BraceYourself

This truck is used primarily for hauling cars. It has a beefy frame and is a dually. Air ride suspension, full hydraulic winch bed and fifth wheel. Could I use its 5th wheel for pulling a 12k lb boat without any problems. the 5th wheel would make it very easy for hooking up to the trailer or adjusting toung weight. Seems to me it would be a great tow vehicle. How about manuvering since the vehicle is very long compared to a standard truck. Seems like a great idea to drive your vehicle onto the bed, tow your boat, and once launched you also have your car available?????????????
Any comments Please...

Vehicle is cheap compared to the cost of a dually chevy or ford...

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you check insurance. Its been brought up on here before that once you own a roll-back, most insurance companies have no other choice but to put you "in the towing business."

Just check it out before you leap.

irepo

We use an International with a Century bed for hauling whatever needs to be hauled every day. The wheel lift is designed to take a ball and we keep every size in the storage bin. For sure this truck can haul a 12,000lb boat. What I am not quite getting is why you are considering the 5th Wheel hook up for the boat? Wouldn't that require quite a bit of modification to the trailer? Even if it didn't have a wheel lift, wouldn't you be able to add a suitable trailer hitch far easier?

The truck is certainly more difficult in tight spaces compared to a smaller truck. I guess you have to consider were you launch.

If you are just getting the truck just to launch the boat, it wouldn't be my first choice. If you had other uses for it and that was just one reason, hey why not?

BraceYourself

the wheel lift is what i was refering to the fifth wheel. I would put the correct ball on it. Also not for commercial use. I can get a 2001 automatic in good condition for 20k. It would only be used for taking my boat 120 miles 4 x per year probably.

irepo

Huge difference between a wheel lift and a 5th wheel. Your set up would work, but I would take the advice of Sydwayz and look into the insurance. Probably will offset any cost benefit you may have today.

BraceYourself

I appreciate your guys responses... OSO is great... Wondered how taking a corner would be with truck and my 42 foot tiger??? Any problems with dully on launch ramp, being that its only rear wheel drive??? Would you guys use the wheel lift to help with a steep ramp by just adjusting its position???

Thanks for taking the time to reply...

irepo

Maximum combined length is 65' in Ca. I think this may be true in other states but don't know for sure. Measure your trailer. The trailer for my 30ft is somewhere between 35' and 40' If you still are under the combined length limit making your turns will just require practice.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

If you decide to go this route, its definitely going to have a learning curve. Your pivot point is going to be way behind the back wheels. Remember how on a school bus when you were a kid, and taking a tight corner, the back seat was actually over the ditch? Well, same goes for your hitch now. This is going to cause your trailer to take a different track than your truck when you turn, and hence may confuse traffic around you, allowing them to get close; maybe too close. Then, when the trailer comes around, especially the tail end/drives, you know where it will be, but they won't.

BraceYourself

My tailer is about 45 and 1/2 feet long, from hitch to props

I'm a little concerned about the learning curve also. That I think is going to be the deal breaker for me.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

That's another thing. The nose of your boat is almost RIGHT over the hitch.

(I notice a LOT of steel trailers are like this, I presume to conserve weight. My boat is 5 feet shorter than yours, but I am over 43' long when the drives are trimmed out for towing.)

Reason for my post is, with such a short trailer, your rear tires are also pretty close to the water when retrieving, (albeit, on the rollback setup, you would have an advantage with them being quite a bit farther up than a traditional dually/bumper hitch). BUT, with only a 2WD truck, if your rear tires get wet and/or the ramp is wet/slimy; you are NOT getting up that ramp.

"4x4 is PRICELESS when you are slipping down the ramp backwards with no help in sight."