Yet another tow vehicle thread...

Just a comment, if you're buying a Ford. Went from a 2008 F-350 to a 2011 F-250, both diesels and short box crew cabs, and had a 50% increase in fuel economy, more power and a better ride. So, if you buy used, keep that in mind.
 
Thanks for all of the thoughts, folks. Hadn't found that etrailer.com site before, thanks for that. And for the comparison on the older vs newer diesel models. Still mulling things over in my little pea brain.

For my own situation, the worst part of my drive is the first mile leaving and returning. My driveway is about 100ft at a 20 percent grade with a ninety degree bend. And no room to turn around at the top. Then the first mile of road averages about 13 percent (700ft elevation change). Another net 800ft down over the next five miles of rolling hills then it's flat the rest of the 50 miles to the ramp. We've got a nice view but it stinks as a place to park a boat 😀

For the tow vehicle I'm back and forth between a diesel beater truck just for towing that I can afford to let sit 99 percent of the time or sell my 2012 SUV (which I absolutely love) and get a truck that I drive full time. I guess I'm not the first guy in the world faced with this dilemma. As far as usage, we typically launch about half a dozen times a year(summer is short in AK) with one of those trips being about 450mi RT. We have no plans of ever dragging the boat south.

It'll all work out in the end. 🙂
 
Having transitioned from a 22 foot C-Dory to an R-27 I found it easy for trailering and definitely luxurious for cruising. Just a thought though, you may want to try a dry run to your house without the boat on the trailer. This way you can figure out the logistics of getting it up your driveway without having to deal with the boat being on it. Especially since you say you have a 90 degree turn on the way up. A buddy of mine actually added a hitch to the front of his truck and it really helped him getting his boat up a difficult driveway.
 
To amplify one of the OP questions:
Yes, I use my truck as my daily drive.
And being a hayseed hick farmer I have a question: doesn't everyone?

Now, I will admit there is a fair percentage of half ton pickups driven around here. But, the cattle farmers to a man, drive a 2500 or a 3500 or even a 4500 because they are constantly pulling a loaded cattle trailer which is a load well beyond our boats.
A 1500 will do a fair amount of work such as ten or fifteen sacks of seed corn. but when you need to move a load you need the suspension and brakes for the job.
I hauled totes of seed soybeans this spring with my 2500HD truck. Each tote was in the 2400 pound range. The tote did make the truck squat a bit when the fork truck set the tote in the bed - first time since I have owned it that it actually squatted under a load.
Look in my photo album (LEVITATION) and see the truck with the trailer and boat. With a weighed 940 pounds on the tongue of the trailer the truck sits level. This makes going down the road effortless. You cannot do that with a half ton.

To voice an opinion, I would likely tell you to get a beater truck to move the boat and drive your SUV for the daily runs.
If you have a dog leg in the drive then listen to Mikes suggestion of a hitch on the front.
 
knotflying":grusmtms said:
...you may want to try a dry run to your house without the boat on the trailer. This way you can figure out the logistics of getting it up your driveway without having to deal with the boat being on it. Especially since you say you have a 90 degree turn on the way up. A buddy of mine actually added a hitch to the front of his truck and it really helped him getting his boat up a difficult driveway.
Click to expand...
I thought about the front hitch option with my existing rig and the C-Dory. But backing has never been an issue for me. Also to clarify the whole length of the driveway is a sweeping 90 degree curve so it's not that tough to maneuver. The highest potential for problems with the bigger boat is losing traction. The drive is paved but I live on a gravel road. Obviously the boat starts up the incline while the truck is still on the road. If it starts to spin before two wheels get on the pavement the party is over. That could be one advantage of a front hitch if the overhang is less than a rear hitch. Any ideas whether traction in general is better worse with a front hitch? Plus I've never seen any kind of published information regarding tongue load on front versus rear.

Levitation":grusmtms said:
...Now, I will admit there is a fair percentage of half ton pickups driven around here...
Click to expand...
I thought all farmers only drive the biggest pickups made and that the only argument is brand.
 
I would assume if you are using 4w drive, traction should not be an issue. As far as weight on a front hitch, since you are only using it to position the boat I don't see that being an issue.
 
Look for a 3/4 ton, 4wd truck with a plow package and it will have a higher capacity front axle. They are common as this is the most popular truck used for snow plowing. With the plow package, my Chevy 2500HD 4x4 diesel has a max gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lbs....standard is 9,200' plus 800 additional on the front.

Phil
 
PhilR":1cyo58af said:
Look for a 3/4 ton, 4wd truck with a plow package and it will have a higher capacity front axle. They are common as this is the most popular truck used for snow plowing. With the plow package, my Chevy 2500HD 4x4 diesel has a max gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lbs....standard is 9,200' plus 800 additional on the front.

Phil
Click to expand...
Thanks, Phil. Shouldn't be a problem finding one rigged like that up here.
 
I run a 2006 Chev Duramax, six speed Allison, full Banks Six Gun programmer, Banks Brake, exhaust, air box and an Air Dog lift pump. I run Hankook 285x75x16 tires, rated at 3750 per tire with air bags. Besides the R-27 I pull a Montana 3400 RL rated at 15,500 lbs. For the boat I have a 21/2" receiver. The truck does not even know the boat is there, and barely the big trailer. But the key for me has been not only the power of the diesel..for hills, merging or passing, but the diesel handles the wind soo much better because of the torque. Granted I run in level three at about 425 hp and 800 + ft lbs of torque, but the Banks brake as part of the programmer with the veriable vain turbo cuts the stopping distance almost in half. If one can find a good 00 or 07 Chev or GMC they are the best with the six speed Allison and few emissions, and can be programmed for power. The 04 and 05 Dodges with the Cummins are strong, but the tranny just doesn't match the Allison.
The Fords of the era had too many tranny problems. The new Rams are a real buy and it looks like Ford will finall get the turbo right for '15. Its all fun.

Has anyone cupped the prop on their R-27 Volvo diesel set up? Mine pulls 4180 rpm, which means either the wrong pitch or I have a strong mill.

Robert
 
I appreciate all of the input that everyone has provided. I've pretty well settled on a 3/4 ton truck. Likely either Ford or Chevy/GMC. I sold my SUV so the beater/boat hauler idea is out and I need a full time ride. Based on my driving habits and what I understand about the newer diesels with emission controls, it's either pick up an older, pre-EPA diesel or go with gas. At least that's narrowed down now I just have to find one. Thanks again for all the information.
 
Finally found my tow rig so I can bring my boat home soon 🙂 Ended up with a gas powered F-250. No doubt when towing I'll miss the power a diesel would have provided but that's a fraction of the oveall use of the truck.

By the way, when researching all of this stuff, one runs across some interesting tidbits. For example:
Boatdreamer":2dafbj47 said:
... Deep in the Ford towing manual for the F-150 you'll find a limit on the truck and trailer sq ft you can tow. It's 60 sq ft total and the truck uses 36 of those. I'm sure a Ranger Tug is more than the remaining 24 sq ft.
Click to expand...
FYI, Ford places the same 60 sq ft limitation on the F-250/350. So anyone intending to abide by the manufacturers limits is likely not doing so if towing any of the Ranger boats or any type of travel trailer other than a pop-up :shock:

What's a guy to do...?
 
good point on the frontal area, but the 2014 Ford Fleet towing guide,
http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/14FLRVTTgde_Sep9.pdf
on page 13 has this language as a qualifier, not an absolute limit:

"Exceeding these limitations
may significantly reduce
the performance of your
towing vehicle. Selecting
a trailer with a low-drag,
rounded front design will
help optimize performance
and fuel economy."

We've towed our 27 across a fair number of miles and haven't noticed any performance drop due to frontal area. I think the hull design is pretty streamlined, and a camper top seems to help the airflow.
 
Crewdog":kmgdsyym said:
good point on the frontal area, but the 2014 Ford Fleet towing guide,
http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/14FLRVTTgde_Sep9.pdf
on page 13 has this language as a qualifier, not an absolute limit...
Click to expand...
The F-150 towing guide contains the same qualifying statement but is was brought up as an indictment against that vehicle. It seems like the half-ton pickup drivers get (unfairly) treated rather roughly in these discussions 😉
 
Let us know down the road how towing with the gas engine works our for you.
 
Levitation":30nxzooo said:
Let us know down the road how towing with the gas engine works our for you.
Click to expand...
Still haven't towed the R25 yet but did drag the C-Dory 620 miles RT of which only about 40 mi. were flat. Only about half the load of what the R25 will be but can already see how much different this big truck is relative to towing with a Jeep or my old XTerra. A good portion of the route I just towed over is pretty rough frost damaged road. With the other vehicles I would have had to slow down to 45mph for control reasons. With the truck I could hardly tell there was a load back there. Only concern was for the boat/trailer on particularly nasty stretches.

Uphill performance is pretty poor. I can't say it's any better than with the 265hp straight six Jeep. But this isn't the route I'll pull with the R25 so don't really care. And backing the boat up the steep driveway was much easier than with the smaller rigs. I'll be adding the front hitch in a couple of weeks and will give the R25 a go at the driveway.

Overall average mpg for the trip was 11.2. Without a load I'm getting about 13 around town and 18 highway.
 
OK. 11 is in the ball park and is what I see the Duramax average over a 3000 mile pull with the R25 going to Florida and back.
 
I'm sorry to continue this conversation further but I noticed that all the respondents have 25's or 27's. We just bought the R-31 (command bridge) and are looking for any experience other R-31 drivers have, especially in the mountains, as we live in Colorado.
My husband is leaning towards the Ram 3500 cummins/diesel. Any thoughts or comments are appreciated.
Thank you, Karen
 
That is the right choice in my book . No hills here in Fl, but that engine brake and Aisin heavy duty trans with 850 foot Lbs torque combo is what I have and it is the best towing [ and especially stopping] truck I have ever owned . Longbed and dually 2013 Ram .I tow the 31s fairly regularly .
Marc
 
I'd love to see a pic of the R31 and tow rig to get a sense of the size.
 
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