Tow Vehicle Question:

[gman3164]

I just bought a Tracker 17 foot aluminum bass boat. 20 HP engine (4 stroke) on it. Any thoughts on tow vehicles? I don't need to haul equipment now that I'm retired, so ne need for a pick-up truck or a huge SUV. This area seems to be a "black box" that leads to more questions than answers, so any information would be appreciated!
Mike

 

[birda40]

What you driving now ?

 

[DONAOL]

I just bought a Tracker 17 foot aluminum bass boat. 20 HP engine (4 stroke) on it. Any thoughts on tow vehicles? I don't need to haul equipment now that I'm retired, so ne need for a pick-up truck or a huge SUV. This area seems to be a "black box" that leads to more questions than answers, so any information would be appreciated!
Mike

Pretty much can tow this boat with almost any car or small SUV. Just keep in mind what boat ramps you launch at. Make sure you have enough ground clearance. And type of roads you drive on.

 

[Duane Mauzy]

I think you need a large 1 ton truck, lol. Honestly just check the weight of the boat and trailer. I would recommend a front wheel drive or four wheel drive. The only reason for that is, I have seen what slick ramps will do to a two wheel drive vehicle. If you have YouTube watch drain plug mafia.
Have fun fishing good luck finding a vehicle.

 

[Major Mark]

I would NOT recommend a front wheel drive. Tongue weight on a hitch tends to take weight off the front wheels and would make them spin on slick ramps.

 

[gman3164]

Thank you, gentlemen! Perhaps I was over-thinking this. Mazda CX-5 or other should be fine then (Honda CRV, Nissan Rogue, etc.). The trailer lights MUST work, whatever else happens!

 

[Starbanker]

A good load equalizing hitch on anything with 4 cylinders or more, front or rear drive, awd would be best. I hauled an 18 fiberglass bass boat for years behind an Audi 5000 with a 5 cylinder front wheel drive on some crappy dirt ramps with the occasional wheel spin. I’ve got stuck plenty of times with a V8 1/2 ton pickup pulling the same because of the single axle roller non-drive on trailer. It seemed fine before the boat’s weight was all the trailer and the trailer tires sunk into the mud at the ramp. Drive on trailers with tandem axles are the only thing I will use now because only the front of the boat is actually the load on trailer and tandems don’t sink in much. I fish a lot of reservoirs and at low water you sometimes back the trailer off the concrete ramp into the shore mud and need traction to get over the bump to the concrete, with the drive on trailer the boat weight doesn’t load up until you are at least a couple of feet forward moving. My two cents. Now I have a heavier boat and an AWD Saab 97x I6 but with one of the few 2022 Nitros that had the 18” wheel option with 245x45 SUV tires. That’s about 8 times more surface area on the road than a single axle standard trailer tire trailer. But a lot noisier I tight turns because the axle with the least weight on a tandem needs to skip sideways to match the turning circle of the other axle. There are a lot of people on this site think that there is some magic axle hanger or torsion suspension that quiets that noise, they are wrong. I drive truck and that’s true of every double or more axles close to each other period.

 

[jtmaxdad]

Gman,
I've got a 17' Nitro (fiberglass) w/115hp. A lot heavier than that Tracker. I pull it all over the place with my wife's 4cyl Equinox. Much better fuel mileage than my Tahoe and you don't even know it's back there. When we go very far I will tow the camper (30') and my wife will pull the boat. I have never had a problem yet on a ramp but that doesn't mean it won't happen. The Equinox is pretty light. I guess it depends on the ramp.
Good luck with your decision, and with your fishing. I'm sure you'll be fine.
May your next cast be your P.B.
Jim

 

[Gunther]

I just bought a 2013 Nitro Z6. I think it's about 400lbs heavier then my 2001 Nitro 700LX but under the tow capacity of my Volvo XC60 (3500lbs). Does anyone know the weight on the hitch? My hitch has a limit of 350lbs. Id rather not buy as scale, but I want to be sure Im not over that limit.

 

[DONAOL]

If possible try taking your setup to a boat dealer. They should have a scale.

 

[Major Mark]

go to a truck stop that has a CAT scale. A CAT has individual pads for each set of trucks axles. I'd do it during the night when they aren't busy, explain to them what you want to do and they should be able to assist. Drop your trlr and get an empty weight of your vehicle splitting your front and rear wheels to individual pads. Get a weight. Then reconnect your trlr doing the same setup, but with your trlr axle(s), steer tires, and drive tires on separate pads and weight again. You'll now know the weights, including how much weight the hitch transfers weight off your steers and onto the drives giving you the exact weight of how much weight is on your hitch (drive axle). Cat weighing is usually $8 to12 for 1st weight, reweighs are less.