Boat Towing...

Family is purchasing a searay spx 210 boat.

Boat weighs 3300 pounds
Trailer weighs around 1000 pounds, dual axel with brakes.
Fuel will be about 180 pounds
Odds and ends around 100 pounds

So around $4500 pounds. I’ll have to bring the boat to the marina about 75 miles away. We’d also like to take it on a few less than 200 miles away trips for the year...how unhappy will I be trailering this in my 2018 off-road access cab? Live in the Hudson valley, ny.

going to pick up a brake controller...any other suggestions? Haven’t purchased yet and won’t technically be mine but a family share with in-laws. I just offered up the truck for transport. Of course I get to take it out too with the wife and take it on trips

Thank you,

Gregg

 

You'll be fine, tempting to get a little help with the sagging when its hooked up, a sumo spring or air ride etc. Read up on rear spring upgrades.

We've installed a few sumo springs at work for boat towing and the customers are always happy with the results.

Leave it in S4 ECT on and you're good.

Big thing is let the diff cool off a bit prior to backing into the water, it's awful for them when they are red hot to be dipped in cold water.

 

If your diff is ever red hot you have different problems

 

Those sumo springs don't look too difficult to install. Yes I will fret if she is crouched a bit in the back, you caught me. 3 years old, only 17k miles. I baby her.

 

I had a 2001 4.7 v8 tundra and towed my larger shamrock boat 100 miles to the shore a few times a summer, had to weigh nearly the same. I never had an issue with these differentials getting red hot...luke warm maybe, but never so hot you couldn't touch it.

 

I have an 18' bowrider i/o and don't even notice it while towing.

 

Drive your truck empty at highway speeds and the differential will get warm.

Friction causes heat...

 

And if his diff is touching water while backing a boat down, he has problems. Diff shouldn’t even be close to touching water unless it’s the flattest boat ramp in all of America.

 

If the diff is getting dipped in the water that’s one hell of a shallow ramp. I tow to 5 different ramps locally and at most my rear tires barely touch H2O.

 

I have...and luke warm was normal. Imo, if it gets red hot you have something very wrong, or the gear ratio is no longer stock..

 

Red hot is an exaggeration, diffs get hot on the highway, and people mess up at boat launches all the time, its just a tiny tip I've picked up directly from Toyota

 

No worries at all. You don't want to take it to Myrtle Beach but you'll be fine up there.

 

I can attest to that...forgot this spring to put the drain plugs back in the boat.

 

Have you double checked with the party who your purchasing the boat from regarding the trailer brakes? Most boat trailers that I’m aware of use hydraulic surge trailer brakes. Things may have changes since in the last several years. The only exception to this is instead of a 4 flat trailer plug some come with a 5 flat so when you’re backing up the reverse light electrically locks out the surge brakes. Others you have to manually lock out the surge brakes. With Either of these options you wouldn’t need a brake controller.

 

Everybody does that once.

 

I pulled a 3200 lb boat with my 2.7 20 miles last weekend to skaneateles and back with no trouble. A v6 should handle 4500 with ease. I did lose speed going up very steep hills but that’s due to the fact my truck has no power.

 

This ^^^

 

Same here, tows my 17ft bowrider without any issues at all. I do have sumo springs in the back to help the sag.

 

My boat and trailer weigh in at 5700lbs, definitely feel it back there but tows fine. Tongue weight is about 600lb and drops the rear some but not a problem

 

Believe it or not there's quite a few places here in Ontario that I have to get all 4 in the water to even get it to float.