Will it tow a Mac

[Scott]

Since the OP boat show sucked so bad, we went to the Kansas City Car show.

Jennifer has been making some noise about trading the Mini for one of these.


Its an 07 Toyota Land Cruiser. Pretty cool car. Not much in the way of specs available, but it does have a gnarly 2" reciever for the tow package. The salespeople didnt know anything about them as these were not dealer cars but factory cars. They wont be getting any or training until sometime in march.

Are the blue hulled cars faster do you think??

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Scrap the "toys" (toyotas), buy a Ford (something with real grit)
My Ford is Blue, BTW...but not too sure if its faster than white. But it pulls like a mule...and its only a V-6, with stick shift. Good mileage too.
Oh, Im starting to brag now...sorry...Ha.
Happy Safe Sailing and Towing...
< white hull (but it has a blue engine)

[Robert]

Here is a links to more info FJ Cruiser with a preliminary tow spec
http://trucks.about.com/od/suvreviews/s ... iser_5.htm

[aya16]

Those specs for the FJ are about the same for the ford ranger 4.0 I have.
Do your self a favor if you get the FJ order the 4x4 option My ranger will pull my boat at low tide with out 4 wheel drive on but its hard on the trans.
4 wheel drive low will pull it water and all up to the top at low tide with out trying very hard.



oooppps just reread the specs. again, the 4x4 option is that all weel drive
high range, you need the low range to pull steep ramps. Towing on the street it would probably be fine though with a 5 thousand pound tow capacity.

[Terry]

According to the specs it has all the required muscle to do the job, it is just a matter of how well you want the job done. The 'toy' has a bit more muscle than my old '95 2dr Chevy Blazer which had 4 wheel low, 195hp & 260 lbs torque. I only had short distances to travel since I live in a port city so it serverd it's purpose. When I used the freeway for the short 15 minutes I was on it I was restrained to 55mph to keep the sway down and also the boat & trailer weighed as much as the Blazer so that was also an issue. Still, if you don't have any long hauls especially on the freeway the 'Toy' is probably up to the task. I will admit though, now that I have the much heavier extended wheelbase Chevy Trailblazer (129") I find towing much less stressful, it used to be somewhat of a white knuckle ride with the previous tow vehicle. I think that wheelbase & vehicle weight are factors to consider also.

[Randy Smith]

Scott, cute car....it will pull a Mac...as usual it is breaking which is the problem.....the tow vehicle needs to always be significantly heavier than the boat( loaded weight).....towing is easy, stopping is hard.

A nice verhicle though, what is it going to MSRP at? I saw the Road and Track article, but no specs like you said......

[Scott]

Just off the top of my head I think the MPG is 21-27. The 4x4 option is also full or part time dependant on the tranny. The yellow car was a full time 4x with 6 speed manual, the blue one is a part time 4x with auto.

I asked the sales babe if it would be offered in 2x4 and she looked very concerned when she informed me that this car would be marketed to serious off roaders. Then she looked very confused when I asked if I had to take a blood test to verify that I was a serious off roader or if she would sell me one if I walked up with enough cash.

I already have one vehicle whose primary selling point was lifestyle, "the Mini" (and not the reason we bought it) Im certainly not going to pay 27-32K to purchase a lifestyle.

[Randy Smith]

New cars suck as a lifestyle statement, overpriced junk for transportation, some get off on it. I truly don't have the cash for a statement, hull if I did what statement would I make? ...Macs, now that is a life changing purchase and statement...changed mine....that could be a poll......how many people had a life changing experience after and because of buying their MacGregor? Randy

[Scott]

I truly don't have the cash for a statement, hull if I did what statement would I make?

I would need a car or truck that doesnt like to shave, has old worn out upholstery, doesnt work every time you need it too, is centered around leisure and that thinks its better looking than it actually is. Thats a lifestyle statement.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

Sounds like my '53 Dodge M37 pickemup truck.

[Night Sailor]

My slip is across from a public ramp and I see lots of interesting things happen when owners try to pull powerboats or sailboats from the water. Yesterday a full size Chevy SUV had to call a tow truck for assistance because he could get no traction.

Even big V8 2 wheel drive trucks and vans sometimes can't get their boat out of the water on a dry ramp, which is only at 12 degree angle to water. Great big SUVs with all wheel drive can't get out of the water when the ramp is wet.

I have never had a slip problem on ramps or snow in my tow vehicle, '97 Ford Expedition, because I ordered it with 4 wheel drive (that has low range, which AWD does not) and limited slip differential. To that I added good wet weather tires, Bridgestone AT Revos. I always go down a ramp with as near a full tank of gas as possible to add more weight over the rear axle.

I suggest you get a similar setup. 4X4 and limited slip. It puts a smile on your face to see pickup and van drivers stare with their mouths open when you go up wet ramps with absolutely no spin.

[Robert]

I have an Isuzu Trooper 4X4 and low range 5 speed manual and it almost idles up the ramp with ballast empty. I pulled the boat out one time in a thunderstorm with ballast still in and had to give it a little gas to get moving.
..
I don't recall having had any tire spin at the ramp. One ramp with the lake maybe 5 feet below normal had some wet sand on it, a mid size van ahead of me pulling a little boat out had all he could to to get up the ramp at all, he was sliding sidways (this long steep ramp had no docks) because of so much spinning. He was suprized when I pulled the Mac26X out slow and steady with no spin and a quiet just above idle engine. He already had his fun watching me try to get the Mac26X onto he trailer in strong side winds with no dock to walk on.

[NiceAft]

I have a GMC Envoy that has never let me down. It has a knob on the dash that allows you to switch from 2wd, to automatic 4wd, or 4wd hi, or 4wd low. It's that easy. I've seen some trucks spinning rubber on ramps that have not posed a problem for us. People do sometimes make comments about checking "Nice Aft" out for leaks when they see all the water streaming out the stern. One concerned fella told me that my boat looks too new to be having such a problem!

Ray

[BroncoCop]

Howdy Y'All!!!!!


Heck, just do what I did. Save your money, quit thinking new vehicle. In my opinion the newer vehicles lack the raw, testosterone juicing, machismo inducing power that the older pick-ups and utility vehicles ("sport" removed on purpose) had.

I bought an '89 Ford Bronco, complete with class-V hitch, and all the necessary towing goodies already installed, a torq hog of an engine, and plenty of comfort for 5 people and all the necessary gear and luggage for less than 3 grand. And that is with less than 50,000 miles on it. Will it tow a Mac? You betcha!!!

Are they as comfortable? No. Do they look as nice? No. But come on! Men need the big, ugly, smelly, dirty, dead dinosaur drinking, cowboy hat wear'n, horns on the grill, over compensating, beast of a vehicle! One that can pull a boat out of any lauch, take it home and the tree stumps in your yard just pop out of the ground from the mere sight of it. You know the kind, the one you don't even have to duck to walk underneath it and need a ladder just to check the oil. The one with the engine that produces more power in one cylinder than 5 new cars entire horsepower rating. Sorry, y'all, my Tim Allen is showing.

In all seriousness, though. If you need something to pull a Mac, safely and comfortably over any distance or terrain. I would reccomend something in the 1/2 ton long wheel-base and up range. A vehicle specificaly designed for pulling and towing. These new SUV's and such are pretty to look at, and a good cowgirl sure looks good in one. But for practical use like to pull a Mac, or any other boat, out of a launch you need something with real man-power.

BroncoCop

TAMU for Life!!!!
GIG 'EM AGGIES!!!!

[Catigale]

Do you think all the wheel spin problems are lack of power, or just poor technique? I see a lot of people at our launch hook up their powerboats, get back in the car, and tramp on the gas to pull out, and end up walking sideways...

Ive pulled my out with the Volvo wagon (T5 with a stick shift) and also the usual tow vehicle (VW Eurovan, 200HP, automatic) - I get back in the car, engage drive, feed gas lightly until I feel the vehicle move against the park brake, then release park brake and pull out - I never slip the wheels - wet dry sand slime.....whatever)

The VW is FWD, so it really is at a disadvantage in terms of wheel loading. It is a decently heavy car so there probably is decent weight on the drive wheels even on the ramp.

YMMV