Need advice on tow vehicle

[Rick Westlake]

Highly suggest you watch this video prior to deciding on the size of tow vehicle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMrYUloMcA

ROFLMAO!

I towed my Mac 19, the first summer, with a 1999 Subaru Outback. It was enough to launch and retrieve Beija-Flor, but I did have some "tail-wagging-the-dog" problems on road trips.

My '04 Toyota 4Runner does well with my , Bossa Nova. Towed back across the front range of the Appalachians without any trailer-brakes ...

[dbcounihan]

When I purchased my used 26M, I had an Oldsmobile minivan. It towed it the 4 miles from my home to the nearest ramp, but I wouldn't go any distance with it ( we rented a buoy at the local harbor).
This year we purchased a used Merc Mountaineer with a V-8 and class 3 hitch. I can't even tell it's behind me when I tow the Mac.
The PO used a Toyota Tacoma V-6 crew cab with no problems.
Whatever you do, I suggest you get a vehicle with a 5000 lb towing capacity.

[Russ]

I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but how far and how fast you will be towing is a big factor.

I'd be okay with it for a short (less than 10 miles) and slow (45mph and under) trip to the ramp. However, I am a wimp and feel the tow vehicle should be heavier than the boat. Of course if you have some big hills to deal with the tranny will heat up. I'd also worry that if something happened, my insurance company would give me grief for being 500 pounds over the max capacity of the vehicle.

We have a Toyota Sienna rated at 2,500 lbs that some use to tow the Mac, but I still want something big so we bought a used truck with a 6,000 lb capacity mostly to tow the boat.

[Gerry the fish]

I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but how far and how fast you will be towing is a big factor.

I'd be okay with it for a short (less than 10 miles) and slow (45mph and under) trip to the ramp. However, I am a wimp and feel the tow vehicle should be heavier than the boat. Of course if you have some big hills to deal with the tranny will heat up. I'd also worry that if something happened, my insurance company would give me grief for being 500 pounds over the max capacity of the vehicle.

Well said! Its all well and good until something goes wrong - insurance company would laugh all the way to the bank if you had an accident - I bet they would pay nothing. Also have to think about trailor sway on a highway if you had wife/kids with you. Just not worth it. I have a Jeep Cherokee 4x4 V8 rated for 8000lbs and I still get the tail wagging the dog if I go over 60 or on a steep downhill. I have a tow/hual mode that I turn on when towing that takes care of it (keep meaning to look at what it actually does I believe it stays out of 5th gear).

No such thing as a minor accident at 50mph with a 3000lb projectile on the back. Its just too easy to lose concentration on a long drive on an unfamiliar road and have no safety factor.

Still say if its a few miles to the ramp - youre OK - but further is just not worth it.

[bscott]

Hi Gerry, I have a Jeep GC as well and we have some big hills here in Colorado. Last year I converted my trailer to tandem axles with brakes on both and the sway and choppy ride is gone. I can report that the rig travels so much better that I can't feel the rig behind me at 65 mph. The wheel bearings run slightly warm to the touch and the braking is amazing. I can run with gear and full fuel tanks in their lockers. I don't have a tow mode but I always tow with the OD locked out and still get 12/13 mpgs at 6,000' altitude. I was seriously looking to trade up to a Dodge Ram but am OK with the Jeep since it is my daily driver.

I took it over the scales and the rig weighed 4,750# with 400# on the tongue. Weight too much for a town car

bscott

[seahouse]

OK - I'm the new guy, I don't know any better, so I'll bite and be the one to talk about the elephant in the room. I would humbly submit the following for your consideration...

Would a rational and responsible person pull a trailer that exceeded the load rating of the tow vehicle on a public road? Does it really make sense to unneccessarily risk your life, and the lives of others sharing the road with you?

No to both questions.

Locally an innocent teenage girl was killed instantly by some clowns in a pickup truck and heavy trailer that went out of control, crossed the median, and hit her head-on.

Even at slow speed the weight of a Mac has enough kinetic energy to do considerable damage. The tow rating of a vehicle is based on many factors, all based on the ability of the vehicle to control that weight with a given safety margin. Exceeding those margins is taking a huge risk. With other peoples' lives.

Try this. With no traffic around try taking an evasive manoever to avoid an imaginary obstacle on the road at slow speed (hard left-right-left on the wheel) and see how unstable and sluggish you are even when within the proper load rating, then imagine how that would be in a real emergency at higher speed, and with a lighter vehicle!

Also think of the liability if someone were injured! And as others have previously mentioned, see how much interest the insurance company would have then. In some jurisdictions it might not even be illegal, but in all cases I think it would be unwise.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I fail to see any grey area here at all!

[NiceAft]

I know this is a thread about tow vehicles, and I am not trying to hijack the thread, but when I read this:

Try this. With no traffic around try taking an evasive manoever to avoid an imaginary obstacle on the road at slow speed (hard left-right-left on the wheel) and see how unstable and sluggish you are even when within the proper load rating, then imagine how that would be in a real emergency at higher speed, and with a lighter vehicle!

I have to mention a topic that has been extensively discussed, STRAPPING THE BOAT TO THE TRAILER The most powerful of tow beast available will be of little value as the Mac leaves its trailer during a change in towing direction

I now return you to the previous discussion

Ray

[curtis from carlsbad]

Thanks to all the members on this board.I have wholeheartedly taken everyone's advice and am now scared $%&#less to even think about towing with the Lincoln.My wife and I will either sell or trade in the hyundai tucson(@ 6k value ither private or trade in) as we have had three years of good use out of it.I am also rationalizing it for the overall safety of a larger vehicle for my family even when not towing the Mac.I have seen a lot of accidents in 17 years of cab driving and as I am approaching 40 the "made out of rubber" fades and the reality of our mortality sinks in.I can afford the extra fuel and like the idea of not feeling the mac under tow.My new question to the board members is: Should I get a Toyota Tundra 6 cylinder or v8? I am leaning heavily on the v8(medium crew cab).Wife likes the Sequoia but we both agree that the 12k difference in price as opposed to the Tundra is a big factor.Your advice was invaluable on the Lincoln question and I can't thank everyone enough.I still will buy the Lincoln for the town car service but the Toyota will be the tow/family vehicle.Pleas give me advice regarding engine size-Thanks to all.

[aya16]

as far as towing bigger is better, V8. Never do you hear any one say I have to much power in my car, truck or boat, always hear I need a little more power. although gas mileage seems to be a concern to lots of folks, a tow vehicle and gas mileage is the last thing I worry about.

Whats way more important when picking your truck is two things, power and traction, a truck with its light bed on the back, traction is an issue sometimes. Im a four wheel drive nut, anything I buy has four wheel drive, but thats not the whole story. Good example I own two ranger v-6 pickups four wheel drives. One a 1987 that has a gear ratio of
272 to 1 and limited slip in the back and front axles.
It has large tires to boot, the farthest I tow my mac is a couple hundred feet with this truck, and I need four wheel drive low to pull the mac out of the water, especially a slippery ramp. It can pull it out in two wheel drive but it really strains the truck.

Second truck a 2002 ranger four wheel drive with lockers in the rear, and a 410 to 1 gear ratio and large tires. That truck will tow the mac anywhere I want and doesnt break a swet. Yet I would feel way better towing the mac with a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton full size truck. But the 2002 ranger truck will pull anything out of the water with 4 wheel drive low and doesnt strain the truck at all.

So in a nut shell get the lowest gear ratio available for the truck (v8 or v6, which ever you choose) as well as some kind of traction device, limited slip or lockers, with an automatic transmission and four wheel drive if you can.

I have seen one ton trucks have problems pulling a smaller boat then the mac out of the water on a slippery ramp, those trucks were 2 wheel drive single wheel traction and no weight in the bed. So gear ratio and traction are the keys here. Plus now you have another family veh. that the wife and kids can enjoy exploring the boon docks with out the mac sometimes. Oh just for grins, I have a Suzuki samurai 4 wheel drive I have launched and retrieved the mac with, That little bugger has a very small 4 cyl. engine. I used 4 wheel drive low without locking the front hubs, to tow it around to the ramp, Then locked the hubs and used four wheel drive low to pull the mac out. It worked, but definitely not the ideal tow veh. The mac weighs a ton more than the suz. But other than that I would tow the mac around to the wash rack and things no swet with it. I would never take that set up in the street.
Mike

[Nautek]

As I mentioned before I tow my Mac with a Nissan Patrol 4WD wagon
It is a 3 litre 4 cylinder turbo charged diesel fitted with air bags with a towing capacity of 3200kg
The engine is plenty big enough for the job
The airbags make a huge difference to the stability of the vehicle and trailer
You need the right size vehicle but it needs to be set up properly also.
I don't think the larger motor would make a big difference but the weight of the vehicle does.
I can cruise down the highway at 100 k/h which is our speed limit

Allan

[Québec 1]

As I mentioned before I tow my Mac with a Nissan Patrol 4WD wagon
It is a 3 litre 4 cylinder turbo charged diesel fitted with air bags with a towing capacity of 3200kg
The engine is plenty big enough for the job
The airbags make a huge difference to the stability of the vehicle and trailer
You need the right size vehicle but it needs to be set up properly also.
I don't think the larger motor would make a big difference but the weight of the vehicle does.
I can cruise down the highway at 100 k/h which is our speed limit

Allan

In order to set up my Buick to pull the 26m I invested 700$ on it which is a pittance compared to the cost of another vehicle. I put in Cargo coils, new shocks, a transmission cooler and a class 3 hitch. I see a lot of people hauling bigger trailers and campers with less. Don't forget that the boat has a V shaped bow which cuts the winds. This set up has its limitations at the ramp because it does not have 4WD but not on the highway unless you have to go fast, I don't !!
Q1

[Nautek]

Although I have a 4WD I have never found it necessary to use on the ramp up to now
So I don't think the 4WD is necessary but the weight of the vehicle and suspension is

Allan

[SkiDeep2001]

I have to mention a topic that has been extensively discussed, STRAPPING THE BOAT TO THE TRAILER The most powerful of tow beast available will be of little value as the Mac leaves its trailer during a change in towing direction

I now return you to the previous discussion

Ray

Good advice Ray. That strap is rated 3500 Lbs and was $20 bucks at Harbor Freight when I bought mine a few weeks ago. I looked in the mirror 30 years ago on Canadian highway at 60 or 70 MPH and saw the boat floating above the trailer when I forgot to attach tie-down straps, and that was with a 65 or 90 HP MERC and lots of gear/fuel in boat. Don't want to see that again. Doggone it, now I can't get quote right, oh well, sorry. Rob edited speed and hp on motor to match previous post, time fuzzes all facts.

!	kmclemore:
	Fixed the quote. You only need a "slash" (/) at the at the beginning of the closing (final) quote statement. You had one at the beginning of the opening quote and closing quote statements.

[bg1kwq]

my tow car is blaze 4.3. i can run more than 110KM/h while towing MAC26m on express way.

[Kelly Hanson East]

Would a rational and responsible person pull a trailer that exceeded the load rating of the tow vehicle on a public road? Does it really make sense to unneccessarily risk your life, and the lives of others sharing the road with you?

Well, in a word, yes. There is nothing magical "tow rating numbers" of vehicles - they are made up by marketing people and are not guided by firm and fast engineering rules.

I would much rather share the road with a prudent driver at 10% over "rating" than a nut case at 50% of the truck's rated two capacity for example.

The actions of the driver have much more impact on safety than the so-called 'tow rating"