Fishie Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Whats the smallest vehicle you could use for towing a bass boat like a 20 footer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagdbdg Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 fiberglass or aluminium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagdbdg Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 personally i wouldnt tow with less than a v8, but you can get away with a v6 on some aluminium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernel Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 OK, with todays motors it really doesn't matter about 8 cylinders or 6 or even 5 as far as that goes. The reason I say this is because I have a full size 97 Dodge Ram with a 360, that when it was produced produced 240hp. I also have a 05 Trailblazer that has an inline 5 cylinder that has 265hp. Both will tow my 19ft Javelin with no problems. Not only that, but an inline motor can produce more torque than a V motor. Torque is what is going to pull a trailor when taking off or climbing hills. The newer motors are stronger than the ones made just a few years back. Where the concern now begins to lie, is with the ability to stop safely. I know that the Trailblazer can tow over 5000 lbs, but it is supposed to have brakes on the trailor if it weighs over 1500lbs. The shorter wheel base gives some other concerns about stopping quickly on wet roads with the potentional of jack-knifing the trailor. The other concern with stopping is the trailor pushing the tow vehicle. My boat weighs apx 1400 dry. Now add 38 galons of fuel at roughly 8lbs per gallon, and you are up to apx 1700lbs. Add in my gear, batteries safety equipment and you are up close to a ton. Now add the trailor weight of another 600-800 pounds. Now there is apx 2700lbs behind my tow vehicle. This is going to be hard for a vehicle to stop if it doesn't weigh enough by itself. The front axel on my trailor takes this problem away because it has it's own brakes. All of this needs to be considered when picking out a tow vehicle. It isn't just getting the trailor moving, but being able to get it stopped if some bonehead pulls out in front of you while running 50 mph down a country road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteP Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I towed an 18-6 Hydra Sport with a 175 on it all over the east, I live in NJ and fished from the 1000 islands south to the glades, I did it all with a 6cyl, two wheel drive F-150 flare side. The truck had a 135,000 miles on it when I sold it. It never broke. I now have a V-8 F-150 4 wd, that I tow an 18-6 skeeter with a 150hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pa Angler Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I have a 1999 GMC Jimmy 4.3 V6 4WD with about 190-200 HP 373 gears and I tow a Tracker Targa 17' SC with a 90HP Merc weighs adout 3000lbs loaded have had no trouble towing this package. Towing capacity is about 4500lbs. I use synthetic oil and have noticed a fuel mileage increase and a little more power due to less friction the synthetic oils do work they also stand up to heat better then natural based oil. Chow The PA Angler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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