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Towing a 1989 Wing

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Bruce Ebling
Navigator

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USA
155 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/26/2003 : 16:56:03

As you guy probably read I just purchased a 89 wing in Salt Lake City. This will be about a 800 mile tow to Eugene Oregon. I will be towing with a 1997 Chev 1/2ton Z71 4X4 with a 350 engine. What experiences have others had towing this boat? It looks like the trailer was set up for equalizers at one time. Is the equalizer hitch a necessity? Any suggestions on preparation for the trip? The trailer appears to have surge brakes. Also the boat has roller furling, not having experience with it, is it hard to break down and store? Any advice would be awesome!
Bruce Ebling
C-25 "Selah"

Edited by - on

Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2003 : 17:51:02

Hi Bruce,
Congrats on the new boat. Seems like a bunch of new C25 sailors in the past few months.

Your vehicle will be fine. If you have never towed this much weight before, just be sure to give your self plenty of braking distance, and allow plenty of drive time so that you are not rushed. Do a thorough inspection of the trailer and wheels/tires. Grease the bearings, tighten bolts (bunk pads,suspension,lugs,etc.) The equalizing hitch is <u>not</u> a necessity, however it will greatly improve the handling during braking. But do NOT add an anti-sway bar. The surge brakes won't opperate properly. Travel smart, watch everyone and make periodic trip inspections. Good luck and let us know how it went.

<img src="http://www.chaplin-nest.com/unkarock/usflagwav.gif" border=0>
Mark-
'Impulse'
C25 #533 DINN/FIN ~_/)~
Bakersfield, CA.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2003 : 19:19:46

Bruce - your new boat and trailer probably weigh in at around 8500#, which probably exceeds the maximum factory rating for your 1/2 ton pickup. Most C-25 WK owners would not tow their boat a long distance with anything less than a 3/4 ton Heavy-Duty. It's not that the engine in your truck isn't powerful enough, the problem is that the brakes, driveshaft, u-joints, differential, and maybe the transmission and torque converter are lighter duty parts than would be used in a 3/4 ton or 1-ton pickup. I strongly recommend that if your truck has an automatic transmission, install an auxilliary transmission cooler before making this trip, and get a transmission fluid change if it has been more than 25,000 miles since the last one.

The auxiliary coolers look like a somewhat smaller version of the a/c condenser coil and mount in front of the radiator. Get the biggest one that will fit, they don't cost much - $75 at the most. Be very careful on highway grades that are more than 2%. Downshift to a lower gear and don't be in a hurry. If your route takes you down any hills that are 6% downgrade or steeper, slow to 25 mph, decend the whole way in 2nd gear, and don't let the rig exceed 35 mph! If you get going too fast, the brakes on your 1/2 ton will have trouble slowing that much weight, and keep in mind that if the trailer brakes suffer some kind of failure - overheating or a lockup is the usual problem on a downhill - you don't want to have a lot of speed on. Last July when I went to the San Juans, I had the brakes on my trailer start smoking on the big Siskiyous downgrade crossing the state line into Oregon. It turned out to be just a little grease or dirt on the drums, not a real brake fire, but if something like that happens, and the trailer brakes go out, you need to know that you can safely stop the whole rig with just the truck's brakes.

Every time you stop for a rest break or fuel, pull the transmission dipstick (if it's an automatic), and wipe it on a clean white piece of paper. Look for any signs of change of the color or smell of the tranny fluid. Check ALL of the lugnuts on the trailer wheels, check the bearing buddys or hub caps to make sure that one hasn't popped off, and check all of the trailer hubs for signs of excessive heat or grease splatters that could indicate a failed bearing seal. Since this is a new-to-you trailer that you know nothing about, bring a quart of brake fluid and know how to remove the fuid reservoir cap, so you can top off the brake fluid if there is a leak. If the reservoir runs dry, air bubbles will get into the lines and the brakes won't work, so keep an eye on the fluid for the first couple hundred miles until you are reasonably sure there are no leaks. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE GOOD SPARE TIRE FOR THE TRAILER! I have two. Never had a flat yet, but better to be ready when trailering 800 miles. Bring a 3-ton floor jack with you, buy one if you don't own one, they are not expensive, $49 from Harbor Freight Tools. The jack that came with your truck will probably not be able to safely lift that trailer if you get a flat tire or have to do an emergency bearing replacement by the side of the road (been there, done that). If possible, try to find out what size bearings and seals that trailer uses and bring a set of spares if possible. Bring a grease gun with a cartridge of the same grease that is in the bearings. The best grease for any boat trailer is Sta-Lube Marine grease, it's aluminum based, colored bright blue, and is the most water and heat resistant grease generally available. When contaminated, it turns brown or black, which tells you the bearings are rusting from water contamination.

Most important, Don't be in a hurry! Don't try to climb freeway grades at 65 mph in top gear, if you have to depress the gas pedal more than 2/3, the engine is overloaded and you should downshift and take the hill at 35 or 40. When climbing the Siskiyous with my C-25, I have to downshift my 3/4 ton, 5-speed Dodge Cummins Diesel to 3rd and climb at 30 mph, even though the engine is pumping out 450 lb.ft. of torque, it just can't pull that much weight up that 7% grade any faster in any higher gear than 3rd. After you first pull out from the seller's house with the boat, stop and check the trailer hubs for excess heat before you get on the freeway, then again after 2 or 3 miles on the freeway if possible. If you go 3 miles on the freeway without overheating a wheel hub, they're probably okay for grease and brake adjustment. Good Luck!

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2003 : 20:21:39

My suggesion is a short one. When using duct tape to secure all the rigging etc., wrap it on backwards. That way the sticky won't have to be cleaned off everything later. <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
R&R N/E Texas and Great Lakes

[url="http://www.cox-internet.com/arlynstewart/"]Arlyn's C250 Mods n Cruisin Stories[/url]

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kenobie51
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2003 : 13:30:40

Bruce,
All the above is good advice.
I'll add my two cents worth.
As stated above, your truck is a little light for the job, but many of us pull with similar rigs. I personally have a Astro van AWD with 4.3 liter V6 and 3.73 gears. Well over the 5500# rating, but it gets the job done.

Your trailer probably has drum brakes. If you are not old enough to have driven drum brake vehicles, remember this!!! They get hot very quickly and fade away. On a long steep grade my trailer brakes are about gone after 45 seconds. As said above, If it's a long grade, decend very slowly in second gear.

Your biggest handling danger is sway. Your truck is light on the back wheels. If sway gets started, the tail can wage this dog right off the road very quickly. You have little control to stop it. Hitting the brakes can cause a jacknife. Just coast and prey. Things to reduce sway. All tires, truck and trailer inflated to the max allowed. Hope those are real trailer tires and not car tires. Run with HIGH tongue weight. Mine is around 625#. Remove all posible weight from behind the trailer axels such as gear stored in the boat, stern mounted outboard, gas tanks, batteries,etc. I assume you have a frame mounted receiver type hitch. Get the proper drop receiver so the tongue is ABSOLUTELY NOT sloping upward.
Take your time. I NEVER exceed 55mph. Never tow with the transmission in overdive.

The above statements are just my opinions.

Larry Knobel
C25 #1657 sk

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2003 : 14:11:28

Bruce,

I pull my boat with a 1977 Chev. 1/2 ton pickup with a 350 engine, and ditto what the others say. Also, I added air shocks to help carry the tongue weight of the trailer. Be careful approaching traffic lights. They have a way of changing to red when you are too close to stop. Slow down as you approach them.

Steve Milby "Captiva Wind" C-25 T/FK #2554

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2003 : 15:17:52

Chevy !!!! Don't tow with the trans in Overdrive it will burn up the automatic trans clutch pack. Slow down a bit and to in D Drive.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

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