Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

[nateo]

I have a 1986 19' open bow fiberglass with a 305 sterndrive in. Whatever that weight is. What 3,000 lbs?

Well anyway, I'm assuming that a v8 would be prefered. Is four wheel drive necessary for a steep ramp?

 

[87FourWinns190]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

I have a 2wd 4.3L 5 speed manual Silverado that I tow a 4k lb boat/trailer combo with. I have not have any trouble on ramps yet, but I have brand new tires and a locking rear. The only time I have been worried yet was on a sand/gravel ramp that I had to back in really far.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Nobody can answer that for you... Many ramps a 2wd could easily pull it out.... Moss, crappy tires, loose gravel, very smooth wet concrete, etc could all put the hurt on you...... Lots of people do just fine with 2wd... I personally wouldn't own a 2wd truck again...

 

[87FourWinns190]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Nobody can answer that for you... Many ramps a 2wd could easily pull it out.... Moss, crappy tires, loose gravel, very smooth wet concrete, etc could all put the hurt on you...... Lots of people do just fine with 2wd... I personally wouldn't own a 2wd truck again...

But, yes, I would love a 4wd truck...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

But, yes, I would love a 4wd truck...

In that case tell the wifey you HAVE to have 4x4 and call it a day.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

More important to have a limited slip diff than 4WD.

I tow the 2 boats in my sig with a 99 2WD Siverado without LS but my ramps are all pretty good.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

"Is four wheel drive necessary for a steep ramp?"


Sometimes.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

It is better to have 4wd and not need it, than to not have 4wd and need it.
Having said that, I've yet to need 4wd on a ramp

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

More important to have a limited slip diff than 4WD.

I tow the 2 boats in my sig with a 99 2WD Siverado without LS but my ramps are all pretty good.

Most people would argue the opposite... Lets say I am pulling out of a slime covered slippery ramp. Having both back wheels spin does very little for me if both back wheels have exactly zero traction! zero times two still equals zero. The only thing that helps you in those situations is having your front wheels on non-slimy pavement.

(and yes, I've pulled a stuck limited slip pickup up a ramp, with my subaru... Spinning did nothing for him, in fact, every time he let go of the brake, he moved BACKWARDS, closer to sinking a pickup...)

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Most people would argue the opposite... Lets say I am pulling out of a slime covered slippery ramp. Having both back wheels spin does very little for me if both back wheels have exactly zero traction! zero times two still equals zero. The only thing that helps you in those situations is having your front wheels on non-slimy pavement.

Yes, I can agree with you on that.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

I towed two different 21' boats for four years with a 2WD 2007 Silverado with a limited slip differential. The heaviest was 6,500lbs on the trailer. Never had a problem. If the ramps you utilize are particularly slimy, you may have a problem.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

You don't absolutely NEED four wheel drive but it certainly will help. I towed a 19 footer for years with a Dodge Grand Caravan and had no problems on ramps. Now, my Chevy S10, 2 wheel drive used to get pulled down the wet ramps by my 21 foot cuddy. I needed people to jump into the bed for weight on the rear wheels.

Now, just yesterday I was retrieving a 25 foot fiberglass bass boat from a muddy ramp with my Chevy Silverado. Just for shi**s and giggles I tried with regular 2 wheel drive. She started to spin so I went to 4 wheel drive and she marched right out. So, as noted above, it really depends----

 

[bspeth]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

I agree with Dingbat,better to have and not need than need and not have.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Hi Nateo. I pull a 21' Starcraft aluminum boat with my 2003 Ford Explorer that has auto 4WD or, at my option, manual full time 4WD high or 4WD low. I think it all depends on where you want to boat and how risky the ramps are. My history tells me that the more traction you think your vehicle has, the more you're tempted to risk crummy ramps. The most troublesome ramp I experienced was just natural wet clay and loose gravel with little runway off the side of a busy road. If I hadn't had 4WD, I'd still be there. So pick your ramps to suit your tow vehicle. - Grandad

 

[Pony]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

I have a 2004 Silverado 5.3L 2WD that I tow with. I haven't run into any issues yet, but If I had an option of buying again I would go 4WD if I could....just in case. All the ramps I use are pretty good....the boat is in my sig.

I used to have a 96' Dakota with 4WD that I actually needed to use, but then again I was launching/retrieving a 15ft waterlogged trihull on a sand "launch".....launch being in quotes because you could barely call it that

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Never needed 4WD with anything from jet skis to 26' runabouts. I have little use for 4WD in Oklahoma, I don't do mudding/off-roading and it rarely snows enough here to matter. Granted, I don't put boats in from the beach or a non-paved ramp, but it's still not been a problem. If you have a choice, use a shallower ramp if you are concerned. Needing 4WD is dependent on the type of ramps you intend to use, and the weather you have to deal with in your area of the country.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Not a must have but nice to have on a slippery ramp. You may never need it but the one time you do you'll wish you had it.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

Like others said, it all depends on where you launch. Nice dry concrete ramps, 2WD is all you should ever need. Dirt, sand and gravel launches or a slimy concrete ramp 4WD is great to have.

We have a favorite stretch of river we take our jon boat to for a day of fishing now and then. There is no ramp or launch. It's a long dirt road, over a large mountain, up an old railroad bed through a couple creeks down a couple of steep banks out onto a rock bar to get the trailer in the water to launch the boat. Four wheel drive is a must for that trip. Of course not everyone is as crazy as we are to go through all that to go fishing. LOL.

With all that said, I've never needed 4WD to get up the ramps we've launched our "big" (19' and 20') boats at.

 

[briangcc]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

It depends... What's your definition of steep? Conditions of the ramp?

Most of the ramps I've used, I've been fine in two wheel drive even though my truck is equipped with 4x4. The ramps I use are well maintained, non-slimey, grooved concrete. There are a couple very steep ramps, I consider them almost vertical, that I haven't launched at but if I did, I'd be using 4x4 to launch and retrieve my boat.

This is with a 19'6" 305 powered Four Winns.


With that being said...I wouldn't even consider launching on a sand/gravel launch with my current setup without 4x4.

Depending on your location, you may want 4x4 in a truck during winter.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Is 4wd needed in a truck to tow boat?

I see lots and lots of 2wd trucks and what not at the ramps. Now the ramps in NC are very clean and well maintained. I have a 2WD drive truck pulling about 9K worth of boat and trailer out of the water, I do have a rear end I can lock with the turn of a knob though.