TomCat/What's the actual weight of the 24 or 255?

[GxK]

Have any TomCat 24 or TomCat 255 owners weighed their boat and trailer?

I'm starting to think truck and would love to know what our boats weigh in the real world.

--Georgs

[drjohn71a]

I think the 24 is lighter than the TC 255. I have a Ford 250 Super Duty 4 door which tows the TomCat OK, but it will groan if you try to maintain speed on steep hills.

Most TC 255 owners think a 1 ton is the best. My 250 Super Duty is rated for 13,500 pounds and I think the loaded boat, engines and trailer run about 11,000 pounds, so the actual rating of a truck may still mean slowing on hills, etc.. Having said that, if you are not in a hurry, nor frequently doing thousand mile trips, a 3/4 ton does well. I take mine from Wichita, KS, to Houston, TX with no problems and that's about 700 miles.

I got the 250 (3/4) ton because MOST OF THE TIME, I do not need a 1 ton, so could not see wasting all the extra fuel for the many more miles it was used without a boat behind it. I have now purchased a small economy car for most running around and a 1 ton might make more sense now, since I would use it only for towing.

So, it depends on your situation. If you have an economical car or small pickup for general use, now is a good time to get a good deal on a 1 ton which would mainly be used for towing. Those 1 tons of all major makes hold up well, so a bargain on a used model would probably work well.

The TC 24 is shorter, smaller and lighter, so I'd guess a 3/4 ton ought to work OK there also. If you're thinking of a small camper on the pickup, a one ton would be better to handle the extended hitch.

John

[thataway]

We tow our Tom Cat 255 with an Ford Excursion (diesel), with tow package. This is somewhere between a 3/4 and one ton vehicle with the modifications we put in. It is "adequate", but if I was getting a truck specificially, I would buy a one ton.

The weight on the trailer is at least 10,000 lbs. Mine is on an aluminum trailer, and on the scale weight was 10,500, with minimal fuel, and moderate gear. The trailer weight is listed at 1200 lbs--consider that a steel trailer will weigh at least 500 lbs more.

A neighbor has a TC 24 and he felt that the 1/2 ton he towed it with once, was too light duty--and would recommend a 3/4 ton for regular towing.

[Bad Boy]

I have not yet weighed my 255C Tomcat on trailer at the scales yet, but I am guessing between 10,000-11,000 lbs based on comparing with my previous big boats, one at 8,500 and the largest at 13,500 lbs.

All my trucks were Ford Diesels. Started with a 1-ton, dually, long bed crew cab. Once I switched to electric over hydraulic braking, I felt I did not need the dually or 1-ton capacity. Surge brake actuators require you have a more rigid suspension. In 2002, I purchased a Ford F250 diesel crew cab and it works fine and I see no problems, as long as you use a trailer with electric over hydraulic brake actuator.

In my opinion, I would not purchase a 1-ton. The horsepower of your engines and the strength of a good transmission is all you need. You can use air bags under your rear suspension if you feel a need to keep your truck bed level from the tongue weight of your boat trailer. The use of air bags will allow you to deflate them when not hauling and your 3/4 ton suspension and will be much more pleasant to drive around when empty than a 1-ton.

[thataway]

One other item to consider is that the "rating" for most trucks in max capacity towing is with a weight distribution hitch. I have used one for about 2500 miles of towing this summer, and am sold. It made towing much easier, as well as handling. Agree with the electric over hydraulic, but that alone should not make the difference between a one ton and 3/4 ton truck.

I do not have electric over hydraulic on the CD 25, and rarely used my brakes on the mountain grades of the West. The key is using engine compression on the down grades.

[SENSEI]

the one thing I have not heard yet is stopping power. a 1 ton will have bigger brake rotors and larger calipers. I would really think about it before going to a 3/4 ton just to save a gallon or two.

[Dreamer]

Guys,

In the Ford lineup, which is the only one I was involved with for some 20 years, the only difference between a F-250 and a F-350 with single rear wheels is a set of helper springs that carry more load in the bed when fully loaded. The brakes, springs, shocks, engine, trans, etc. etc. are all the same. If the tongue weight is too heavy, a load equalizing hitch takes care of that plus it decreases sway.

Any of the three big three diesel 3/4 ton trucks will handle the TomCat.

[drjohn71a]

Yes, Roger, that is what I understood when I bought my 250 Super Duty - that the frame, etc., is pretty much identical. I have no plans for trading up to a one ton, but thought prospective buyers ought to know that you cannot tow a 11,000 plus pound boat behind a 3/4 ton without going a bit slower on hills and acceleration.

I forgot to add that I think the Electric over Hydraulic Brake System is a fantastic aid in towing at all speeds, from reversing to coming down hills, etc., and of course, the Ford 250's have the brake controllers built into the dash so you can feather out the brake action and fine tune it with a digital readout. Also, it warns you if the trailer light/brake connection is faulty. That has happened to me twice over the years and it is really nice to have the dash readout tell you at the exact time it happens.

I have felt no need for the weight distributing hitch on my Ford 250 Crew Cab. The boat's tongue weight does not effect the truck much as is.

John

[GxK]

Thanks very much, everyone, for recommendations about trucks. They will be useful down the pike.

My question was merely about weight of the TomCat.

I'm surprised that only Bob Austin--That figures, doesn't it?--has actually weighed his TomCat. As he reported: "Mine is on an aluminum trailer, and on the scale weight was 10,500, with minimal fuel, and moderate gear. The trailer weight is listed at 1,200 lbs--consider that a steel trailer will weigh at least 500 lbs more. "

So, his TomCat 255, with minimal fuel and moderate gear, weighs 9,300 lb.

I wonder how much lighter my TomCat 24 is?

--Georgs