Looking to haul a boat, will it handle it

Since I have a similar setup, here’s the math, with some
generous rounding up:

Boat: 2,800 lbs
Motor: 500 lbs
60 gals gas: 400 lbs
Batteries: 200 lbs
Trolling motor: 50 lbs
Gear/food/ice: 200 lbs
Trailer: 1600 lbs (dual axle, brakes)

About 5,800 lbs total although in reality it’s probably one or two hundred pounds less than that on any given day. I tend to carry half a tank so gas doesn’t age in the boat.

With trailer brakes, I feel perfectly comfortable towing that load locally on level ground. The tongue weight is perfectly manageable, just over 400 lbs. For the couple of short bridge inclines I have to climb on the way to local ramps, I select overdrive until the top. I do all my fluid maintenance early.

I would not, however, travel long distance with this setup. The furthest ramp I go to is about a 40 minute drive, and most of that is 45 mph or less, level.

OP is going to be a tad heavier with a couple hundred pounds more boat, and if the tank is full, a couple hundred pounds more there as well. It’s true that it’s approaching the limit. My rule of thumb is I don’t want to exceed 90% of tow rating for local travel. And I don’t want to exceed 75% over long distance, anything > 1 hour. Long distance and hilly? Nothing over 50%.

One important consideration is liability in case of an accident. From that perspective, towing very close to your max rating could be a disaster.

You might want to load the boat up and take it to a weigh station so you can better judge.

 

Thank you. This helps a lot.

 

You bet, good luck. If you weigh it I’d be interested to hear the number. Come back and let us know what you decide to do.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/

All sorts of info here

 

I’m glad you posted that — I’ve read through the tips before and the thread is an excellent comprehensive guide. It’s always good for another read through, and as I was skimming again, the section on 2nd Gen towing reminded that I said something completely incorrect earlier. Namely, that I select overdrive on inclines.

Negative. I move the shifter from D to 4 on inclines while towing. Sorry for the misspeak.

Which made me go back through the logic for shifting to 4...reread some old threads on the topic. I swear that a year ago I found a reference to it in the manual under the towing section. Well, I just looked and don’t see it. I think the logic is still there....if the truck is having trouble finding 5th and hunting back and forth, the transmission will stay in the lower gear...but I wish I could find it specifically in the manual. Other threads say the manual states to always tow in 4. Can’t find anything.

 

I am by no means an expert but from what I understand, towing in overdrive is verboten.

A well respected member here eith has or used to have a signature with a pic of a hand holding a mangled bunch of gears, the caption read, “this is what towing in overdrive does.”

Good for you for keeping up w the knowledge!

 

Search for posts made by gearcruncher. He’s the resident transmission guru. He still has that pic in his signature.

Happy Towing!

 

Reading through a bunch of threads on this topic, and the majority opinion is to always select 4 while towing. Which is what I’ll do from here on out. Still can’t find anything in the manual which I find odd. The towing package does come with the additional tranny cooler...

 

Found it. But, no mention of transmission wear, just engine braking.

 

This ^ something dont add up.

 

Depending on the year, OP’s boat without motor is either 2950 or 2800 lbs. 500 lb motor. NADA says 2950.

The trailer weight depends on material; aluminum makes a big difference.

There’s a huge weight range for 21-22’ center consoles with a regular vee and high freeboard.

 

For those of you that don't think a 22' boat can weigh 2,000 lbs, I offer this:



It's my 1992 22' Progression built in Long Island, NY. Hull with rigging is 1,200 lbs. Motor is 400 lbs. Throw in 50 gallons of gas and you're right about 2,000 lbs. The construction is very different from regular production boats to get the light weight and strength though. With the 200 HP outboard in this picture the boat ran 77 MPH on GPS. The new 250 HP Mercury Racing outboard has run a best of 88 MPH so far. Yea, it's light.

 

Bringing this back up to topic. I finally purchased the boat and just came back from weight station. With a little bit over 1/4 of fuel in the tank, it came in at 5125. That’s for a 23 sportsman center console with a 250 Hp engine, dual axle trailer with disc brakes in all 4 wheels. I can tow the boat just fine and no problem at the boat ramp.

Question now is, I’m planning on heading over to the west coast of Florida, about 120 mile drive. It’s mainly all flat highway driving. Would the truck be able to handle such long drive?

 

as long as the truck as a good trans cooler (maybe need an aftermarket one?) itll be fine. Florida is flat. stay out of OD, drive 55 blah blah blah. I thin your issue is going to be getting it out without 4wd. Thats a fair amount of weight for the truck, on a potentially slippery ramp. You might be in for some embarrassing tire smoking attempts to get up the ramp. Id keep the tires out of the water as much as possible, and if you have to drag it up the bunks a few more inches to stay out of water a bit more...id advise that.

 

Actually, it has behaved great on slippery ramps. I have been next to larger V8 trucks struggling to get their boats out and up until now I have had no issue. Mainly I power brake it coming out of the ramp, on 1st gear slowly coming out of the ramp. Which trans cooler should I look into? I was also looking to add a leaf spring on each side, not because the rear is sagging, but mainly to help it if anything. Thoughts on the leaf spring?

 

Did you unhitch it from the truck when you weighed it? Forgive me if this is an insulting question...

So yes you need a transmission cooler if you don’t have the tow package. There are plenty of aftermarket options easy to install.

120 miles without the cooler is kinda pushing the envelope, even if it’s flat...because it’s also hot.

 

Not an insulting question at all. I followed the person guidance at the weight station and he said not to unhitch it that it would not make a difference. My truck was off the scale and only the boat/trailer sat on the scale. Should it be unhitched?

 

Well, my reaction is that you didn’t get an accurate measurement. Tongue weight for a boat your size is probably in the neighborhood of 300-400 pounds, so your measurement was about that much short.

Maybe the guy at the weigh station just didn’t want you to gob up time unhooking and hooking up the boat.

 

I do have the tow package with the small tranny cooler that comes from Toyota. I am guessing upgrading it to a larger one won't hurt it. I saw some recommendations to use the one in the link below. Would it be more of disconnecting the original one and connecting this one?

$53 Hayden Automotive 678 Universal Rapid-Cool 9.5” x 11” Add-On Transmission Cooler – Not for Direct Replacement of the OE Cooler

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C3DDKO

 

^^^^ This 100%.