"No fun while towing"

Does anyone else dislike the term "it's no fun towing with (insert whatever here)"

Does not bother me in the least!

There is no one size fits all...

Personal choice and so many times depends...

Depends on how they drive

What they drive

What they tow

Where they tow

and the biggie is their background, experience and a big ETC

I LOVE my 2.4L in line six's song rev'ing up to red line...going
through the gears...but that doesn't mean I like 'my' TV to also
rev up to it's red line. Blew it up and going to love the 'built'
3.1L in-line six & close ratio 5 speed manual on the engine stand
waiting for me to get to making up a custom header system

I LOVE my 5.7L small block V8 in the 33 year old C10 Silverado when
it rev's through the gears both empty and hauling (don't tow with
it anymore).

I do NOT like to rev my 13 year old Odyssey's V6, unless am passing
or some such. Otherwise it is my daily and going out on the town
vehicle.

I LOVE my 7.4L big block rev'ing when am being boy racer out on the
boulevard beating up some who cut me off thinking they have more, but
I do NOT like to rev past 3,400 RPMs towing in 3rd. Red line starts
at around 4,400 RPMs with a dashed red line and it become solid at 4,800 RPMS

I have both a 'half ton' and a light one at that. Or compared to today's
half ton GVWR's. It is at 6,200 GVWR and 'was' the heavy duty half
ton of it's day. It has a small block and it is 'built'...meaning
a cam and the works...except stock exhaust because of the smog testing
here in Calif

So know pretty much all about half ton TV's from the 33 years of
borrowing it from dad, till dad gave it to me

Have a 8.6K GVWR big block Suburban and that is my TV. Sold the boat
(+8.6K plus trailer & misc), but borrow many trailers. A couple of those
trailer owners have small block Suburbans (7.4K GVWR and both GMT800
and GMT900). So have a good comparison between my GMT400 to the newer
GMT800 and even newer GMT900.

They do get more MPG when used as cars, but towing the same trailer
has them drop down 'close' to my big block's...yes still a bit more
but that is how things work between a big block and small block (mainly
pumping losses and the beefier components & the inertia loads that
must be over come and sustained)

Yes these newer small blocks and their close ratio trannies do have
the gearing to put down to pavement similar to more power than my
17 year old's big block...but they are not quicker when used as cars
Ditto towing...getting up to speed is a bit slower, but it's not a
race...but...folks judge performance mainly by time to speed (they
don't get it that braking is also a performance metric)

These small block's 'similar' to 'more' power is at RPMs 2x or more
than my big block, which has +400 ft/lbs of torque at about 1,800 RPMS

So mine gets it going a tick sooner and keeps going till it shifts.
They also shift once and are ready to shift again before mine ****s
into 2nd. Of course WOT during these boy racer tests... :)

Have used this term often, but it is the best way to describe it...

It is like trying to explain sex to a virgin

Diesel folks can also say that... :)

Hrmm..maybe we shouldn't worry about this so much...it's no fun ;)

Ben, great response!

Going from a short bed 1500 to a 2500 diesel pulling a toy hauler, I know about the "no fun" concept. The 1500 was well within ratings, but you had the tail wagging the dog, hoover vacuum effect when semis passed and soft suspension parts making every step critical. The diesel is far easier to set up and go. If one has a setup they like and are not stressed beyond belief after 300 miles of towing, it's a good setup.

PS...I've had fun towing with everything I've owned

Well, maybe not with the K5 and that 24' trailer... 'Built' 5.7L, 'built'
auto tranny, 4.1' in both diff's, Dana 60 front, GM 14 bolt rear, custom
leaf springs that had about a 2" lift, etc...

That one trip with spouse and young child to Boise was NOT fun and why I now
have a Suburban

Yes, fun blasting around not towing. Pavement and off roading, but no fun towing
with that too short wheel base and even though that 5.7L was 'built', it was
built for non-towing (didn't know as much about towing back then...but wouldn't
have gone to a towing cam/intake/carb/headers either)

Also understand and know from first hand experience about the ability
of the TV to manhandle the trailer....size does matter. That
includes the engine type/size/architecture/etc in addition to the
rest of the package

Thought I read "the wail tagging the dog" and thought , hrmm, shouldn't that be whale ?

Now that's fun... Perhaps I shouldn't be on the Internet without supervision after I've been drinking...


Happy trails folks :)

I enjoy towing. I run 2500 even 3200 rpm all day. Sometimes 4000 when climbing. I enjoy driving.
I would be bored (and broke) with a big fat diesel.

The only thing on this post that is "NO FUN" is the money that "any" TV cost. Either spent your money on a big ol diesel (notice the first three letters here)or save your money "upfront" and buy a small TV then rebuild/replace often. I have pulled with cummins, I have pulled a PUP with a Suzuki Sidekick, I have pulled a 32' TT with my Jeep GC.

Seriously on dry ground with eyes wide open, I have enjoyed every combination on shorter trips. In wind I have disliked every combination.

The key to life in general is this
"It is OK to want what you dont have--but you absolutely MUST want what you have"!!!

jerem0621 wrote:


Does towing above 2500 RPM's reduce the fun factor that much?

Not if it is once in awhile for short periods. But, last summer pulling long grades up 11,000+ Colorado passes with 33' trailer below behind a Chevy 5.3 was no fun. 4500 rpms for 5 or more miles + temp up to 235 = no fun for me