Towing?

[GreenpondEd]

I am considering buying a 210 cc after selling one or both of my current boats in the spring. I tow my 18' Parker cc with a 2000 Toyota 4runner, 6 cylinder. It is rated for 5000 lbs. Will this work for highway speeds (stopping)? What do you guys use?
Thanks :?

 

[Fishin' DC's]

Ed,
I'd check with the dealer/manufacturer to be safe. My first thought is it sounds a little light. I tow with a Ford F150 Supercrew 4x4 5.4L engine. It's rated at 12,000lb and has no trouble pulling it. I think you'd be looking at:

boat(dry wt) 2200lb
motor 500 (will depend on 2 or 4 stroke)
fuel 420 (70 gal x 6lb/gal...I think this is right)
trailer 1200 (pure guess)
gear 200
people 500+- (S-M-L-XL,...)
-------
Total 5020 total estimated lbs.

 

[NCangler]

I too have a Ford F150 Supercrew 4x4 w/5.4l. It pulls my 210 fine but I wouldn't want any less. Sometimes I wish I had a 250 diesel. But I love the F150 for our family. The 210 with the EZ Load trailer is easy to handle at the ramp by myself when necessary.

 

[Fishin' DC's]

You can back down the weight estimate by 500lbs for the people I listed. Folks would be in the truck, not in the boat during the haul. Probably looking around 4500lbs.

 

[GreenpondEd]

Even at 4500 lbs, it looks like the 4runner is too light. I have heard guys say that 70% of rated weight is appropriate. What do you think? :cry: That would put me at about 3500 lbs. Maybe I stick with my 18' Parker:

Hull: 2000
115 motor 400
gas (40x6) 240
trailer 600 (single axle)
battery/gear 200

Total 3440

But then I just looked up load rite v-bunk single axle trailers with brakes, 20-22ft, 3,600 lbs, which weighs in at 750 lbs. That would make a 210 with trailer about 4000 lbs. What do you think? :roll:

 

[Fishahn]

towing

I've hauled mine a few times on some long road trips (250 miles) last summer with my folks Chevy Trail Blazer. It worked ok, but if you are planning on doing a lot of towing with it I would go larger. It's the wear and tear on things like the breaks etc . Plus I think the 5000 lbs is a bit close.

 

[k9reno]

Last year I used a 2001 ford explorer sport trac with a 4 ltr engine to tow my 210 to NC and Naples FL and several trips to Lake Erie. The trips to Erie were no problem at all the vehicle handled it fine. On the trip to NC totaled about 1700 miles (round trip) The only time the vehicle seemed to struggle was in the mountains when Stupid me forgot to turn off the OD. The trip to Naples about 2500 miles (round trip) also went good with the exception of the long grade in Tenn. The truck got though it ok but really had to work. I checked the Oil and Tranny fluid each time I stopped for gas and everthing looked ok, but the Tranny fluid was very hot and some steam came out of the dip stick tube, but the fluid did not discolor. I decided that even though the truck did ok that it would not have the service life I wanted since this would be the only vehicle I own for a while, then it would turn into my boat towing vehicle only. This yr I moved up to a ford f150 supercrew with the 5.4. I took a trip to Dauphin Island in april for the triumph owners get together and the truck towed it like it wasnt even there. I even had to do some hard braking and evasive steering. Thank goodness for my surge brakes.

Dick

 

[Cincinnati]

This is turning into a Ford thread...

I've got the F150 4X4 5.4L SuperCrew. Overkill, but worth it.

My wife's Mountaineer 4.6L is rated at 7,500 and did fine towing the boat until I bought the F150 this summer. Anything less would be dangerous if you're going on an extended trip.

 

[GreenpondEd]

Yeah, I just might wait until I upgrade the tow vehicle to an F150 before I go for the 210cc. thanks guys! :wink:

 

[Codfish]

Towed Weight

Just a note for you all. I have weighed my '04 210 w 140 Suzuki 4S, full gas and light gear load on trailer. It weighed 4,150 on a state certified scale.

I tow with a Dodge 2500 HO Diesel, don't even know the boat is back there.

codfish

 

[OspreyVic]

I would like to continue the Ford line to this thread. If you do not need a pickup truck for work, or have other uses for a pickup, other than towing a boat, then I would suggest a Ford Explorer 4X4. For example, if you are going to Home Depot or the grocery store more often than towing the boat, the ease of turning and parking come into play.

I would not suggest any vehicle that is not a 4X4. If you have to load at low tide on a slippery slope, you will want those front tires digging.

The Explorer XLT Sport 4.6L SEFI V8 - 4 x 4 w/ 3.73-3.73 LS Axle would something to look at.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight 7,000
GCWR 11,600
GVWR 5,420
Explorer Length 189.5 in
Width 72.1 in
Height 71.4 in
Turning Diameter 41.8 ft
Tires 255/70R17

It's the size of the vehicle and the turning diameter that will make life easy or hard.

As you can see above, it is rated to haul a lot more than a loaded 210CC. That extra makes me feel a lot better about using the Explorer as a tow vehicle as well as a family vehicle. This is just something else to think about. My son wanted the F150 SuperCrew 4X4.

Vic in Osprey FL

 

[mowerchaotic]

I initially towed my 210 chaos with a '99 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with TRD package. It's the same engine as the 4runner, but my truck was lighter and a manual shift. I had no problems. Pulled it out of the steepest ramps you will find anywhere. I could, however, tell I had a boat back there when braking. I was a bit worried that I'd need to buy a fullsize truck when I bought the boat, but I severly underestimated the Toyota. Looked kinda funny going down the road with a boat twice the size of my truck.

Having said that, I now tow with an '04 Ford Explorer xlt 4x4. I have the 6 cyl. engine because fuel cost was a concern and it has similar horsepower to the 8 cyl.

Bottom line: I actually enjoyed pulling more with my Tacoma, but enjoy braking more with the Explorer. Either one will do the job, and so should your 4 runner. An F-250, Dodge Hemi whatever is just overkill. You could tow your home to the coast with those bad boys.

 

[GreenpondEd]

Glad to hear about your success with the Tacoma. My 2000 4runner has the sport package with the large 16" tires and brakes. I think I could reasonably handle the 210 with a tandem trailer with surge brakes. I would not trailer it often, and then only on trips of 40 miles each way, in low traffic situations.

Thanks everyone for the valuable input.
Ed :wink: