H2 pulling a 38???
 

So by now we've all seen the post in the "safety" section regarding the H2 and the 38.... my question to you guys, could I -not pull, but- move a 38', 9000lbs boat with an H3 ? I would be roughly moving the boat 100 yards and launching it. I would not be taking the boat on any public roads... boat sits in marina lot on trailer, I hook up to it ,and launch at same marina's launch ramp...

What do you guys think?

I would think you could "move" it to the ramp if it is as close as you say. I think you may have trouble pulling it out depending on the ramp. It still will not be good for the tranny on that truck though.

OK, realistically, any 38' boat is 11,000 lbs. MINIMUM (could be 12-13K) on a trailer, full of fuel, tools, gear, coolers, kids, passengers, etc; ready to launch.

If the H3 can muster it, it will only do so with the transfer case in AWD-LOW setting.
You will need electric over hydraulic brakes to hold the trailer (loaded) while at the ramp. Otherwise the boat will drag that SUV right down the ramp with only the SUV's brakes and drivetrain holding it. (That's why they put the fat kids at the end of the rope in tug of war.)

Those H3s are seriously underpowered as it is.
I can't imagine "moving" it all that well though.

Once you get up the ramp and onto flat ground, you are going to have to shift (probably involves stopping and shifting into neutral) the transfer case back into "AWD-HI" so you can make turns and such.

Either buy a beater truck now to move it around the marina, pay the marina to do it with a tractor, or buy a new drivetrain for your H3 (eventually--probably 3 weeks after the warranty expiresm if you don't end up in the drink first).

You would not catch me attempting such; but hey its your rig.
How well do you know your insurance agent? "Umm, Bob... We had a little problem this weekend."

I think you'll probably hear a very loud bang about halfway up your ramp-exit pull.

Underneath the H3 you'll find very light duty components. Lighter than a half-ton pickup. Basically the same stuff that GM uses on the light-duty SUV's. Essentially the all-wheel-drive cars. Front axle uses CV loints- thay should tell you something. 4500 lb tow max.

Sydways is right about the brakes.

The new one ton dooleys have smallblock gas V-8 from GM. Electric over hydraulics I don't think so for launching any good brakes should hold it on the ramp. He "aint" going cross country.

Like stated above marinas use tractors to move boats around. I think your hummer weights more then a tractor and has better brakes. If all your doing is moving it and launching at the marina you'll be alright. Its not like your going out on the roads your speeds will not be over 20 mph hour so stopping wont be that big of an issue. You have 4 wheel drive so pulling out of the water should be a breeze. I tow 34' with a 2 wheel drive dually and never had a problem at a ramp retrieveing the boat. and truck weights approx. 6000 lbs well less then the boat and never been pulled into the water yet (all ways in the back of my mind though).

Try it and see how it goes. I pulled my trailer with my golf cart once did it but wont do it again. I thought I blew the thing up.

My ZR-2 Blazers are rated #5000 pounds off the bumper. In 4 low with a V-6 it will pull the gates off hell.

Please let us know when you figure out how to make surge brakes work in reverse when the trailer is aimed downhill (down a ramp).

Tractors are made for pulling things. And they weigh alot more than a little suv. We have a small JD here- 65 horse 5000 series. Weighs almost 5500 lbs.

He wants to pull a loaded, fuelled 38 Cigarette up a wet launch ramp. Moving around the yard at 5MPH?- sure. The ramp?- Make sure to video it.

I'd also be concerned as to the insurance company's position on this if he does end up in the drink.

The difference between a passenger vehicle and a tractor are night and day! A Tractor is designed for pulling and a passenger vehicle is designed for cruising! That Hummer probably has 5 times the HP of a tractor...Hookem up and see who wins the tuggawar! I'm not saying it cannot be done...as long as the ramp is not to steep I would probably do it. We have some ramps up here that a duellie 4 wheel drive wouldn't come up empty...much less with a boat in 2 wheel drive! If you get that hummer to spinning trying to pull the boat out and it catches a bite I would wager somin is gonna break!

I hope you don't have a problem, but please take a video.

The H3 comes with a 5 cylinder engine, and its only rated to tow 4500 lbs. Its AWD all the time, and has a "low" speed transfer case setting, but I can't imagine that this situation could work well in the long run. I've driven an H3, and IMHO they have a tough time make the front end out accelerate the back end (underpowered).

Remember when you tried do to your first brake/torque burnout in you Mom's V6 Cutlass, and you couldn't get even one tire to brake free? Remember how the motor just sat there and groaned? I imagine the same fate for the H3, and being the ramp is wet as another boat just pulled out right before, the H3 groaning all the way down to the drink.

I was optimistic in my original post. With a little more research--nope, its not going to work.

Definitely not something I would attempt, I see only bad things happening. Pulling our TG out with the F-250 diesel isn't a chore, but I can't imagine doing it with anything much less.

Thanks for the input... and... I'm not going to make a video of it because I'm not going to do it. With the h3's low 4w lock gear I thought it would at least be worth asking you guys....

I guess I really knew the answer anyway ("if you have to ask, you probably -cant afford it/shouldn't do it/already know the answer")

Thanks

4x4 low.. sure.. multiply the torque on those little axles 2.78 more times :)

Thats like the guy that puts a snatch block on a crane cause it wouldn't lift the load.

I have to comment here. I would say that for a short distance the H3 will probably do it. Likely over time you will ruin the transfer case. I think Hummers are a Joke! I have an H2 and would not use it to pull out dandelions. It is a cheap, plastic, piece of sh#t! That thing can not get out of it's own way. The same is for the H3, my buddy has one, it's a colorado with a bunch of plastic wraped over it. I could not be more dissappointed with a vehicle. I did not buy mine new, but have had to fix the power seat, ride control, the stereo, the heater blower, and when I went through my buddies $1 million dollar car wash, I thought I was going to have to rebuild it, there was sh*t hanging loose ever where. Any buddy in the market for one of these, look at one close, they are junk.

I have electric brakes on my trailer they work in reverse!!!!!!!! How do they pull 747's around? a tug with 4 to 6 cylinders and stop them too!! Not everyone has the big bucks of Sydway's or the access to all the leading edge tech he has.

I would say no to an H3 pulling a 38ft boat: I have a Chevy Suburban with a 10,000 trailer cap. I own a Donzi 33ZX that weighs 9,200lbs trailer weighs 1,800lbs. In low gear 4 wheel drive and she struggles to get the boat out. If its low tide I can't get the boat out.

Move it? Maybe, but stopping it while backing down the ramp never.

Thanks for your insight. Much appreciated.

Electric brakes do work in reverse. Surge brakes do not- unless you're trying to back up a hill.

Moving a 747 requires a TUG GT110, It weighs about 90,000 lbs and is powered by a 300 hp turbodiesel.

You're right. Not everyone has significant resources. Owning a boat comes with the burden of owning all the equipment you need to operate it or paying for those services. Just because I can't afford to burn 200 gallons of premium a day doesn't mean someone else should pay for it, regardless of how much I want to go out running every day. If a person's boat is to heavy to tow, they either need a bigger truck or a smaller boat. Can't afford it is never an excuse. Although, it's a common justification criminals use for their actions. This fellow asked and got straight, level-headed, factual answers.

He's talking 300 feet, maybe we should get a level and stick out to measure the ramp incline, although Mr.Sunken and I really don't have to worry we both have dooley's and neither of our boats run anyway. RIGHT CHRIS!!!!!!!!!!

Gents,

Do straight electric brakes work underwater?

I think the consensus was it would occasionally pull it 300 feet on hard level ground. It's the launch ramp that virtually everyone agreed would not work. Distance isn't the issue, it's the angle and starting from a dead stop primarily- that and the trucks relatively slight ability to maintain traction and braking control. Secondarily it's the truck's ability to keep traction exiting the ramp in spite of its slight weight.

While true we didn't ask about relative ramp incline, I've yet to see many really long, really shallow one's. One's you could pull a 12,000+ rig up when wet.

Yes. Simple system. An electromagnet contacts the face of the inside of the drum- looks like one side of a brake disc. The friction rotates the magnet actuating the brake cam. The will work like really wet drum brakes though but at 1mph you don't need much. You'd have to manually activate with the controller to get the force you'd need.

Thanks Chris. Assuming the trailer 'nmogren' owns has surge brakes; electric over hydraulic would be a relatively cheap upgrade vs. going to all electric brakes. Back to the original post, which is mute now anyways; but I don't think any of us can expect an H3's brakes and drive train to hold 9,000+ lbs. on a wet slope given a trailer with surge brakes.

I can't recall ever seeing straight electric brakes on a boat trailer--aside from something huge like a tandem dually or bigger.

Surge brakes were the standard. Electric/hydraulic is quickly becoming the standard (see more new ones with E/H than with Surge), and Straight Electric is definately not the norm.

I would ask Byrdman

If you remember my old posts about the brakes on my trailers you really need to see someone, as I have never said anything about the brakes on my trailer. As I know, nothing I have would even be worthy of Sydway's intellect. Kind of like his explination of the velocity of pipes,as in stepped hulls. Oh and by the way I am a licensed Master plumber and know alittle abiut pipes but never understood until I saw your explination. Haaaaaaaa just busting your chops!!!!!! Love both Mr. Sunken and Sydway's!

E/H is an easy upgrade on the trailer. All you need is the trailer pump unit and an in-cab controller. All electric would be a swap of everything from the spindles out.

I'm doing a changeover on a Myco right now. Going with the greasable spindles, 6-axle discs and the E/H setup. A little over 2 grand for incredible peace-of-mind.

What a confusing thread.

And BTW, I didn't make up the whole pipes/steps analogy; rather a boat designer/architect.

I spoke to a boat trailer manufacturer whose boat trailers came standard with electric brakes or surge, your choice.....I asked him about the dunking issue......he said "what do you think about the millions of trailers with elect brakes that run around in the pouring rain for years with no probs? just service them regularily like you do any trailer and you'll be fine".......OK.......sounds reasonable......he's assuming I'll be in fresh water however.

It's all in the foot. You just keep tapping the brakes and releasing them and tapping them but you've got to keep the momentum heading back up the ramp by tapping. Don't stop until the last time and that should flick the boat off. Make sure that it is completely unstrapped and unchained before you start down the ramp. :D
Requires very good timing.

:Please video and post the youtube link............. I love to see guys that think those weight stickers are only for highways........:D

Good tip.

I've draged a suburban down a wet ramp with a 24 cabin cruiser.

If it was a 38 beaker I might try it :D