Looking for a bigger boat....

[Jimwhall]

Is there a trailer towing FAQ out there?

I have an '07 Commander, with a 6500lbs towing capacity. But... I don't know how that translates into how much it can tow. I know that sounds dumb but is it 6500 - weight of boat and trailer - equipment - all the people? If it says 6500 does that mean it's safe to tow 6400, or that once you get there it's 'Oh Crap this feels dangerous' time?

Just looking for an FAQ so I can start to understand what I don't understand.

 

[dingbat]

The first thing you need to do is read up on the little asterisks next to your (max) tow rating.

Typically included “optional” features to met the max tow rating.

You will also find that anything over #5k requires a special load carrying hitch.

“Safe” is a relative term when it comes to towing.

 

[JASinIL2006]

In addition to your tow rating (“how much towing weight can my vehicle safely control”) you also need to know your payload, which is how much weight your vehicle can carry. Payload would include the weight the trailer and boat exert on the hitch (ballpark is 10% of the total weight of boat + trailer), plus the weight of all your cargo and passengers.You generally will run out of payload before you run out of towing capacity.

To make matters even more complicated, many manufacturers will lost two sets of tow weights and payloads; one is when the normal hitch receiver is used, the other when a weight distributing hitch (WDH) is used. Most boats are towed without WDHs.

 

[Wave34]

What I think is the most important thing in towing, is preparation and equipment.
The 'Oh Crap this feels dangerous' time?' you are referring to, can happen while towing at 2000lb under the maximum capacity, while, you could tow at the maximum, and feel like there is nothing behind.

It is important to have the weight well distributed on the trailer, go on a scale to confirm, then, having good 'D' or 'E' rated tires on the tow vehicle is a must, if not, the TV will feel loose while changing lanes or when a van passes you etc.

So, if everything is set correctly, the rating for the maximum towing capacity can be used.
It doesn't refer to the passenger nor the load, just what is attached to the hitch.
(of course you need to stay within the maximum combined weight of the specs)

A boat is not like a camper trailer. It doesn't catch in the wind as much, so, the trailer doesn't need as much tongue weight. My Chaparral owners manual specify between 5-7%, (I use 7) so, a WDH is not required.

 

[KD4UPL]

It's hard to get 10% tongue weight on most boat trailers because the weight of a boat is in the back: engine, drive, widest part of the hull. I seem to end up with around 5% tongue weight and I've had no sway issues at all. Assuming you're towing 6,500 pounds you might have around 600 pounds tongue weight. If you also have 200 pounds of gear in the tow vehicle and 4 passengers weighing 200 pounds each you've now added 1,600 pounds of cargo to the vehicle. The question then becomes have you overloaded the vehicle based on payload capacity, not towing capacity.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone towing a boat using a weight distributing hitch. It would make using the surge brakes that most boat trailers have quite tricky. It's also rarely necessary. Most hitches are rated for 500 pounds of hitch weight without a WDH, this usually translates to a boat and trailer weight of 6,000 pounds or more.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Some things you wont actually know until you have tried it. total tow capacity means what ever weight the trailer is loaded to period not before you ad gear etc. Total combined GVW is tow rig boat and all additional weight. Tongue weight plays a factor in handling and when its off you might not know it until you find your brakes locked up and little to no steering action in an emergency.

I pull two trailers with a GMC Canyon close to rated capacity which is 7700 pounds i added air bags with remote control huge improvement because this helps what’s happening in the front tires a lot my tongue weight is within specs without it but brining my height back close to unloaded complete game changer. When the dump trailer is empty I can back off and find the perfect spot. I now think any rig thats pulling close to rated weights would be much better with air bags.

I do not advocate loading your tow rig to the max. I tow a lot including owning a tow truck. I have more hours dragging heavy gear in bad roads and weather than most. If you find you are not comfortable with your tow set up dont just live with it find a solution one day you may be glad you did.

Myself I experienced this this summer pulling 12,000 pounds of boat and trailer on an Oregon highway and the fact that my tow rig and boat trailer were capable of dealing with a flat out emergency stop some people are alive today. There should have been casualties. But there wasnt even impact.

 

[tpenfield]

The towing rating will be boat + trailer + fuel in the boat + gear in the boat. Essentially everything that is being pulled at the tow hitch. There should also be a total vehicle weight which includes the tow vehicle + people and stuff in the vehicle + the total weight of what you are towing.

So, lots of peeps in the vehicle does reduce your 'rated' tow weight.

The rating is what the vehicle manufacturer has 'rated' the vehicle as safe to tow. Common sense should prevail, but it is not very common. That is to say that the speed at which you would tow should quite a bit lower than you may normally drive, and allow for greater stopping distance, etc.

I have towed right up to and maybe a we bit over the towing and vehicle rating. Easy does it wins the race. . . .

I also know people who have towed a boat that was well over the rated capacity and lived to tell about it.

You won't feel any sharp 'cutoff' in the safety of the rig as you approach the tow rating. You can be just as unsafe while towing under the rating as you can while towing over the rating.

I tend to look at towing as a "who's in charge" sort of thing - as in which is heavier - the tow vehicle or the load (Boat+trailer+etc.). For example . . . a 4,000 lb. vehicle towing a 3,000 lb. load the vehicle is 'in charge', being the heavier of the two, and the vehicle will tend to rule the day.

A 5,000 lb. tow vehicle towing a 6,500 lb. load . . . the tow load is 'in charge' and the tow load will be tending to tell the vehicle what it wants to do. So, in the case of towing heavy loads - those that are quite a bit greater than the weight of the vehicle - keep in mind that you are riding in the part that is not in charge

 

[harringtondav]

Repeating much of the above here.
Max towing capacity is the weight of everything coupled to the hitch. Generally this is based on a combination of the vehicle's stability, traction and power.
GVWR includes the weight of everything and everyone in the vehicle, plus the tongue weight load. The key factors here are available power, tire load capacity. Both have vehicle drive train torque and cooling capacity baked in.

A related digression here. Next June I'll be hitching up a new, heavier boat and trailer to my 2019 Ranger. I'm certain I will have to tweak the tongue weight from the dealer's set up. ...I had to do this w/my last boat. Measuring 400#+ tongue weight will take some basic lever calculations, a jack stand, a looong 2X wood board, and a bathroom scale. ...long means I only have to lift 100# or less. Calculating axle position will be a snap. @tpenfield taught me a lesson I'll never forget.

 

[Scott Danforth]

we cant condone towing weights above your rating.

tow capacity is everything attached to the hitch as indicated above. and in many cases is the difference between EVW and GVW

i can tell you that in addiont to tow rating, cooling and brakes are much more important. quality of the rear shocks of the tow rig is also very important.

the other thing, a full-size truck with a long wheel base will tow a load much better than a short wheel based vehicle such as your 109" listed for the jeep commander.

the shorter the wheel base of the tow vehicle, the more wag you get.

I have towed 5800# with an S-10 Blazer with a tow rating of 5850.
I have towed the same 5800# with a dodge durango with a tow rating of 7800 and a GMC sierra with a tow rating of 9600 and a Dodge 2500 Cummins with a tow rating of 13300#

the short wheel base blazer was always up to the task, however the pucker factor was higher than the other vehicles.

 

[harringtondav]

"the pucker factor"

Classic, and applicable to many endeavors.

 

[Tassie 1]

I'm sooo glad these days the local 4 lane boat ramp is only 500 yards away.