2016 Kia Sedona (van) Boat Towing Safe?

[Leavii]

Hello,

I have a 1992 21 foot cubby cabin boat that weighs 3460 with a full tank of gas. Though I have access to a Jeep to pull my boat with if I could save myself an hour to go get it to pull my boat I would like to so long as van towing is safe. So not being sure of myself I have a few questions.

The Kia has a Curt hitch which is up to 4000lb, and the van's capacity is 3500lb. Has a 3.3L V6 and is FWD. A few questions I have are:

Would it be safe pulling it in/out of the water being right at the van's capacity?

What kind of loading dock incline should I draw the line at?

The Kia hitch sits about 10 inches lower than the Jeep, and the trailer sits level around 9 inches(?) over the Kias hitch. Will a raised ball mount add any extra strain/load to the hitch which might take it over its capacity? Would a 6 inch raised mount suffice?

Finally, am I being too much of a worry wort, and are these questions irrelevant?


The capacity to the boats weight doesn't concern me too much, but with the hitch sitting so low I would think the extra height from a raised ball mount would strain the hitch past its capacity. Kind of like holding a watermelon close in your hands is easier than holding it higher and away from your body in the air.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

 

[Dewaynep]

To be perfectly honest with you, I wouldn't pull my 18' Starcraft with any minivan unless the minivan was a Chevy Astro. I don't think you'll get that heavy of a boat out of the water with a FWD minivan. Have you hooked it up to see if the van's rear axle can take the tongue weight without bottoming out? I've towed a lot of things with a lot of vehicles and this is one that I wouldn't attempt myself.

 

[roscoe]

too heavy

 

[Leavii]

Dewaynep I haven't because I don't have a raised ball mount, and didn't wanna buy one if it won't work anyway.

 

[tpenfield]

Hello,

1) Would it be safe pulling it in/out of the water being right at the van's capacity?

2) What kind of loading dock incline should I draw the line at?

3) The Kia hitch sits about 10 inches lower than the Jeep, and the trailer sits level around 9 inches(?) over the Kias hitch. Will a raised ball mount add any extra strain/load to the hitch which might take it over its capacity? Would a 6 inch raised mount suffice?

4) Finally, am I being too much of a worry wort, and are these questions irrelevant?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

1) Define 'safe' . . . Do you mean will it do it? Maybe . . . is the ramp slippery? FWD Have someone take videos :thumb:

2) A 7.6˚ incline of course . . . :noidea:

3) No . . . Close to level is fine.

4) Maybe, technically, it seems that your rig is a bit over the tow rating of your vehicle . . . you did not mention the weight of the trailer in your numbers . . . so maybe 4300 lbs total vs. a rating of 3500 lbs. :noidea: Given the right conditions and a tail wind it could be fine.

 

[Leavii]

tpenfield Sorry it is 3460lbs total. Trailer, boat and all. I took it to a scale today and weighed it.

I have read and heard a lot of different options. On one forum someone said an 80˚ incline would be the max for a van. No idea how they come to that conclusion? Safe as in going from point A to B without the hitch falling off, and getting the boat unloaded and loaded without sinking the van

Most people I know IRL say it will be fine and to do it and not worry, but at the same time it is not their boat/car that would get damaged if something were to go wrong. Something about pulling a boat with a van doesn't sit right with me, but it is under the towing capacity so makes me think it would be fine.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have done many stupid things like towing my current boat with my old S-10 Blaser right at the max tow limit. that had a great pucker factor, especially if the wind picked up.

I would not tow your current boat and trailer with your current mini van.

while the Curt hitch may be rated to 4000#, its bolted into 18 gauge sheet metal on the rear pan of your Kia. one good bump and you will have a hole in the floor of your kia where the hitch was bolted to it.

 

[ahicks]

Our '17 Honda Pilot (similar size/weight to the Sedona I think?) has a class 3 hitch on it. The FWD Pilot is rated for 3500 while the AWD version is rated for 5000. I know there is a difference in cooling capacity between the FWD and AWD, and maybe some other things, but I doubt seriously there is any difference in the gauge of the sheet metal the hitch is fastened to.

In any case, it's used for pulling our approximately 3500 lb. 22' alum. deck boat in and out, on decent ramps only, and has no trouble at all. It feels as solid as the pickup I used to have/use for this purpose. Previous to this deck boat, it was used to pull a fairely heavy pontoon boat locally as well.

That said, I would NOT endorse this vehicle for use on any long distance towing. I would want a v-8 pwered something ot other for that purpose, but that may be considered "old school" now..... -Al

 

[Leavii]

Scott Danforth I put the hitch on a week or so ago it is 6 bolts (3 on each side) torqued on the frame not to a pan of any kind.

ahicks The cars do seem similar in towing though I am sure your hitch sits much higher than the sedona. The height is what concerns me. Sedona weighs more than the Pilot, and the Pilot has a 3.5L V6 depending on your year I suppose. Only 4 more HP than my 3.3L

 

[bruceb58]

How far are you towing? Technically, you are under the towing capacity so I don't really see that aspect much of an issue.

The trailer brakes are working properly correct? When was the last time you serviced them?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Scott Danforth I put the hitch on a week or so ago it is 6 bolts (3 on each side) torqued on the frame not to a pan of any kind.

ahicks The cars do seem similar in towing though I am sure your hitch sits much higher than the sedona. The height is what concerns me. Sedona weighs more than the Pilot, and the Pilot has a 3.5L V6 depending on your year I suppose. Only 4 more HP than my 3.3L

there is no frame on the minivan, its a unibody. you bolted it to the rear pan seam

 

[ahicks]

there is no frame on the minivan, its a unibody. you bolted it to the rear pan seam

Clearly, you have no idea of what you are talking about. May be time to crawl under something like this to educate/refresh your memory.

 

[Scott Danforth]

for Kia, only the teluride is body on frame. the sedona minivan is still unibody. the only "frame" is the engine/trans front sub-frame

here is what the undercarriage of the kia sedona looks like when you buy body parts for it

 

[Leavii]

Scott Danforth Sorry, I use the word "frame" loosely. It is a rear railing, but I wouldn't think of it as a pan per say. Thanks for the input!

bruceb58 Dock is 13 miles from my house, and the trailer doesn't have brakes. Went outside to double check. It does have greaseable wheel bearings, and the passenger side light is out lol.

 

[Scott Danforth]

If your trailer doent have brakes, its illegal. All trailers with total weight of 3000# or more are required to have brakes

Your towing capacity of 3500# also requires the trailer to have brakes

 

[Leavii]

Strange that the boat would come with the trailer, and not have brakes if it is a law. Perhaps I need to look closer. I sure don't see any brakes back there earlier I assume they would be drum being a 92'.... and being a trailer.

 

[bruceb58]

Don't tow that with a Kia and no brakes. If it doesn't have brakes, you need to add them.

 

[tpenfield]

I'm not sure what item #17 is in the diagram, but that's looks to be the 'beefiest' piece and what I'd be bolting to . . .

 

[Scott Danforth]

I'm not sure what item #17 is in the diagram, but that's looks to be the 'beefiest' piece and what I'd be bolting to . . .

bottom stamping pieces of the sedona unibody to point out to Ahicks that the sedona is a unibody and not body on frame. however since the boat and trailer combo are over 3000# and dont have brakes, thats a show stopper right there

 

[Scott Danforth]

Strange that the boat would come with the trailer, and not have brakes if it is a law. Perhaps I need to look closer. I sure don't see any brakes back there earlier I assume they would be drum being a 92'.... and being a trailer.

if your boat is a bayliner, they took many shortcuts, including not putting brakes on trailer packages that should have.