Need Towing Advice
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New User
Joined: Jun 2003
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Need Towing Advice
Hi all,
New member here, first post.
Looking at a couple different boats for fishing, either of which will require a bigger tow vehicle. For now lets just consider the bigger boat.
Boat weight dry 8500lbs. I figure by the time its loaded up and on the trailer my tow weight will be about 12k. Will be making 3-6 trips per year about 500 miles round trip each. No mountians, some hills.
My question is: Am I out of my mind? How would you configure a truck for this? Maybe I should just get the lighter boat
--Mike
New member here, first post.
Looking at a couple different boats for fishing, either of which will require a bigger tow vehicle. For now lets just consider the bigger boat.
Boat weight dry 8500lbs. I figure by the time its loaded up and on the trailer my tow weight will be about 12k. Will be making 3-6 trips per year about 500 miles round trip each. No mountians, some hills.
My question is: Am I out of my mind? How would you configure a truck for this? Maybe I should just get the lighter boat
--Mike
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 133
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From: Kansas City, MO.
Need Towing Advice
First off welcome to FTE...
Secondly 12k is a large load but not too entirely heavy. On a flat run you should have no problem pulling it with a bigger ford. You real concern would be control and stopping power. Heck I bet you could even pull it with a straight six. Not very fast but you could. The biggest concern would be temp. Make sure you run a trans cooler and probably wouldn't hurt to beef up you engine cooling system. I would say either a 460 or diesel would be your best bet. You could try a 351 but may need to beef it a bit. If it helps any I pull a 6500lb boat fully stocked with my 86 302. And it is near stock. Just keep it out of overdrive and take you sweet time going. These setups don't stop on a dime. Better than a freight train thou. Once everyone gets woke up you will get a lot of responces from the others here. We all run numerous setups.
Again welcome to the site.
Secondly 12k is a large load but not too entirely heavy. On a flat run you should have no problem pulling it with a bigger ford. You real concern would be control and stopping power. Heck I bet you could even pull it with a straight six. Not very fast but you could. The biggest concern would be temp. Make sure you run a trans cooler and probably wouldn't hurt to beef up you engine cooling system. I would say either a 460 or diesel would be your best bet. You could try a 351 but may need to beef it a bit. If it helps any I pull a 6500lb boat fully stocked with my 86 302. And it is near stock. Just keep it out of overdrive and take you sweet time going. These setups don't stop on a dime. Better than a freight train thou. Once everyone gets woke up you will get a lot of responces from the others here. We all run numerous setups.
Again welcome to the site.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,297
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From: Billings MT
Need Towing Advice
All I can say is gears, gears, gears.
Oh, and brakes, brakes, brakes.
A F250 or F350 will do fine with that. The F150 brakes are too small. The trailer will have hydraulic surge brakes and annoy the living daylights out of you going downhill but you need the best brakes you can get on the tow vehicle.
It will be easier work for a 460 or powerstroke, like Omen said. As for the gearing, I would recommend 4.10's. I wouldn't go any higher than 3.73 or so. If you drop to 3.55 you'll be over working the engine. The 5.8L will actually get worse mileage than the 460 in the application and you will be abusing your truck. The 'stroker will get maybe 2-3 mpg more than a 460.
Oh, and brakes, brakes, brakes.
A F250 or F350 will do fine with that. The F150 brakes are too small. The trailer will have hydraulic surge brakes and annoy the living daylights out of you going downhill but you need the best brakes you can get on the tow vehicle.
It will be easier work for a 460 or powerstroke, like Omen said. As for the gearing, I would recommend 4.10's. I wouldn't go any higher than 3.73 or so. If you drop to 3.55 you'll be over working the engine. The 5.8L will actually get worse mileage than the 460 in the application and you will be abusing your truck. The 'stroker will get maybe 2-3 mpg more than a 460.
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Need Towing Advice
Thanks guys.
Think an F250 with V10 and 4.30 gears would work? Seems like its right at the limit.
And how much wiggle room do you have based on the numbers in the Ford brochures? By that I mean if the truck/engine/trans/axle combo is rated at 12500, and you are just under the limit are you pushing it or is there some intentional underrating going on? On the other hand, if its rated at 12500, is it better to limit yourself to 10k?
--Mike
Think an F250 with V10 and 4.30 gears would work? Seems like its right at the limit.
And how much wiggle room do you have based on the numbers in the Ford brochures? By that I mean if the truck/engine/trans/axle combo is rated at 12500, and you are just under the limit are you pushing it or is there some intentional underrating going on? On the other hand, if its rated at 12500, is it better to limit yourself to 10k?
--Mike
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 185
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From: Centeral Alabama
Need Towing Advice
I have a 03 250 with the V 10 and the 430 gears I thank the truck will pull your boat. The brakes are better than a 150. But you will still need to depend on the trailer brakes. If it is poss on your boat trailer get the electric brakes not the surge brakes. Had them on my 22', and they bug me to death. Not smooth, and I like having the controler at hamd. Good luck
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,297
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From: Billings MT
Need Towing Advice
I think you will be hard pressed to find electric brakes on a boat. Just think about it, electricity, water...not a good idea. You can't make a drum brake water tight, and I haven't seen electric disk brakes yet.
One of these may exist, but I haven't seen one yet.
If anyone knows where to get electric brakes for a boat, please let me know. I know someone that needs them badly.
One of these may exist, but I haven't seen one yet.
If anyone knows where to get electric brakes for a boat, please let me know. I know someone that needs them badly.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
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Need Towing Advice
Coho:
Always get the biggest boat you can. This helps delay 3 footiitis.
As far as your total weight on the boat and trailer. First get an aluminum trailer. It will cut 1000 -1500 lbs out of the equation. Even with the aluminum trailer you will still be very close to your max weight as the 12.5k rating is with a regular cab, standard box an empty truck, no passengers and a 150lb driver. If you have the crewcab, passengers and gear that all gets subtracted from your max rating. Also, the weight you see in boat brochures is the dry weight, add 200 gals of fuel, 50 gals of fresh water, a couple cases of your favorite beverage, water toys, etc.... and your boat will be 1500 -2000 lbs heavier than advertised. Before you take delivery, have the dealer drive the rig to a public scale to see how much it really weighs. Get a tongue weight as well. If your over 500lbs, you'll need to get a w/d hitch.
Fulton now has sealed electric brakes and Carlisle makes an electric over hydraulic system. When I had my aluminum triple axle trailer built, Ausco was also making electric over hydrualic brakes and I had them added as an option on the trailer. I love them, and would never go back to a large boat trailer with surge brakes. Both setups are controilled from the cab with an electric brake controller.
Always get the biggest boat you can. This helps delay 3 footiitis.
As far as your total weight on the boat and trailer. First get an aluminum trailer. It will cut 1000 -1500 lbs out of the equation. Even with the aluminum trailer you will still be very close to your max weight as the 12.5k rating is with a regular cab, standard box an empty truck, no passengers and a 150lb driver. If you have the crewcab, passengers and gear that all gets subtracted from your max rating. Also, the weight you see in boat brochures is the dry weight, add 200 gals of fuel, 50 gals of fresh water, a couple cases of your favorite beverage, water toys, etc.... and your boat will be 1500 -2000 lbs heavier than advertised. Before you take delivery, have the dealer drive the rig to a public scale to see how much it really weighs. Get a tongue weight as well. If your over 500lbs, you'll need to get a w/d hitch.
Fulton now has sealed electric brakes and Carlisle makes an electric over hydraulic system. When I had my aluminum triple axle trailer built, Ausco was also making electric over hydrualic brakes and I had them added as an option on the trailer. I love them, and would never go back to a large boat trailer with surge brakes. Both setups are controilled from the cab with an electric brake controller.
