Pulling Boat with '99 1500 4x4

i acquired (girlfriend bought) a 32' Stinger/twin 454's on a triple axle trailer. Dealer said my 1/2 ton 5.9L 4x4 autotrans/gas would pull it for occasional weekend trips. Now the trick part, i have replaced the axles with units pulled from a 1 ton diesel so i have heavier components and brakes. Also running 36" tires with 4:10 gears. Tranny went out at 52,000 and was rebuilt and beefed up somewhat. I also added a tranny cooler in the process. Truck came with the towing package from the dealer. Trailer has hydraulic inertial brakes so it supposedly stops well on its own. Should I expect any problems? Any tips on towing safely (top speed, leave out of OD, etc)? i wont be going more than 30 miles or so to drop in water.

Reply to
RM
Loading thread data ...

big missing item of info... how much does the boat/trailer/gear combo weigh?

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

My guess would be around 15,000 ... probably too much weight for a half ton.

Fred

Reply to
fclaugus

Reply to
Lorne

safe bet anyways a tri axle trailer is WAY too much for a half ton truck

Reply to
Christopher Thompson

I do not know that answer. I have looked on the title but cannot locate the GVW of the boat. I know a 38' model weighs around 8k so i am guessing a 32' probably is around 6-7k. i figure it is too heavy too but the dealer insists it will work.

Reply to
RM

well, you've done some mods to the truck, but it's still a 1/2 ton.. my 99 ram QQ with 5.9, auto,3:55 is rated at max towing of about 7,500 pounds.. Our trailer is probably 6,000 loaded, and that's about as close as I'd like to be to max.. you need some kind of cushion for safety..

My guess is that 6-7 k doesn't include the trailer??

(4 different dealers said that we could pull our trailer with our 01 dakota.. they were blowing smoke)

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Reply to
mac davis

That is way too much to tow SAFELY with a half ton truck. It has more to do with stability than power and/or/braking. If it starts whipping or swaying, you'll have your hands full for sure!

Reply to
noname

Just out of curiosity, how is a 3/4 ton more stable? They are physically the same size and mostly the same parts. Are you referring to the frame twisting or something since it is lighter?

Reply to
RM

Well, 3/4 tons usually have tires with stiffer sidewalls, and stiffer springs. That's why there is a difference between 1/2 and 3/4 and not just 1/2 and then a 1 ton. I think a boat like that should be pulled with no less than a 1 ton dually for safety reasons. Why would someone want to risk it?

Reply to
noname

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.