Truck tow rated less than boat/trailor

[Freeblowing]

I am thinking of buying another sailboat on a trailor. The total weight of both is about 3900 lb.
I want to use a 4 cyl. two-wheel drive pickup with automatic transmission, tow rated at 3500 lb., just to pull the rig in and out of the water at the begining and end of the season.
The ramp looks nice and has grooves in it to alleviate tire slippage.
Again, I won't be towing, just pulling the boat in and out
Would I be risking any damage to the truck?

 

[KD3PC]

you may or may not be able to get sufficient traction with two wheel drive, but that was not your question.

If used properly, your automatic 4 cylinder should do the job for the two or three times a year you want to do this..

If not used properly, you could be putting a new transmission in or having the truck/trailer fished from the water, as the boat/trailer will outweigh the truck and will tend to drag the whole thing down the ramp, especially if it is slick or slimey as they tend to be. I would suggest having an associate stand by with a bigger truck or tow vehicle...just in case...

I have seen 4x4, turbo diesels not be able to tow out a 25' power boat as they just stomped the pedal in two wheel drive...the same crew drove said dual engine, 25' go fast up on to the trailer and over the winch and into the tailgate of said nice truck...but I suspect too many adult beverages and too many young things watching for any common sense to prevail.

Great entertainment value...

 

[dscribner]

Freebie,

I have an F150, 5.4 ltr 4X4 and I tow my boat and launch it easily. With a 4 cylinder, gulp, I would worry. My recommendation would be to borrow your buddy's truck for the afternoon, twice a year.

 

[Brian M H23]

You need a way to lock the brake pedal down, at a minimum. In "Park" with the E-brake set, you aren't using your front wheels traction at all to hold the truck in place.

Give it a shot, but have a big truck and a chain on standby the first time. If it's easy, then great!

 

[Freeblowing]

I sure don't want to be part of the "ramp-side entertainment!"
I guess a 4x4 would pull the rig out of the water much easier.
I might as well rent a pickup truck if I have to. Uhaul has them for $19.95 plus mileage.

Thanks for your comments

 

[Rick Webb]

I Do Not Think You Will Have a Problem

As long as you can keep the wheels from spining you'll do fine. The one issue will be you most likely do not have a posi traction rear end. If you get just the right wheel spinning setting the parking brake a couple of notches so that there is some grab will help put the power to both wheels.

 

[Capt. Kermie]

Ramps are usually wet and slippery, I have found that 4X4 is nice to have on those occasions. I would also think twice about using an underpowerd under-weight tow vehicle even only a few times a year for fear of transmission damage. An inline 6 is economical enough and also has the grunt power, a class 3 towing capability is the the answer to your dilema. Part of owning a trailerable boat is owning a vehicle to tow and launch it with.

 

[Benny]

I would not recommend it. Because of the water resistance and the incline angle of the ramp pulling the boat out of the water would place a load on the truck well in excess of the 3,900# combined weight of boat and trailer. You will also have to contend with traction issues. Have seen small pickup trucks struggle to get small powerboats up a wet ramp because the could not get traction. Addyng weight to the bed of the truck to gain traction will just compound the towing weight limit situation.

 

[John Nantz]

Here'a a couple creative thoughts...

First, not knowing if the pickup is rear or front wheel drive, and, not knowing if reverse is a lower gear than low, it may be a consideration to set up a trailer hitch on the front and back the trailer out rather than drive out forward. Once at the top of the ramp, the pickup could be reversed and you could tow the boat and trailer home.

Second, have a dolly for the trailer and install a winch on the pickup. Park the pickup at the top of the ramp and pull the trailer up using the winch. Once the trailer is on the level then it can be hooked up the the pickup and away you go.

If the pickup is one of the Japanese pickups, several years ago I had a bricklayer on one of my jobs that hauled sand and cement bags with his truck. It was a small one and he loaded it down to the point where the bed, I swear, was riding on the rear axle. I had a heavy 3/4 ton 7,800 GVW at the time and I don't think I would have put as much in it as what he did in his.

 

[sailormanbigd]

Lil Truck

I used to tow a southcoast22 that weighed somewhere near 2k lbs empty. You add fuel, cooler, stuff it goes up. I pulled it with a nissan 4cyl 2wd. The ramp was always a challenge. The tires would spin, add people in the empty bed for weight/traction. The last couple of times i did it the engine had a very difficult time of it. Imagine the clutch peddle is all the way out the wheels are bitting good but the rig isn't going anywhere with gas peddle pressed down-just sat there for a time moaning, but finally got up that ramp.

 

[John Nantz]

Yes, loading and pulling are two different things

Realize that just because one can load a pickup down like my example above, that doesn't necessarily equate to pulling something. And they guy in my example wasn't driving up any hills and was going a short distance. Just wanted to point out that sometimes a vehicle can be abused and take it.

 

[petersea]

OK here is my take..........You may or may not be able to use your truck but for a case of beer get a buddy to use his bigger truck or pay someone. There are several guys in my area that will do this for $50 bucks including bring the unit to your house if local. There is also a guy who will pull in out and put it in the yard for $20 bucks. Look around your local area or ask the yard. For the cost of the hitch you could have someone do this for two years and break even, for the cost of a transmission you could pay someone to do this for twenty years. ! !

While you only plan on doing this a short distance think about the consequences of what could happen if there was a problem. If you had to call a tow truck to tow you out of the ramp that would be costly. Any repairs to the vehicle that resulted from towing will be costly.

You would be "overweight" and legally liable for any damages (i.e. accident) think about the field day a lawyer would have with this ! ! I would also caution to think about if there was a problem what might happen to the boat !

I would also suspect that your number for trailer and boat weight might be a little light. Think about all the gear and other goods in the boat and I bet your weight is closer to 4200 pounds (maybe more).

Purchasing another vehicle is usual not cost effective if this is all you are going to do with it. Also most rentals companies will not allow you to tow anything but one of their trailers so if you go the rental route check with who ever you rent from or read the contract. ! !

Sorry don't mean to rain on your parade but just does not seam like it is worth it !

 

[OldCat]

First, not knowing if the pickup is rear or front wheel drive, and, not knowing if reverse is a lower gear than low, it may be a consideration to set up a trailer hitch on the front and back the trailer out rather than drive out forward. Once at the top of the ramp, the pickup could be reversed and you could tow the boat and trailer home.

Second, have a dolly for the trailer and install a winch on the pickup. Park the pickup at the top of the ramp and pull the trailer up using the winch. Once the trailer is on the level then it can be hooked up the the pickup and away you go.

None of this would be likely to work at the lake that I sail on. Or, at least it would be risky, since we have a *really* long & steep ramp. If you put the hitch on the front - then the tongue load of the trailer unloads the already light rear of the truck. It might not get traction, even though the drive wheels are dry - then what? Too risky for me, I'd only use a front hitch on level ground.

A winch might work, but our water levels drop 50-60 feet over the summer. It is a loooong way up the ramp. Safe winching may depend on local conditions. And, a good winch is not that cheap.

Is there a marina at the lake? Or local sail boat yard or dealer? Maybe it is easier to just pay for a launch and recover. I don't need the service since I have a good 4wd truck, but the marina that I dock at does launches for a reasonable fee.

4wd is the cat's meow for boat ramps, as others have noted. I am too conservative to risk it without enough truck. If not 4wd, at least a limited slip rear or traction control.

OC

 

[kenn]

I've seen minivans and other light vehicles struggling to pull out fishing boats, so I would have quite a few doubts about an unloaded import pickup with 2WD having enough traction to pull out a 2-ton boat.

I know another Sandpiper owner (weighs under a ton, including trailer) who has a Nissan 4x2 with a 4-cyl engine, and he has sometimes had trouble with pulling out.

You could probably come up with a workaround, like using a winch, or a tongue extender, etc... but it would be a hassle and you might be holding things up at the launchramp.

Find a friend with a new 4x4 who likes to show off, and bet him/her a beer that their new toy can't pull your boat out.

 

[Timo42]

Undersized tow vehicles on the launch ramp are always entertaining. I would find a bigger truck unless you want to be a Youtube star. Someone always has a camera.

 

[Benny]

I think Kenn gave you the solution. Since you are only going to be pulling the boat out of the water at the end of the season just buy a few beers to one of your buddies who may have a stronger truck to pull it out for you.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

While my 2 wheel drive S10 is rated to tow my H260, it doesn't have enough weight over the rear axle to pull the boat out of the water. The one time I tried I had to load the bed with six big men to keep the wheels from slipping.

As mentioned by other posters I borrowed from friends twice a year until I got my own 4x4 tow vehicle. There are so many owners of large 4x4 SUV that under utilize them and are willing to loan them out.

 

[Freeblowing]

I like the idea of using a winch.
Anyway, I took a look at that sailboat/trailor, that I was thinking of buying, and decided to pass on it.
I'd probably rent or borrow a truck if I had to pull a bigger boat. There's also a full service marina where I do most my sailing these days.
Thanks for all the comments.

 

[txtowman]

Uhaul or even a tow truck would be a good solution. You can buy a used 1/2 ton PU around here for $500 too.

 

[watercolors II]

Don't give up.

I pulled my Catalina 22 many years with a 2wd Ranger here in the mountains of Pennsylvania, never had a ramp traction problem at 3500 lbs.

Heat is the problem with towing a heavy vehicle down the highway, you'll not have this doing what you're saying.

I'd try going to the salvage yard and pick up 2 used wheels and add some oversize super traction tires, 200 to 300 dollars. Switch them just for the occasion or if you get a couple snow storms like last winter.