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Will my truck pull it?
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pcg



Joined: 31 Aug 2018
Posts: 405
City/Region: Sherwood
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Quest
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sea Wolf wrote:

You owe it to yourself to try an emergency stop or two with your boat & trailer combo

Good advice!

When I picked up my boat on the east coast, while waiting for a new trailer to be built, I put new ceramic disk brake pads on my truck. They were more $, but the parts store guy convinced me they were worth it because they wore so well. What he didn't tell me was that ceramic brake pads do not grip as aggressively as regular brake pads.

Everything was fine for over 3,000 miles of towing until I was just 20 miles from home and had to do an emergency stop in heavy traffic. I was able to stop soon enough, but was alarmed that even when applying all the pressure to the pedal that I could muster, I could not lock up the wheels and activate the anti-lock system.

So, yes, the above advice is spot on.

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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
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City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The payload Capacity for this Truck is1535 lbs. Gross Vehicle Weight for Truck is 5150 lbs. With a tow capacity this means that the gross vehicle combined capacity would be 9150 lbs. The tongue weight (8 to 10% of the trailer weight) is put on the truck--So you have to add that to the truck weight. (320 to over 450 lbs) Add weight of driver--and this is decreased by another 150 to 250 lbs.. Gear etc in the truck--all decrease capacity. If the boat on trailer weight is closer to 4500# (which I think is the minimum--depending on trailer) you are getting pretty close to total capacity..

I agree with those who feel braking is the biggest issue. Florida law requires brakes on all axels. It is imperative that the brakes are working at peak performance.

Although it is "flat" between Florida and Md--there are some hills (depending on which freeway is taken--including some high bridges over bays, rivers etc). Towing on I 75 or I 95 can be rather hairy--there can be heavy traffic, accidents and sudden stops. I have noted that towing the C Dory 22 with brakes on both axels, with the Yukon (rated for 8,000 #) and a much heavier vehicle than the Colorado these sudden freeway stops can be nail biters...In any case the C Dory 22 on the trailer will weigh more than your truck (which weight is 3650#)

If I were trying it--and not sure I would--I would tow at no more than 55 mph.

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Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
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tomherrick
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a Tacoma I believe was rated to pull 6,500 lbs. Starting and stopping seemed fine, but on the interstate I once encountered a strong side wind. The boat catching the wind was pushed around making it hard to control the truck and stay in the lane. The weight of the truck was, in my opinion, way too light and it was a white-knuckled drive to and from the lake that day. I sold the Tacoma a few weeks later and got a used F250 diesel 4x4 adding over 3,000 lbs. to the weight of the towing vehicle.
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DavidM



Joined: 24 Dec 2017
Posts: 196
City/Region: Punta Gorda
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tomherrick wrote:
I had a Tacoma I believe was rated to pull 6,500 lbs. Starting and stopping seemed fine, but on the interstate I once encountered a strong side wind. The boat catching the wind was pushed around making it hard to control the truck and stay in the lane. The weight of the truck was, in my opinion, way too light and it was a white-knuckled drive to and from the lake that day. I sold the Tacoma a few weeks later and got a used F250 diesel 4x4 adding over 3,000 lbs. to the weight of the towing vehicle.


That is a good point. When the weight of the TV approaches the weight of the trailer, which it did in your case, stability issues result.

These can be minimized as they are in 18 wheelers with a very stiff suspension, but your Tacoma wasn't stiff enough. And you wouldn't like how the Tacoma drives alone if it somehow were stiff enough.

Safety in towing is dependent on a lot of factors: braking, wheelbase, relative weight of TV and trailer, suspension stiffness, drive train robustness, engine power and displacement. All of these come together to make for the manufacturer's recommended tow rating.

It sounds to me that Toyota was pushing the limit with your Tacoma's 6,500 lb rating.

David
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Sea Wolf



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've not done this myself, but a friend of mine added several 100-lb sacks of sand toward the rear of his van when he 1.) towed a heavy loaded boat, 2.) in windy conditions, 3.) or when he needed extra traction on the ramp, etc.

As long as it doesn't make the towing vehicle under powered or overloaded suspension wise, this seems like a legitimate way to "beef up" your towing vehicle.

You'd have to do some experimentation with different amounts of added weights to get it right for each tow vehicle and towed vehicle combination.

Worth a a try, at least. (IMHO)

Joe. Teeth Thumbs Up

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"Most of my money I spent on boats and women. The rest I squandered'. " -Annonymous
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hardee



Joined: 30 Oct 2006
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City/Region: Sequim
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sea Wolf wrote:
I've not done this myself, but a friend of mine added several 100-lb sacks of sand toward the rear of his van when he 1.) towed a heavy loaded boat, 2.) in windy conditions, 3.) or when he needed extra traction on the ramp, etc.

As long as it doesn't make the towing vehicle under powered or overloaded suspension wise, this seems like a legitimate way to "beef up" your towing vehicle.

You'd have to do some experimentation with different amounts of added weights to get it right for each tow vehicle and towed vehicle combination.

Worth a a try, at least. (IMHO)

Joe. Teeth Thumbs Up


Joe, That is a good option and I have used that a few times. One thing to note, If you are adding weight (like that), smaller sacks are easier to move (50#) AND they should be placed forward of the rear axle in the towing vehicle. That weigh the weight transfer includes some poundage onto the front axle. Adding it behind increases the weight on the rear but also adds to the trailer/tongue weight and decreases the weight on the front, (steering) axle.

Harvey
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covalbro



Joined: 03 Apr 2017
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City/Region: Olympia
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ssobol wrote:
I bought my van for towing boats. The boat I had before the CD22 was smaller and lighter. However, I have had the 22 for 6 years now. Any towing in the that time has been with the van. In the 50K miles or so that I've had the van, I have not had to replace the brake pads. They get inspected every year by the state and have only at the last inspection (yesterday) was it mentioned that the pads are down to about 25% remaining.

My trailer has brakes.

I only mention this because it would seem that towing my boat with my van does not seem to put abnormal load (and thus wear) on the vehicle brakes.


Just curious what van you have and if the trailer has electric or kinetic brakes. Asking because I'm looking at wiring a hitch harness on my Sprinter 2500 which is rated to tow 5000, but not sure if its necessary to add a electric brake controller. From what I'm seeing the tandem axel trailers we are looking at can have either brake type--and the harness for the controller is going to set me back quite a bit!

Thanks for the insight!
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colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
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City/Region: Madison
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many folks just stick with the Surge Brakes. However, electric, or electric over hydraulic will give you a much better/safer brake system. I run straight electric on my trailer, but most of my boating is in fresh water. When I do dunk the trailer in salt, I give the brakes a good fresh water rinse down. ( I fabricated/installed a system that I can just hook a garden hose to.) If your van comes with a towing package, the wiring harness may already be there. If you will be a doing a lot of towing, the electric or EOH brakes are worth the price of installing the brake controller wiring harness. Colby
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Chester



Joined: 04 Sep 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My 22 has a single axle but I can tell you I am pleased with the disc surge brake system it now has. Never going back to the troublesome drum brakes, ever.
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