Hybridhunter wrote:
spud1957 wrote:
With the current 4.3L GM V6 @ 285HP and 305TQ and a 6 speed tranny there should have no problem pulling that.
Agreed. It should do it fine. But with a V6, you have to be comfortable with a higher operating rpm, and the operation will not be as effortless. Much depends on the trailer, as especially tall or wide trailer is tough to pull. Ours is around 4000#, but it is lifted, not rounded, and 8' wide, so weight is secondary.
ROAR Our TT will be a svelte 7'3" wide and 8'6" high.
I test drove the V6 on my commute. I slowed it to 55mph at the river valley on the freeway and then giddi'upped the throttle to see how it climbed up the Portage Escarpment. Transmissions shift so smoothly today and it was not a jarring experience. The new cabin has soundproofing for the discriminating buyer and that helped. The tachometer betrayed the downshifting. It did not jump to alarming speeds. I did not have the gear indicator displayed so I don't know which gear it settled on. My impression was that the V6 must work to climb the hills.
We are thinking of hauling kayaks on the truck on our trans-continental excursions. The hints about our duty cycle for this vehicle were insightful. We are both soon to be retired and certainly won't worry about the fuel economy commuting to the baloney factory. We can certainly afford the more expensive V8 option.
