What type of stickshift do you launch with?

[xeddog]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

I use a 99 Ford F-250 SD with the 7.3L diesel and love it. When launching, it is pretty much the same as any other truck I have used. Just let it roll backwards a little and at the right time just tap the brake pedal. When retrieving, after I have the bow secured I just put the truck in low and let out the clutch. The truck will just start rolling very slowly and it just walks up the ramp. I may have to give it a slight amount of throttle if the ramp is steep, but it is a piece of cake. No clutch smoke or anything.

Wayne

P.S. Boat is a 1987 Reinell 215c (21.5 foot) foot cuddy.

 

[bigdee]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

1995 S-10 with 5 spd and 4 banger...not enough power to pull a greased string out of a gnat's butt. Pulled 18' ski boat for 5 years. If I let the clutch all the way out the engine would stall so I would feather the clutch and leave a strong iodine smell at the ramp. Abused the heck outa that little truck...still driving it today with the original clutch still in it!

 

[macsfriended]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

I used an '88 F 150 (stick) for many years and found the tension level pretty much gone after I set up a 6 x 6 wood piece as a rear wheel chock. I screwed an eye bolt into its end and a length of rope attached the 6 x 6 to the truck's driver side rear view mirror. That allowed the wood chock to follow along behind the truck while i cleared the ramp until I stopped at a level spot to prep the boat for the road.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

turbocharged subaru wrx with a 5mt pulling roughly 2000 pounds of boat/trailer/gear.

The trick is to keep the RPM's as low as possible. Slipping the clutch a little longer at low speed is much less destructive than high rpms but short duration. I'm over 105k miles on the original clutch on a sports car, so it must work for me at least!

With that said, there are certain very steep ramps I will just avoid. Replacing clutches is neither fun nor cheap!

As far as parking brakes, you generally NEVER touch the adjuster up front. ALWAYS adjust them using the star-adjuster thingy at the rear brakes. If you touch the front one, you could very likely end up running out of adjustment and still not have enough cable travel to actuate the brakes enough to hold it.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

...I attach chocks via a short chain and 'S' hooks when we reach launching depth ...And, as I pull the rig out of the pond, the chocks follow me up the hill via the short chains....

I love this idea! Going to use it on my old tractor as the brakes are mechanical and on the rear wheels only.

(As for pulling the boat out, first gear is so super-low I could pop it and not stall...)

 

[edjay]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

Every now and then i use my chevy diesel manual. Both granny gear and 1st, i could let off the clutch and the motor would not stall. But most of the time i take the suburban. If I need to I can have my wife drive up slowly

 

[jeeperman]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

As far as parking brakes, you generally NEVER touch the adjuster up front. ALWAYS adjust them using the star-adjuster thingy at the rear brakes. If you touch the front one, you could very likely end up running out of adjustment and still not have enough cable travel to actuate the brakes enough to hold it.

You have parking brakes on the front of your Subaru??

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

You have parking brakes on the front of your Subaru??

well, kindof... the e-brake locks up the rear drums which sit inside the rear discs, and as long as it in gear, the front locks also. full time AWD with center LSD. If the rear and engine aren't moving, the front isn't going anywhere!

Anyway, no what i meant was the e-brake adjuster in the passenger compartment. Its the same if you have a hand brake or foot e-brake, they both have adjusters up front. Those are for new cable installs only, all adjustments to the ebrakes should be done where it attaches to the brake.

If you adjust up front, the ebrake actuating arm in the rear might actually be out of travel long before it is actually holding. You will get a nice solid feel when you yank up on the handle/stomp the pedal, but in reality you are just pushing against the stops.

 

[timdan94]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

I'm towing a 2010 crestliner superhawk 1700 with a 2008 subaru legacy 2.5i special edition with a 5 speed. The boat and trailer goes about 2700 lbs. I just get her rolling and then let her idle up the ramp.

 

[jumbofordman]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

You have parking brakes on the front of your Subaru??

Some scoobie-doos do have the parking brake on the front, I've worked on one that did.

 

[STARCRAFT16SS]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

1994 Chevy Silverado k1500 extended cab..305ci 5 speed manual no
problems...works great...I prefer having working Emergency Brakes and
have replaced the cables a couple of times....for some reason my 1994 truck
needs 1995 cable setup...parts...Its a good idea to bring in your old cables
for comparison when replacing them....
tow a 1971 aluminum Starcraft 16ft supersport

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What type of stickshift do you launch with?

I use a Ford Ranger 5 speed which is geared a bit high and easy to stall, it took a while but it works fine with smaller boats. Bigger boats are a real challenge to pull up the ramp. Usually it's a matter of either spinning on a slick ramp or trying not to stall it while getting a heavy boat moving. Once it moves its fine.

I used a Jeep with a 5 speed for a while and installed one of these brake lock valves in the brake circuit, it holds hydraulic pressure till you tap the pedal to release it or push the valve down. These were designed for use in dune buggies but work well as mechanical line locks or hill holders too. They don't work with rear antilock brakes as the ABS valve releases and bypasses pressure to the rear wheels. They would be fine on an older truck or Jeep.