To tow or not to tow?

[sony2001]

My Bayliner package weights 2500 lbs approx.<br />The hitch can take 3300 lbs.<br />The car has 222 hp Turbo with four wheel disc brakes.<br />The car manual says not to tow trailers over 1700 lbs if it doesn't have brakes.<br />Going from here to the marina is not a problem, but I would like to go further.<br />The local boat junk yard might get an Escort axel with brakes on it sometime in the future.

 

[Rex]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

YOU CAN BUT TO BE ON THE SALFTY SIDE GET<br />BARAKES ON THE TRAILER.

 

[JB]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

Hey, Sony. I agree with Rex. You need brakes, man. Your danger is not lack of power or weakness in your chassis, it is weight. Your car is apparently too light to control over 1700# unless it has brakes.<br /><br />Note: Over 50% of traffic deaths happen within 35 miles of home.<br /><br />Go to www.championtrailers.com for kits to add brakes.<br /><br />Good luck.<br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[bsrigley]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

sony2001,<br />my regal 242 cabin cruiser w/ fuel and the usual weekend gear + trailer weighs in at around 7000# and my '99 yukon, while it pulls like a dream, is, i believe, only rated for 6000#. i am a finatic about maintaining my trailer's surge brake system and inspecting the tires, etc.. i know that i am probably reducing the lives of my engine and transmission by exceeding the vehicle's towing capacity, but that's just $$. In my opinion safety is another issue intirely.<br /><br />Last summer i had a bad experience pulling a friend's 17 ft fish and ski boat: the whole rig was probably around 2500#. while cruising at around 40mph, a car pulled out right in front of us and i had to slam on the brakes. even in my 6300# yukon, the ^ss end got loose and seeing that boat swishing to and fro behind me was a sobering experience.<br /><br />Anyway, just be very careful and remember; it's not just you that you have to worry about. there are other people on the road that don't have a clue about the fact that you may not be able to stop in time.

 

[DJ]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

Sony,<br /><br />You do not say what type of vehicle you have. Just because someone put a 3300# hitch on it does NOT mean the vehicle can handle it.<br /><br />If you exceed the tow rating,and something happens-YOU ARE IT, in the eyes of the law.

 

[sony2001]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

Its a Volvo 850 wagon. My project is to retrofit the trailer with 10" drums and a surge braking system.

 

[skier]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

Volvo makes a good frame. The only problem is the turbo. I had a Mustang turbo and towed a 16' Glaspar. The car is not going to perform like it does without the boat (You know that) the problem comes when the turbo is building up pressure, because the cengine isn't accelerating like it would normaly you are going to get more presure than it is designed for and something is going to give. The turbo is usually the "Weekest Link".<br /><br />Thought you should know. When towing anything. There is no replacement for Cubic Inch Displacement.<br /><br />Good luck in your choice.

 

[sony2001]

Re: To tow or not to tow?

Merc140 thanks. I've operated large displacement engines with turbos {superchargers}. P&W's that have 80 hp per piston. Just keep the rpm in the same neighbourhood as the manifold pressure in inches X 100 and head gasket won't suffer. In the Volvo use the SPORT switch for higher rpm shifting and put on the transmission limiter to 3rd gear maximum. I estimate in 3rd the car will do 112 mph@6000 rpm. It will do 253Kph in 4th. Yes, kilometers per hr.