Towing a 1.4t boat using a commondore

[timddo]

i am about to purchase a bigger boat and was wondering if my commondore can two a 1.4 tonne boat. The car is rated to 1600kg. If i add fuel and stuff it will come to a max of 1.5 . I have towed a 1.1 boat and their is no problems, expect the radiator is showing signs of age, so thats getting replaced. So can i tow it with a commondore.

h

[Marlin_Mike]

You shouldnt have a problem. Mine is 1.3 and i tow it with a 5 cyl ford ute. Justmake sure the tow bar is rated correctly. I got away with lighter tow bar. If i go bigger boat would have to get heavy duty tow bar.

Mike

[finga]

You shouldnt have a problem. Mine is 1.3 and i tow it with a 5 cyl ford ute. Justmake sure the tow bar is rated correctly. I got away with lighter tow bar. If i go bigger boat would have to get heavy duty tow bar.

Mike
Gees mate, I didn't know your ute was European. Must be with 5 cylinders.
I can just hear what your thinking when you read this and your probably right ;D

[Marlin_Mike]

Gees mate, I didn't know your ute was European. Must be with 5 cylinders.
I can just hear what your thinking when you read this and your probably right ;D

Youre right Finga.............I am actually up a bit early this morning. Thougt I would surf ebay and try and pick up a good 2nd hand cylinder ;) to throwin her, make it up to a 6 cylinder ;D

Mike

[Chimo]

You will probably tow it OK, the only two concerns that may be issues are

will you be able to stop when you need to, every time, and

will the boat ramp defeat you particularly if you strike slippery conditons?

I was in your boat, PTP, and the boat ramp slipperyness ultimately gave me several frights, ie sliding back with the the brake on, so that I moved up to a Patrol; and then I could get a bigger boat too! Best and safest thing and goes too slow for speeding tickets too.

Cheers
Chimo

[Noelm]

said this all before, almost anything will tow almost anything, BUT< the problem comes up when you are zipping along and something happens and you need to really stop! sure the car is still within it's rated capacity, but it can get real interesting real quick, and the other drama is as stated, when you are at the ramp with 1.5 tonnes of weight at a complete stop, trying to take off UPHILL, with slime and crap to lessen any traction, not to mention the dickey hand brake holding power, but it can be done, and it is done on a daily basis, so go for it, but keep in mind the limitations.

[fishingrod]

Ive got a 2005 Commodore V6 manual and a boat around ~1500kg.

In mine the clutch is the weak point. It does the job, but id say its only just adaquate.

cheers
Rod

[Kerry]

So can i tow it with a commondore.

Commodore? What model, what style, what type of trailer brakes, what .....

[Noelm]

an Auto is far better for boat towing than a manual (except 4X4 of course) but a manual is better for a caravan (usually) mainly because of the clutch drama when stopped at the bottom of the ramp, a modern type sedan is for too high geared for easy take off.

[Mad-One]

If it's an auto I would be fitting a transmission cooler. So many people seem to forget about the Tranny also I would be fitting top of the range brakes that are designed for towing vehicles

Mad

[timddo]

VR 1995 ( Toyota lexcen actually ) exactly the same as a commondore.

Trailer will be a dunlier loader brakes trailer 5.7.

With slippery ramps, i use two pieces of rubber under the tyres for grip. I only had a problem once and that was when the ramp was full of sand.

[Roughasguts]

Towing a Auto in over drive wouldn't be wise either.
Don't take long to burn the oil in a tranny these days.

[Smithy]

Towed my 1.8tonne 585 Mclay platey with my '95 VS Commodore. Had the 1.85 towbar on it, heavy duty springs and a transmission cooler. I also had the older style load levellers on the trailer which was a great way to go. It was only a single axle. Main thing I found is I had to drive in the ruts on country roads. I am used to driving on the high spots when I am not towing. You city people that never get off the asphalt shouldn't have a problem! Luckily never encountered a slippery ramp. Hervey Bay at low tide is the worst one I use on a regular basis.

Just recently at Port Stephens I had less problems on the Little Beach ramp that is sanded over towing a 6.2 Seafarer Vagabond which would be well over 2.? tonnes with my BA Falcon and a 2,300 tow kit and heavy duty springs etc. than many other sedans towing aluminium boats. I had my helper gun the motor to help push me out and sometimes I had to spin through the sand down to the concrete below but it can be done and we only had external help one retrieve in 11.

[Feral]

From memory bommodores can go to 1.6 tonne with auto box and no more. (Manuals rated lower, but cant remember how much). We gave up on the commodores a couple of years ago when we moved to 2 tonne trailers at work and use Fords, they are rated to tow 2.3 tonne.

You should be ok, just remember though the total allowed vehicle mass may come into play if you have a load of camping gear and mates in the car with the trailer on the back.

[perko]

Your commodore will handle that ok. Weak link is there cooling system. On ranges and large hills your temp will get up 3/4 or more on the gauge. The best answer is to get a heavy duty radiator, tranny cooler, new coolant (v series tectaloy or the genuine gmh product is best), new thermostat, and get your hoses and heater tap replaced if they are over 100,000klm old.
Probably wouldn't hurt to get an auto service done while your at it. We have fitted dozens of autos to commodores due to overheating oil. The book service schedule for the auto service is every 80,000klm which is wat too long if towing. It is best to tow in 3rd as well.
If your rear springs are original they will probably be too soft. Replace with them with some heavy duty ones will carry that sort of weight no problems. Pedders, kings and lovells are all ok. Commodores have the power to pull them but remember that you have to be able to stop. The brakes on VR's arn't the best so it is best to sit on a maximum of 90klm, maybe a bit quicker on long flat straights.

[Kerry]

From memory bommodores can go to 1.6 tonne with auto box and no more. (Manuals rated lower, but cant remember how much). We gave up on the commodores a couple of years ago when we moved to 2 tonne trailers at work and use Fords, they are rated to tow 2.3 tonne.

You should be ok, just remember though the total allowed vehicle mass may come into play if you have a load of camping gear and mates in the car with the trailer on the back.

Commodores can have a max tow capacity of 2100kg just as Fords can have a max towing capacity of 2300kg (depending on several things) but as with any vehicle in this class must be setup correctly and require specific equipment as well as restrictions (such as speed) to meet the max capacity.

Regards, Kerry.

[Chimo]

This plea is made as a representative of the GOM group looking forward to a pleasurable future including various periods of time on the roads of our nation.

On behalf of many of us "baby boomers" could I please request that the "gamblers" out there, who choose to operate up close to or right on the limits of vehicle capability, when towing on the open road, please send a man with a red flag or flashing light or other suitable warning device out in front so we mortals can keep out of your way especially if you ever need to stop in a hurry!

Thanks in anticipation and gratitude and with every wish to catch up with you in safety on the water!

Cheers

Chimo

PS In my own case I cast my mind back to events such as towing far too heavy a load and still travelling at close to cruising speed thru intersections with all tyres locked and smoking and oh so grateful that the big kiss didn't happen. Thats when thoughts such as "bugger the money, lifes too short" send you out looking for a more appropriate vehicle with a bit of extra capacity! Sorry to get on the box with this but ......................

[timddo]

This is great. Coz i only use the vehicle to tow the boat. Besides that it doesn't get use. I just had the car serviced. So guys, where do you buy these heavy duty springs and how much do they cost. I'm considering doing it myself.


I always use gear 1 to move up the ramp and then change it to gear 3.

[SgBFish]

Some great advise here.
I would add make sure you chock your wheels at the ramp. Have someone pull them out as you go and carry a shovel for sand.

[GameOn]

one major problem would be wheel spin while pulling the boat up the ramp, especially if the ramp is wet.

[Alchemy]

Hi Tim,

I used to tow a 6m Quinny Offshore with a 2004 commodore wagon, fitted with the factory 2100kg tow kit. Furtherest I towed was Bris to Hervey Bay - a number of times. Fuelled and loaded I'd be pushing close to 2000kg and the commodore never had a problem on the road or ramp. Maybe I was lucky. The tow kit included pump up shockies, which were great. The commodore I had before this one had the 1600kg tow kit, no pump up shockies and the difference in handling was amazing.

Set it up right and take your time and you'll be fine.

Regards,
Dave.

[timddo]

Got a quote for springs and 'Pump up shockies for $500 for parts and around $170 for installation. Would that sound about right.

6-10 weeks to go.

[Sea-Dog]

About the problem of wheelspin on slimy ramps.................

I used to drive trucks onto building sites which were often quite muddy.

One site had mud only a few Cm deep, with hard ground beneath.

Slight slope and the wheels would just spin.

One of the builders had a bag of lime powder. He liberally dusted the tyres and surface of the mud with the lime and she drove straight out. ;D

I dunno why it worked, but it worked.

It could be worth a try if stuck on a ramp because of wheelspin.

[PADDLES]

it might sound a bit harsh, but you've got to consider your new trailer boat and the tow vehicle as a package. if you can afford a new 1.5t boat then some of the budget must include a safe tow vehicle. i'm agreeing with chimo on this one, i reckon don't sail too close to the limits timddo. there's plenty of cheap fourbies around. when i got rid of my 4.2m tinny and bought my 5.5m signature i got rid of the old hilux and got an old patrol on lpg for $5k, tows it and stops like it's not even there ................ sort of. ;D

[timddo]

Paddles. The limit is stretch for the time being as for funds.. But currently i am looking for a cheap patrol or 4WD to tow the boat. Probably in the cheaper $2000 to $3000 range. If you have one, yello out.

[PADDLES]

yeah i know all about stretching the fund limit thing, lol.

[Feral]

Commodores can have a max tow capacity of 2100kg just as Fords can have a max towing capacity of 2300kg (depending on several things) but as with any vehicle in this class must be setup correctly and require specific equipment as well as restrictions (such as speed) to meet the max capacity.

Regards, Kerry.

Must have changed since we stopped using them, as the reason we gave them away was that 1600kg was in the handbook as maximum tow weight.

[Kerry]

We talking Commodore utes or sedans? Even today the standard ute I think is still 1600kg?

[SALTED]

Just chased all this info for the commodore myself.
To what i found out 1600kg is the max "listed" towing capacity for a commodore. If it is not listed or stated anywhere in the handbook stuff the other so called "legal maximum" is one and half times the vehicle weight.
All these are of course braked.

[Kerry]

As previosuly mentioned what commodore are we talking about? A VY for example is "listed" in the handbook to tow 2100kg's so lets specify just what "commodores" we are referring to here!

And as for no towing capacity being listed in handbooks? Is there ANY vehicle manufacturer these days that does not specify a towing capacity?