Towing a Hunter 26 weight and trailer Questions...

cb32863 · Apr 25, 2012

I towed my O'Day 25 home 700 miles with my Explorer and did NOT use overdrive. Had a mechanic friend tell me to always disengage it. As for capacities, that is up to your owner's manual and you figuring the weight on your boat and trailer and everything else. I have a tow package, V8, and all that with mine. I started slow, drove under 60, and started to stop very early. As for the brakes, getting them working sounds like the right thing to do. Imagine what happens if you have to brake and the momentum of the boat and trailer is not slowed....... Could look in to anti-sway-loadleveling hitches too.I bought one of these. Unfortunately my trailer was not quite configured for the arms but, got it all home OK anyway.

Exceeding limits can damage your tranny, your bearings, and if things don't all stop appropriately, lots of other things. Not necessarily only your own.

My 2 cents FWIW.

cephius (Dave) · Apr 25, 2012

I have the owner's manual for my 2002 Jeep Cherokee. It recommends against using overdrive when towing. I tow my H260 with it. It is well within the published towing limits of the Cherokee.

I would never attempt to tow a 26' boat without trailer breaks. On the couple of occasions that I was forced to break hard, those trailer breaks made all the difference in the world for a controlled stop.

The main stress on a tow vehicle is the transmission. If you exceed the manufacturer's limits you can destroy the transmission. Next is the weight on the tires, if you exceed the tongue weight limit.

The only way to know the true weight of a fully loaded boat is to go to truck scales and check. This will give you the peace of mind to know you are within the vehicle's limits, or if you should be seeking a different one.

tkanzler · Apr 25, 2012

I don't think it has the tow package.

At least make sure it has a good transmission cooler. A power steering cooler would be nice, too.

I did get some towing advice in the past and I was told not to tow in overdrive when towing... Any validity to this?

AFAIK, that's just to prevent frequent shifting in and out of OD, which may not be a problem on flat ground at steady speed, but there may be more to it than I'm aware of.

The owner said the trailer brakes aren't working and he was going to bleed the lines and see if that was the problem.

Would there be any known specific problems with the surge breaks that you would know about? Things I can tell him to check? Things I can check?

Lack of fluid is the first thing that comes to mind, but then, where did the fluid go? Bring an adjuster, assuming they're drums, and a bottle or two (or three) of brake fluid. It's likely the adjusters are frozen, but it's worth a try.

If it were me, I'd bring a jack and some tools, and pull the hubs to inspect. Grease the bearings and adjust the brakes, assuming I could get them working. I would also plan on replaceing brake parts, including brake lines. I don't think I've ever had a used boat trailer where someone hadn't smashed a brake line or worse.

Thoughts on a 3 hour tow with out the brakes are welcome.

In my younger days, I'd tow anything with anything, but thinking back to a 6-wheel stake body I owned losing its brakes on a steep hill makes my palms sweaty. Or looking out the side window and seeing the trailer (tractor-trailer) hanging out to the side on I-80W in NJ during a snow storm. I'm not up for that kind of excitement any more. Your call.

Hunter states the boat weighs 3000 pounds but members here say it isn't true and I believe them...

Manufacturers seem to give optimistically low numbers. Probably doesn't include an engine. Or batteries. Or anything. As bare bones as it gets. But that's just a guess.

Do automakers err on the lean side when doing gvwr tow ratings?

They seem to give optimistically high numbers for trailer weight ratings, but again, that's just my opinion.

Just haw damaging/dangerous is exceeding these limits?

Going slow, with nothing going wrong, no danger at all. It's when things go wrong that the ability to stop (or go, for that matter) really matters, IMO.

plainssailor · Apr 25, 2012

I tow my my oday 25 w/a K2500 Burban. tow package, 4x4 and 454. Down the interstate 65 mph. On Monday I pulled it up a very step ramp and she struggled, I thought I left the parking break on when I got back in after I winched her onto the trailer. I couldn't think of doing it w/much less horsepower. Next time, which will be in October, when I pull her out for winter I will use the 4 wheel drive in low. I think the jeep may pull it on flat land, but up the ramp, and stopping it in an emergency could be a problem.

watercolors II · Apr 25, 2012

Keep the engine and transmission cool

Trailer brakes and as someone else said, transmission oil cooler. I'd add to that a combo cooler for the engine also.

http://www.buyautotruckaccessories....&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CKf8uu2S0a8CFYbe4AodrxI1Eg

I used one of these on a 3.0 Ford Ranger pulling a 3500 lb. boat. This Ranger was only mfg towing of 2000 lbs. The temp gauge for the engine never moved climbing these mts. here in western PA, I would think the trans. temp would be the same.

Rick Webb · Apr 25, 2012

Weight is Not the Only Issue

The frontal area on a 26 is very significant and at higher speeds is going to put more of a burden on your tow vehicle than the weight is. I'd guess you’re adequate for occasional not too far trips or the rare long going slow ones.
The first thing I'd look at on the brakes is the wheel cylinders. Not rocket science on these systems any shade tree mechanic can take care of them.

jepomer · Apr 25, 2012

The 4L 6 cylinder Jeep Cherokee towing capability is rated for 2000 lbs for the standard package, 5000 lbs if equipped with an automatic transmission AND the towing package.

I towed a Kubota tractor with implements with mine. Over 3000 lbs, you WILL need brakes on the trailer — required in most states, never mind your insurance company.

A 3000 lbs boat will have about 1000 lbs of trailer under it. Add the extra items that the family insists on taking, you will quickly be at the 5000 lbs limit.

Crazy Dave Condon · Apr 26, 2012

ABK;

When looking at the Hunter 26 trailer, you need to check the bunk boards for rot, tires for wear/dry rot, brakes and so forth.

First the boat dry wieght is 3000 pounds. with the trailer, motor and gear, you can figure about 4700 to 5000 pounds total pulling. You have brakes on one trailer. Depending on the state you live in, they may require brakes on both axles for example Pennsylvania.

For the brakes, there are things to look at first. Is there fluid in the resivoir. If not, you will need to bleed the brakes and if you do not know how , get somone who does. If a leak, repair. however, if you can not build up pressure in the line, it could be the master cylinder is shot in the brake mechanism. There are two styles of master cylinders depending on the surge vs. disc brakes. Anyway to access that master cylinder, simply screw off the top cover and remove it. You can go to a trailer parts place with that master cylinder as one is metal and the other is composite. If they do not have it, order it. you will spend about $70 vs. buying a new whole brake mechanism which can be around $250.

There is alot more but if you want to email me with your contact phone numbers, i will give you a call. You can call be the godfather of that boat as I know it too well. Look in the archives for my name.

See ya.

Crazy Dave Condon

SamLust · Apr 30, 2012

My Hunter 260, an updated version of the 26 WB weighed in on the scales at 5,800 pounds. That was at close to traveling weight. I added at least 100 pounds of extras forward to add to the tongue weight. Hauled it the first long trip with a Chevy Avalanche with 5.3 Liter V8. Would not hold overdrive. Did the entire 1800 miles in direct 3rd gear. Sold the truck. The next time around with a long cab, long bed diesel Silverado. Much more better! The bigger the tow vehicle the better.

As far as brakes: you only need them if you want to stop. My experience with surge brakes is that they serve mostly as a assist rather than as serious lock-em-up stoppers. But they DO help. Primary concern is good stopping by the tow vehicle itself.