4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

[444]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

depends on the ramp is the only true answer for that...

Some ramps won't be a problem, get one that is too steep or covered in slime and you won't be moving. One tip though, get a couple hundred pounds of sandbags and keep them in the truck bed when towing. The weight will help you, and worse case, you can crack one open for traction on a slime covered ramp.

Best advice in this whole thread. You will be just fine towing longer distances with that truck too. Don't overthink it, years ago the population drove rwd cars not people hauler glorified minivan trucks like they do these days. People used to tow their boat, camper, whatever with their cars. And everyone didn't go sliding into the lake or spontaneously combust on the highway. The only time you ever really have trouble with a 2wd truck is during retrieval if the ramp is too steep or slimey or if you have a WAY oversized boat for your truck. A limited slip diff really helps because with an open diff and a wet ramp, once you get one wheel spinning, you're done.

If towing with an auto, adding an external trans cooler is a good idea. If you're towing on a long, level, flat road, overdrive is okay. If it's very hilly and you have a less stout trans, kicking in/out of overdrive and putting a heavy load on the trans when in o/d can generate a lot of heat. And for a trans excess heat = bad.

 

[bradtw191]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

Best advice in this whole thread. You will be just fine towing longer distances with that truck too. Don't overthink it, years ago the population drove rwd cars not people hauler glorified minivan trucks like they do these days. People used to tow their boat, camper, whatever with their cars. And everyone didn't go sliding into the lake or spontaneously combust on the highway. The only time you ever really have trouble with a 2wd truck is during retrieval if the ramp is too steep or slimey or if you have a WAY oversized boat for your truck. A limited slip diff really helps because with an open diff and a wet ramp, once you get one wheel spinning, you're done.

If towing with an auto, adding an external trans cooler is a good idea. If you're towing on a long, level, flat road, overdrive is okay. If it's very hilly and you have a less stout trans, kicking in/out of overdrive and putting a heavy load on the trans when in o/d can generate a lot of heat. And for a trans excess heat = bad.

thanks for the info. and i love your comment about the glorified minivan people haulers you see everywhere today. seems anyone with a bass boat has a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel crew cab with a moon roof and picnic table/grill...seems like way overkill. but hey if ya got the $$ why not i guess

 

[180shabah]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

This weight does not include the trailer.

Also need to add a couple hundred pounds for the v6 upgrade...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

Best advice in this whole thread. You will be just fine towing longer distances with that truck too. Don't overthink it, years ago the population drove rwd cars not people hauler glorified minivan trucks like they do these days.

I've gotten my share of strange looks and comments when pulling my boat with my car. I consider it especially amusing when it comes from someone with a little unibody SUV, which lacks 3 somewhat critical things my car all has over it... (rear subframe, big brakes, power)

 

[jmarty10]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

Hey - how about that boat! Thats a nice looking, clean, shiny rig for 20 years old. Was the first boat ride as successful as the trip to the lake?

 

[infideltarget]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

I used to tow two SeaDoos on a tandem trailer with a '79 Mazda RX-7! Tow rating? We dont need no stinking tow rating!

IMO...and this is from a CDL driver, and from someone who has towed pretty much everything with pretty much anything that was available...you are asking for trouble towing anything bigger than a 8' utility trailer with that truck. I have seen the aftermath of overloaded vehicles (go to ANY third world country, and see what they haul and what they haul it with ), and it ain't pretty. You may get away with it for a while, but it will catch up to you. It is always batter to have more vehicle than you need, than to not have it when you need it. Case in point (many years ago)...1/2 ton 2wd Suburban, set up for towing a 31' travel trailer...we thought it surely would have no problems pulling a flat bed car trailer with a '53 Hudson Hornet on it from Florida to Tennessee. After all, the trailer had brakes, and we had the controller, so we should be good to go...right? No. We were just a little over the capacity of that 'Burb, but it was all interstate driving so we tried it anyway. We came around a blind curve on I-75, just south of Atlanta, to find the interstate at a complete stop. We were traveling in the granny lane, at less than the posted speed limit of 55mph, so we should have been good. The trailer brakes chose this exact moment to become inop. So it was up to that 2wd 1/2 ton Suburban to try to stop its own weight, plus the 1500lb steel trailer we were towing, and the million pound car on top of it. Add to that a little sand on the road surface from the accident that had the interstate blocked to begin with and.......

The State trooper measured our skid marks at 374 ft. I (or more likely God's hands) managed to keep it all in line, and even got almost all the way onto the shoulder before the driver's side fender of our trailer clipped the passenger side fender of the U-Haul trailer stopped on the road. We ended up sitting on the right hand shoulder of the road, with my driver's window 12 inches from the passenger side window of the vehicle we hit. The two front tires on the Suburban were flat spotted to the point of needing replacement. I have no doubt in my mind, that it would have been close even if the trailer brakes had worked, because we were just too heavy for that tow vehicle. If we had been using a 3/4 ton or even a 1 ton tow vehicle, the brakes would have been large enough to slow or even stop us without lock up, because we would have been within their design capabilities. Your weight, while obviously much lighter, is about the same ratio. All it is going to take is one time having to panic stop, and you will be way over classed. And remember that most accidents happen within 5 miles of home.


If you are towing only 4 miles or so, then why not spring for a dedicated tow rig? You can get a full size body-on-frame truck/Bronco/Blazer/Suburban/etc for less than $2k, if you arent too worried about it being the best looking thing around. If you really want to learn about true towing capacities and what to look for, you should go to one of the RV sites like this: http://www.rv.net/

Good luck dude...you are gonna' need it.

 

[JimKW]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

My boat and trailer probably weighs around 3,000 lbs. which looks to be about the same as yours. I bought a 98 GMC Envoy for $3500 and it tows it fine. The Envoy only has 98K on it and it's nothing special to look at, but it has a 4.3 with 4WD and low range so I can pull the boat out no matter where I'm at.

I sold a Volvo I really liked that was rated at 3300 lbs for $3600 and bought the Envoy which is rated at better than 5,000 lbs. I wanted a vehicle rated at quite a bit more than I'm towing rather than one right at the limit or a little less.

I have towed the boat to several other lakes where I never know what the ramps will be and have had not trouble at all. Once the water level was way down and I was off the ramp into what should have been about five feet beyond the water line on loose gravel and sand. Put that sucker in 4WD low and pulled it right out.

And remember being able to stop is way more important than being able to tow.

 

[JimKW]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

This site shows you truck rated at 3400 lbs so you are probably right at the limit.

http://www.racetrack-rv.com/tow_ratings/2008 towingguide.pdf

I would probably use your truck while shopping for something rated at around 5,000 lbs with 4WD and then use that just for towing and keep your truck in nice shape. It's real nice to a 4WD vehicle that you really don't care that much about in the winter anyway.

 

[bradtw191]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

Hey - how about that boat! Thats a nice looking, clean, shiny rig for 20 years old. Was the first boat ride as successful as the trip to the lake?

sure was. everything on the boat works flawlessly. runs like a top. very happy.

as for the towing debate, their seems people think it is totally fine and those who think its stupid. honestly i felt totally safe all of the 4 hours i pulled it to the lake. braking was not bad at all it pulled straight as an arrow and kept speed better than i expected. the tow vehicle is a good idea but i KNOW my truck with the boat will stop better than most 30 yr old $2000 trucks will on their own. and why get a vehicle if mine does just fine going 4 hrs let alone it is now 4 miles from the ramp with speed limits no higher that 45 in those 4 miles. i think most people get overkill for towing which i understand is all good for safety but it is not NECESSARY. I dont have deep pockets as i am a full time student so i am very happy with wht i have.
thanks for all your help and opinions guys! Its gettin warm out, see ya on the water!

 

[bradtw191]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

thank you mod
i love my boat guys! i was quite stressed out about the pulling but with several successful trips i am super excited for summer. went out on friday and boarded in 55 degree water! in trunks haha

 

[badkins50]

Re: 4 cyl 2wd Towing 18ft Bow rider?

went out on friday and boarded in 55 degree water! in trunks haha

It's like buying a convertable in the middle of winter - I'm going to be riding home with the top down lol. enjoy and keep it safe.