I went for a second test drive and I love the truck, but.......

I mean its right there in the tread I posted, towed more than your 5k boat and said it wasn't even hard. Made 16.3 MPGs to, bet your 4.0 can't do that good. Have you ever towed 5k with a third gen? I'm guessing no since you don't own one, so you have no idea how it tows so your just talking out your ass.

 

This is the sentence I keep on seeing here.

I’ve towed about 4500 pounds and had stuff in the back, my rpms did not go over 3k, hills and everything. It’s not fun starting uphills though, clutch suffers. I do have 2WD low mod but can’t use it while city driving obviously.


Did you ever drive a manual 3rd gen?

 

How about the Hemi? Ford’s Coyote? GM’s 6.2? All in full size trucks AND unibody cars. An engine is an engine. It can be tuned for different uses, but does the same thing.

 

I have pulled a 5.2k lb boat off boat loading ramp at Lake Lanier in GA with both a 3rd gen and 2nd gen v6. Pulling the boat out of the water on an incline from a dig, there was a noticeable difference.

 

I've never driven a manual 3rd gen, I would imagine it would be much easier to maintain in the meat of the powerband for towing.

 

True but some motors are also designed and engineered from the ground up to only go into specific platforms.

 

Detuned for longevity baby.

No but honestly I think they both have plenty of power. One is a bit better down low, one is a bit better up high.

 

4.30 rear end stock helps as well too. AT is 3.90

 

Lol dude, you tow in S mode on a third gen auto which controls what gear you are in, you still control the powerband just like a manual. Besides we aren't talking trannies unless you would like to add to your statement that the only real "truck" trannies are manuals.

 

The only real "truck" gears are 4.30s?

 

I don't disagree at all. I just think that in the world of every vehicle coming out nowadays having 300+ HP, these things are starting to FEEL a bit more gutless.

I just did some fun calculations. You'd be surprised how close, speed wise each truck hits their max torque. They are incredibly similar.

2G M/T
1st: 23.75 MPH
2nd: 45.21 MPH

2G A/T
1st: 28.13 MPH
2nd: 48.54 MPH

3G M/T
1st: 24.8 MPH
2nd: 48.86 MPH

3G A/T
1st: 30.16 MPH
2nd: 51.95 MPH

 

I miss my 2wd 2013 Prerunner and my 2015 4wd Sport. The 2wd Prerunner would tow everything I threw at it.

The 3rd gens I’ve had are no slouch. If you are smart and have them in 4hi, there is ZERO issue pulling a 5k boat up a ramp unless you are a total loser.

 

Really cool comparison! Thanks!

 

Yeah the 3rd gen never failed to pull the boat up, there was just a noticeable difference.

 

Doesn’t the torque converter take care of that?

 

Are these the only "truck" transmission gear ratios? All others being heretical?

 

I am not disagreeing with that. Hence my comment about the 2wd 2013. There are a shit ton of 2wd V6 Tacos pulling nice boats up ramps in Texas. That 4.0L was just fine for light duty towing and hauling.

But it is ancient history now. Soon, the 3.5L will be moth balled too.