The first way is to use the Automobile Association website. This website is the most complete towing capacity database in its field. Search your make and examine the cart for your vehicle model and year in order to find the related break down of towing capacities based on both braked and unbraked trailer weights.
The second option is to embrace the smart phone era and use an app. Both the Apple App Store and the Android Play Store have apps available that will assist you in finding out what you need to know. Once you have found the make and model of your vehicle on the app, you will be given your:. The last thing that you need to keep in mind is where you will be towing to and from.
Are you going to need to go off road? If you seem to have a rough ride with your boat in the future then a luxury SUV will be a very poor fit for your needs. If you need extra clearance in order to back into deep water, then a larger pickup truck might be the best match for you. The muscle power needed to launch and retrieve a boat increase as the weight, length, and width or beam of the boat increases.
Small boats might be easy for one person to handle at the launch ramp, but larger boats generally any boat greater than twenty-five feet will likely require additional hands. Trailer boaters are a very friendly community, and many would be happy to help if you find yourself in need of assistance at the launch ramp.
This means that you might underestimate the towing capabilities that you need in order to safely and securely transport your boat. Make sure that you add several hundred pounds to your math in order to account for the fuel, gear, and accessories that you need to have a successful boat trip.
Your car has a towing capacity rating for a reason. Don not exceed the rating listed in the manual for your car. Even if you begin to approach the rating in the manual, you will run into the threat of killing your transmission, and a brand new transmission costs far more than any old truck. It happens all the same, but it is better to avoid the danger in the first place. Putting your boat into the water and pulling it out at the ramp can be a difficult process, and will likely put a lot of strain on your vehicle.
A truck is sure to keep the under carriage dry thanks to the extra clearance, while the steepness of hills and boat ramps might take a toll on a car. The first two questions are easily the most important — especially the second question. If the worst case scenario happens and you get into an accident while you are pulling your boat, you will find yourself in a lot of trouble if you are over the gross combined weight rating GCWR of the vehicle.
When calculating your GCWR, all the weighing will be done with the trailer attached at the very least. That helps you a little, but far from enough. If the hitch for your car is classified as a Class II, then your vehicle will be rated for an addition pounds of tongue weight, whether or not that car can actually handle pounds of tongue weight. This means you are legal up to pounds of trailer and boat weight combined, and good luck at finding a trailer that weighs only pounds.
Trailering has a unique language that is easy enough to learn. When you know the terms used for towing, you will be better able to find the right combination of trailer and tow vehicle. The trailer you end up pulling can depend on three main factors:. That means once you have your boat full of fuel, water toys and other gear, that number will be significantly higher. For a reference — gasoline weighs about 6. Car manufacturers set towing ratings as if there is only a driver in the car.
Once you know your GCW, you can start looking at different vehicles and towing packages. Besides online resources, cars have tow ratings listed on their data plate — which is typically inside the driver-side door, glove compartment or another easily-accessible area. There are plenty of capable options in this category, so you have the freedom to choose a manufacturer you like.
These options all have steel frames designed to tow and stand up to enormous amounts of strain as well as engines with lots of low-end torque. Another benefit of using a pickup truck to tow your boat is the truck bed — it makes loading gear for the day quick and easy, and you can keep anything wet or dirty off the interior. Some have impressive towing capabilities and are comparable to their pickup truck counterparts. In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference once you have the weight requirements figured out.
A lot of the towing options mentioned above are more than equipped to handle towing anything that you would want to put on a trailer.
One question people often have when looking for a towing vehicle is: Which is better — two-wheel, all-wheel or four-wheel drive? Contrary to what most people might think, two-wheel drive vehicles have more towing power than other types of drive systems. Most manufacturers are careful to provide a trailer with plenty of capacity for the boat, but if you are carrying a lot of gear you could be cutting it close.
Maximum allowed trailer length varies state-to-state, from 30 feet to 60 feet. States also stipulate the combined length of the tow vehicle and trailer, which ranges from 50 to 85 feet.
If your rig is over-length, you may still be able to tow with an over-size load permit and some restrictions.
The most-common law requires any trailer weighing more than 3, pounds to have brakes, but some states have no rule regarding brakes and others require brakes on all trailers. Package Deal. Most manufacturers offer a tow package that has all the requisite equipment including a receiver hitch, oil and transmission coolers, and power mirrors or those that extend. Small convex mirrors, also known as blind-spot mirrors let you see everything from the bottom of the trailer tires to the blind spot.
Tires: Wheel sizes continue to grow, with some tow vehicles offering inch-diameter wheels as factory options. Using a larger wheel and lower-profile tire means a smaller air cushion and lower tire sidewall, which reduces towing capacity. Get Hitched. Most factory-installed tow packages include the hitch, but if a new one is required, they are rated by classes.
A Class I hitch is rated for up to 2, lbs. For larger hitches, there are two categories: weight carrying, which have a conventional design, and weight distributing, which have two bars that extend aft on each side of the frame to literally distribute the load across a wider section of the frame.
A weight-carrying version of a Class III hitch is rated for 6, lbs. A weight-carrying Class IV hitch is rated at 10, lbs. A weight-distributing Class IV accommodates up to 14, lbs. Finally, a Class V weight-carrying hitch is rated for up to 12, lbs. Most full-sized trucks and SUVs have pre-tapped holes in the frame rails that make it easy to bolt the hitch in place and capped wire harnesses for the lights and brakes on the trailer.
Auto parts stores carry the required plug-ins.
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