towing 13k w/10k truck

[daniel262]

Hi, i am brand new here and the proud owner of my first sea ray . I want to store my boat myself and I need a trailer for my 1995 300 sundancer .Anyone know witch trailers fit sea ray boats well and are descent build quality.Also I have a 1999 ford f250 CC w/v10 engine ,it is rated at 10k towing ,am I going to wreck my tranny pulling 13k short distances. Thanks

 

[Alex F]

You will have explaining to do to your insurance company in case if you hit someone/something b/c you couldn't stop in time. By some reason a lot of people focus on the pulling side of the vehicle. You need to focus on the weight and the stopping side. In regards to the weight, if your boat is much heavier than your towing vehicle, imagine what will happen if you go slightly faster on a sharp turn?

I don't know what your towing plans are, but from what you described so far doesn't sound like a safe approach. What's a short distance you have in mind? I'm sure that going for couple miles is doable, but I just wanted to point out that if anything you've crossed the legal limits.

 

[keokie]

Your truck can pull it fine. You will need a class V hitch with weight distribution. You will need good reliable braking on the trailer. A properly set up rig of that weight can stop fine. You will need to watch the transmission temperature (but short distances will help).

Do you have experience towing? What you are talking about is very doable, but definitely not a starting point if you are not familiar with setting up and driving rigs of that size.

Call your insurance company if you are worried about coverage. You can also google the topic. Towing beyond the manufacturers' weight rating is not illegal, and not necessarily negligent (although, even if it were, that is not enough for your insurance to deny coverage). The RV forums have TONS of discussion on this.

 

[Ten Years Gone]

Hi, i am brand new here and the proud owner of my first sea ray . I want to store my boat myself and I need a trailer for my 1995 300 sundancer .Anyone know witch trailers fit sea ray boats well and are descent build quality.Also I have a 1999 ford f250 CC w/v10 engine ,it is rated at 10k towing ,am I going to wreck my tranny pulling 13k short distances. Thanks

OK, I'm going to step into this one...first of all, if you don't have a trailer, you will need to have one fitted to your boat. ANY name brand trailer of the appropriate size and weight class can be made to accommodate your vessel. What you need to do is contact a trailer dealer for the correct information to follow regarding the proper one for your needs. Second, I personally would find it scary to pull a 300 with an F-250. I love Ford's and am very familiar with their towing abilities. Having said that, I would insist you use nothing less than a dually! Having two extra tires in back significantly reduces the stress on all six, and if one of your rears should blow at highway speeds, you still have one supporting the truck to safely bring the rig to a stop under complete control! Also, get a manual tranny. They are far superior to automatics when it comes to longevity, and also provide a margin of added safety when braking. (Engine braking by downshifting to a stop) Finally, make sure YOU are competent in your ability to pull that load safely! Just because the equipment is satisfactory for the job, doesn't necessarily mean you are. Don't fool yourself into thinking that "short" towing distances make your travels any less perilous. Remember what they taught in drivers ed? Most accidents happen within 5 miles from home. Good luck to you.

 

[firecadet613]

I used my Ram 2500 to pull my 268, which weigh's in at around 9500 on the trailer. Moving up to a 33' which weights 12,000 no trailer. Selling my truck and will just rent an F-350 Dually when I want to move the new boat. Much safer and cheaper that way...

 

[CV-23]

Loadmaster in Ohio makes great trailers and is built for your model. My 270/290 is very comfy on one. It is a totally welded C Channel steel trailer and I would want no less. The only issue is it's 2200lbs empty and 33ft long...as it should be. A friend of mine has an Aluminum Three Axle Trailer and it flexes a lot. Plan on figuring on 2800lbs/bigger trailer with a third axle. I use a 3/4 ton Excursion but you will need a F350 minimum and I would also go duals, Mike.

 

[cmount1]

Another option is to have a mobil trailer service move and block it at your location.

 

[Bob & Sue]

Don't forget about beam width it is probably an oversize load which most states have restrictions on and need a permit or may only be able to towed at certain hours our state is really tough on oversize loads every city and county has different laws. People worry about under powered boats I would want a tow vehicle that is rated at least 10% more than my total trailerable weight. We have year around moorage the cost is less than a new truck, insurance and maintenance of both truck and trailer along with storage of the boat and trailer. Plus that size boat is a lot to launch every time you want to go out. You need to consider your needs and safety. This is just my opinion everyone is different and has different comfort levels.

 

[moparlvr4406]

if you do pull it
think permits for wide load

 

[daniel262]

Thanks every one for the help. I have over 2 million miles driving big rigs of various types (doubles,tanker,flatbed) and have towed many boats. I am more concerned with my truck ,i will only be going 25mi to my home and I want to store it in my pole shed as I like to do my own maintenance on the boat instead of paying $2000 for storage and winterizing I called ford and they were no help . Ihave a class iv hitch and it says 10k max but the class v hitch looks the same, I also will not be driving on interstates just back roads so speed is not a factor . I just wonder if my truck is up to the task,thanks

 

[Alex F]

As suggested above, maybe it's worth looking in to hiring a tow company. For 25miles it should cost only couple hundred bucks. It would save the risk and hassle.

 

[worzy1014]

I pull my 89 300 with an F250, it pulls great, stops quickly and my tranny does not heat up. Go easy on the truck, get your permits and drive cautiously down a planned route. My trailer is a steel Trailmaster built for a 310 that I bought used. With a couple of small mods the 300 fit on it fine. Where are you on lake Michigan?

 

[daniel262]

I'll be docking at kenosha,wi . where did you find your trailer ? I'm looking for one that will hold about 12k

 

[worzy1014]

I'll be north of you in Sheboygan. I found my trailer last fall on Craigslist. I had to drive to Muskegon, MI but it fit the boat and the price wasn't too bad. My trailer is rated for 15,000 and the trailer itself weighs 2600. There were a few used trailers out there last fall, I haven't looked since. Kendor Marine in Franklin sells an aluminum trailer for about $6500 that would fit your boat. Although, if you are going to trailer more than 2 or 3 times a year, I would recommend finding a steel trailer. I bought my steel trailer in good used condition for $4000.

 

[Someday Lady II]

Thanks every one for the help. I have over 2 million miles driving big rigs of various types (doubles,tanker,flatbed) and have towed many boats. I am more concerned with my truck ,i will only be going 25mi to my home and I want to store it in my pole shed as I like to do my own maintenance on the boat instead of paying $2000 for storage and winterizing I called ford and they were no help . Ihave a class iv hitch and it says 10k max but the class v hitch looks the same, I also will not be driving on interstates just back roads so speed is not a factor . I just wonder if my truck is up to the task,thanks

I towed my 350 from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with a 2500HD Duramax with no problem whatsoever. I usually only tow it twice a year (once in and once out) but I will take it any where I please with the correct permits and signage. You sound like you know what you are doing, use common sense and for the trips you describe you will be fine.

Bob

 

[keokie]

Sounds the the OP has plenty of experience to do the tow. In regards to the question, about can the truck do it. Yes it can. The only difference between a 250 and 350 is springs. The Excursion someone mentioned above is also only different by springs and the full body. Boat trailers carry less tongue weight than travel trailers, and tend to be a bit more stable.

I would go with the class V hitch. I know they don't look much different, but pick each up and you will feel the difference.

Oh, and I would get a 15K trailer. You will likely find yourself very close to that weight in the end.

 

[garryowen]

Thanks every one for the help. I have over 2 million miles driving big rigs of various types (doubles,tanker,flatbed) and have towed many boats. I am more concerned with my truck ,i will only be going 25mi to my home and I want to store it in my pole shed as I like to do my own maintenance on the boat instead of paying $2000 for storage and winterizing I called ford and they were no help . Ihave a class iv hitch and it says 10k max but the class v hitch looks the same, I also will not be driving on interstates just back roads so speed is not a factor . I just wonder if my truck is up to the task,thanks

i would say go for it

we tow all over the west from flaming gorge to mead. on the colorado and up into wyo on the north platt river, pathfinder and that chain of dams

you will likely find, you will have to get a trailer made as that size don't come up for sale used that often.


we had ours fitted with a extra axle for 1/4 more braking power. it has electric over hydraulic disk brakes on all 4 axles.....stops very well. tow truck is HD 2500 chev dura max. total GVW=26,000 give or take

 

[Someday Lady II]

i would say go for it

we tow all over the west from flaming gorge to mead. on the colorado and up into wyo on the powder river, pathfinder and that chain of dams

you will likely find, you will have to get a trailer made as that size don't come up for sale used that often.


we had ours fitted with a extra axle for 1/4 braking power. it has electric over hydraulic disk brakes on all 4 axles.....stops very well. tow truck is HD 2500 chev dura max. total GVW=26,000 give or take

I sure wish that the Highways and Transportation Dept up here would let us run a rig like that. I would love to have a fourth axle on my trailer but it is illegal here in Manitoba.

 

[itsabowtime2]

My F250 CC 4x4 pulls my boat just fine. It has the 5.4 V8. I have gone as far as 140 miles one way without issue. As far as trailers I have a Venture and it has done very well.

 

[tdappleman]

The later F250s (and Excursions) had a higher hitch rating starting in 2001. The difference was the size of the actual bolts holding the hitch to the frame. Beyond that the only thing I would be concerned with would be the axle ratio. The ideal ratio for the V10s are 4.30s which will get you the highest tow rating for the V10. The 4r100 is a good transmission and is usually not an issue - fluid condition and temperature can be a factor. Some folks are upgrading to the trans cooler found in the 6.0 Powerstroke/Torqueshift combination as it can lower the temps quite a bit. Good luck - I've been towing my 270 with my Excursion for over 3 years without an issue and love the V10. Mileage sucks but the power is more than adequate.