Greetings, I am considering getting a trailer to tow my boat and I have realized that this is not as simple an endeavor as I had originally thought. I have done some looking on the web and I have not found a really good resource to answer my questions. So if these resources exist, I hope you will point me toward them. Well let me first describe my potential towing system. Tow Vehicle: 1997 Ford Explorer, SOHC V6 210HP 4WD 4 door. The boat: 1985 Hunter 25.5 LOA 26' Shoal Draft Fin Keel Draft 3'3" Beam 9'1" Weight 4500lbs. I am still looking at getting a trailer. But these are the current specs I am looking at: aluminum, dual axles, hydraulic surge breaks. Right now my questions revolve around the receiver and hitch. I think I am going to get a class III/IV receiver for a 2" square ball mount. Does that sound about right? Also there is the issue of the weight distributing hitch (or load equalizing hitch). Do I need one of these? I have read in some places that you can't use a weight distributing hitch if the trailer uses surge breaks. Is that the case? Also there is the issue of the sway control bar. Should I have one of these? Or is this a nice to have? Finally with regard to the weight distributing hitch and the sway control bar, I read that some trailer manufactures discourage the use of a weight distributing hitch. Does the trailer need to be originally designed for such a hitch? Or is it something you can add on later? I can see that the weight distributing hitch could put considerable load on the trailer's main frame ibeams and I suppose they could bend or break if they are not strong enough.... Thanks for all your help.
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Rick Webb
Call These Guys
They are happy to answer questions spent quite a bit of time with mine. The only thing I would do different is I would put electrically operated disk brakes. I was thinking about them for mine but I would have to change to many things to convert them but if your starting fresh it is a different story. A big advantage is they work going down the ramp and can be set independantly of the vehicles brakes. You are probably aproaching the max that is comfortable with the V6. http://www.championtrailers.com/index.html#
They are happy to answer questions spent quite a bit of time with mine. The only thing I would do different is I would put electrically operated disk brakes. I was thinking about them for mine but I would have to change to many things to convert them but if your starting fresh it is a different story. A big advantage is they work going down the ramp and can be set independantly of the vehicles brakes. You are probably aproaching the max that is comfortable with the V6. http://www.championtrailers.com/index.html#
trailering
I tow our h23 with a 6 cyl ford and althought it tows ok I would not want to tow it from Ohio to fla, mostly short trips from storage to dock , try to find Cliff rucksthull, (SP) in th e racing or bigger boat portion ot this forum he owned , raced towed, a 25.5 a lot , he is s great source of info , take care , MIke
I tow our h23 with a 6 cyl ford and althought it tows ok I would not want to tow it from Ohio to fla, mostly short trips from storage to dock , try to find Cliff rucksthull, (SP) in th e racing or bigger boat portion ot this forum he owned , raced towed, a 25.5 a lot , he is s great source of info , take care , MIke
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Nils Anderson
Explorer pulls just fine
I have the exact same Explorer and find it trailers our 260 (about the same weight) just fine. When on the Interstate, it will automatically come out of overdrive if you go faster than 62-65 mph. If you want to continue faster (say to 70 mph) you should press the shift end button to keep it out of overdrive. I looked at load distribution and decided to install a pair of load leveling air lifts. (www.airliftcompany.com) They work very well. You can level the vehicle with air pressure. I understand that load leveling hitches intefere with surge brakes. You can't have electric brakes and submerge them in water (especially salt). I have Stainless Steel disk surge brakes. If you keep 12 to 15 per cent load (600 pounds) on the hitch you won't have a sway problem.
I have the exact same Explorer and find it trailers our 260 (about the same weight) just fine. When on the Interstate, it will automatically come out of overdrive if you go faster than 62-65 mph. If you want to continue faster (say to 70 mph) you should press the shift end button to keep it out of overdrive. I looked at load distribution and decided to install a pair of load leveling air lifts. (www.airliftcompany.com) They work very well. You can level the vehicle with air pressure. I understand that load leveling hitches intefere with surge brakes. You can't have electric brakes and submerge them in water (especially salt). I have Stainless Steel disk surge brakes. If you keep 12 to 15 per cent load (600 pounds) on the hitch you won't have a sway problem.
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Rick Webb
Nils, They are a New Thing
I was sceptical as well but they said they had not had any problems with them. You can go electric two ways. One is electric solenoids in place of wheel cylinders the other is an electricly operated master cylinder. Call the folks at champion they will tell you all about them.
I was sceptical as well but they said they had not had any problems with them. You can go electric two ways. One is electric solenoids in place of wheel cylinders the other is an electricly operated master cylinder. Call the folks at champion they will tell you all about them.
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Robin Verner
depth
I think the problem is getting the boat to float off the trailer with out backing the whole back end of the truck into the water. I was considering a similar boat, but discussion on this forum warned me of the problem. One guy had a tongue extension, and another fellow had a nylon strap system which allowed them to get the trailer further out into the water. This is why water ballast and retractable keels are used by people that trailer frequently.
I think the problem is getting the boat to float off the trailer with out backing the whole back end of the truck into the water. I was considering a similar boat, but discussion on this forum warned me of the problem. One guy had a tongue extension, and another fellow had a nylon strap system which allowed them to get the trailer further out into the water. This is why water ballast and retractable keels are used by people that trailer frequently.
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Cliff Ruckstuhl
Not a Problem
We trailered our 25.5 allot to and from the Lake and we then yanked it for a 350 mile trip to Lake MI for a weeks vaction. We used our 1994 Jeep Cheroke. Key is a nice flat ramp and the tounge extension. Checking ramps before launching is a must. Pulling the boat down the high way was not a problem at all. It is allot of boat to pull but not much of a problem. All I added to the Jeep was a Transmission cooler and a bigger Rad. We also kept the Jeep in third gear or out of over drive is a must. Email me off site if you need more Info. I ran across a place that sells trailors in Canada. The exchange rate works so well it would be a must do to look into. I can send you ther site if you want? cliffr@bright.net Cliff
We trailered our 25.5 allot to and from the Lake and we then yanked it for a 350 mile trip to Lake MI for a weeks vaction. We used our 1994 Jeep Cheroke. Key is a nice flat ramp and the tounge extension. Checking ramps before launching is a must. Pulling the boat down the high way was not a problem at all. It is allot of boat to pull but not much of a problem. All I added to the Jeep was a Transmission cooler and a bigger Rad. We also kept the Jeep in third gear or out of over drive is a must. Email me off site if you need more Info. I ran across a place that sells trailors in Canada. The exchange rate works so well it would be a must do to look into. I can send you ther site if you want? cliffr@bright.net Cliff
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Bill
25.5 Beam
If the beam of a 25.5 is 9'1" doesn't that create a problem towing due to highway restrictions? Are special permits required?
If the beam of a 25.5 is 9'1" doesn't that create a problem towing due to highway restrictions? Are special permits required?
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Crazy Dave Condon
VA laws
Anthony, there is so much infor on this but first, let me make some recommendations. YOu live in Virginia like I did. On the interstate, you are leagal to 8 and 1/2 feet as well as on secondary. Legally, you are over width but in many cases, you would not be bothered as you are on private tags and not for hire or buisness tags. The decision to get an annnual over width permit rests with you. If involved in an accident, it will depend on the circumsstances that caused the accident. I use to be a claims adjsuter in Roanoke but also grew up in Denbigh. Hope this helps. Now to the weight of towing. Suggest surge brakes on both axles as you will be towing a boat weighing about 4600 to 4700 pounds with all your gear and motor. Now you will have to add the weight of the trailer which will bring you up to 6000 or better. Can your vehicle with a six cylinder pull this. I doubt it as it would put a strain on the engine. Pulling a 26 or 260 water ballast at 4600-4700 pounds is the max for a 6 cylindler. Another thing to consider is a long traielr extension and also you will need to know the ramps. Short ramps you cannot launch from and you will need to make sure if they are questionalbe on length, at the end, does it drop off and that being the case, stay away. Magic Tilt and Performance are two other recommendations for trailers. Crazy Dave Condon
Anthony, there is so much infor on this but first, let me make some recommendations. YOu live in Virginia like I did. On the interstate, you are leagal to 8 and 1/2 feet as well as on secondary. Legally, you are over width but in many cases, you would not be bothered as you are on private tags and not for hire or buisness tags. The decision to get an annnual over width permit rests with you. If involved in an accident, it will depend on the circumsstances that caused the accident. I use to be a claims adjsuter in Roanoke but also grew up in Denbigh. Hope this helps. Now to the weight of towing. Suggest surge brakes on both axles as you will be towing a boat weighing about 4600 to 4700 pounds with all your gear and motor. Now you will have to add the weight of the trailer which will bring you up to 6000 or better. Can your vehicle with a six cylinder pull this. I doubt it as it would put a strain on the engine. Pulling a 26 or 260 water ballast at 4600-4700 pounds is the max for a 6 cylindler. Another thing to consider is a long traielr extension and also you will need to know the ramps. Short ramps you cannot launch from and you will need to make sure if they are questionalbe on length, at the end, does it drop off and that being the case, stay away. Magic Tilt and Performance are two other recommendations for trailers. Crazy Dave Condon
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