Pulling Out With Stick Shift

[Chuck08]

Are there any tips for those of us with manual transmissions and pulling boats out of the water. On this year's maiden voyage my truck pulled the boat out fine the first round, but when we did round two it was a different story. We would either smoke the clutch or spin the tires. I eventually decided tires were easier to replace and spun them, got moving, fluttered the clutch and went up the ramp.

Solutions I can think of;

I have read about using a wheel chalk behind the DS rear tire and roping it to the trailer tongue to drag it to the area off of the ramp.

I have low rolling resistance tires on the truck, which tow great and on the state routes I can do speed limits and still get good mpg's, but would switching to a more aggressive rear tire help a lot.

finding an empty ramp and practice until I need to refill the tank or something breaks.

 

[oldjeep]

What kind of truck and what are you pulling? If you are smoking 1st and your truck is 4wd then just drop it into 4 Low and use that instead.

 

[Thalasso]

Trick.
Leave the emergency brake on while engaging clutch just enough until it starts to grab. Release emergency brake and finish letting clutch out while giving it some gas.
This way it isn't a fast move on the clutch and gas from the brake pedal

 

[Chuck08]

the truck is a 2006 Chevy 1500 WT 2wd, with the 4.3L. If I had 4wd it would probably not be an issue.

 

[NHGuy]

The park brake is a big help though. And yes try to do your best to slip the clutch as little as possible.
If you always use the same ramp and the slope is too much you could invest in a remote control winch to avoid replacing tires and clutches.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You probably have an open differential, which isn't helping either. I would look into a factory Eaton anti-slip diff

I would also look at a line lock for the front wheels to hold you in place while your letting the clutch out

 

[MH Hawker]

add 100 pounds of weight to the bed of the truck

 

[Silvertip]

If wheel spin is an issue, then a tire with better grip is needed, or if the truck does not have a locking or positraction differential, you might consider this upgrade.

 

[thumpar]

The parking brake tip will help. I even do that on my automatic. Once I feel it "catch" I just release it and am off with no slip.

 

[flipbro]

I used the wheel choke trick when I had my standered. 1986 Camaro Z28 painted orange with a 16 foot j craft painted to match.

 

[keith2k455]

Wheel chocks can help, parking brake as well. You ever brake torque this truck, that's another option, just don't rev it so high for the wheel spin.

Is been years since I drove a manual, but one thing stands to my mind is that you always roll back less than you think while it is happening. Just give your self some patience and practice.

 

[drrpm]

The parking brake trick may help and nothing really beats practice. I don't really worry about a little wheel spin since the ramp is wet and its going to be slippery. It is cringe inducing when one of my helpful daughters decides to do me a favor by parking the truck and trailer and then smokes the clutch all the way up the ramp.

 

[Chuck08]

I think the first thing I am going to do is, get some weight in the back, parking brake and wheel chock on a rope. I would love to put a locker in but I will have to junk yard that since I can not afford the GM parts off a shelf. I love having a manual transmission except for this issue and rush hour traffic.

 

[Grub54891]

Did I ever spin a wheel at the ramp? Of course. With little practice with the parking break, it's not a problem. Heck I still use it in heavy traffic on hills. No wheel chocks for me. I won't tell ya about the time I let the clutch out released the brake and whoops, In reverse.......

 

[Chuck08]

I kinda want to hear that story but that's more of a sitting in the water conversation.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I think the first thing I am going to do is, get some weight in the back, parking brake and wheel chock on a rope. I would love to put a locker in but I will have to junk yard that since I can not afford the GM parts off a shelf. I love having a manual transmission except for this issue and rush hour traffic.

cant beat salvage yard pricing. you can get a complete rear end, with locker, etc. for $150 and swap it in about an hour.

 

[Grub54891]

Well it wasn't that bad but could have been...Went back about 10 feet, submerged the box of the truck and filled my duckboat with water..lol Luckily no one was around to see it. A friend showed me a pic of something at a ramp, it looked like a shiney kettle on the water, turned out it was his van and boat under the water, popped out of gear when loading and rolled in......Use the break!

 

[Chuck08]

Glad to hear it wasn't as bad as his, holy shhhhhhhh!

 

[Captain Caveman]

I love stick shift and most of my first trucks were stick, with and without granny gears. Unfortunately, pulling a boat out was the main reason that I gave in to automatic transmissions. Besides spinning the tires, another problem can be boat bounce. Many ramps in the upper Midwest have 2-4" gaps between the concrete sections, so your boat will bounce badly when pulling out in first gear. One can heal/toe the brake and gas like a racecar driver, but that's more skill than most people have these days especially while working a clutch.

In your situation I would just put it in first gear, maybe feather the clutch a little more than usual and then let the tires spin if necessary for a moment. If and when they do spin either use the emergency brake or push the clutch in slightly for a moment until the tires grip again. It sounds like you might also be in line for a more aggressive tire tread.You have to start making compromises when you tow.

As for adding weight, don't forget that other people make great temporary weight. Have your buddies sit on the tailgate as you pull up the ramp. Heck, ask the cute girl at the dock who's waiting for her boyfriend....you never know. Ask her bigger mama and you'll get the double bonus! I've sat on the hood of many stranger's Buicks and Oldsmobiles as they tried to pull small boats out of ramps with their front wheel drive cars.

 

[Chuck08]

I'm the type of guy that would ask the cute girls momma for a hand and act like the guy that would be good enough for her daughter, but I'm engaged so I'd just do it to **** the boyfriend off.