What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

[rs2k]

I'm planning on taking this boat 1500 miles a few times a year. What kind of vehicle can do this safely at 65 MPH? I am hoping to find a decent Chevy pickup around 1995 - 2005, but I'm open for about anything.

I wish they made a convertible that could do that.

 

[QC]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

A full size Blazer with the top cutoff will do that . . .

Tell us more about the boat and trailer combo. Weight is sometimes underestimated by a lot . . . Definitely OK with any half ton as you describe.

 

[woosterken]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

I tow that weight with a '95 F150 that has a 4.9 L 6cyl.
auto and auto lock front hubs 4X4 stay ot of over drive
but I only tow at 55 or 60 any faster and your asking for trouble.
dodge offered their little toy truck with a rag top like the old army trucks,maybe you could take the top off you pick up and have a convertable top made for it.

woosterken

 

[rs2k]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

The boat is considered an 18 footer but it seems quite a bit larger than that. My 17 footer only weighs 1200 lbs. The trailer is a tandem and is probably about 22 feet long. It has a mechanical emergency brake which is not functional and will accept a 2 inch ball. MY guess is that it has about 5% of the weight on the tongue.

 

[DJ]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Figure your rig to be 4K#-loaded. Don't believe me-weight it.

Your in full size pick-up/SUV territory.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Back in the late 80's Dodge made a Dakota convertible. Here's a link.

http://www.mytrain.com/truck.html

 

[JB]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

You are probably illegal already without working brakes, rsk. See the sticky at the top of this forum.

5% of the weight on the tongue is not enough. Go for 7-10%.

I would want at least a 5,000# tow rating. Most full size trucks and SUVs can do that.

 

[SNye45]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

At the very least a V6. I would strongly suggest that the trailer have brakes though

 

[Mwp909]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

My 2005 Chevy silverado 2 wheel drive with 5.3 v8 pulls my boat at 3300lbs all day long. I make trips from lower Florida to Ohio about 1200 miles one way all the time. I even push the speed lime. This trip takes me through Tennessee Mountains. My gas mileage drops from about 19mpg to about 14.5mpg. The only thing I did was upgrade the break pads. My trailer doesn?t have brakes.

 

[rndn]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Why are you thinking about towing at 65mph with a non-functional brake? Please get it fixed before you hurt yourself or someone else.

 

[Scorpion 210 LTD]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Why are you thinking about towing at 65mph with a non-functional brake? Please get it fixed before you hurt yourself or someone else.

I second that statement- please for your safety and those that share the road with you, make sure your brakes are working well. I wonder if this guy's were? http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/dsm/763203032.html

 

[JB]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

My 2005 Chevy silverado 2 wheel drive with 5.3 v8 pulls my boat at 3300lbs all day long. I make trips from lower Florida to Ohio about 1200 miles one way all the time. I even push the speed lime. This trip takes me through Tennessee Mountains. My gas mileage drops from about 19mpg to about 14.5mpg. The only thing I did was upgrade the break pads. My trailer doesn?t have brakes.

You are breaking the law in most states, Mwp. Worse, you are endangering lives and boasting about it.

 

[QC]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

What blows my mind is how many trailer/boat combos that are sold new and are illegal before they even leave the lot . . .

 

[mthieme]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

I pull my '69 Searay on a double axle trailer with a '95 Dodge V6. The boat is 4000# easily. As long as you're not going over any mountains, this works.

 

[Mwp909]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Im sorry JB I should have worded my statement a little better. By my statement of pushing the limit I meant that I drive the speed limit. If its 70 then I do 70,if its 65 I do 65 etc. Sorry for the confusion

 

[Scorpion 210 LTD]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Im sorry JB I should have worded my statement a little better. By my statement of pushing the limit I meant that I drive the speed limit. If its 70 then I do 70,if its 65 I do 65 etc. Sorry for the confusion

mwp, I think he may have meant the lack of brakes, most states require them- if not they generally require a prescribed stopping distance at a prescribed speed (30 feet at 20 MPH).

 

[Mwp909]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Reading this post got me to thinking. So I went to several states and looked at their laws regarding trailer brakes. I will be the first to admit I have learned a lot. It seams that in most of the states I checked 3000lbs gross trailer weight is the limit. Anything over that and you have to have brakes on your trailer. I did not know this. So to everyone else that doesn?t know or is unsure, check your local laws.

PS. To everyone that I might have endangered with my ignorance I offer my sincere apologies. I will remedy my problem by adding brakes to my trailer and lightning up the load.

 

[dave11]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

You will do fine with a 1/2 ton pick up. Get a V8. Your mileage won't be much if any worse, and you will have enough power for the hills and acceleration. It won't have to work as hard.

 

[Scorpion 210 LTD]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

Reading this post got me to thinking. So I went to several states and looked at their laws regarding trailer brakes. I will be the first to admit I have learned a lot. It seams that in most of the states I checked 3000lbs gross trailer weight is the limit. Anything over that and you have to have brakes on your trailer. I did not know this. So to everyone else that doesn?t know or is unsure, check your local laws.

PS. To everyone that I might have endangered with my ignorance I offer my sincere apologies. I will remedy my problem by adding brakes to my trailer and lightning up the load.

There are a couple of good links in the sticky post at the top of this forum regarding brakes. All states listed with requirements.

No apologies needed to anyone! That's what forums are all about.

 

[sleeper]

Re: What kind of power will I need to pull 3500 lbs of loaded boat trailer?

I pull around the same weight with my 05 nissan frontier with a V6. It works great. I have also towed my car with it numerous times and it does fine. Its around 5000lbs with trailer.

Obviously if you towed all the time you want V8 power in a larger vehicle. This new generation of midsize trucks (frontier, tacoma, dakota) is a great compromise for me. My truck makes more power and has a higher tow rating than V8 half tons of the past, all while handling better and getting better mileage.