6,500 tow to the boat ramp
 

Hey guys! My Boat and trailer weigh 6,500lbs. you think i can tow it 2 blocks to the boat ramp and put it in? Do you think i have enough horsepower to get it back out? Thanks!

I think you'll be able to pull it down to the ramp, and put it in, but im not sure if you will be able to pull your boat back up the ramp. you can try, but especially without 4WD i don't think it'll make it back up.

maybe its time for a Tacoma, or GX? ;)

I've never not had enough horse power to pull something.. What will happen? Engine stall? transmission burn up?

it's not a horsepower issue. without the 4wd, and the fact that you're 1K lbs over the recommended towing capacity will make getting it back up that ramp really difficult..

It will be totally fine for that distance. I'm sure you could pretty easily move 20,000lb two blocks and up/down the ramp. If it's really only 2 blocks - should be no problem.

I would not do this at all. Tow ratings are provided for a reason. Sure there’s a margin of error/safety built into ratings but still. Does it exceed tongue weight?

You’re going to strain your drivetrain and transmission. You’re going to possibly overload your tires. If you get into an accident or something happens, it’ll be a fight with insurance to get things covered. You’ll definitely be cited with operating an unsafe motor vehicle and possibly negligence (maybe even gross).

Oh, and you’ll have to try to pull your boat and trailer up a wet ramp? This is all a recipe for disaster and hardly worth it. Sorry but all facts. I’d figured something else out or get the right rig to pull your boat. You’re assuming a lot of risk to your vehicle, the public, and your boat. And you’ll be totally unsure if you can even get the boat out without blowing your truck up.


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Be sure to record it, especially pulling the boat outta the water part.

I have pushed over 6k when I forgot to empty my ballast tanks out on my Nautique a few times. Needed 4WD but did just fine even on a gravel launch.

EDIT: Just noticed your 4x2 in sig. No way you will get that boat out unless it is a very low angle concrete ramp. I need 4x4 more often than not on gravel ramps.

I think the angle of the ramp and the ramp surface are going to be the real factor here.

No way in hell will you be able to pull that boat out. We have some neighbors at the lake that had an F250 2wd and it couldn't pull a boat out of the water due to traction.

Yes please do video when you are pulling it out of the water.

If you are seriously dumb enough to ask this we should encourage it. We need more boat ramp fail videos.

Much bigger 4x2 trucks rated for the weight fail on the ramp. If the ramp is wet and slippery on the bottom you will loose both truck and trailer. Here in Florida it happens every weekend. Go on youtube and watch.

Launching boat on ramp with 4x2
 

Be sure to have someone else record a video of pulling the truck and trailer out of the water. Search YouTube for videos of people who've done this already. You'll be too busy trying to get your truck out of the water to video record the event.

If you can install a hitch on the front of the truck then you have a chance of getting traction on the ramp with the rear wheels of your 4x2. You just have to aim the trailer down the ramp, from flat ground, and then turn the vehicle around to face the trailer and ramp with the rear wheels on the uphill, dry side of the ramp.

You could use two trucks with a tow strap to a heavy truck on flat ground above you, as a safe anchor or pull if anything goes bad.

Actually, tow ratings are mostly based on cooling capability, brakes for long downhill roads where they can overheat and wheelbase for stability at speed. Towing a boat 6000 lb boat 2 blocks won't do anything to your coolant and transmission temperatures. Torque transfer through the transmission is based on engine output, so whatever you try to pull won't hurt it. It's lack of cooling that breaks transmissions when towing. The brakes can manage for 2 blocks no problem and you don't have to worry about trailer sway at low speed.

Also, at 10% tongue weight, you won't be anywhere near max load of the tires. The stock 265/70R17 tires should be good to at least 2000 lbs depending on the brand, and you'd struggle to get much past 1500 lbs per tire with the boat attached unless you seriously mess up the tongue weight.

It really depends on how steep the ramp is and how well it is maintained. Biggest problem will be traction trying to pull the boat up the ramp and maybe the 4Runner doesn't weigh enough to prevent being pulled in if you have a steep and not well kept or wet ramp. For steep ramps, I'd say maybe go for it with 4Lo on the ramp if you want to risk sinking the 4Runner, but not a good idea with a 4x2.

For more gentle slopes, it will be fine.

Back when I lived in Texas/Florida we used to pull the boat all the time with a 2wd 3rd gen and it did fine getting up the ramp. It was a little lighter than yours, but the weight won’t be an issue driving a few blocks to the ramp. I wouldn’t back down anything very steep or in bad condition, but all the ramps we had around when I lived in Florida were concrete/pretty benign and well kept. I think a lot of people here are being awfully dramatic and haven’t launched/recovered a boat before. Don’t be an idiot and back your car below the waterline where the algae grows, and back up in a slow controlled manner. If you don’t back into the water your car doesn’t magically slide in. You’ll have to run the risk management when you see the launch.