Newbie towing questions

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:23 am

I'm new to towing. My only experience to date is a 4x8 utility trailer. I need to move my 22 foot sailboat about 100 miles. Boat plus trailer weigh about 3200 lbs. Trailer has surge brakes. I've got the factory hitch setup on the CRD. Should this be a problem? Thanks.

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:44 am

I personally don't think you will have any special issues. The big thing whenever you tow is to forget agressive driving. Double or triple your follow distance and never put yourself into a situation were you will need to emergency break.

skywarn · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:57 am

im thinking as long as you take pics and post them of your little libby pulling 3500lbs you should be fine!

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:53 pm

skywarn wrote:

im thinking as long as you take pics and post them of your little libby pulling 3500lbs you should be fine!

It should be an interesting sight. I'm pulling my Catalina 22 sailboat which sits quite a bit higher than the car.
It doesn't weigh all that much but it does have a bit of "volume".

Steve

skywarn · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:45 pm

is that the kind where the "fin" is as long as you jeep is tall? that would make a good pic!

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:09 pm

Probably the swinging keel although they were made both ways. I have a friend with one and he seldom "sails" it because he got blown down once after he first got it and has been a little hesitant in the 20 years that have passed since. One nice day he gave me the tiller while he cleaned the cabin. I had it laid over nicely and the cable to the keel was singing like a well tuned violin string. About that time he looked out of the cabin window and saw the water up over the gunnel and laping at the windows :lol:

. He came out of the cabin as though shot from a cannon and dumped the main. The boat and I were very unhappy :cry:

!

Nice boat and I think you will pull it fine.

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:45 pm

skywarn wrote:

is that the kind where the "fin" is as long as you jeep is tall? that would make a good pic!

Mine's a swing keel, but it's still pretty tall. I will post a shot.
Figure I'll leave everything heavy (motor, anchor, etc) at home for another trip. It should be ok, I'm just really paranoid with a trailer.

Steve

Kniggit · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:09 pm

Better paranoid than dead.

K

mikekj_cda · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:45 pm

Kniggit wrote:

Better paranoid than dead.

X 2

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:23 pm

Well, I moved the boat today. I'm just blown away by the performance of this rig. Going up I70 west of Denver I just turned overdrive off and could hold 55 on the steepest grades with lots of throttle to spare. The boat just sat there the entire time. Surge brakes worked great, I felt like I had to brake less than without the trailer. Zero sway, even when passed by a triple semi going 80 to my 60 on I25. I'm just so impressed.

I started the trip with about 90 freeway miles on the last fillup. EVIC showing 29mpg (it's always 1-2mpg high). Pulled the boat for 120miles up to Keystone and then returned with the utility trailer empty. Didn't stop to fillup but I'm one small mark below half full and odo shows 330 miles. EVIC at 27+. How does it do it?

Here's the picture I promised.

Steve

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:30 pm

Aha! Not so scary after all eh! I see a Cat 28 in your future.

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:37 pm

Cowcatcher wrote:

Aha! Not so scary after all eh! I see a Cat 28 in your future.

We'll be sailing in Lake Dillon which is both cold and not that big so a low performance dry boat is just the ticket for now.

I believe the fleet up there is big in J boats.

RabidRdKill · **Posted:** Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:56 pm

Nice rig (and nice Jeep too!

) I would have loved to see all the looks on the faces of the guys who have the giant 3/4 or 1 ton pick-ups that they drive around all week just to tow their toys around a few weekends a year! :wink:

Jason

stevesmith7 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:01 pm

RabidRdKill wrote:

Nice rig (and nice Jeep too!

) I would have loved to see all the looks on the faces of the guys who have the giant 3/4 or 1 ton pick-ups that they drive around all week just to tow their toys around a few weekends a year! :wink:

Jason

At first glance the CRD does look a bit overmatched. There were a few folks who pulled around to pass and weren't quite as up to the task as they thought.

Noticed your sig. I've got a 97 TJ for fun as well (bought used at 128k miles).

MCTuomey · **Joined:** Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:15 am **Posts:** 13

Hi, new member here. Not to hijack the thread, but I'll also be towing first time this weekend with my '06 CRD Liberty. Boat and trailer approx 3500#. All my prior towing done with F-150 4.9L, auto trans with OD off. Manual says keep the OD off, iirc (I'll check tonite). Is that how all the towing-types around here run with the CRD and 5-speed?

chadhargis · **Posted:** Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:57 pm

Granted, I only tow about 1700lbs max, but I tow with the OD on unless I'm going up and down steep hills. I can maintain 70mph towing my trailer in 5th gear without any problems.

MCTuomey · **Joined:** Fri Jun 22, 2007 11:15 am **Posts:** 13

Thanks for replying, Chad. I think I'll try out the OD a bit on my short (25 mi) tow on Saturday. We'll see how it goes. Not much hill country in and around Detroit ...

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