almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

[2stroke1971]

Just a funny story to relate. Ive been pulling my 15 foot skiff around with my old caravan with a V6. It did great, over hills and long distances. I bought a used Bayliner 19 foot cabin cruiser last week and I knew it would be tough, but I pulled it home.
It was about a 20 mile trip and I was doing fine until I came to a steep bridge...it was one of those high ones to allow for ships to pass underneath...I lost my head of steam when I came up behind a tractor trailer...so I cut left and tried to accelerate on around and then my van just started some creepy undulation...was nothing sharp or severe, but it was like the tranny was on the brink of blowing! I eased off on the gas, and it settled a bit, after we crested the hill, I coasted down and at the bottom I eased on and it was ok.
Thats it for that.

I plan to get an old pickup, maybe an F150 .

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Just a funny story to relate. Ive been pulling my 15 foot skiff around with my old caravan with a V6. It did great, over hills and long distances. I bought a used Bayliner 19 foot cabin cruiser last week and I knew it would be tough, but I pulled it home.
It was about a 20 mile trip and I was doing fine until I came to a steep bridge...it was one of those high ones to allow for ships to pass underneath...I lost my head of steam when I came up behind a tractor trailer...so I cut left and tried to accelerate on around and then my van just started some creepy undulation...was nothing sharp or severe, but it was like the tranny was on the brink of blowing! I eased off on the gas, and it settled a bit, after we crested the hill, I coasted down and at the bottom I eased on and it was ok.
Thats it for that.

I plan to get an old pickup, maybe an F150 .

Well I am glad that your van is ok! that would of been a expensive boat tow if the tranny went out.

The other day I saw a minivan towing another minivan on a car dolly. kinda ironic.

Just some words of thought, be careful towing with your van. The transmissions in those are not very good. Dodge was putting a chrysler concord transmission in those. Just the extra weight of the van is enough strain on those transmissions, let alone towing a 19ft boat.

That is just my opinion, a f150 would be a great investment for towing.

 

[KeyWestSkipper]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Maybe a tranny cooler in the meantime. Not too expensive, may help to avert a catastrophe.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Another option would be an older suburban. That would give you a nice long wheel base and the 1/2 ton would be plenty for towing that boat.

Another plus is you have covered, lockable storage.

Jeff

 

[rbh]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

"Congrats on the boat" What is the combined weight of the new boat and trailer?

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Don't tow in overdrive, manually select "3".

 

[j_martin]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Don't tow in overdrive, manually select "3".

The undulation was shifting. If you manually select a lower gear and soft peddle it, you can get over almost anything without harm, unless you consider the bad temperament of the guy behind you a loss.

Another thing, that transmission is electric shift. The computer does it all. If it's acting a little goofy, and your speedometer is also goofing up, replace the transmission output speed sensor. It's about 16 bucks and a half hour of knuckle busting to put it in. Usually it'll throw an engine code when it does that, but not always.

my 02
John

 

[2stroke1971]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

"Congrats on the boat" What is the combined weight of the new boat and trailer?

Thanks! I should know this, but I dont! I have to find out and make sure its within limits of whatever I do...my current hitch setup is good for 5000 pounds, not to say the van can pull that much though...

 

[2stroke1971]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Well I am glad that your van is ok! that would of been a expensive boat tow if the tranny went out.

The other day I saw a minivan towing another minivan on a car dolly. kinda ironic.

Just some words of thought, be careful towing with your van. The transmissions in those are not very good. Dodge was putting a chrysler concord transmission in those. Just the extra weight of the van is enough strain on those transmissions, let alone towing a 19ft boat.

That is just my opinion, a f150 would be a great investment for towing.

Yeah for sure. Those transmissions are terrible. It wasnt an ultradrive, it was a 3 speed on a 3.0. I think the 3.3 would do better...Ive had four chrysler mini vans over the last 10 years, Ive lost several trannys, a couple of flex plates,a few sets of axles...I will say this...I am a HUGE fan of the 3.3 V6...I just wish they had bolted it to a drive train that was as durable and strong as it was.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Don't tow in overdrive, manually select "3".

I second that motion !!!!
I also do not recommend minivans for towing (Old Ford extended Aerostar with the 4.0,GM Safari and Chevy Astro excepted)
Just my 2 cents though.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

i have a 1987 Astro Van 4.3v6, automatic. keeps chugging along, never any hesitation.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

If you're going to keep that minvan...service the tranny and install a cooler.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

i have a 1987 Astro Van 4.3v6, automatic. keeps chugging along, never any hesitation.

Those 4.3 GM motors are just great. Our Jimmy just keeps on going as well. The RWD minivans on a truck frame were great. Shame they are not still made.

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

I pulled the same boat for years with a Caravan 3.3 v6. I kept the engine in
tune, used a K&N air filter, changed the trans oil and filter, added a trans
oil cooler, installed heavy duty rear shocks, kept the tire pressure right, and
always thought of the boat behind behind. I avoided mountains, but hills were
ok to take easy. When using marginal power, everything, right, everything
has to be in tip top shape. You can do it.



Good luck.

 

[kamby]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Having done a lot of travel over the years ive seen some interesting setups. The most insteresting so far has been: 2 harbor freight type trailers bolted together towing a car and a lil for ranger as the tow vehicle.
I knew it was 2 trailers cause of the dinstance between the 2 axles.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

From a transmission overhauler's point of view, I'd favor the older 3 speed trans and the 3.0L I spend many years in Mopar dealers yanking 3.3L engines and overhauling the A604 transmissions. They weren't Concorde tranmissions, they were basically Acclaim or Dynasty transmissions. However, they did usually die of electrical or ECU issues.

Add a trans cooler, take it easy and down shift. Take your time and it should do fine. Forget trying to push it up hills.

The worst I've ever overloaded anything was probably years ago when I towed a 1963 Chevy Impala on a single axle, 10" tire snow mobile trailer from upstate NY to DE. The car was free, the trailer was borrowed, as was the 1965 VW bus I was towing it with. It did fine just so I didn't try to go over 50 or make any sudden moves. That was back when I was too dumb to know any better. It made it anyhow, no damage to either the van or the trailer. We had to clamp 2x12s down to the trailer deck so all four wheels were supported. The front and rear wheels were hanging over the actual trailer deck front and back by about 20" or so supported by the planks which were C clamped to the plywood deck. The car was tied down with two come-a-longs and a short piece of chain. I towed it that way from Poughkeepsie, NY to DE on a Sunday afternoon. I can only imagine what would have happened if I had to stop in a hurry, it was like driving with no brakes at highway speeds. With the way those VWs were built up front, your the first one to the scene of the crash if you know what I mean.
It may not have been the ideal or the right way to haul it but it sure beat what they wanted to tow it home or the cost of buying or renting a truck.

 

[2stroke1971]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

This tranny is about half shot in the arse anyway....it sort of slips between 2nd and 3rd when its cold....but not when warm. Been doing that a long time, could drive it forever like that if I didnt try to pull a boat with it.

If I could get a nice 3 speed automatic, I think it would do it...dont really feel like putting one in, but Ive done it before.

There is another twist to the story though. I do have to get another vehicle soon no matter what. We used to have 2 vehicles, we had a newer minivan that got stolen a few months back so we are down to one vehicle which is the older van. (Was just my beater, work and back, and pulled the small boat with it)

We were thinking that we should get a family vehicle that can ALSO pull our boat, so that was making me think SUV or something....but I suppose a minivan could do it, but most likely what I get will be half worn out anyway.

Ahhh crap. Always something I tell ya!

 

[NYBo]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

It's probably worn almost to the point of needing a rebuild, but make sure the bands are properly adjusted. You may get a few more miles out of it.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

This tranny is about half shot in the arse anyway....it sort of slips between 2nd and 3rd when its cold....but not when warm. Been doing that a long time, could drive it forever like that if I didnt try to pull a boat with it.

If I could get a nice 3 speed automatic, I think it would do it...dont really feel like putting one in, but Ive done it before.

There is another twist to the story though. I do have to get another vehicle soon no matter what. We used to have 2 vehicles, we had a newer minivan that got stolen a few months back so we are down to one vehicle which is the older van. (Was just my beater, work and back, and pulled the small boat with it)

We were thinking that we should get a family vehicle that can ALSO pull our boat, so that was making me think SUV or something....but I suppose a minivan could do it, but most likely what I get will be half worn out anyway.

Ahhh crap. Always something I tell ya!

Nice SUV will take care of you.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: almost fried my van pulling new boat home!

Or...depending on your family situation...might consider one of the crossover vehicles out there. Remember those? We used to call them station wagons.