towing question

[rardino]

I have a 2015 jeep cherokee latitude front wheel drive with auto 9 speed transmission it is 2.4 litre can i safely tow a 1999 bayliner capri 18ft VS with 120 force motor....and what hitch class should i use........

 

[wrvond]

A class III hitch will do the job, and the 2.4 engine at 171 pounds of torque is going to work to pull it. You'll also find getting up wet launch ramps to be challenging.

 

[thumpar]

That jeep is only rated for 2000lbs towing. The boat it probably 2100lbs dry without the trailer so just that is over limit. You add 20 gallons of fuel (150lbs) gear and anything else and you are well over the limit.

 

[Starcraft5834]

I have a 2015 jeep cherokee latitude front wheel drive with auto 9 speed transmission it is 2.4 litre can i safely tow a 1999 bayliner capri 18ft VS with 120 force motor....and what hitch class should i use........

first part of the question,, answer is nope... class 3 hitch on a vehicle designed to tow your approx 2500lbs is fine..

it boils down to what the definition of "safe" is.. you might make it just fine all the time, have a problem, crash, hit someone, first thing accident reconstruction does it look at vehicles involved, inspections, registration ratings, vehicle ratings... that's why those things are made... you might be fine running with it, in court your toast!!, your insurance carrier will drop u, and wont pay your claim, any time you are found guilty of any violation or regulation, thats an easy out for insurance carriers

 

[H20Rat]

first part of the question,, answer is nope... class 3 hitch on a vehicle designed to tow your approx 2500lbs is fine..

it boils down to what the definition of "safe" is.. you might make it just fine all the time, have a problem, crash, hit someone, first thing accident reconstruction does it look at vehicles involved, inspections, registration ratings, vehicle ratings... that's why those things are made... you might be fine running with it, in court your toast!!, your insurance carrier will drop u, and wont pay your claim, any time you are found guilty of any violation or regulation, thats an easy out for insurance carriers

No... Contrary to iboats public opinion, none of this happens in the real world. If you are towing commercial, yes, absolutely, but surprisingly, there are no restrictions in regards to towing over the 'recommended' tow capacities for a non-commercial driver. I worked in insurance for many, many years. You would be surprised at the number of claims we paid where the person was grossly overloaded. Not once did it affect the person's guilt or insurance claim. (yes, we did drop people after multiple accidents, but that would have happened with or without a trailer.) (insurance company I worked for dealt mainly with farmers. They don't care about tow ratings, they care about getting the job done, so are more often than not way beyond what the sticker says.)

(Note, I'm not advocating exceeding manufacturer ratings. The experience of the operator is 90% of the equation, vehicle capability is far less important. Part of that experience is picking an appropriate vehicle to match operator skill and the load.)

 

[Scott Danforth]

not to belittle the subject, however true Jeeps are 4 wheel drive. I wouldnt launch a boat with a non 4x4. many of the ramps I go to I wouldnt be able to retrieve without four wheel drive.

towed load over towing rating and FWD only...... I would find a different tow vehicle. can you do it, probably, then again, when you pucker the upholstery when things go awry, you will be wishing for a bigger tow vehicle.

 

[oldjeep]

No... Contrary to iboats public opinion, none of this happens in the real world. If you are towing commercial, yes, absolutely, but surprisingly, there are no restrictions in regards to towing over the 'recommended' tow capacities for a non-commercial driver. I worked in insurance for many, many years. You would be surprised at the number of claims we paid where the person was grossly overloaded. Not once did it affect the person's guilt or insurance claim. (yes, we did drop people after multiple accidents, but that would have happened with or without a trailer.) (insurance company I worked for dealt mainly with farmers. They don't care about tow ratings, they care about getting the job done, so are more often than not way beyond what the sticker says.)

(Note, I'm not advocating exceeding manufacturer ratings. The experience of the operator is 90% of the equation, vehicle capability is far less important. Part of that experience is picking an appropriate vehicle to match operator skill and the load.)

The only real danger (aside from physical harm and crashing all your toys) would be if someone decided to sue you because of the accident. In that type of case it could certainly be brought up that you were towing beyond the rating of the vehicle and were negligent because of that.

 

[rardino]

I'm only towing the boat to local areas less than 8 miles The low range on the 9 spd trans allows shifting capabilities no long tows Still no?

 

[thumpar]

That doesn't matter. The engine size and vehicle size are the big holdbacks. I tow around 4500 and am rated for 8800. The Yukon is a V8 with factory 7 pin tow package. Much more than I was towing I would look at something bigger. That boat is going to throw that little thing around and if there are any hills you will find the limits of the motor.

 

[Leardriver]

You can certainly make that trip successfully a few times. Maybe forever. It is a matter of being right at or over max tow rating, having no reserve engine or braking capability. The right tool for the job takes the stress out of it.

I towed one of those 16 foot Bayliners with the 85 HP Force engine in the 80's with an '86 Accord with a 98 HP carb'd engine. I probably towed it 10,000 miles, and got 20 MPG doing so. It sucked pulling out at the ramp. People said that apparently I needed a diesel dually to tow 1400 Lbs. That's what I weighed at, including the trailer. The consensus is, and rightfully so, that you could use a stouter vehicle.

 

[wrvond]

A Toyota "towed" a space shuttle, your vehicle can pull that boat. All else aside trying to pull the boat out of the water and up a ramp is where you will run into real trouble. There is a very real possibility you will end up as one of those people with their vehicle under water at the bottom of the ramp.

 

[G_Hipster]

I pay attention to the tow ratings. I've had a trailer slide the rear end of a little truck around. Light car overloaded and heavy trailer is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Starcraft5834]

The only real danger (aside from physical harm and crashing all your toys) would be if someone decided to sue you because of the accident. In that type of case it could certainly be brought up that you were towing beyond the rating of the vehicle and were negligent because of that.

exactly... the "real world" depends on who was hurt and how bad...

 

[White90GT]

I pulled our 3000 lbs chris craft with my 1990 Mustang GT for a couple years and from Houston to Austin. Biggest issue was brakes!

 

[Slager]

I have towed with a several different boat/tow vehicle combos, the closest to your example was towing my 1600 lb boat/trailer with a 4 cyl Hyundai sonata sedan. On flat and level you should be fine if you can find a properly rated hitch. The difficulty will arise in emergency stops and on the launch ramp. If you get trailer brakes installed, that will take care of one of those problems. The other can be dealt with by packing a tow strap and having someone with a truck available if needed every time you use a launch ramp for the first time. As far as the possibility of the car/trailer ending up in the water, just remember that the brakes apply to all 4 wheels. If the car starts slipping down the ramp, press the brakes and call your buddy with the truck. Also, always use both park and emergency brakes on the ramp. Maybe even pack a brick to set on the brake pedal too, or use some wheel chocks. You'll likely hear your engine straining much more, but as long as you are only going short trips and use the lower gears, the engine should be able to do it.

If you don't want to do all the prep, then get a more capable tow vehicle.