help with some terms for a newb
 

Maybe if/when this gets an answer, it'll be a stickey...

I have a Jeep GC Limited, it's an 05, and i'm pulling a 05 Fountain 27 fever behind it, or rather, i'm planning on it. The weight of the boat is supposed to be 4500lbs, and the jeeps tow rating in the owners manual says that its 5500 lbs. so... it seems i should be fine.

But some questions, what is 'weight distributed' trailering, and how do you identify if my trailer/truck/hitch is 'weight distributing'?

How do you determine tongue weight.

what are axle ratios? are they important to me? why? how do i find mine?

How do you know what 'class' your hitch is.... mine came installed from JEEP.

I'm planning on going some distance.... from NY to NH, so.... any tips i should be aware of...? i remember the first time i towed a trailer, i almost blew through the EZ-Pass lane on the interstate... can't use EZ pass with a trailer... they count axles. whups.

Yes, i'm a newb.... be gentle.

I'm no fountain expert, but 4500 lbs sounds awful light for a 27 fever. Maybe a dry, empty boat. Don't forget the weight of the trailer, fuel, accessories, safety equipment, and beer. Then you must consider the cargo in the Jeep.

You might find that your are exceeding the rating very quickly.

There is some really good info here on weight distributing hitches, and determining tongue weight, etc.

This should get you started. Good Luck!

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx

I will also add that I would be willing to bet you do not have a weight distributing hitch. I have only seen one boat trailer that was set up that way, it is not common. I believe you must use electric brakes with that set up as well, but I could be wrong.

You will not be able to tow that boat with that truck legally or safely. Sorry.

Trailer will weight at least 1250 lbs.
Fuel is 6 lbs. a gallon
Water is 8 lbs. a gallon

Then you have fenders, lines, tools, spare parts, stereo equipment, batteries, anchors, and all the other crap we carry when boating.

You will need at LEAST a 1/2 ton truck.

lol, ok, so i guess i should look for a truck stop where i can weigh my boat and gear while everything is on the trailer. I do know that my trailer has electric brakes on it, and i just had the jeep wired to control electric trailer brakes.

thanks for the link... i'll start there.

good reading... anyone know how i can find out what hitch is on my jeep? that way i can do some research via google and find out more about it, limitations and etc...

Best suggestion I can give is make sure your life insurance is paid up. If you ever need to pull a full blown panic stop with that rig, it won't end well is my bet.

5500 MAX GROSS is exactly that.MAXIMUM.

you will be way over that fully loaded and the short wheel base of that GC is going to become very evident very quickly.

Not trying to be funny. Trying to save your or some one elses' life.

Right on the money! We HAD a commander (POS by the way)
with the HEMI not much smaller than the GC, wouldnt pull my pair of Seadoos worth a chit! Get a Truck or smaller boat

Danedee:

The hitch will have a sticker on it with the limits. You are undoubtedly beyond those limits with the Fountain.

Wannabe

My wife has an 06 jeep GC just like yours. We towed our old baja 23 outlaw which weighted 4400 lbs dry to the launch a couple of times. The launch is only three miles from the house, and even on a short distance it felt uncomfortable. The engine in the jeep isn't the problem. The suspension and the vehicle weight are just to light for that much towing weight. The boat would cause the front end of the jeep to lift everytime you hit a bump, and the breaks are undersized as it is on jeeps.

Don't chance it, get atleast a half ton truck and the ride will be much more enjoyable.

If you refer to the sticky thread at the top, you'll see that your Jeep has 3500, 6500 and 7200lb tow ratings depending on the engine. I don't know what your boat and all the gear for a day on the water weighs, but 5000lbs sounds reasonable. Add in the trailer weight(at least 500lbs) and you see how quickly the poundage adds up. BUT if you have the 4.7L V8 or the 5.7L Hemi you should be ok.

However, if you have the V6 you will be overloaded and if you have an accident and the insurance company determines that you are, it will not honor your claim. You really do not want to take that chance.

Some years ago I bought a boat from a guy who lived in North Carolina. At the time, my truck was a Ford Ranger with the 160hp V6 and a towing package. I put a frame-mounted hitch and new air shocks on it and drove the 1400 miles to pick it up. I knew I was in trouble when I hooked it up and the tongue weight put the wheel wells almost on top of the tires. :eek: So much for the air shocks. :mad: I bought a 6" drop hitch and put the ball on upside down so the trailer would ride level. :rolleyes:

Anyways, the drive back took me three days instead of the two days it took to get to the boat. It was the worst white-knuckle experience I ever had pulling a trailer. I didn't get over 50mph and could not use my cruise control for 1400 miles. My right leg and foot were so tired I could barely walk when I got out of the truck. The truck had no go and wouldn't stop either. I kept at least 50 yards between me and the vehicle ahead of me.

If you have the V6 and try to tow that Fountain with it you will no doubt experience the same sweaty trip I had. Trust me you do NOT want to do that.

i think that's the wrong truckster for that boat...brake size and wheel base are crucial...most trucks can pull anything, given time....but how does it handle and stop?....
be safe, not sorry...
c