Trailer towing advice?

[pwilletts]

Im going to be towing my 24' monohull across country this summer and need advice...
Mainly interested in determining tow vehicle size etc...The total towed weight will be about 6k #...two axel trailer...will have brakes...
Is a typical V8 powered truck adequate? what about the extra stability of a duely?......It seems that a small "U Haul" enclosed truck with the extra weight might also add stability...any opinions....will not be climbing any mountains..

[Sailmonkey]

A "normal" pickup can haul that easily. You don't need a dually or box truck.

You will need to modify your driving behavior substantially if you're not used to hauling a load of this size though.

[rwidman]

A normal 1/2 ton truck will tow your boat and trailer fine as long as the boat and trailer (and any load in the truck) do not exceed the trucks towing capacity.


I suggest you find and join a forum that focuses on towing trailers. either boating or RVs. You can learn a lot and it's better to learn from other's mistakes than to make them yourself.

[Cheechako]

I have towed a 26' x 5500 lb sailboat. I was very glad I had a 3/4 ton pickup as well as the diesel engine option. Another nice thing is a trailer brake control in the cab vs surge brakes. There were times I was not sure if the boat was driving the truck or the truck driving the boat.
A rental truck might work well, but many dont not have great hitch attachments on them.

[Tbrad]

If you are going to be towing across the mountains you will want either a large v8 or optimally a diesel. Otherwise any moderate sized pickup will do the trick. Best tip I can give you is just drive defensively. It ain't rocket science.

[Don C L]

If you have access to a dually, take it, it can help. A regular pick-up and v-8 will do it fine, with good tires; the thing to watch out for as mentioned is that, if there is no weight in the pick-up's bed, it may get squirrelly. Be sure tongue weight is right too of course. BTW what are the axles and tires rated for individually? Is the trailer designed for the weight and shape of the boat?

[hobopacket]

If the trailer is in good shape. Any reliable v8 power SUV or truck will do it. What type of brakes? If elec. you will need a controller. If surge, make sure they are working.

I towed my 25 ft powerboat all over the place with my suburban,does fine. It weighs roughly 6000