Originally Posted by 757guy
Originally Posted by DriveHard
Been pulling boats most of my life. If you have it loaded properly, there isn't a much more tow-friendly trailer you could be pulling. I have never needed a weight distributing hitch, nor sway control when pulling a boat.
I will say that I think you are seriously under-estimating the weight of your boat. I have a 25' Glastron GX255 which is a very modest fiberglass bowrider, and the DRY WEIGHT is ~4600 lbs. Now add a full fuel tank, and all your boating accessories/supplies/etc, and the weight of the boat quickly goes well over 5000 lbs. Now add in another 1500 for a trailer. Often manufacturers will quote their weight without an engine or out drive...might want to double check.
I'm not saying your jeep won't do the job, but I am guessing you are closer to the limit than you might think.
I just double checked the factory manual and it says the boat weights 3805 lbs. with the standard engine. The water tank is empty and it currently has 1/4 tank of fuel (14 gallons) so the boat is around 3900 lbs. This is a purchase for me, so there isn't any gear or other extra items weighing the boat down.
I spoke to the dealership and they assured me that the Jeep is up to the task, but make sure to switch off the "Eco mode" so that the transmission doesn't continuously shift up and down while at highway speeds. The trailer weighs 1,760 lbs. for a total weight of 5,660 lbs. Max towing is 6,500 lbs. with a max tongue weight of 650 lbs. so it's close, but within the factory specs. The dealer also indicated that the load leveling shocks should their job and adjust to the tongue weight within a mile or two and provide a balanced ride.
So.... towing is a different kind of driving, and you will get a feel for it. All the advice above seems really spot-on to me, and once you're behind the wheel it will begin to make sense. cliff notes of my personal experience and thoughts:
1. 3500lb rated FWD minivan well out-towed 5,500lb rated pathfinder 4x4 due to (A) wheelbase (B) leaf sprung rear solid axle suspension
2. always lock out OD. There's lots of posts on this, and it's not just to reduce shifting
3. I used to get excited about being able to use all that extra power on tap for hill climbs. It brings out an aggressiveness in me. Reduce the urge. Tuck in to the right and keep your 4,500lb car with 5,500lb load calm and smooth.
4. do not expect to drive like a car and hold 70mph. In fact, don;t expect to hold a steady speed. a normal vehicle has the power to set cruise and maintain speed regardless of road and wind. A driver with a 3 ton pendulum behind it must account for more variables.
5. note the speed rating of the trailer tires
6. don't be surprised if the engine needs to rev to make power up a hill.
Be safe, and enjoy!
-m