Tow vehicle suitability

[tugabee]

I'm considering the purchase of an R25. My current tow vehicle is a 2003 Chevrolet 2500 HD 4x4 with a 6.2L V8 gas engine with a 4.10 axle ratio and less than 30,000 miles on the odometer. I believe the vehicle is rated to tow 10,000 lbs. The label on the hitch states that it can handle 7500 lbs weight bearing and 10,000 with a weight distributing hitch.

We live in Phoenix and would expect to tow the boat through the mountains to places like Lake Powell and San Diego.

I really don't want to get a different tow vehicle. I'd prefer not to have to use a weight distributing hitch.

Is my tow vehicle suitable for towing an R25? Anyone have experience towing an R25 with a similar vehicle?

Tony

 

[GulfSailor]

..............I really don't want to get a different tow vehicle. I'd prefer not to have to use a weight distributing hitch.
Is my tow vehicle suitable for towing an R25?
Tony

I would say that rated at 10K lbs, which would necessitate a weight distributing hitch, it would be perfectly suitable; although being a gas engine you may not like the mileage you get.

There many factors to consider when matching a trailer and its load to a tow vehicle, one of which is the load placed on each axle (the figures will be in your Owner's Handbook).

A WD hitch transfers some of the load to the tow vehicle frame (and therefore to the front axle) by effectively lifting the towing reciever at the same time as the tow hitch is pressing down on the ball.
Without such a hitch it's very easy to have way too much weight on the rear axle and too little on the front when towing a heavy trailer.
The overall trailer weight may be correct, as well as the nose weight, but that can still be too much for the correct balance of the vehicle, which is why the manufacturer specifies a WD hitch so that you're not running 'tail low, nose high', which can be very dangerous as steering and braking of the front wheels is reduced.
There's also a tendency for the trailer to excessively 'nod' the tow vehicle up and down when going over an uneven road surface.

WD hitches aren't expensive, and are well accepted in the commercial towing and RV world, but it's rare to see one on a boat trailer.

I made sure we had one installed before we towed our C28 home from the dealer, and I was able to make a simple adapter to bolt to the existing trailer fixings when I got there.

 

[tugabee]

Gulf sailor,

Thanks for your response. That is an unusual trailer coupler on the front of your trailer. Do you have electric over hydraulic brakes or surge brakes? As I understand it, using a weight distributing hitch with surge brakes can be tricky.

Tony

 

[K7MXE]

I dont think you can use surge brake trailer with a equalization hitch setup. Better find out first before spending money on something that will not work. Bob Heselberg

 

[GulfSailor]

Gulf sailor,
Thanks for your response. That is an unusual trailer coupler on the front of your trailer. Do you have electric over hydraulic brakes or surge brakes? As I understand it, using a weight distributing hitch with surge brakes can be tricky.
Tony

Yes, mine are electric over hydraulic (and they work sooo well!).

However a quick search brings up a couple of recommendations for a hitch that's compatible with surge brakes.
Here': http://www.towshop.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=16

Until now Sway Control has also escaped the boat towers grasp. Traditional add on sway products limit or distort the amount of front to back movement and render surge style trailer brakes useless or even dangerous. The Original Equal-i-zer® Sway Control Hitch allows most boat owners with surge style brakes the opportunity to have the benefit and comfort of 4-Point Sway Control™.

and here:http://www.mrtruck.net/wdhboats.htm

 

[GulfSailor]

I dont think you can use surge brake trailer with a equalization hitch setup. Better find out first before spending money on something that will not work. Bob Heselberg

It's certainly not my intention to advise anyone to waste their money.
See my post on the Equal-i-zer hitch, and as always, 'caveat emptor'.

 

[Levitation]

As said above - try it before spending money on equalizer htiches which bring their own problems to the party...
Your 2500HD has the weight and suspension to handle the boat as is... Mine barely notice that the boat is back there...
For limited towing the gas engine will suffice... If you start taking off on a safari you will want to consider a diesel...
OTOH, the cost of upgrading to a Duramax will buy a lot of gas... Try it and see how it works for you...

 

[PhilR]

I tow my 27' Tug with a 2008 Chevy 2500HD 4wd with a gas engine and 3.73 axles. It works OK....but, if I were to do extensive towing, I would go to the diesel engine.

 

[JerryE]

The truck is fine, but the engine will strain. I tow a very heavy R25 (generator, 2hp honda, gear-junk) plus three spare tires. I feel the same about spare tires

as CaptD used to feel about anchors (click on the photo and count them!):


I think one is hidden, he usually has five up front and ready to go. Anyway, I pull everything with an F350 with a V-8 6+ liter gas engine and it does strain at times. I may leave the Tow/Haul automatic under drive button pushed in until she's up to around 55. Then you can revert to standard drive. I would not advise going great distances (say over 5-10 hours) or into the mountains without a diesel engine. If you don't have an 8' bed, extended cab, 4x4 you'll be hauling a little less weight making it go better. I don't have any sway problems, nor does anyone I know with an F250 or 2500– which would be the ideal truck. Oh yeah, I run around 5 mpg. If you can afford the diesel...

 

[j&lgray]

We have towed the Laurie Ann for 5 years and over 5,000 miles; cross country, Canada and Lake Powell. Based on our experience and knowledge of tow vehicles, your truck is perfect for the R-25. Don't add anything else to the tow setup until experience tells you otherwise.

 

[colleysails]

While I'd prefer a diesel, I pull my '09 R25 with an '08 Toyota Tundra 4x4, 5.7L gas engine. It's a hefty truck w/ a 10.3K towing capacity and after pulling the boat several thousand miles I've been satisfied. Just returned from a month on the Chesapeake, and I've pulled the boat to St Johns River in FL, as well as a few shorter trips to TN. Truck normally gets 18 mpg; drops to 10 mpg towing the tug. I also use the tow/haul mode.

 

[GulfSailor]

In relation to this discussion, it would be interesting to know what an R25 on its trailer actually weighs.
Has anyone put one on a scale?

 

[captain's cat]

I searched on "R25 AND weight" and came up with several references to "over 11,000#" but no actual scale weights. So much depends on what is on the boat that the actual weight of a particular boat may not mean much.

Charlie

 

[GulfSailor]

I searched on "R25 AND weight" and came up with several references to "over 11,000#" but no actual scale weights. So much depends on what is on the boat that the actual weight of a particular boat may not mean much.

Charlie

Thanks. I would have guessed at at least 10K lbs, so for the sake of argument lets assume that it weighs exactly 10K lbs.

The original poster has a truck that will safely tow 7.5K lbs on the standard weight bearing hitch, and 10K lbs if a weight distribution hitch is fitted.

Let me emphasize that; it is required on that particular vehicle that a weight distribution hitch be fitted if it is to be rated to tow 10K lbs according to the original poster.

I won't repeat the explanation in my first post of how it works, but I will point out that a WD hitch isn't some kind of fancy accessory. It's a device recognized and specified by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the full towing capacity of certain vehicles, and widely used by RV'ers and commercial haulers. It only appears to be the boating community that doesn't seem to understand.

Towing 10K lbs on a hitch which rates the vehicle at 7.5K lbs exposes you to potential liability should you be unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident.

I'm at a loss to understand the advice given to this poster that he should ignore what is required to give his vehicle the correct towing capacity for his boat and trailer.
It's one thing to individually ignore those requirements, completely another to advise someone else to do so.

And for those who say that the majority of WD hitches don't work with surge brakes, the correct solution is to change the surge brakes for a style that is compatible, not to say "don't waste you money" or to imply something that's required can be ignored.

I apologize for the rant, but I've seen too much tragedy arise from the "If it aint broke don't fix it" way of thinking.

 

[JamesTXSD]

We have towed using a weight distributing hitch - it adds a few moments of time to hook up process, makes the trailer tow better (less sway), and is easier on the equipment with the weight spread across the frame rather than all on the back of the vehicle. I don't see a downside to that.

We did convert our boat trailer from surge brakes to electric over hydraulic - a BIG improvement in the towing, the stopping, and the ride. None of the "chunk-chunk" as the surge brakes engage and release, and no smoking trailer brakes when going down long declines. Our boat weighs less than an R-25, and is 8,700 pounds on the trailer, with much of our cruising gear in the bed of the truck.

To get to the original poster's question, our neighbor has an R-25 that he tows with a 2500HD gas engine, and has towed the boat all over (we've crossed paths with them in Texas, New York, and Wyoming while trailering). Take your time, utilize the best safety equipment (like a WD hitch), and see how the set-up works. We all have different tolerances. We bought a diesel pick-up after ordering our boat, knowing it would be a good match for the load.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[GulfSailor]

We have towed using a weight distributing hitch - it adds a few moments of time to hook up process, makes the trailer tow better (less sway), and is easier on the equipment with the weight spread across the frame rather than all on the back of the vehicle. I don't see a downside to that.

We did convert our boat trailer from surge brakes to electric over hydraulic - a BIG improvement in the towing, the stopping, and the ride. None of the "chunk-chunk" as the surge brakes engage and release, and no smoking trailer brakes when going down long declines. Our boat weighs less than an R-25, and is 8,700 pounds on the trailer, with much of our cruising gear in the bed of the truck.

To get to the original poster's question, our neighbor has an R-25 that he tows with a 2500HD gas engine, and has towed the boat all over (we've crossed paths with them in Texas, New York, and Wyoming while trailering). Take your time, utilize the best safety equipment (like a WD hitch), and see how the set-up works. We all have different tolerances. We bought a diesel pick-up after ordering our boat, knowing it would be a good match for the load.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

Thanks Jim, I was beginning to feel like a voice in the wilderness in regard to a WD hitch being desirable, as well as an essential piece of equipment to meet the weight requirement. 🙁

The difference between surge and electric over hydraulic brakes is huge, as you pointed out; it really has to be experienced to be believed. It adds hugely both to the rig safety and to the relaxation of the driver.

As I said in my original post, I thought the poster would be fine towing with his 2003 Chevrolet 2500 HD 4x4 with a 6.2L V8 gas engine as long as it was properly equipped. The only downside would be the fuel bills. A diesel would be better, but short term, paying the extra gas bills would probably be cheaper than trading in the truck.