Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Guys I was just wondering if a 2500HD Diesel "06" would have any problems pulling a 42' Cat? I know it's better to have the dully but I will only be pulling it a few times a year about 200 miles each way and did not really want to get a dually truck for every day driving. I am just worried about if the boat will want to sway. I will have a break controller on the truck but I was just wondering who out there has done this and their experience.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Have an older 39 cig and it has been pulled by a 2500 HD Duramax diesel and allison tran. Pulled great, no problems with sway. The trailer and boat are about 14000 lbs.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Sway comes from a bad set-up (too much or too little tongue weight). I bet you will be over your weight capacity and WILL have an insurance issue if you are in an accident. Better safe than sorry!

The truck can pull the weight, but...

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Very TRUE. Make sure your trailer is level and the weight is evenly distributed. You will be better off with a longbed also.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

I pull the Tiger on a Myco with my GMC 2500HD diesel short box and couldn't be happier... Longest traveled is about 6 hours. No sway, no issues.

I did change the stock hitch to the one below though... Inexpensive extra security.

Neil

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Yeah....I'm wondering how you pull a cat.....aren't they too wide?

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

you just need to pull a permit, depending on the state

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

A dully is a Ford or Dodge dually.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

I am in shock...as usual that all you fine people tell him it is ok to pull a 40 plus cat....or anything for that matter with a single wheel truck.....get it together ...it is not ok to pull it with a single wheel truck....bunch of corner cutting cheap skates that have no mechanical aptitude for towing....and you have the balls to give advice like you know what your talking about...if you guys can afford the boats.......you can afford the truck.....isn't a 2500 hd just like a pos 3/4 ton used to be???.....maybe I am wrong.....but it is not a dually....I don't want to hear it either!!!! :rolleyes:

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Tell us how you really feel :eek:

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Byrd. I tend to agree with you.
First, what is the weight of the boat and trailer? What is the Gross Towing weight of the truck? And then there is the hitch rating. I tow a 40' Formula, an old heavy 402sr1 (9500 lbs dry plus maybe 1500lbs for the trailer) Add gas @250 gals @ 7lbs per gal, then all my junk. I will go to the scales to see what the real numbers are, but I have the right truck to pull it. I only go about 1/2 mile round trip to the ramp. Most hitches are rated for 10,000lbs wc, maybe 12,000 max. Are you will to chance loosing everything for stupidity? If so more power to you just stay away from me and my friends please. Your truck might be able to tow a tractor trailer but would you? Better yet, would you follow someone who is doing this?

Again please be carefull and look at the numbers.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

A dual rear tire truck usually min rated at one ton load rating in the bed, I don't know the tow rating but higher that the 2500 or 3/4 ton for sure. Most say 350 or 3500 on it some where.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

CORNER CUTTER, CHEAP SKATE? WOW! ...................

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

For you guys that say "you need dual rear tires" should really look at the specs on a 3/4 HD Chevy and 1 Ton HD Chevy then give your advice. If the boat and trailer come in under 15,000 pounds you will have no problems towing that boat. If over then you will have to figure something else out. Just for the record in 2002 I owned a 2500 HD 2wd short bed. It had the highest tow rating in the entire GM line up other then a C4500. The daul rear tires only raise the pay load cap. on the truck and depending on the truck lower the towing cap.

Andy

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado/specifications/


To the jackass that said "cheap" and the other Mechanic guy that posted above that "knows" how to tow. Looks like the two trucks are pretty close even with the daul tire.......... but the single tire is HIGHER!

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

No offense, you are missing the point. They are referring to safety and control. The Isuzu motor has plenty of power.

Duallies tow straight with more control on wheels from swaying.

Long bed trucks have a longer wheel base which keeps the truck driving straighter.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Well the way I was reading it, it looked as though some were saying a one ton would pull better. I own a 2005 2500 HD Duramax and a 2005 M2 Toter home. Both with a 10,000 trailer on the back drive straight and true. The toter stops a lot easier and you don't notice it when you take off but driving at 60 they seem to drive about the same at speed.

Andy

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

You are right that a 3/4 and 1ton should tow the same. 60 is a very safe speed.

When I towed my boat with a single rear wheel, things got scary at 75. I was much more stable at 90 with my dually. Not that I would recommend it to anyone.


Flash e- make sure you have 2 safety straps holding the front of the boat down. My boat wanted to lift in the front the faster you went. This would cause the boat to bounce in the front.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Guys I think that towing a 40+ foot boat weighting in excess of 10,000 lbs with a 3/4 ton truck is not very smart , The truck may pull it fine enough but the truck's brakes may not be rated to handle the weight and the stock hitch is probably not rated for anything over 10,000 lbs . the most important thing is if you tow more than the rated max your insurance coverage will not cover any claim you make or claim made against you . Also I think that in Canada and most US staes it is probably a traffic violation at the least . Your forty foot cat on the trailer complete with gear and fuel will probably weight close to 15,000 lbs which is the rated max for most duallies. Get yourself a F350 turbo disel and save yourself any the headaches you are headed for . Just my $ .02 .
Rick G.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

EXACTLY!!!

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Yea jackass.....ok....let me tell ya something buddy....I have owned many boats.....many tow vehicles...and I am on street everyother day with anywhere from 20 g to 50 g in tow....your not going to tell me what a 3/4 ton pick up can handle....I could care less what the tow specs are....they are all pushing the far out limits of the manufactures with total disregaurd for what really happens on the street...you do not have a clue what your talking about ....dually sir.....do you get it????....crappin freaks everywhere.... :rolleyes:

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Not giving advise, just stating what works for me...

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Andy01 no disrespect but dispite what the specs say when you are going around a corner with 15,000 lbs in tow and you need to stop or avoid a situation your properly rated 2500 will not give you the security or performance you will need for safety . In a cornering or panic stop situation the dual wheel application will always out perform two wheels . The question is how much risk do you want to take when you are towing a large boat on a major highway.
Rick g.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

i'd say there are alot of other factors other than 'cheap skate blah blah" in not buying a dually, im not going to get into what ive towed, how its worked, and what i think, but man byrd, you got some issues with every towing forum out there, this used to be a page of opinion and advice, but lately OSO has been nothing more than a couple of computer confident bashers

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

thats right....cheap skates....don't want to be bothered with dually....to big pain...does not look cool...wife can't use it...kids..shopping...garage...only good for boat...to hard to drive...whatever....you guys always got a excuse for towing with under sized stuff.....been doing it for years......but as you can see...I am not the only one telling it like it is....imagine that!

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

LMAO!! :D :D :drink:

I was worried you were going to have a heart attack at some point during this thread... :D :drink:

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Ok.. Got a bunch of stuff covered. Yes. Just because you are withing factory or registration weights. You are technically ok. But. There is absolutely nothing wrong with over compensating when hauling. A dually will always stop better and handle corners and sway better. Even a level load will sway when you get a crosswind. The insurance stuff is important also. Make sure every aspect of your tow setup is properly rated. From the hitch, reciever, and ball. Check the load rating on all of them. Im willing to bet people have under rated balls or recievers and dont even know it. The same size ball can have different tow ratings due to shank size.

Important part here folks. Sit up and pay attention. If you are overweight when towing and get stopped by DOT, you WILL face serious fines. You will also be looking at the dilemma of dropping the trailer where ever you are at and coming back with a vehicle that is properly rated to tow it. If not, you could be looking at getting arrested. The other thing. If you are involved in an accident while towing a trailer that is overweight and someone is killed. Even if the accident is not your fault. You will be looking at manslaugther charges. They will not play around on this one. You are responsible for what you are towing and that its not over the limit of your vehicle. Claiming ignorance will not work. And like mentioned before. Take into account the added weight of Gas, water and other stuff. Hope this helps you make your decision.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Flash E, In just my opinion, Ive driven over the road for 29 years and have seen alot of bad accidents. A dually can be a pain in the gas around town but you get used to it . I dont have a boat anywhere near what you have but i have a dually.Anytime you can have the added safety for basically pennies you will be far better off. I have allmost 3 million miles driveing with no accidents, but i have seen so many people get hurt by nothaveing the proper equipment or wrestleing units down the road in a bad crosswind because the dont have the proper tow unit. At least you were on hear asking questions so evidently you had your doubts. Did you happen to think about what would happen if you blew a steering or drive tire when your pulling this boat. Safety really doesnt cost you anything, if you can do this in a resonable manner.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Not to stir the pot here, You guys with trailers over 10K gross. Technically you should have a Commercial drivers license, really you need an "A" the same as a tractor trailer, you dont need the endorsements. Do you stop at weigh stations, keep log books? This has come up on other sites with regards to people towing goose neck trailers with equipment. Curious as to what you guys do?

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

You should check with your local weigh station admin. Not always needed. There are a lot of things that need to be met before you have to go that route. In maryland the limit is 36,000 lbs total combined weight. Also if you are reg as a person not comerical id and under 26,000 lbs gvw not needed. No towing for other people all equipment must be yours. I just spent a day with the state police and DOT people to get the total info.
Also, as I was told, anything over a set weight must stop at the scales but not required to be inspected. Most of the time they will not even chase you if you pass them but they have that right to. I think the limit is 10,001 or greater you have to stop.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

My dually with my tiger and half tanks of gas and 2 people weighed in at 21020 lbs, the scales gave me all my axle weights and it was all where it should be....

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Guys, don't forget that some states have weight limits for certain type of liscence plates. In Illinois they are starting to bust people with big loads and goose necks, if they have the standard "B" plates on their trucks.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

First...I agree this guy needs a Dually...At least....But....
This whole Insurance thing started popping up here about 6 months ago & nowhere in my policy does it say anything about being over weight....Has anybody read this in a policy ?

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

There is a new federal law...s...about all this as of like 6 mnths ago......so i was told by lonestarhaulers......someone will have to do the research ...

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

I will never tow with an under-sized vehicle again!

I towed my Activator and trailer from FL with my diesel Ex. and what a difference.

My old rig was an 01 Denali XL and an 03 29 Fever... I fought that sucker every trip and didnt realize how good it was until I got the new set up. If I get a bigger boat even now... I will get a dually and just pimp it out and tough chit if the wife hates it.... I dont have a wife so I am cool.

Besides I never heard anyone say a dually looks stupid... :cool:

And a dually would be about the same $$$ as my Ex so no excuses there :cool: either.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Just seems strange....These guys go out & get blind stupid drunk crash
into other people & ins. pays up...But...Haul a thousand pounds over weight and you are SOL ?....

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

200 miles each way only twice a year? This is too the slip and back in a season? Get one of the E Dockers to help a brother out, I'm sure they would do it for gas, a 12 pack and a couple cans of Skoal :)

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

BINGO!!!

I would try Red Bull and Vodka.

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

There you have it!

Re: Experience Pulling 40'+ Boat
 

Im amazed when these threads come up (not only this one!!!) and people start talking about......"Oh,the rig towed fine at 70, but at 90 it was all out of shape, that truck's a POS......."

Is it just me but honestly what are you doing towing a 15 000lb load (even 10 000lbs) at 90mph!!!.......even 80!!.....Im no expert but Id imagine the stock tow ratings of these trucks were probably concieved for legal road speeds.

And for the record, I tow at 60 - 65 mph.....maybe 70 tops downhill......I'll get there.....in one piece............doug

and if I saw someone pass me at 90mph towing a 42ft cat I'd probably pull over and wait for 15 minutes......i dont want to be around when it gets ugly.