What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

[MrBill]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

BarryBob: I'm an advocate of towing safely and securely. You mentioned that your vehicle is rated to tow #3500, more than likely, there is a total gross weight figure that should be adhered to which includes your vehicle, the object in tow, and all gear and passengers. Stopping is the critical factor...not concern about overheating or transmission wear. Stay within the limits of the recommended total weight.<br /><br />I tow 4500# of boat and trailer with a 2001 F150 SuperCrew 4X4, 4.6L, rated for 12,500# including 4900# of vehicle. With four passengers and gear in the truck bed and boat, I'm probably over 11,000#, but well within limit (with good rubber on the truck). Most forget about the passenger weight, all the boat gear, and 350# of fuel loaded for a long trip.<br /><br />I know too many who have paid the price of pushing the tow limit. Take care...........

 

[BassMan283]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Sounds like a lot of boat for a minivan. I pull a 16 1/2 foot Lund with a 97 Grand Cherokee V-8. Boat grosses out about 1600-1700 lbs. Handles nice but is fairly noticeable when I brake. You're talking about something in the 2500 lb range. I'd go real easy until you see how it handles.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I use full size Bronco's (yes have two) one with a straight six and the other with a 351. I tow a small outboard 15' single axel w/o brakes (total weight about 2000# w/trailer. I can feel it when I brake, the other is a 22' I/O up around 5000# with trailer and brakes. <br /><br />I prefer to tow with the brakes, stop faster and more control. The six struggles on hills and I think towing with a toyota will send something to an early grave. <br /><br />If you insist on towing with a toyota select a small 15-16' aluminum boat. If you want to go any larger consider a second tow vehicle for the summer months. <br /><br />Our season is pretty short when compared with other areas. I'm surprised we have not had a hard frost yet....but we know it's coming!<br /><br />Bob

 

[sony2001]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

NEVER do any of your towing in top gear. The cruise control works well even if the vehicle is limited to 3rd gear on a 4 gear tranny. By running a little higher RPM it lowers manifold pressures, keeps you closer to max torque , and forget fuel economy you want to save the powertrain from overstressing. Brakes on the trailer are a must.

 

[trollhole]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

tow a trophy 17' center console 3200lbs with 98 Jeep grand Cherokee V8 2wd and no trailer brakes.

 

[C17LoadSmasher]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I tow a 17' Bayliner Capri with a 2001 Chevy Silverado LS Ext Cab w. 5.3L V8, Automatic Tranny with the towing package (tow haul mode too). Pulls it like it isn't there.

 

[BarryBob]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Thanks to all for the information!<br /><br />My problem: The largest boat my minivan will tow is probably too small for exploring Lake Champlain (it's practically a Great Lake, y'know!). People keep urging me to a larger boat and 20-21' seems ideal, but a 19' would probably do fine on the lake, but not behind my minivan.<br /><br />Rats. That means if I want a 19'+ boat, I would need to sell my 1965 Mustang convertible ($13,000) to get a decent tow vehicle - something I don't want to do. I'm eager to get into boating and exploring the lake, so this may be the price.<br /><br />Of course, if anyone wanted to trade for a tow vehicle and boat...<br /><br />Landlocked but driving top-down,<br />BarryBob

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I tow a 17 1/2 ft center console, about 2000# fully loaded, with a Ford Explorer with the pushrod V-6. Good low-end torque for ramp and smooth tow. Very pleased with it. Explorer is rated for 5000#. Keep in mind that boats usually take a big jump in weight at 20' and be sure to check out before buying.

 

[jasonnb]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I've spent 3 years towing a 2000lb 16' loaded with my '96 Ranger 3.0V6 5spd. I also tow a 19' Glastron, about 4000lbs towed weignt with my '99 F-150 SC w/ Ltd slip. It tows much better.

 

[6MISFITZ]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Just remember that any v hull boat and trailer always tows much easier than any travel trailer. My Astro pulls my 2150 Bowrider in overdrive with ease on the highway. My Terry trailer weighs much less than the boat but is shaped like a brick, so I must use LOW 3 to go anywhere.<br /><br />I don't recomend exceeding your limits but make sure you put a good hitch on the van and have a transmission cooler put on. Have the tranny serviced every year. Also make sure that any trailer over 2000# has GOOD WORKING brakes.

 

[whatsadixie]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I own a 1985 18' runabout that I used to tow with my volvo 850. After towing it for about a year I had to put in a new tranny and the blow the head gasket in the volvos motor. I ended up donating the car and bought an old Ford E350 van to tow (351 V8, C6 tranny 3.58(?) rear).<br />To make a long story short (TOO LATE) do NOT used the min. van to tow unless you add at least add trans and oil cooler, change oil every 3000 miles and trans fluid yearly! <br /><br />PS The volvo was rated to tow 3500# and the boat is about 3000# loaded!!!!

 

[Alrobot]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

I tow my 17' Galaxie tri-hull with my 92 Full size Bronco. 351 windsor motor is a must for long distance. I get 10-12 MPG unloaded, full, and half-empty, air conditioning on 65-70 MPH. You get all the power of an F-150 but not the light rear end. That thing is built like a tank...

 

[fishthebay]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

1987 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro. The ONLY vehicle (including trucks) that doesn't spin tires at the ramp. I tow a 17' Proline with an 85HP engine.<br /><br />German engineering is the only way to go.<br /><br />I also have a utility trailer, so this Audi is my 3rd car and basically my truck.

 

[skydad]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Used to tow a 21' Chris Craft Deep V with 150 Johnson and tandem trailer with brakes(5 years). Sold it and now tow 17' center console with 60 Evinrude and single axle trailer with no brakes. All were towed with 1994 Chevy extended cab pick up with 350 V8 with automatic trans. Truck now has 223,000 miles on it and have not had any transmission problems or any others for that matter.

 

[speed29668]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

A 1987 Honda Accord with a 17' Glassmaster and a 1973 Chrysler 75 hp. The whole package weighs in at just over 2,000 lbs. It never spun it's wheels at the boat ramp. The car did very well and didn't let me down even once. Towed with it for 2 years. I installed a transmission cooler and never had a problem. Do the same and the van will be just fine for what you are looking for.

 

[BarryBob]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

What about a short wheelbase vehicle like a 1985 Bronco or Blazer? Is a Suburban more stable a tow vehicle because of its length? <br /><br /> I'm sure the short wheelbase trucks have the oomph but should I worry about the wheelbase?

 

[speed29668]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Try to stay away from 80's American trucks, especially the Blazer. Consumer reports found the Blazer to be the most unreliable vehicle of all time through several years of surveys. I'm sure some people have had good luck with them, but based on a large scale survey they have faired poorly. A shorter wheelbase vehicle will do fine for what you are towing. If you keep it within 3,000 lbs. your van will do great.

 

[Huck BB62]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

Man alive, I've seen some stuff before but WHEW there's some danger lurking out there. Bob, you're thinking exactly the right line here. Physics are physics. Just because someone has successfully hauled anything with a Volkswagon Beetle doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Towing can be scary and dangerous. It's the one area where overkill is a good thing. Just one time in a sweeping downhill corner having to execute an emergency stop will put all naysayers in the closet! <br /><br />I like to think that it's a good thing to stick to about 3/4 of the two rating of the vehicle. Yes, you can tow more than that for sure but that cushion buys you, and everyone around you, a big margin of safety. <br /><br />Get trailer brakes no matter what. I have surge brakes on my boat trailer and don't like them as much as the trailer brakes on my big car hauler but you can still tell that they're doing their job.<br /><br />Make sure your hitch is beefy. Forget bumper hitches period. <br /><br />Inspect your hitch periodically. I've SEEN them come off!<br /><br />Check the air in all tires. Almost every trip I take, I see people with under inflated tires on their tow rig and on their trailer.<br /><br />Practice some moves on a big empty parking lot. I've never seen anyone else do this and then everyone wonders why things happen so fast and out of control on the road! Get up to about twenty mph with your trailer on and start a sweeping turn. Do an emergency stop. How'd it do? A little bit "busy" feeling huh? Imagine what it'd be like with a guard rail on one side and opposing traffic on the other!!!<br /><br />Get on a deserted road. Have a passenger hold an egg out the window. Get up to 55mph. Have them throw the egg down and yell STOP at the same time and perform an emergency stop without jacknifing your rig. When you get stopped, take an audible guess as to how far it took you. Now get out and walk it off. If you're not VERY surprised, I've got an uncle that's a carp. I guarantee that you'll leave more room when hauling and even when not hauling. <br /><br />SLOW DOWN everyone! Why in the **** are people flying down the road with trailers at 75mph? I don't get it!<br /><br />Double and triple check the left, oncoming traffic at signals. It'll save your life. Don't even THINK about pulling out if you can't see down the road. Some kid on a motorcycle will tattoo your rig with his life!<br /><br />Why am I getting preachy? Because I'm sick of bad drivers. I catch myself doing dumb things all of the time. My worst offense? Cell phone. I pull over when I can but I've almost cell phoned a car a few times and I felt like a heel.<br /><br />Get a real tow vehicle. A truck's frame and drive train is built for it, safety and performance wise. You can tow with anything. My guess is that you can wreck them too! If you get a 4x4, then your front tires will be on drier ground and if it's a steep ramp, you'll definitely benefit from the low range in the t-case so that you can just ease up the ramp at less throttle and with less aprehension. Just make sure when you'r up the ramp, you go back to 2wheel drive. I don't feel that front wheel drive vehicles are a very good choice for obvious reasons.<br /><br />I've had some real scary times towing and learned the hard way. Thanks for lending me the soap box.

 

[Outrage 19]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

1975 Boston Whaler Outrage 19’, 1987 Mercury V-150, single axel trailer no breaks, 1993 Ford Aerostar extended 3.0 liter automatic rear wheel drive. No problems from Kentucky to Maryland, those hills in West by god Virginia were a bit slow. At home the ramp is just around the corner.

 

[L Christopher]

Re: What's Your Tow Vehicle? (Boats Less then 20')

BarryBob:<br />Your latest question about wheelbase: I pull a Chaparral 220SSi w/trailer and gear about 5,000lbs. I pulled it with a Dogde Durango until I traded that piece of junk, now I pull with a 2001 Suburban 1500 (5.3 liter). The wheelbase is longer on the Suburban and it does make a difference in stablity. I am with the previous poster, think overkill. Also there is a sickness among alot of boat owners that makes us want to trade up in size over time.