shorter wheelbase makes it less stable while towing. Just throwing out the concerns. |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | I have a 03' 620 and I towed it with a 00' Yukon with 5.3L/3.73 rear. This year I replaced it with a 07' Suburban with 5.3L/4.10 rear. If your dad hasn't taken delivery I would highly suggest the 4.10 rear minimum and if he's willing to dump a silo of gas and an extra $1k for the upgrade, GM is allowing people to put the 6.0L in the Suburban 1500's this year.
Something that hasn't been mentioned is wheelbase. The reason I went with the Suburban instead of another short wheelbase Yukon/Tahoe is that the ride is so much better. You will find with a short wheelbased vehicle that a 620 will sway, and depending on the wind and your speed, it could be pretty bad. It was work to tow my 620 with the Yukon because of this. I believe the Trailblazer wheelbase is even shorter than the Yukon/Tahoe but I may be mistaken.
Another thing that has not been mentioned is actual weight you will be towing. The weight of the Verado stated by Mercury is substantially less than actuall after fluids, power steering, etc. The weight of your Ranger is also substantially less than stated, not including; a kicker, winshield (if you have one), extra seats, rear casting deck, all your gear (a large Lakewood can push 70lbs) gas, trolling motor, batteries, etc. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Lebanon,Mo | im sure you know this and just want to put my two cents in,but if you decide to run this setup just remember to never pull your rig in overdrive. if you have the option to turn it off,i would.
Edited by missourimuskyhunter 3/2/2007 12:16 PM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Get the latest issue of Bass and Walleye Boat Magazine (BWB). They've got a GREAT article on towing with smaller SUV's. It opened my eyes about the actual towing rating of my Durango. |
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Posts: 412
Location: Waukesha, WI | Treats, can you give us the synopsis? |
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Posts: 2378
| Luke_Chinewalker - 3/2/2007 11:18 AM
GM is allowing people to put the 6.0L in the Suburban 1500's this year.
#*^@, I bought mine a year early. I'd love to have my 6.0 back. |
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| Get the latest issue of Bass and Walleye Boat Magazine (BWB).
their website also has a database with tow ratings for most vehicles.
very handy and informational.
http://www.bwbmag.com/towrating/
here's the example results for my truck:
2002 Ford F-150 4WD SuperCab 5.4L V-8
tow limit: 8600 lbs
Requires automatic transmission, 3.73:1 or 4.10:1 axle ratio. The 3.73:1 is available with 7700 Payload Group A, which includes the necessary equipment (72-amp-hour battery, upgraded radiator, 14-plate auxiliary transmission oil cooler, heavy-duty shock absorbers). The 4.10:1 is available with the 7700 Payload Group B, which includes the necessary equipment (72-amp-hour battery, upgraded radiator, 22-plate auxiliary automatic transmission cooler, and heavy-duty shock absorbers). Group B also includes the Class III trailer towing group, which adds the frame-mounted hitch receiver and 7-pin trailer wiring harness and connector.
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | The short answer is that the stated "max rating" may not be as cut and dry as what they advertise. You may have to add a sway control devise, weight distribution hitch or a load balancing devise to your trailer to get to that rating. Neither of these devices are compatible with todays surge brakes that you find on most boat trailers. From the sound of it you really have to dig into your owners manual to find the truth of it.
Edited by Muskie Treats 3/5/2007 3:21 PM
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Posts: 227
Location: Maple Grove | Ok, I have a 2003 4WD/AWD 4.0L V6 Explorer with a class II hitch. Fine for the smaller boat I have. If I add a class III or IV hitch I could tow around 5,000 lbs. Is that what that link is telling me? |
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Posts: 158
Location: Burlington, WI | Is it alright on the engine to take the overdrive off even if you are flying down the interstate at 75 mph with the engine revving up to 3300-3500 rpm's the whole time? Or are you better off keeping the overdrive on while cruising down the interstate if it only kicks into overdrive once in a while on hills? I've had people tell me it was ok to keep the overdrive on while cruising down the interstate since your speed is up already. I have an '02 Dodge Ram with the 5.9 L and 360 engine that is pulling an 18' Fisher F-18 bass boat with a 115 hp that I know is as heavy as the 620 Ranger, but I can definitely feel it back there. |
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Posts: 5874
| I have a 1997 Ford F150. Just turned over 200K. I almost always towed in OD. Only when the tranny would hunt, like in hilly terrain, did I turn off the OD. With the engine getting tired, I tow the new boat with the OD off. Regular fluid and filter changes will help in keeping your tranny in tip/top shape. |
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