Best truck to pull the 240 and 260da's

I have a 2000 f350 4wd with the 7.3 diesel.
 
Either can be pulled by a 1/2 ton, stopping could be an issue. I pull my 240 with a 3/4 ton diesel
 
YES, you need a 250/2500 truck to tow a 240/260. Dry weights are notoriously lower than real world wet weights. But as sure as rain, someone will post here they do it all the time., I'm also sure some gambler wins all the time too. Glad I'm not their insurance carrier.

MM
 
F350 6.7 diesel
 
My 250 is 7,600 lbs on the trailer ready for the weekend. Pull it with a 1500 RAM and did pull it with a 1/2 ton avalanche. You definately know it's back there but pulls fine.
 
I don't know what my 250 actually weighs with the trailer, but I know that it sucks to pull it with my 2011 ram 1500. A 1/2 ton might have enough power to pull it, but you sure aren't going to want to make a habit of it. I got a slip for the 250 because of how much it sucked to tow it.
 
Like everyone has said, pilling it is easy. Stopping is difficult. If I was to go back to towing a boat I would have a minimum 3/4 truck. Maybe not diesel. Depends on how much and how far I was towing. I towed my 250EC with a '01 Jeep with a 4.7. Did it once and very far. It pulled. Stopping was a breakdance.
 
MonacoMike said:
YES, you need a 250/2500 truck to tow a 240/260. Dry weights are notoriously lower than real world wet weights. But as sure as rain, someone will post here they do it all the time., I'm also sure some gambler wins all the time too. Glad I'm not their insurance carrier.

MM
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Well it's raining here today so I call BS.
As I stated in an other post I tow my 2001 260DA all day long with a half ton that is rated to tow more than what the boat and trailer weighs.
This tow rating is based on the SAE J2807 towing standard. There really is a big difference in how tow ratings are done for trucks.

As far as stopping goes I can stop just as fast with the boat hooked up as without. Good brakes on the trailer are a must no matter which truck you tow with.

I tow my boat further and in more extreme conditions than most here and I have had zero issues towing with my Tundra. Not sure I would want to use any other half ton out there though.
 
3/4 ton Chev with 6.0L. More power in the mountains would be nice but this set up does just fine. Had my trailer brakes converted to electric over hydraulic too. Way, way more control over the braking and you don't have to get out at the boat launch to put that annoying, "thing" in your actuator. If ya just need the truck for occasionally towing your boat then you can find an older one in good shape for a decent price. Ours is a 2000 and has less than 100K on it. ***Caution*** There ARE issues with some of the earlier 6 liter G.M. engines, do your research, or PM me if ya like.
 
Westie said:
Well it's raining here today so I call BS.
As I stated in an other post I tow my 2001 260DA all day long with a half ton that is rated to tow more than what the boat and trailer weighs.
This tow rating is based on the SAE J2807 towing standard. There really is a big difference in how tow ratings are done for trucks.

As far as stopping goes I can stop just as fast with the boat hooked up as without. Good brakes on the trailer are a must no matter which truck you tow with.

I tow my boat further and in more extreme conditions than most here and I have had zero issues towing with my Tundra. Not sure I would want to use any other half ton out there though.
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Good points. If the truck is rated for the load then a 1/2 ton will be adequate. It IS the trailer brake set up that stops the trailer and with the right trailer brakes you can set the sensitivity on your controller in the truck. As an example, I have stopped my truck and boat with just and application of the trailer brakes. I do this twice a year as a test to make sure there are no surprises in an emergency. If I lost my truck brakes, my boat trailer could easily stop me. If I lost my trailer brakes, I'd be f*%#ed. I do prefer the 3/4 ton trucks myself only because of the beefier components that are after the flywheel, and the fact that my towing capacity far exceeds my needs. I work on trucks all day, the last thing I want to do on my time off is "work on trucks". Good luck in your search. Just make sure the truck you choose is rated for the job you want to do. If you're not sure, just ask, anyone but the truck salesman. Better to reconfirm than to err.
 
Westie said:
Well it's raining here today so I call BS.
As I stated in an other post I tow my 2001 260DA all day long with a half ton that is rated to tow more than what the boat and trailer weighs.
This tow rating is based on the SAE J2807 towing standard. There really is a big difference in how tow ratings are done for trucks.

As far as stopping goes I can stop just as fast with the boat hooked up as without. Good brakes on the trailer are a must no matter which truck you tow with.

I tow my boat further and in more extreme conditions than most here and I have had zero issues towing with my Tundra. Not sure I would want to use any other half ton out there though.
Click to expand...

Well first off we the thread was imprecise at its inception with no particular model or year mentioned. Traditionally "1/2 ton's" were in the 8-9k towing range. A 260 dry weight is 7500 pounds, add trailer, fluids, batteries, options, and all that boating gear and that outfit will weigh 10,000-12,000 pounds. That is traditionally in the "3/4 ton" range.

Toyota is an anomaly in the traditional truck market as they do not divide their trucks of similar physical size into two distinct groups of "1/2 ton" and "3/4 ton". So which do you really have? I wouldn't bet against someone saying their top of the line F150 has a greater tow capacity than a low rated F250. This creates the confusion mentioned. So Westie I call BS on the whole truck tow capacity game the manufactures play on consumers and hope before we all die they can all follow some objective SEA standard.

To the original poster: You now have an idea what you are going to be towing weight wise so check those tow ratings on what it is you are looking at.

MM
 
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I tow my 260DA with an '04 Chev 2500HD 6.L gas Silverado ext cab. It tows great, but I'd like the Duramax and quad cab.
My Cousin tows their 240DA with a 2012 Toyota Tundra. It's a very nice truck and tows it very well.

I wouldn't tow either with a 1/2 ton.
 
looks like my 13' Camaro 2SS is going to be traded as my wife wants to keep her Acadia Denali! It looks like the 3/4 ton is the way to go. My father is a design engineer for GM so I grew up with GM vehicles and most likely I'll go with the GMC or Chevrolet. I really don't think I want to go much later than a 2012 in age. Its hard going from new vehicles to used vehicles, if you know what I mean. Does anyone have any trailering experience with Chevy vs GMC 2500 HD's?
 
We have the slightly lighter '99 240DA and I have no problem pulling it with an '08 Ford Expedition rated to tow 9,200lbs. Like many have stated, stopping is the issue. I have upgraded the braking system and keep my trailer brakes in top condition, so I think I'm doing fine and not a danger.... I've already had to make a panic stop and it did well.
 
I really would not want any less truck than the F-350 I have when towing our 2006 260. By the time the truck is loaded with all the gear we take on these long trips and the boat fully loaded with fuel, water, provisions etc she is noticible behind our truck.
 
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i am certainly no expert on this subject but i believe the primary difference between a Ford 250 and 350 series truck or a GM 2500HD and 3500HD series truck is the amount of weight the rear axle can support....for example if you had a heavy 5th wheel trailer to pull you may need the 350 (3500) due to the higher rear axle rating of the 350 (3500).....there may be some other minor differences, but i believe the frames are the same on both series, brakes are the same, the towing equipment (coolers, hitches, etc) is the same, and the basic suspension is the same......so the only time you would really need a 350 (3500) series to pull your boat is if your trailer had a very large amount of tounge weight....otherwise a 250 (2500) series truck with the same powertrain to handle your load should suffice.....

cliff
 
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