We are thinking about trading our truck for a Honda element. Just wondering what to expect. It will be all wheel drive and rated for 1500 pounds.
anyone towing with small suv
- Thread starter Hollyweirdos
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A lot depends on how you drive and how smart you are at rigging stuff and knowing what will break (hint, tires are often the weakest link). I have pulled loads that exceeded the listed towing capacity and load capacity of trailers and vehicles, and sometimes both at the same time. You have to be smarter than the tool.
One thing to consider - if you are towing more than what the vehicle is rated for, and you get into an accident, your insurance company may not cover you. It's not about if your vehicle is powerful enough to pull the load - it's about your car as a complete dynamic system - engine and transmission, brakes, suspension, handling, etc. So be careful not to exceed the towing capacity (too much ;-)
However, your V17 weighs 900#, I'm guessing the trailer weighs 250# (??), so you should be ok. The AWD is a big plus at the ramp. Depending on the horsepower, you may have some trouble at highway speed. My Astro (190 hp) is barely adequate on the highway, and I have some trouble maintaining 65 up long hills - but, to be fair, I'm towing a 3000# V25, not a V17. I think you'll be fine.
However, your V17 weighs 900#, I'm guessing the trailer weighs 250# (??), so you should be ok. The AWD is a big plus at the ramp. Depending on the horsepower, you may have some trouble at highway speed. My Astro (190 hp) is barely adequate on the highway, and I have some trouble maintaining 65 up long hills - but, to be fair, I'm towing a 3000# V25, not a V17. I think you'll be fine.
Spent the night last night on the Mac for the last time this year. Will go for one last sail today and will load it on the trailer for the 2+ hour trip home. We're pulling it with a Buick Terraza which is the same as a Chevy Uplander or Saturn Relay. This is the first time we've used this vehicle to tow any more than the empty trailer. I'll let you know how it goes. All I know is that it is cold here right now before daybreak and my coffee is horrible!
My son and one of the Dals
My son and one of the Dals
Here's your tow capacity...Element's GCWR minus the weight of the Element when ready to tow (loaded for travel).
Just to give an update. The element towed the boat with no issues. Right up to 60 on the highway and no slipping at the ramp. It was mid tide, have to try at low for the real challenge.
Awwww, cute photo! And you need bigger, better coffee to get that blood flowing, never mind the vasoconstriction!
While majority of boat owners prefer to use large trucks to tow their boats, it is absolutely possible to do with smaller vehicles as long as they have their brakes (both vehicle and trailer) in good order and keep the speed down. One really does not need to do 130km/h on a motorway with their boat. In the European Union, majority of countries have speed limit while towing limited to anywhere between 70 and 90km/h.
Some neat photos:
Some neat photos:
Wow 
! But, just because something *can* tow those boats, doesn't mean they *should* tow them! I've towed my V25 with my VW Rabbit, but I wouldn't take it down the road. Some of those trailers were single axle rigs, so the overall weight wouldn't be too high (maybe 3000#). But a couple of those were plain dangerous, and I would be very unhappy being on the road with them! European standards regarding what is roadworthy are often well below what Americans consider sane (just watch 'Top Gear' ).
! But, just because something *can* tow those boats, doesn't mean they *should* tow them! I've towed my V25 with my VW Rabbit, but I wouldn't take it down the road. Some of those trailers were single axle rigs, so the overall weight wouldn't be too high (maybe 3000#). But a couple of those were plain dangerous, and I would be very unhappy being on the road with them! European standards regarding what is roadworthy are often well below what Americans consider sane (just watch 'Top Gear' ).
I have a lil truck also. Lol. F-550 6x4. Put it in 4 low and it walks up the ramp like it ain't doing anything.
For safety reasons, your tow vehicle should weigh more than the trailer / sailboat weight. One 32 weighs 9,400 pounds on the trailer and the other is a ton less. My truck weighs 11,000 pounds.
When I do a long trip, I grab my Kenworth Toter home that weighs 20,000 pounds. That truck does not do boat ramps. I launch and retrieve with a recovery chain.
For safety reasons, your tow vehicle should weigh more than the trailer / sailboat weight. One 32 weighs 9,400 pounds on the trailer and the other is a ton less. My truck weighs 11,000 pounds.
When I do a long trip, I grab my Kenworth Toter home that weighs 20,000 pounds. That truck does not do boat ramps. I launch and retrieve with a recovery chain.
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The highway rig I tow with. Comfortable as you have somewhere to sleep on long trips. We usually pull a 42' toy hauler and that has another 2 5/8" ball that I pull a car or 19' powerboat.
Someone mentioned good brakes and emergency brakes. Those help very little if you have a 4,000 pound vehicle being pushed by a heavier sailboat. The tow vehicle locks up and just slides in an emergency stop, or lf the trailer starts to Jackknife in winds, the tow vehicle looses control.
I try to out weigh my trailer with my tow vehicle, and always drive at or below speed limits. If you have to tow a heavy trailer, do it with a rig designed to do it safely. My Toter will pull a 80,000 pound trailer safely.
Someone mentioned good brakes and emergency brakes. Those help very little if you have a 4,000 pound vehicle being pushed by a heavier sailboat. The tow vehicle locks up and just slides in an emergency stop, or lf the trailer starts to Jackknife in winds, the tow vehicle looses control.
I try to out weigh my trailer with my tow vehicle, and always drive at or below speed limits. If you have to tow a heavy trailer, do it with a rig designed to do it safely. My Toter will pull a 80,000 pound trailer safely.
There are so many tow vehicles but Some concerns to be noted.
Generally the car/truck mfg will put an allowable towing weight on the literature for safety purposes or should I say liability; however, it depends on the vehicle as to how much it can tow. With an automatic should you not have the tow packages, make sure to have the largest radiator, extra transmission cooler or trani as some would call it, and heavy duty shocks if you are planning to tow alot. Each state varies but as a general rule, anything over 3000 lbs is required to have brakes. Some states demand that you have brakes on all axles. Each state will recognize and respect those laws pertaining to the trailer. I suggest surge brakes over electric if launching alot into water.
You should have what is suggested 10% of the towing wieght on the hitch to help prevent swaying. You have to be extra careful if you a fixed keel boat sitting high on the trailer not to make sharp turns too fast or the boat and trailer can tumble over if going around a sharp curve too fast as the center of gravity has been raised.
I learned that boats on a single axle which have a tendenacy to sway without brakes, you need to go much slower and if they start to sway on you badly, excellerate to bring the sway out and then slowly and I mean slowly brake.
Just throwing my few thoughts in.
Generally the car/truck mfg will put an allowable towing weight on the literature for safety purposes or should I say liability; however, it depends on the vehicle as to how much it can tow. With an automatic should you not have the tow packages, make sure to have the largest radiator, extra transmission cooler or trani as some would call it, and heavy duty shocks if you are planning to tow alot. Each state varies but as a general rule, anything over 3000 lbs is required to have brakes. Some states demand that you have brakes on all axles. Each state will recognize and respect those laws pertaining to the trailer. I suggest surge brakes over electric if launching alot into water.
You should have what is suggested 10% of the towing wieght on the hitch to help prevent swaying. You have to be extra careful if you a fixed keel boat sitting high on the trailer not to make sharp turns too fast or the boat and trailer can tumble over if going around a sharp curve too fast as the center of gravity has been raised.
I learned that boats on a single axle which have a tendenacy to sway without brakes, you need to go much slower and if they start to sway on you badly, excellerate to bring the sway out and then slowly and I mean slowly brake.
Just throwing my few thoughts in.
I have been towing my San Juan 21 with a Toyota highlander 2 wheel drive without any problems. Only thing I would recommend is installing a transmission cooler if the car doesn't have one. I did, it was easy. Looking at the towing package, the only upgrades were the tran cooler, bigger radiator, bigger fan and alternator. As long as i am not overheating, all the other stuff doesn't do anything.
Trani cooler is one thing that many do not consider in a towing package and for an automatic if on a regular basis in towing heavy loads is a must or you will be repairing or replacing that transmission. Believe me it helps. I use to pull 27-28 foot Hunters from florida to VA for many years to incluce smaller boats too, and that extra trani cooler made a difference.
dave condon
dave condon
dave condon
dave condon
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