?Towing with a Toyota?

[Hank Schneider]

Hello TN's
Anybody using an older (~2004) Tundra 4X4 -access cab to tow a Ranger? I think it has a 4.7 v-8. I have been towing my CC23 with a shortbed F-150 which has a larger engine. There is a nice truck here in town - I'm trying to sell my CC23 and upgrade to a tug - wouldn't want to have a tow vehicle that was not a good match.
What do you guys/gals use or recommend?

Thanks
Hank

 

[Levitation]

The tow weight on the Ranger will 'likely' exceed the rated tow capability of the Tundra...
The brakes and suspension on the Tundra are not likely to survive the need to lock up the brakes and swerve to avoid some whacko cutting you off...
And that little V8 gas engine will think it died and went to hell...

Now having said that, if all you are doing is towing a short distance a few times a year then your Tundra will do the job... Go slow... Be safe....

If you want to tour, then buy a used diesel 3/4 ton truck... An old, semi beater, will do the job nicely for the frugal...

 

[Hank Schneider]

Hey Levitation
Any guess on tow weight of a 25? Thanks

 

[Stella Maris]

Solitude weighed in at 9900 pounds dry weight (boat and trailer) This include a half tank of fuel, no water, no waste, no gear. I was on the way home from the factory and took it across a truck scale.

I completly disconected it from the truck placing the entire weight of boat and trailer on the scale. I pulled the truck forward off of the scale while the scale operator took the reading. I do have the weight certificate if anyone would care to see it.

Loaded for cruising I would guess it would come in aroung 11,000 pounds. One of these days I will run it across a scale loaded. Maybe on the way to Seattle!

 

[Hank Schneider]

First I need a bigger boat now I need a bigger tow??
Hank

 

[Stella Maris]

B . Break
O. Out
A. Another
T. Thousand
:shock:

 

[captain's cat]

First I need a bigger boat now I need a bigger tow??
Hank

Hank, you have broken the code!! :shock: :roll: :lol:

 

[Levitation]

The biggest need in towing is not the engine capacity - it is suspension, brakes, and transmission... The engine size is the very last thing to be considered...
The R-25 on a trailer is a real load and will test the ability of the tow vehicle to keep things from going off into the weeds (or worse) when having to hit the brakes while in a downhill curve on a rough surface... A three quarter ton truck is the minimum for hauling an R-25 for anything other than a short run on flat ground... Even then the it needs sway bars and a weight distribution hitch to give good handling characteristics...

 

[Stella Maris]

The other thing you must remember is when you are backing down a ramp. If the boat and trailer are considerably heavier than the tow vehicle, this can become a nightmare dragging you and your truck down the ramp out of control.

We once owned a Catalina 22. We towed it with a Chevy S10 Blazer. Did great going down the highway, up and down the hills and then one day I was launching it at Lake Shasta. I started down the ramp and the next thing I knew, the front end was locked up and we were still headed for the water. The good news was, we were moving slow enough that once the boat floated, the Blazer stopped. If you stop and think of everything that could have happened though this could have been very ugly!

Don't under buy on your tow vehicle.... It could and will cost you a lot more in the long run.

(Don't get me wrong, I love Toyota's, have owned a number of them, just would not tow this vessel with anyone of them. Only my opinion)

 

[bluebayou]

Hank,
I concur that the true weight of a "loaded" R-25 approximates 11,000 pounds, including the trailer itself.
For my purposes, I insisted on a safety margin (i.e., brakes, transmission, suspension and frame) beyond that.
Not only a 3/4 Ton pickup, but I bought a Ford F-350, which packs more weight than the F-250.
With the new diesel engine, it purrs, and emits no pollution, to speak of. Of course, it's pricey.
Oops ! I just happen to have one for sale, as soon as I sell my boat trailer for $3000. (See: Forum Index: Ranger Tugs for Sale. My trailer, today, is listed at $3000. on this website, but, for an extra $37,000. dollars, I'll throw int he pickup. Check my website for action photos of the trailer and pickup:
www.cruisebluebayou.com
Sorry, folks, the R-25 is already sold-----3 weeks after listing it with a Ranger Tug distributor.
Charles

 

[Stella Maris]

One more comment on towing with an undersized vehicle.... You can always get the tow vehicle and load moving, but will the tow vehicle have the ability to stop it? Catalina Yacht sales uses this little tow vehicle to move the boats around in the yard, wouldn't want to use it to launch it though......

 

[bluebayou]

No Matter what you push or pull your R-25 with, on land, no matter how far or close you travel on land, you've gotta have a boat trailer with wheels. If you don't, mine's available. I just reduced the price to $2500, or one-third of what it cost me just one year ago. See the Index and For Sale by Owner posting for more details.
Charles
ctk787@gmail.com