I have a 2002 Yukon XL 1500 4x4 with the 5.3 and 3:73 rear. I tow a race car and sometimes I think it's marginal on the power side even though I am well below the weight limit of the tow package. I realy wanted the 4:10 rear but at the time there were none avaliable in the area.
My question is, I want easy realiable HP. Mostly my wife uses it as the family car and I take it sometimes for towing. Should I get a blower for the low end grunt and passing power, or should I trade in the truck for a Denili or a Cady with the big motor. There giving fantastic deals on new trucks.
I am a little worried that if I get a blower and tow a tralier that the trany or other parts will not be able to take it. What do you think.

 

i feel your pain man.i have a 04 sierra that is a nutless pig.these LS engines suck!

 

Get the Denali XL and put the Magnacharger on it. You will not be disappointed!

D

 

I want to do one or the other , not both.

 

The Radix would be a great choice for towing. If you've got the 4L60E in the 1500, you can increase it's reliability with a shift kit and servos. This is probably what I would do.

 

LOL, that's about the dumbest reply I've seen in a while. :p

The engines are great. Show me another GM engine in the last 10yrs that is as efficient and powerful.... You just need to know what parts to use to make em FEEL faster. They are already pretty quick for trucks.


As for the original post. Anything you do to up the power significanty is going to reduce longevity on the tranny. IMO go with a Radix or STS turbo and you'll be more than happy.

 

We live in a small city. There was big talk at work on which truck could pull the boat the best. The Chevy, Dodge and Ford dealers are less than a mile from each other. On a dare my co-worker dropped his 6Klbs boat motor and trailer in a grocery store parking lot while we wached it.
He got a Duramax test drive and hooked it up. The same with a Dodge diesel, and the GMC Denali Extended Cab 6.0. All of this took 3.5 hours of hell getting to the test rides and us 2 12 paks as we sat in a truck keeping whatch over the boat. Around here they take your licence and copy it, then while you test drive the vehicle they look over your trade then dig into you privacy with the licence numbers looking at your credit and such.
He went with the Dodge.

Anyway, before you mod the XL, do this with a Denali with a 6.0.

 

yea my 1997 with a 5.7 would tow circles around my new truck,and that truck had 3.42 not the 3.73 that my current 5.3 has.and it got better fuel mileage.
you know some guys buy a truck to use as a truck,not try and make a psudo race vehicle out of it.
the LS engine is lacking big time in the low speed power,yes the do turn on pretty good above 4000 rpm.have you ever towed 6000 pounds with a 5.3???pray there arent any hills.

 

Uhhhhh