Tow Boat with Sunfire

[Lucrestyle]

nhbnb

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

I'm thinking you'll be in trouble with that combination. The light weight of the car, combined with front wheel drive will probably leave you spinning your drive wheels if the ramp has any water on it (and what ramp doesn't?).

I'm sure you'll be over the towing capacity of that little car, but I really think you'll have big problems on the ramp.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Looking at the Uhaul hitch site, it seems that only a Class I hitch is available for that car. The hitch would be rated to tow a 2000 lb. load, but I doubt your car is rated for that towing load.

I doubt that GM ever considered that anyone would actually use a Sunfire as a tow vehicle.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Looking further, I see that the official towing capacity of your Sunfire is just 1000 lb. I guess I'd tow my 12' aluminum boat with it, but not your boat.

 

[Lucrestyle]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

fghg

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Good luck. Let us know how you did.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

It's ideas like these that make those pictures so funny when you see the Car jacked up in the air or flattened because they do something like this.

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

I used to tow a 16' glassmaster w/115 OB with a 91 Grand Prix. Didn't do a bad job at all. And that was a 70 mi round trip.

Power/torque shouldn't be an issue with the Sunfire. Both comparable to the 3.1L GP.
At 2700 lb vs 3100 of the GP - highway speeds could get a little squirly, so be extra cautious there, and of course leave yourself PLENTY of braking room.
Being 400lb lighter, traction on the ramp may be an issue too.
As I saw mentioned in another thread -- a buddy seated on each front fender would probably remedy that problem

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Time to call a friend with a truck or SUV. Towing your boat with that car is just not safe for you, the boat and other motorists.

 

[Pony]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Pretty much the same as a Cavalier........Mine with its 2.2L would shake if you went slightly faster than highway speeds. I cant even fathom what a trailer would be like.

I'm sure its possible to pull..........I could pull it with my scooter if you gave me time to do it. Doesnt make it safe or smart.

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Pretty much the same as a Cavalier........Mine with its 2.2L would shake if you went slightly faster than highway speeds. I cant even fathom what a trailer would be like.

In '03 they gave them an 18% boost in HP, and 10% in torque. Plus, sounds like your cv's might have been in bad shape, or there was another mechanical issue. My employer uses cav's for hundreds of thousands of miles each year for cross-state travel often on rural interstates. I'm sure 75+ is a regular thing.
But I'm sidetracking...

I'm sure its possible to pull......I could pull it with my scooter if you gave me time to do it. Doesnt make it safe or smart.

I'm of the opinion that the ability and awareness of the driver is as much or more of a factor than the capabilities of the vehicle doing the towing.

BTW, when did not having the ideal tow vehicle become an indicator of a person's intelligence?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

I have mentioned in another thread about towing a house trailer with a 1.3 litre Nissan Sunny stick shift most of the way around England. Do a test tow without going near a ramp and some steepish hill starts. If you survive that with no issues then head to the ramp....but have a couple of folk available to sit on the front fenders as stated earlier.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Check it out here.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=202110

 

[Pony]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

BTW, when did not having the ideal tow vehicle become an indicator of a person's intelligence?

There is a fundamental difference between not having the ideal tow vehicle, and actually making the decision to tow with it.

You may be of the impression that the ability and awareness of the driver is as much or more of a factor than the capabilities of the vehicle doing the towing., but I tend to think they go hand in hand. The best driver in the world isnt going to get a load that is too heavy for the vehicle to stop in an emergency. I'm not doubting that these small cars can pull, the issue here is that the motor/boat combo in question isnt just marginally over the limit for that vehicle...... the motor itself is darn near half of the tow capacity in itself.

I don't really care about any increase in hp or torque in 03', since that wont help the rig stop any better.

 

[Lucrestyle]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

hjhhjhj

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

The sunfire will only hold a 1 7/8 ball, my trailer is a 2 inch but we towed anyways with the 1 7/8. worked ok but it was a little scary... thud thud. It is only 3km to the boat launch so it isn't that far.

Now THAT isn't smart.
At LEAST go spend $10 for the right sized ball.
You're lucky - a good bounce from the tongue has been known to pop a trailer off the CORRECT ball.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

The sunfire will only hold a 1 7/8 ball, my trailer is a 2 inch but we towed anyways with the 1 7/8. worked ok but it was a little scary... thud thud. It is only 3km to the boat launch so it isn't that far. As far as the brakes go, a little mushy but have good stopping power.

Well, now. I was with you here until this sentence. What were you thinking? Even 3 km is way, way too far to tow with an undersized ball. And mushy brakes?

Please let me know where and when you plan to do this again, so I can make sure neither my wife nor I are not driving anywhere in the vicinity.

You got lucky. Please don't do that again. You're endangering not only yourself, but every other car on the way to and from that launch site.

 

[Lucrestyle]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

yuyuuyu

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

Think "liability". Any lawyers that frequent this site will very likely be grinning and rubbing their hands thinking -- "we got to find this guy". Have an accident, regardless whose fault it is, and someone else will own all your stuff. This is economic suicide. I believe the tow limit on this vehicle (even if it has one) is no more than 1000 pounds.

 

[Lucrestyle]

Re: Tow Boat with Sunfire

it was a one time thing, not like i'm going to do it every day, the tow limit is 2000lbs. bring it on! sue me sue me!!... at least the information is out there now on what can be done with a small car, before this post there was no information on the possibilities / the capabilities of towing a boat with a car of this size. it can be done and it can be done safely if you take the correct measures to insure safety.