Good day to all, sorry if this post is somewhat long. I am a bit torn right now about tow vehicle. We recently purchased RV and currently are doing local trips in Southeast (we live in GA). Our plan is to go to Alaska next summer (oldest son lives in Healy).

RV - 2023 Nucamp Tab 400 teardrop- dry weight is ~2900 lbs, max weight is ~3900 lbs. Typically I figure we will have ~3500 lbs including 25 gals water. It is single axle with brakes, overall length is 18' 8", height is 8' 8" (top of maxxfan)

Truck - 2009 Silverado (94k miles) extended cab with tow package, 3.42 rear, 4 speed tranny. Payload capacity is 1770 lbs and tow rating is 6800 lbs. It will be my wife, dog and myself (so that total is about 400 lbs)

We have done one trip to N GA mtns so far and I did the following and I know a lot of variables involved
1st tank ran in Drive, tow/haul engaged it did a bit under 11 mpg, did hunt gears at times, trans temps generally 170's/180's
2nd - 4th tanks ran in 3rd, tow/hauls engaged it did 11 - 12 mpg and trans were definitely lower, rarely over low 170's

The concern I have is the truck utilizes AFM (Active Fuel Mgt) which disables 4 cylinders and they are known to eat the special AFM lifters. I can take into a shop and spend probably $3K to do a hard delete; but at end of the day still a 14 yr old truck.

I have been looking at 1/2 ton pickups and honestly they all have potential issues. The Silverado has either a inline 4 that uses turbo, either v8 (5.3 / 6.0) uses the newer DoD technology. Ford 3.5 twin turbo has cam phaser issues (brother has one and says mpg is not close to what they state), the 5.0 has oil consumption issues. Toyota has gone to the V6 turbo.

So what I like about Titan is it is just a dang V8 w/o that other crap tacked on. So, my questions for y'all is the following

Would you just fix current truck or look at the Titan or possibly Titan XD and would you get 4x4? I know XD is only 4x4 and is more focused on towing and payload is higher than Titan (my 09 Silverado has higher capacity as well). XD also is heavier which aids in towing.

What do you drive and what is your mileage towing and non-towing?

Final point if we ever decide to upgrade probably would be a B+ or small C.


Thank you for taking the time to read and respond

 

@Small Titan I can't see your reply for some reason, maybe I am doing something wrong.

Thanks
DJ

 

i have a 2007 crew. 5.6 " bed, 1/2 ton. I currently weigh about 5500lbs dry. my payload is about 2300lbs and the tow is about 9klbs. my biggest problem is the tow hitch. I have looked at both a camper or a 5th wheeler. of cournse mine only has 17k miles on it I hit the mountain about twice a mo so im dealing w very steep grades. I love my truck dont get me worng but it is not good for carrying, i feel much more confident hauling

.

 

with this set up, i am @ 150 miles round trip to 9k feet. I have a 28g tank and i average 1/2 to 3/4 tank for this trip. it end to bring a half cord of wood also.

 

That is a nice setup and awesome truck, that mileage is not that much at all. So, roughly averaged 10 mpg, not bad with that load/tow.

Thanks!

 

 

I chose the Titan as a daily driver and a small camper (Snoozy II) tow rig. I wanted a naturally aspirated V-8. Those four and six cylinder turbo charged engines seem to grenade themselves long before an old school V-8 is broken in. AFM blows. Diesels often cost too much to maintain and don't last any longer than the gassers. I am not fond of the Mopar hemi. After careful consideration and dealer evaluation, the Titan won hands down. I won't tow until we put some miles on it, but break in won't be long. I know we are told break in is not necessary, but with white hair comes deeply engrained mechanical habits. As you are on a Titan forum, I am going to guess the majority here will lean towards the tried and true Titan.

 

@ArtL what Titan did you buy? I am looking at SV with convenience, tow and maybe utility packages. Were the dealers willing to deal on them?

 

i towed my 3100 or 3300 pound travel trailer a few times. you didn;t know it was there till you looked in the mirror or had to stop for gas. i tow at highway speeds, which here is 75mph, so i normally got 8 or 9 mpg at those speeds. but its the same even when i haul cars on a flat trailer too so i think its just how the truck is. you don't feel any weight but you see it at the pump.

i hardly pulled my travel trailer. so little we sold it so i don't have lots of time pulling it but i have towed vehicles on trailers from other states, and one was towed halfway across the USA with zero issues. same gas mileage though.

for towing, the titan is a great truck. i have towed trailers with fords, chevys, and this titan and the titan is a tow beast.

 

Absolutely agree. I've also towed lots of vehicles with my Titan never an issue, more than enough power. I joke you hook anything to the hitch and it's 10 mpg regardless of what or where you're towing.

 

Thanks! Yes, I agree looking at all the turbo, fuel management on the other v8s you have to wonder how long they will last. Yes, problems do arise; but I always liked the KISS philosophy LOL. Just as reference here is current setup (I swapped out the receiver to level out the trailer).

 

I've towed a 3500-4000lb utility trailer all over the southeastern US, and a 6k wakeboat the same. I tow at 65 for the most part, and generally get something like 9-10mpg calculated. My towing is not flat ground, but primarily the foothills of the Appalachians, so mileage suffers. As far as how it tows, unless you want to race, the Titan tows with ease. I find it waits to shift on hills just a little longer than I like (more so now that I have a lift and 34s) so I manually drop a gear approaching hills and that's much better. With a little utility trailer and my JD 717a zero turn, you don't know except with your mirrors the load is even back there

Now, to be fair, I also tow with my wife's 2017 Expedition with the 3.5L Ecoboost. Fuel economy is better, bit not by leaps and bounds. Maybe 11-12mpg, but depends on hills and traffic more so than the Titan. Her Expy tows well, and it's been trouble free until recently (at 135k). I have an intermittent coolant leak that I think is turbo cooling lines but I can't find it. Keep looking whenever there is a puddle underneath and haven't found a wet spot yet. I'll find it. But for now, just keep a check on coolant levels and refill as needed.

I wouldn't hesitate to tow long distances with either truck, up to about 7500-8000lbs. Much over my wakeboat's weight and I'm shifting to a WDH.

 

@dubyam thanks for the info. Oh, regarding the leak my nephew had that problem in is 3.5 as well the cooling lines were leaking and since they had to remove the turbo they recommended he replace that as well.

 

Yeah, that's my fear. Betting this repair hurts to the tune of about $4-5k. May try to tackle it myself. We'll see.

 

@dubyam you are pretty close as I think it was around $4K to repair, it was somewhat involved is what they told him.

 

its probably not terrible though. if you have done timing belts or head gaskets in the past, that is probably a similar amount of work.

my son has an ecoboost focus st and we have done a few little fixes to it which required an odd amount of removal of parts so i think changing turbo coolant lines out would be fairly routine after some time under the hood on an ecoboost.

 

Trouble with the 3.5 in the Expy is the location of the fittings. They are either hidden behind the turbo (which will invariably involve a broken bolt or two on superheated exhaust assemblies) or literally sandwiched between the back of the engine block and the firewall in that narrow little space. They will be fun to change no matter what!

 

My Titan is a '17 SV. When camping I'm towing a Jayco 224BH (UVW 4,430 lbs) along with the following:

1,052 lbs of cargo in the truck. That includes passengers and other stuff.
805 lbs of cargo in the travel trailer.

So trailer and cargo combined the truck is moving 6,287 lbs along the roadway. That's 67.5% of the Titan's capacity. Fuel economy of course takes a hit, but I've always had power in reserve. My temps are monitored with a ScanGauge; engine and tranny temps have always stayed within normal ranges.

I tow the trailer with an E-qualizer 12k weight distribution hitch with anti-sway, and have never felt like the "tail was wagging the dog" (i.e., the gross weights are an overload for the truck).

My thought is that you would do fine with a Titan.
------------
Edited to add detail.

 

Thanks basketcase, agree regular Titan should work and only thing XD provides is some cushion.

 

and a nice longer bed

 

yes, forgot about that one.

 

My sv those packages on it. It makes a very nice truck. Thats good choices

 

Thanks busemans, can't believe prices anymore... LOL

 

2007 Chevy Silverado w/70k miles
4-speed transmission / tow pkg / 3.73 gears / ~1500 lb payload (more than my Titan)
Turned off the AFM with tuner.......debated getting a cam (one with lower end torque) or even supercharger but decided to get a Titan (more to follow.)

I still have the Chevy and is my daily driver. I've towed a SxS on an open trailer (~2,500 lbs) or a 19' ski boat (~3,500 lbs) with it many of times mostly on 2-lane highways in-state to national forests or lakes. Did fine and took the abuse I gave it. The biggest issues with our trucks is the 4-speed where it is hunting gears and no low-end (low RPM) torque. I usually pulled it into 3rd on the 2-lanes driving 60-65mph and let it rip. The 5.3 can take the RPM and that is where it makes its hp and torque.
MPG was 10-12 depending on how hard I pushed it. Trans temps were about the same as yours. With your current trailer and what I tow, the trans coolers on them are fine. Might not be for a bigger load but I would then definitely be looking for a more capable truck.
Freeway (70-75mph) was fine in OD unless you hit the slightest incline and you had to bury your foot to keep the speed up. We towed our normal routes so many times on the weekends that I got used to exactly when to grab the shifter and pull down a gear to hold it longer instead of trying to manage the shift with the loud pedal. We started taking longer trips (mostly freeway) to different places to ride the SxS and wanted an easier tow at 70+ MPH.
I've had LT or E rated tires so I never had an issue with stability while towing.



Got a 2021 Titan Platinum Reserve a little over a year ago. You probably know most of the basics......
5.6 V8 / 9-speed / ~1276 lb payload (less than my Chevy)

Towing either the SxS or boat........press the tow button......set cruise......forget about it.
Even if it needs to turn RPM like my Chevy......it's quiet.
Wife joked going up some hills w/the Chevy....."Do I need to get out and push?"
With the Titan......."Hey, I don't have to get out and push!"
The only thing I didn't like (other than a monthly payment) was they put P tires on it.....really?!?! It's a truck!
It felt "squishy" when towing so I aired them up to 40 PSI and that remedied that. Will replace with LT tires when the time comes.



I understand your dilemma. The high-performance shop near me quoted about $4k for a cam (little more low end torque) and some head work. Said it would drive like a truck should. I'm sure it would help but we could afford a new one........so we got a Titan.
The 4l60e (4-speed) will be one of the first major mechanical things to go in our trucks but those transmissions are EVERYWHERE and plenty of people that know their weak points and access to aftermarket parts that fix those weak points.

I almost bought a F-150 with the 3.5 ecoboost right before the car lots dried up and would have gotten a deal but sat on my hands too long. Don't regret it now that we got the Titan. If I were to get a Ford I would not hesitate to get the 2.7 eco.......great mpg and plenty of torque for the loads we are towing.
BUT........if you are even considering a bigger trailer.......I would be looking at the XD or 3/4 ton in the other brands.

Sorry for being long-winded (worded) but I've been where you are and wanted to share my experience.

 

2007 Chevy Silverado w/70k miles
4-speed transmission / tow pkg / 3.73 gears / ~1500 lb payload (more than my Titan)
Turned off the AFM with tuner.......debated getting a cam (one with lower end torque) or even supercharger but decided to get a Titan (more to follow.)

I still have the Chevy and is my daily driver. I've towed a SxS on an open trailer (~2,500 lbs) or a 19' ski boat (~3,500 lbs) with it many of times mostly on 2-lane highways in-state to national forests or lakes. Did fine and took the abuse I gave it. The biggest issues with our trucks is the 4-speed where it is hunting gears and no low-end (low RPM) torque. I usually pulled it into 3rd on the 2-lanes driving 60-65mph and let it rip. The 5.3 can take the RPM and that is where it makes its hp and torque.
MPG was 10-12 depending on how hard I pushed it. Trans temps were about the same as yours. With your current trailer and what I tow, the trans coolers on them are fine. Might not be for a bigger load but I would then definitely be looking for a more capable truck.
Freeway (70-75mph) was fine in OD unless you hit the slightest incline and you had to bury your foot to keep the speed up. We towed our normal routes so many times on the weekends that I got used to exactly when to grab the shifter and pull down a gear to hold it longer instead of trying to manage the shift with the loud pedal. We started taking longer trips (mostly freeway) to different places to ride the SxS and wanted an easier tow at 70+ MPH.
I've had LT or E rated tires so I never had an issue with stability while towing.



Got a 2021 Titan Platinum Reserve a little over a year ago. You probably know most of the basics......
5.6 V8 / 9-speed / ~1276 lb payload (less than my Chevy)

Towing either the SxS or boat........press the tow button......set cruise......forget about it.
Even if it needs to turn RPM like my Chevy......it's quiet.
Wife joked going up some hills w/the Chevy....."Do I need to get out and push?"
With the Titan......."Hey, I don't have to get out and push!"
The only thing I didn't like (other than a monthly payment) was they put P tires on it.....really?!?! It's a truck!
It felt "squishy" when towing so I aired them up to 40 PSI and that remedied that. Will replace with LT tires when the time comes.



I understand your dilemma. The high-performance shop near me quoted about $4k for a cam (little more low end torque) and some head work. Said it would drive like a truck should. I'm sure it would help but we could afford a new one........so we got a Titan.
The 4l60e (4-speed) will be one of the first major mechanical things to go in our trucks but those transmissions are EVERYWHERE and plenty of people that know their weak points and access to aftermarket parts that fix those weak points.

I almost bought a F-150 with the 3.5 ecoboost right before the car lots dried up and would have gotten a deal but sat on my hands too long. Don't regret it now that we got the Titan. If I were to get a Ford I would not hesitate to get the 2.7 eco.......great mpg and plenty of torque for the loads we are towing.
BUT........if you are even considering a bigger trailer.......I would be looking at the XD or 3/4 ton in the other brands.
Sorry for being long-winded (worded) but I've been where you are and wanted to share my experience.

@TITillAtiNg Thanks for the reply and your experience, at least you have the 3.73, mine are 3.42 which makes going through the mountains even more entertaining. If we ever upgraded RV it would probably be a B / B+. Going to AK will be hard trip so that is why looking at newer truck.

I am looking at 2 Titans both SV 4x4 with Conv, Tow and Utility packages. One is 2021 CPO with ~25K miles that can get for $38k OTD and the other is new 2023 that probably be 48 - 50K which could get with 0%. I hate having payments and really don't want to take the depreciation hit especially since won't be making them anymore.

I am leaning to the Certified Pre Owned and writing a check.

Have you had any issues with your Titan?

Thanks again

 

i would do the cpo, also. thats what mine is and it works great for everything i have ever had to tow. i don't tow anything heavy, my wrangler on a car hauler, a volvo wagon on a car hauler, and my little travel trailer, but i have towed from virginia to south texas and from colorado springs to south texas, so lots of hills and up a particular mountain pass from new mexico to colorado that is fairly tall.

 

I have read about potential issues with the 9 speed, does anybody that have 21 - 23 have any issues (i.e. - surging, delays, etc). I know @TITillAtiNg mentioned some uniqueness with his. I am also looking at Ram 1500 classic (has high reliability scores), while all the new bells and whistles are very nice at end of the day long term is generally main focus.

Later year V8 Tundra are good as well; but overpriced, bad gas mileage and payload capacity is low so they are out.

I would probably just update my silverado if it had the 6 speed and be done with it. It does appear dealers regardless of manf are definitely hurting now.

Thanks
DJ

PS - Yes, CPO is the route to go

 

I have read about potential issues with the 9 speed, does anybody that have 21 - 23 have any issues (i.e. - surging, delays, etc). I know @TITillAtiNg mentioned some uniqueness with his. I am also looking at Ram 1500 classic (has high reliability scores), while all the new bells and whistles are very nice at end of the day long term is generally main focus.

Later year V8 Tundra are good as well; but overpriced, bad gas mileage and payload capacity is low so they are out.

I would probably just update my silverado if it had the 6 speed and be done with it. It does appear dealers regardless of manf are definitely hurting now.

Thanks
DJ

PS - Yes, CPO is the route to go

I'd test drive them......with plenty of stop and gos. You'll either see it as an issue or not.

What I recall most saying is they haven't had the issue or they had a reprogram that took care of it. Others didn't have an issue to begin with and the reprogram (after the trans pawl recall) made it drive even better.

Test drive will tell you.

Ram it.....Dodge it.....or Charge it......that's all I know about the Chrysler corporation
Well, that and the 5.9L Cummins (pre-DEF) was a winner from what I could tell. Siblings have one for their business and I've towed with it before.......effortless. A 1-ton dually getting 21mpg and across the Smokeys and then 17mpg on the way back towing a Trans Am. Dang impressive.

 

I was planning to pay in full for my new Titan but at 0% I financed it and put most of the money in a CD that pays 4.76%. The interest will make a couple annual payments.