Tow vehicle size?

[tugnnaweigh]

Too steep or too slimy? Every time. There's no such thing as a dry, gently sloping ramp. Your rear wheels are always in the slime zone at start of the retrieve and it's your front wheels that pull you out of that area then as the weight of the boat comes on to the trailer the rears bite gets better and better. Also, the four wheel low setting lets you just ease up the ramp, low speed, moderate RPM.

Go to a local ramp and watch the difference between the two wheel drives and the four by fours, likely the two wheedlers spin the rears some every time. Or search launch ramp fails on the YouTube.

There is a substantial difference in the cost of insurance no doubt.

 

[1Harrison]

Hi all.
We have a 1999 2500 Dodge with the Cummings Diesel. It has towed a r-25sc and you hardly knew the boat was there. It also has hauled 3000 lbs. of rock with no problem. The load leveling hitch is a good idea having towed large campers. However what I have not seen here is stopping ability addressed. Many 1/2 tons and most 3/4 ton trucks can pull the load, however stopping is another animal all it's own. Whatever you choose for a tow vehicle be sure it has a premium brake balance system. Nothing makes grey hair faster than a bad stopping experience. Oh by the way our Dodge is available for sale.

 

[NorthernFocus]

...Many 1/2 tons and most 3/4 ton trucks can pull the load, however stopping is another animal ...

Now you've done it.

Similar to discussing the benefits of 4WD/AWD on snowy/icy roads. Doesn't help you stop. Though in all fairness there is a little more directional control to choose where you will eventually come to rest.

 

[Todd2]

I am currently looking for a tow vehicle for my Cutwater 30S. I will be towing a limited number of miles and times around the Great Lakes (less than a 1000 miles a year) and one trip to FL and back from WI. I have found some good values in late model used F350 dual wheel 2 wheel drive trucks. My question is how often have other owners found that the boat ramps are either too steep or two slimy to pull out with a 2 wheel drive. Given the difference in cost between 2 and 4 wheel drives I could have the boat lifted on a trailer 12-15 times.

Any thoughts?

Brian

Hey Brian,

It can depend on where you live and the lakes you launch at. Towards the end of EVERY summer down in the deep south in 'relatively' shallow inland lakes, all the ramps would slime up horribly, even those used regularly. You couldn't even walk down them in the water without busting your.... As "kids", we didn't have a 4x4 so we'd often strap the tow vehicle to another vehicle farther up the ramp, where it was dry, to help "tow" us out with the boat (remember we were infallible at the time). It was absolutely a requirement at some ramps late in the summer, and it always worked flawlessly. But the locals loved to tell us about the last vehicle that sunk at the dock - and "don't try to launch here, blah, blah ......".

Anyway, now I have a 4x4 diesel for my R-27, and use 4x4 every time I launch or retrieve, even if just as a precaution (my tow truck cost a wee bit more than my $600.00 first car). It's still required if I launch off the limestone rocks at a local lake when the water is below the end of the ramps during dry spells. So, I guess what I'm saying is, don't automatically dismiss 4 wheel drive. You may wish you had it - at the most inopportune time - or just carry a long tow strap. 😉 I'll yank you out (if you didn't put it in park and get out to check on your boat first 😱 ).

Todd

 

[scross]

As long as you only tow on dry pavement and never run into a moss or alge covered ramp 2 wheel drive is fine. For the rest of us 4x4 is pretty important. I use my 4x4 low setting every single time launching and retrieving as well as 4x4 high any time there’s water on the road while towing.
I do not want to be on local news!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1jbGy7eUaC8

 

[ClarkPNW]

Interesting thread. I'm feeling your pain. 😉 When I embarked on the journey of getting a weight distribution hitch, I had no idea how complex and confusing the topic would be.

The following two pages in combination with the campaddict one above helped me figure this whole thing out: https://mycamperfriend.com/weight-distribution-hitch/ and https://mycamperfriend.com/what-size-truck-do-i-need-to-pull-a-camper/

Get some good coffee or tea or whatever you prefer and take your time reading through the details. Soon it'll make sense. It took a while for me but now I have a hitch that's working just fine. 🙂