215 Express Cruiser & Trailer Weight

[Lazy Daze]

Boat and trailer is approx 5000 lbs. not 6000.. my bad. Volvo XC90 V8 is rated for 5000 tow. It's a heavy SUV, approx 5000 lbs. The same weight as a Ford 150 and equal horespower. The trailer has emergency lock up brakes

Well, I weighed mine on a certified truck scale and it came out just a few pounds under 6,000. The gas tank was a tad over 3/4 at the time. It was sitting on a galvanized trailer. If you weighed yours with an empty tank and have an aluminum trailer, that might make up some of the difference.

What do you mean "emergency" brakes? Are you sure you don't actually have a regular, surge braking system?

On edit: Even 5K is way too much to be pulling w/o brakes. The truck's rating is not about how much trailer it can stop without brakes.

 

[tdappleman]

Boat and trailer is approx 5000 lbs. not 6000.. my bad. Volvo XC90 V8 is rated for 5000 tow. It's a heavy SUV, approx 5000 lbs. The same weight as a Ford 150 and equal horespower. The trailer has emergency lock up brakes

I don't think I'd compare the XC to the F150 - engines may have similar horsepower ratings but the Yamaha V8 in the XC was not designed for towing or applications requiring the torque like the 5.4 in the F150. I hope you're running brakes on the trailer as mentioned and keep in mind the overall towing capacity is reduced by the amount of gear/fuel in the boat as well as the gear/people in the SUV.

 

[Deckworks1]

I tow my 99 EC with a 2004 Nissan Titan. I have the tow package and have no problems. I even gain speed on big hills. The Titan transmission loves about the 3500 rpm range. I don't keep it there, Like to roll my baby down the road slow and easy. She likes the water much better than on trailer and land.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Deckworks: Those Titans are a nice looking truck! Just a little side note for you, though. Assuming an automatic tranny... be careful with how low you keep the RPM's. Too low and you'll constantly be unlocking the converter - which will create heat and shorten it's life (and affect the actual tranny, too). Also, you'll have better engine cooling in that 3000 - 3500 RPM sweet spot.

 

[KC WV]

Another option would be get a bigger truck now. See, cause, the first boat is always the smaller one! ...Ron

That's because they seem to shrink when they get wet...

I tow mine with an 03 F150, 5.4L, 3.55 ratio. No problem, even on these hills around here.

 

[KC WV]

On edit: Even 5K is way too much to be pulling w/o brakes. The truck's rating is not about how much trailer it can stop without brakes.

Many state laws require brakes on any trailer over 3500 lbs. May want to check yours.

 

[Deckworks1]

Thanks for the Titan tip. I got the same advise from the club Titan website. I used to play on that site before I found this site. CSR is much more fun and educational. LOL