Tahoe, suburban, f150 help plz

Here’s the situation. 4 kids ranging from 9 to newborn 😉👍. I like how my f150 tows, almost forget the boat is there, stable, no sway. 4th kid may be pushing me away from trucks, due to space and comfort of the fam. Family always first priority, so those suggestions most valuable, howevor, also looking to hear insight on my outdoor priorities which in order are 1. Smooth stable towing of heavy boat 2. Able to haul dead critters such as deer and pheasant -most likely with some adaptation so I don’t ruin things with blood. 3. Gas mileage. All experienced suggestions greatly appreciated!!!

Have you considered a 6 passage f150?

Had a 2005 Suburban for a short while. I really, really liked the space. It got better MPG then my 1998 Expedition, but there is a difference of about 7 years of technology there. So not a real apple to apples comparison.

Logic says that a longer wheelbase will always tow better. Less sway under heavy load.

We have recently considered a new/additional family hauler/tow vehicle. We currently have a Sequoia and would like a little more room as we just added a new puppy to our family of 5. Our other vehicle is a car, so when my wife goes out of town with the kids, I can’t haul our boat. I am not sure if you have thought of this scenario or not.

Not sure of how big your boat is, but the downside of the SUV’s that we have considered are the rear end ratio. They don’t seem to offer the heaviest ones offered in full-size trucks.

FDR

Get a Suburban for towing your boat and hauling your family. Get a nice single axle trailer for hauling hunting gear and dead animals around.

Thanks!!! Keep em coming👍. I have considered the 6 passenger f150, but my oldest would have to be up there and with traveling soccer/basketball she is going to be knocked out tired/passed out after games-nothing reclines, and she is clutch during day trips helping out with lil ones in the back when needed.

Was in somewhat similar situation, except we have 3 kids from 2-12. Haven’t had the Tahoe for a few months so fairly new to me still.

I could see with 4 kids you needing the Suburban with the 3rd row. That way when they are all piled in you still have room in the back for stuff. Strollers, groceries, sports bags, etc.

Love being able to have all the stuff inside the vehicle(outdoor equipment). Going to make driving up north, and some of those motel night stays where all the stuff is sitting in the back of your pickup sleep easier.

Agree to get a small trailer for game, etc. Would get stinky inside real quick.

My 14′ boat is a small load for mine. Can’t give full performance for ya. All I know in tow/haul mode I don’t even know its back there. The Z71 package gives you a beefier spring kit, auto locking differential, and some other good stuff if pulling larger loads. Something to look into.

I have an ’05 Tahoe and it tows great (Nav 175T). For me, it’s nice to have the captain chairs in the middle row for my two older boys or 4 adults. I have the 3rd row seating but don’t use it much but with 4 kids I can definitely see the advantages of the suburban. I usually take one of the 3rd row seats out to fit the dog crate in the back but the suburban has more room. My ’05 has 181K and is my daily driver. I get about 17mpg and 13 or so towing.

For hauling critters I either use a trailer or a hitch mounted cargo rack. I can fit my 1-man flip over ice shelter in the back if I remove the 3rd row seats but there is not a ton of storage space for that kind of thing if you have
the family along.

Good luck with your decision

Dave

Suburban with a hitch haul carrier for dead game (deer). I miss having a pickup for throwing stuff in the back, but the hound sure appreciates the late season pheasants and being able to sit inside where its warm.
A suburban will tow better than a Tahoe and handle passenger loads better. Yes, you can get the 3rd seat option in a Tahoe, but the remaining room is a small fraction of what the suburban will have. Mileage doesn’t differ between the two. I have 3 boys and we have plenty of room for everyone in our family of 5.

It’s a personal choice of what will work best for you, just to many variables. Explorer/Tahoe and Excursion/Suburban are the 2 options I would look at with the 3rd row seating, just depends on how much room is needed and how far you are traveling for comfort. We have a 15 Explorer and really like it and it tows my 19′ boat OK but for long trips we have an 06 F150 Supercrew. The Explorer and car are used for commuting and the truck is for longer trips and towing. If limited to 1 vehicle I would lean towards the Excursion/Suburban.

Thank you all for the insight, and taking time to respond! Keep em coming! Looks like unanimous vote heading toward the burb at this point. I’ll check out the excursions as well, I haven’t had good luck with the Chevy brand in the past, but maybe I will finally get a good apple.

I like the looks of the Yukon/Tahoe better than the Yukon XL/Suburban, but the mileage will be comparable. I’ve had 2 Yukon XLs now. Even with just 2 kids, the extra space is necessary if they have friends with. There is still room in the back even with the 3rd seat in use. The Yukon/Tahoe won’t have alot of space with the 3rd seat being used.

I wish someone would offer a full-size SUV with a diesel engine…….. A guy can wish.

FDR

Over the past many years I have had 7 Suburban’s. Can’t say had many problems with any of them. One needed a transfer case at 110k but I plowed snow commercially with it for 5 years. I think I had plows on 4 subs in that time. Other than regular maint. never did a thing to them. Wife is driving a 2014 Yukon XL right now and all the kids are gone and married. We take the 3rd seat out and put Weather Tech liner in the back to handle the dirt etc.

Dutchboy wrote:

Get a Suburban for towing your boat and hauling your family. Get a nice single axle trailer for hauling hunting gear and dead animals around.

If you have the cash to swing it this is what I would do. I have an older Suburban (99) but it tows great and plenty of room for the wife, 2 kids, and the dog.

I’d love to have a Tahoe as a 2nd vehicle but if I could only have one I would (and did) go with a suburban. Think of it like selecting an outboard for your boat. Seen too many people online say they wish they would have gotten the Suburban. You can get Captains chairs for the suburan also and IMO that is the best set up to have especially if you are going to have car seats for the kids

i’ve been running:
1. stations wagons 5 of them
2. pickup
3. suburbans, 7 of them

got the single axle with the pickup.

i’ll never go back to anything smaller than the burb. i pull the 3rd sets (got 2 for sale!!) and use fold ups back there for the kids.

blood?? hose it out.

never look back…

francisco4 wrote:

I wish someone would offer a full-size SUV with a diesel engine…….. A guy can wish.

FDR

Been saying that for years! I thought Chevy was going to do it a few years ago, but they must have abandoned that idea

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>francisco4 wrote:</div>
I wish someone would offer a full-size SUV with a diesel engine…….. A guy can wish.

FDR

Been saying that for years! I thought Chevy was going to do it a few years ago, but they must have abandoned that idea

I too seem to remember bits and pieces of that plan. I believe it was the 2008-2010 years that they decided to shelf idea until the Full-size vehicle market came back. I have not heard any word since.

FDR

Just found one more thing sweet about the Tahoe, if you fold the backseat down on shallow launches fold the backseat and crawl through to trailer.

Never have to get the feet wet, now I really can’t wait for the cold fall.

I think a Expedition would be better than a Explorer. Has 3rd row seating but more room and I think a better tow rating…BUT also more $$$

Thank you gentlemen, much appreciated! I’ve been hearing some rumblings of a motor update needed in burbs from 2006-20012. Any truth to this?

pantherpop wrote:

I think a Expedition would be better than a Explorer. Has 3rd row seating but more room and I think a better tow rating…BUT also more $$$

If you go this route you will want the long version of the Expedition. I will really look at the newest years though. I believe it was just recently that they allowed the 5.0 and 3.5 Ecoboost as options.

FDR

francisco4 wrote:

I wish someone would offer a full-size SUV with a diesel engine…….. A guy can wish.

FDR

Not sure if Ford still makes the Excursion but when they did they had a diesel option.
DT

deertracker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>francisco4 wrote:</div>
I wish someone would offer a full-size SUV with a diesel engine…….. A guy can wish.

FDR

Not sure if Ford still makes the Excursion but when they did they had a diesel option.
DT

You are correct. I am just wishing for more recent options.

FDR

Will, we just bought a Suburban at the beginning of the spring and love the thing. I still have my pickup, which is kinda my beater around the area rig, but that Suburban is a great family vehicle and also tugs the boat around quite nicely. I haven’t used it to toss in a dead deer or whatever and wouldn’t anyway, but a set of the nice weathertech mats back there would work wonders I think.

If you are going the SUV route, I would definitely recommend the longer ones, Suburban, Expedition with the extended back, etc. Tahoe, smaller Expedition, etc all doesn’t have near the room.

As far as gas mileage goes, ours gets roughly 15-17. Roughly the same as a pickup.

OH and going from the Ford to the Suburban you will notice the ride is about 10x better. Nothing wrong with the Ford pickup, but it rides like a lumber wagon compared to that Suburban.

@pighunter,

Did you get the MAX tow package with your Burb?

I did not. It is the 5.3 with the standard tow package. It does a pretty good job to pull my boat. I have an 18″ Alumacraft TP tiller.

Got it.

FDR

We’ve had various Suburbans since 1991 and I’m sure would suffer withdrawals without one. They’re like a shed on wheels!

Keep the truck and buy a Mini van, Problem solved. I own 3 vehicles a F-150 an Sienna and a Equinox.

Thanks boys!!!! Got lucky, scored a nice used burb, much appreciated!

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Don’t know if I will ever have the time to fish again, but the burb is what I have been missing my whole life, and the kids are elated!!! 😉👍