If you could change one thing about your tow vehicle.

[Eager Beaver]

Hey crappiepappy, what kind of mpg do ya get with that 4.7? My 5.4 gets 17 empty and just over 12 pulling the 3k lb boat at 70 down the road. I have sure wondered about the 5.7's and what they get as far as mileage goes.

It isn't the size of your motor but about your gear ratio for gas mileage.

410 = about 10-12 mpg
393 = about 14-15 mpg
373 = about 18-21 mpg.

I have the 5.7 2500 chevy with the 373 rear end and get 18 on the highway and 15 pulling my boat 75 on the interstate. EB

[Don G]

It isn't the size of your motor but about your gear ratio for gas mileage.

410 = about 10-12 mpg
393 = about 14-15 mpg
373 = about 18-21 mpg.

I have the 5.7 2500 chevy with the 373 rear end and get 18 on the highway and 15 pulling my boat 75 on the interstate. EB

Don't forget the transmission..My Tundra has 430 gears but also a 6 speed transmission....Helps on gas...

[FroggerZack]

A 1/2 ton truck with a diesel that get 25-30 mpg would be nice! You know they can easily do it but don't!

[centerdriver]

I have the 373 rear end in the F-150. Turning 2250 rpm at 75. Has really been a great truck for 10 years to me. If we had a home somewhere and stayed there all the time, would keep it till the wheels fell off.

[CrappiePappy]

Hey crappiepappy, what kind of mpg do ya get with that 4.7? My 5.4 gets 17 empty and just over 12 pulling the 3k lb boat at 70 down the road. I have sure wondered about the 5.7's and what they get as far as mileage goes.

I can't really give you a good estimate on overall mpg ... as I don't drive all that much. Back & forth to work, and the occasional shopping run, is most of my driving runs (35-45mph) .... in town, stop/go driving. Last few times I've checked ... I'm getting 15mpg. Truck was rated 15/city - 18/hwy ... and that's pretty accurate, far as I can tell.
Can't give you a highway mpg estimate, or boat towing estimate, as I haven't towed a boat (yet) ... and highway travel has been limited & in conjunction with city driving milage. What few times I have driven at highway speeds (55mph), my mpg average looks to be around 18mpg. No Interstate travel, yet.

... cp

[superdave1984]

It isn't the size of your motor but about your gear ratio for gas mileage.

410 = about 10-12 mpg
393 = about 14-15 mpg
373 = about 18-21 mpg.

I have the 5.7 2500 chevy with the 373 rear end and get 18 on the highway and 15 pulling my boat 75 on the interstate. EB

My Jeep has 3.55 gears and I get about 17 MPG with a 6 cyl and overdrive transmission. What I would want to change, and I will, is a posi unit in the rear differential.

[Hanr3]

I have 3.42 gears in my S-10 Blazer with a 4.3L V6 and get 19-20 highway and 17 around town. My boat doesnt weigh enough to make much of a difference. By hte way I have the same transmission as the other GM rear wheel drive cars/trucks. 700R4/4L60/4L60E, standard auto tranny in all 1/2 ton and lighter rear wheel drive GM vehicles. It has a 3.06 low first gear and 70% overdrive. Factor in the t-case and I have a crawl ratio of 30:1.

[Lundman A-14]

I have had my "new to me" tow vehicle for a month now,..it is a 2003 Chevy
C1500 Silverado base model,...not the 'work truck',model,... long bed with the 4.8L V8,auto trans,and most likely the 3.23 or 3.42 rear end. It is 2WD and has
a hard tonneau cover. If I had to change anything,I would most likely prefer a
topper,but I am happy with the hard cover for now. Since it is just me,I can
live with a regular cab truck. I may also add that it pulls the '73 Sea Nymph
14R fishing boat ALOT easier than the old car did. I figure that when I am on the highway driving 55 to 60 mph,...with or without the boat,...I am probably
getting 19 to 20 mpg,...not bad for a small 4.8L V8!