How Much Boat Can I Tow?

[Larry Harp]

I've been mulling around the idea of fixing up and selling the PT-185 and buying a new used glass boat. Question is; how big a boat will I be able to tow with my "01"Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 6cyl 4X4? I'm thinking 18' or maybe 19'6" with brakes tops. Would a 20 footer be out of the question? I don't remember for sure what my Jeep is rated for but it seems like I remember 5000 lbs, however I always take those factory tow ratings with a grain of salt.



I'm not even sure how much an 18 or 19 foot fiberglass boat weighs...I'm guessing around 2000 to 2300 lbs:unsure: .



Clue me in oh wise ones



Harpo

 

[joe haley]

I think it depends on how far you are towing and how comfortable you want to bright now I run a 2000 explorer with the big six and heavy duty tow pkg. I towed my friends 18ft Javelene from mid Mo. to central Ark and back cooked the tranny fluid even with a transmission cooler I dont tow my 929 with it Im afraid too even try because it wont hardly pull the hills the way I like but Im an old 18 wheeler driver and Imused too having alot of power



JD

 

[JR F]

Plenty ..... Wana buy mine ??? JR

 

[Greg Meyer]

I cut the tow rating in half to be safe... others say 2/3rds at the most...

 

[Rich Stern]

Harpo, I tow my Sprint 207FS, on a single axle trailer, about 3200 pounds total, with a 4.0L V6 Explorer Sport Trac. The vehicle is rated to tow a little over 5000 pounds. It does fine. The motor has to work going up moderate grades, but is able to keep the speed limit by dropping out of O/D.



You live in a flat part of the country, which is a big advantage for towing. I wouldn't hesitate to tow a 19' boat with your setup. I'd even consider a 20' boat on a single axle trailer, if it wasn't a particularly heavy setup. Be sure to allow some extra weight to account for full gas, livewell, tackle, batteries.



Personally, I'm comfortable with 75% of rated tow capacity. I might drop that down to 65% if I was going to be on the road a lot in hilly country.

 

[JR F]

Harpo//In 1987 I pulled my bass boat 18 1/2 footer to Indy from okeechobee fla......I had an S-10 chevy It was the small V-6 You should of been along on that trip,, up those mountains In a Down Pour.WEEEEE ..It made It here.....Towed that mother ,Might of goten a ittle slow at timesw but It pulled It,,,,JR

 

[Bill McElroy]

Harpo,..you can pull a 20ftr easy!! But a 18-19ftr would be several hundred pounds lighter and easier on truck gas!!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Harpo,



I don't know all of the specifications except for it being a 4.3 motor, but my brother towed his two Gamblers with a Blazer and never had any trouble.



Uncle Billy

 

[Larry Harp]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I saw a similar discussion over on BASH....a guy wanting to pull a 20 footer with a Jeep GC and most of the of the replies over there warned about stopping and tranny trouble. I would really like to find a boat with trailer brakes. I've asked my tranny guy about the not towing in O/D thing and he says its OKAY to tow in O/D as long as the transmission is not cycling back and forth every few seconds....and then he started talking in tranny techtalk, something about enough rpm's to create enough fluid pressure and my eyes rolled back in my head and that's all I remember. I usually just back off the gas so the transmission doesn't kick down with every change in grade. If it gets really hilly (yes, Rich we do have hills in Okla) I hit the button.



I wasn't real worried about not having enough horsepower. I remember back in the 80's when I was selling Fords, Ford came out with fuel injection on the 351 and it boosted the horsepower to either 200 or 210 I can't remember which now. Everybody was completley geeked out about how powerful it was.



Harpo



PS...JR, I'm looking for a bassboat, not an Ocean Liner. If the wife ever kicks me out of the house and I need a place to live I'll buy your boat....I promise.

 

[JR F]

Deal..I am taking a break from mine right now(.Girl Friend).gonna play golf..drink beer and maybe fish....Hell she Is only 22 I should of known better To much for an old man...JR

P.S. If anyone plays golf and Is planning on new clubs ,Try out the new Srixon clubs and balls..I have about 10 set of different brands of clubs and these are really something....I can't stress them enough Go try a set at a club...JR

Former Golf course Superintendent..They were free...