Towing a BOAT and launching with 2WD at Lake

I

iLLuSi0nS

New member
Hi, I have a 1999 4runner 6cyl. I just purchased a 20 foot lake boat, its not very big or heavy. It tows the boat fine without any drag, I dont even feel it behind me except when I hit bumps and the boat kind of lifts up my back wheels, but that's not the issue.

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to launch the boat at a lake. I have never done this before with any vehicle or any boat, and it will be my first time. My car has new tires, but 2WD cars have no traction when it comes to things like this, and I feel like my car will 100% slip on the slippery ramp thats probably covered with moss. What can I do, or should I even worry? I am pretty sure the back wheels will touch the water a little, and have a feeling my car will just backup into the water and I will have no car, and 2 boats lol.

Would chains solve my problem? and should i put them only on the back wheels? Also, for some reason, my 4runner when I purchased it 10months ago, didnt come with an e-brake, since the seats are not made for 4runners, they overlap the ebrake whole and so Im guessing the previous owner removed them.

Thanks
 
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wow, no ebrake.... i have launched a 22 ft. heavy boat at low tide, but our ramps around here are very nice... i have slid once, and that was due to crappy tires and messed up brakes at a slick ramp.... sorry i cant be of much help...
 
Yeah, it really depends on the ramp. But there are plenty of 2wd pickups that have no trouble launching boats. If a truck with a light weight rear end can pull the boat from the water, then your 4R should have no troubles.
 
Throw some heavy stuff over the rear axle i.e. 5 40lbs of sand or salt, i use 5 40lbs bags of wood pellets, or anything that will help hold the rear end down. When i said over the rear axle i mean over it in the cargo area.
 
You may want to have another vehicle around that you can call on if you need them to give you a tug! Putting the boat in is easy, but a 20 foot on a slick ramp, good luck! ( I would do as another said, load up the rear with weight!) Just use good judgement! I would assume that your rig is an automatic. ( If not, and you have no e-brake, don't even think about it!) Also, you said that you don't even feel the trailer behind you except for when you hit bumps and it lifts the rear end up. That makes me think that you don't have a lot of tongue weight. If you have none to little tongue weight, you will never pull that boat out of the water. Trailer brakes would only work backwards if they were electric. However, its not a good idea to activate electric brakes underwater. I would seriously consider asking an experienced person in boat launching to help you or guide you.
 
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Thanks for the help guys. But if I was to buy chains, would that significantly help my chances of traction on slippery ramps? And if I did purchase chains, I would only need them for the back tires correct?
 
iLLuSi0nS said:
Thanks for the help guys. But if I was to buy chains, would that significantly help my chances of traction on slippery ramps? And if I did purchase chains, I would only need them for the back tires correct?
Click to expand...

dont buy chains, they are unnecessary. if you that worried about it throw 200lbs over the rear axle, and people have been doing this with 2wd pickups for 50+years now, which is basically what an SUV is.
 
I launch/retrieve 50 times a year.

Chains - Forget it.

Your performance retrieving the boat is based on several factors:

- % Grade of the ramp -

Some lake ramps are not steep and 2wd will be fine. Most ocean ramps are steep due to tidal drop.

- Condition of ramp-

If the ramp is smooth asphalt (or concrete) and covered with slime below the low water mark, a big problem. If there are grooves or a texture (cement with large agregate) it will be easier.

- Tongue length of trailer-

If you have a long tongue, the truck will be as far from the water as possible. This is preferred.

- Tires-

An all season set of tires that are old will not perform.

I witnessed a 90's tacoma 2wd attempt to pull out a 17ft bow rider on a moderately steep but slimy ramp. Driver lost momentum and all forward motion before trailer tires were even out of the water. Tires spun out and then truck slid back down. All attempts to stop failed. When the truck finally did stop it was submerged up to the driver's seat. Fortunately, the engine was still running so it didn't get wrecked.

I dropped my trailer, pulled the truck and unloaded trailer out then retrieved their boat with their trailer for them.
 
another thing that i see alot of old jeeps or small 5 sp. trucks to is use the little tire chocks, and put them behind your tires when you stop. also a tip for pulling the boat out that will only work if someone is with you is to keep someone in the boat, and have them use the boat as a sort of push by pushin the throttle down as the truck starts to go up the ramp. then quickly cuttin it off and trimming it up...
 
Maybe see if you can find a hill of the same slope, and the same surface (gravel, dirt, just not pavement). Try backing on it, stopping, and pulling ahead with boat and trailer. How heavy is the boat? Personally, I'm a little skeptical!
 
No E-brake? That makes the wheel chocks that inshore4runner mentioned MANDATORY. You will probably make a submarine out of your 4runner without them. You'll have to have someone work them while launching and retrieving.
 
can you post pics of your seats, sounds interesting....


that aside you say your 100% sure you'll slip, question your really asking is how much, well as others have said it's the grade/surface/contact or tires/ weight/ and weight balance , personally i wouldn't risk it with my nice runner i'd just buy a cheap 4x4 pick up for 1500 and e done with it, but i do love my 4runner and sinking it like the titanic would give me nightmares for life, lol,

but if you feel you got it,the advice about weight over the spinning axle,chocks,a buddy with a tow strap on your bumper and a good prayer might just do the trick.

it has nothing todo with power it's how much of that power you can put on the pavement and keep it there, people often under etimate the need for good tires everything you do to your truck is useless without a good set of rubber, it's the only thing that touches the road. just a thought
 
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slippery boat ramps

A good trick,if you have a portable pump with you,is to deflate the tires down,which will increase traction,and reduce buoyancy in the water. Also,some good grippy tires help to.But putting them low does increase traction alot,that is why cement trucks,and alot of dump trucks have tire deflators on them. carrying around cement works some,put it transitions most of your weight onto the suspension,and spread across the truck.

Drag racers run low psi for the same reason.:boink:
 
Chains wont help you at all. I have had no problems launching my 24' ski boat (see profile picture) I had to use 4WD once but you should be able to do it no problem. As long as you don't punch it getting out of the water you should be fine.
 
Chains are good at what they do, which is dig through snow and ice to get to a hard (or frozen) surface beneath, but they gain traction from digging in. In normal temps, they are worse than tires on almost any surface. If it's soft, they dig; if it's hard, they just slip. Metal/asphalt adhesion is less that metal/rubber.

My truck is a pig in 2WD uphill. I wouldn't try anything like a boat pull without a lot of weight in the back and only if the slope was pretty gentle.
 
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