Dare I tow 5,400lbs 5 miles?

westwind77

westwind77

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My boat weighs 5,400lbs (boat, engines, fuel, gear, etc) + the weight of the double axle trailer - dare I tow it from the lot it is stored at to my house about 5 miles away (35mph)???

Part of me really want to find out how it does, but the other part of me is saying you barely have 12k miles, no no no no! It would be a one time 'play test'. I have other p/u's more than capable of moving it. My last SUV's max was 7,400 so it was never a concern.
 
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westwind77 said:
My boat weighs 5,400lbs (boat, engines, fuel, gear, etc) + the weight of the double axle trailer - dare I tow it from the lot it is stored at to my house about 5 miles away (35mph)???

Part of me really want to find out how it does, but the other part of me is saying you barely have 12k miles, no no no no! It would be a one time 'play test'. I have other p/u's more than capable of moving it. My last SUV's max was 7,400 so it was never a concern.
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i say go for it! whats the worst thing that can happen besides your tranny goin out or you breaking something in your engine? haha jk
 
No

I would not attempt it . . . Warranty police probably reading and watching.:police:

westwind77 said:
My boat weighs 5,400lbs (boat, engines, fuel, gear, etc) + the weight of the double axle trailer - dare I tow it from the lot it is stored at to my house about 5 miles away (35mph)???

Part of me really want to find out how it does, but the other part of me is saying you barely have 12k miles, no no no no! It would be a one time 'play test'. I have other p/u's more than capable of moving it. My last SUV's max was 7,400 so it was never a concern.
Click to expand...
 
philsey said:
PLUS the weight of a DA trailer????? Dood, that's more like 6,600 pounds or more..
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Yeah, I know, trust me. I have a feeling I am going to shy away from it but part of me does want to hook up 'just to see'. If I was planning on trading it in within the next few years I might attempt it (sorry second owner), but I plan to keep this for a while so don't want issues later (even though I have a 7/75k).
 
I say go for it, but be sure to video it incase anything funny happens, making sure to post it here if so. ;):
 
westwind77 said:
Yeah, I know, trust me. I have a feeling I am going to shy away from it but part of me does want to hook up 'just to see'. If I was planning on trading it in within the next few years I might attempt it (sorry second owner), but I plan to keep this for a while so don't want issues later (even though I have a 7/75k).
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Do you have surge brakes or electric brakes on the trailer. I woulod want the brakes to work. I was reading in a four wheeler or one of those magazines where a guy was towing a big boat but only going a short distance and did not connect the sway bars or whatever you call them on heavy duty hitches and cause a accident and hurt some people in another vehicle. Once the lawyers got done with him they pretty much took everything he owned. Your insurance does not have to pay if you neglect the tow weights for your vehicle.

Here is a similar article. http://www.trucktrend.com/features/tech/163_0812_towing_liabulity_and_equippment_issues/index.html
 
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westwind77 said:
My boat weighs 5,400lbs (boat, engines, fuel, gear, etc) + the weight of the double axle trailer - dare I tow it from the lot it is stored at to my house about 5 miles away (35mph)???

Part of me really want to find out how it does, but the other part of me is saying you barely have 12k miles, no no no no! It would be a one time 'play test'. I have other p/u's more than capable of moving it. My last SUV's max was 7,400 so it was never a concern.
Click to expand...

If your trailer has electric brakes, get a controller - Primus IQ, etc. Your biggest problem will be stopping. Surge brakes suck, so if it was my trailer and i only had surge brakes, i probably wouldn't do it.

I would go in the MIDDLE of the night and go slow and you should be fine. You aren't going far enough or long enough to heat up your tranny. at 30ish and that weight, i would do the whole thing in 1st and 2nd.
 
So I used one of the p/u's to bring the boat home, but I ended up wanting to move it to the other side of the driveway today so I used the 4R. I pulled it out and down our street a few hundred yards then back in the driveway. I was impressed with the power it had in 1st to move it around. Gave it a little 'goose' and it did not hesitate at all to pull it. I'm sure it would be a LOT different running up to 60+ but not as much of a 'dog' as I expected it to be. I still will be 'safe' and use the p/u for moving it on the main roads though.
 
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