Trailering a 260DA?

matthewmiller01

New Member
May 14, 2008
1,007
Knoxville, TN
Boat Info
2008 290 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 5.0 MPIs (DTS) w/ Bravo III Drives
Kohler 5 ECD
Hello all. After the second season with our 210 Select (with which we have been extremely pleased), the wife and I are beginning the process to learn about cruisers. As of right now, we are leaning toward a 260DA, probably next year.

The major question is, since we love going different places like Aquapalooza with our Sea Ray, is the 260 a trailerable boat? I mean, is it easily trailerable? We have an '08 Suburban 1500 with a towing capacity of 8100 lbs. The dry 260 (in '08) was within a couple of hundred pounds of the rated capacity of the 'burb. Would this be OK for occasional towing as it sits? While I understand it would be recommended, is it necessary to upgrade the brakes, computer, etc. to meet this weight or would upgrading these things allow me to go a bit over the 8100 lb rated towing capacity and be OK to tow it?

Really, I want to know if I have to get a new truck to be able to tow the 260. It would be towed roughly 5 times a year, all trips expected less than 250 miles and it would stay wet at the other times.

Thanks in advance for the advice. I look forward to hearing from all of you experts. There is an '08 leftover at the dealership that we really like, but have a lot of questions to get answered before we can even think about pulling the trigger. :thumbsup:
 
I hear you. Same thing for the 290SS I keep dreaming about. I'm sure some of the others are going to chime in. I have a feeling your going to be close to 10K with the 260 when you have the boat fully loaded, with all the options and trailer.
 
Mine comes in around 9,500 - 9,800. The newer 260's are much heavier. Even totally dry - no batteries, no oil, no fuel, no water, nothing - you're over your limit. Don't forget that anything you put in your truck (besides you) comes off your tow capacity. Unfortunately, there's no way to do it. You'd have to beef up the frame, suspension, brakes, change the transmission... you get the idea. You need a 3/4 ton. It's just too much weight pushing on a 1/2 ton chassis - regardless if it has "the power".
 
Please keep the comments coming. Although it isn't what I want to hear, having my family in the truck (and thinking of the others on the road), is my concern. I know that the truth sometimes hurts and the safety of my family is the most important thing.

I didn't realize dry weight did not include batteries and such. I thought it was merely fluid weights that were deleted and I thought that I could tow it dry (water, hold, minimal gas) until I got to the destination and then fill them all. That's why I call on you experts. Thanks again for the education! :smt038
 
Sorry Matt....gotta go along with the others.....you'll need a bigger tow vehicle.
Tell you what though. Go ahead & get the 260...I'll watch it for you until you can get a bigger tow vehicle.......:thumbsup:
 
If the one you are considering is on a trailer, go weigh it. Explain your situation to the dealer, and ask for their help to gather information. Find a nearby truck stop with a scale and weigh it. If it is on a trailer, and it is steel, you can save 1500 pounds minimum by going to aluminum. The dealer may be able to help with this.

I'm not a fan of towing beyond ratings, but those ratings are based on travel trailers, not boats. Boats tow a bit easier than travel trailers. They are far more aero-dynamic, have less tongue weight, and are less prone to sway due to the trailer axles being closer to the rear of the towed load.

Anyway, I'd get precise answers and go from there.
 
If the trailer had brakes (not just surge brakes), would that make a difference in the towing capacity/ability of the truck since the trailer would not push so much on the truck? :huh:
 
Brakes on the trailer would not affect the towing capacity. However, good brakes (I would recommend electric over hydraulic disc, or straight electric drum) on all three axles of the trailer should allow you to stop very well, even with 1/2 ton equipment.

Most boat trailers have surge drums (and often not even on all axles). Even when they are operating correctly and at full potential (commonly, they aren't), they are no match for the stopping power of the above mentioned brakes. Surge disc do very well, but do not have a separate controller like the first two I mentioned.
 
As some of the other have said, its too much weight for a 1/2 ton truck. Having been in the same situation myself recently, I can tell you what I have learned.

Properly equipped (weight distributing hitch), your suburban can move the boat, and having a trailer with electric over hydraulic breaks vs surge makes stopping a bit safer. That said the loaded boat on the trailer will be approaching double the weight of your truck, and to quote a poster from another thread on the same subject, it makes for an "ass-puckering" ride.

Since your intended use is road-trips, I'd say your current rig is NOT up to the task, and for the safety of you and others on the road, A 3/4 ton truck will be plenty. Go with a diesel, you'll get better fuel economy while towing, plus its what all the cool kids are doing.
 
The 4L60E is not going to last long. And, we haven't talked about the engine. Believe me, if there was a way I thought you could make it work - safely and efficiently - I would tell you. You need a 3/4 ton. Preferably diesel, but you're not at the point where it's mandatory.

I'm not sure I agree with travel trailers being less aerodynamic. Boats have lot's of surface area - irregular angles, and an awfully un-aerodynamic rear end. The underside of a boat when it's on a trailer is by no means "efficient", either. From the little bit of knowledge I have about aerodynamics and vehicles (and it just a little bit :smt001) I think that the back end actually has more of an impact than the front end.

I have no scientific evidence to back any of this up, other than some experience. My old 215EC weighed in at around 6,000lbs. A friend's landscaping trailer, with equipment, is about 8,000lbs (going by what he told me). I distinctly remember them towing very much the same. Yes, the landscape trailer felt heavier, but it wasn't by all that much. I did some 1.1 mile hill runs to compare - the EGT's, Max Boost and final speed where all very close.
 
I had a 3/4 tone Suburban for nine years . No way I would tow a 260 with it. The suspension was too soft, the transmission was not up to it and worst of all the brakes were anemic even with GOOD trailer brakes. My brakes failed 3 times in 100K. I sold it the last time the brakes failed as I sailed thru an exit ramp towing about 5k. Just missed an 18 wheeler.

I stepped up to a real truck and learned real quick what good brakes can do for you. I forgot to mention Mr Cummins never complains no matter what I put on the back. I scaled 18k on my 3/4 ton Ram. No problem.
 
Half ton won't do it.

I have a 3/4 ton suburban and an '06 260DA. She's 10k on an aluminum triaxle.
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Here is a thread on my recent tow to FL. http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20400 Lot's of stuff in there for you to ponder, read it through.
 
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Thanks, ChuckW for the weight. 10K on aluminum is pretty heavy for a 1/2 ton Suburban. I towed a set up that weighed 8,500 to 9,000 with a 1/2 ton Ford (rated at 8,000) for a lot of miles. It stopped fine and handled fine. The rig was properly set up. But, the 351 really did not like the hills.

Boats do slip through the wind a bit better than the newer, taller travel trailers. The other factor though is frontal area. On a two lane highway, when a semi passes, a boat is not as affected as a travel trailer, because they don't have as much frontal area.
 
Right now is a great time to do a truck upgrade, get the boat and let the wife know how important it is to upgrade to a motor with some real torque. Along with towing ability you also get much better brakes, tansmissions, tires with capacity and better cooling while towing.

Bigger is always better, when it comes to safety.
 
I towed my 270 with an 07 Expedition for the first 1.5 years and just bought the Excursion shown in the sig pic. The Expy was 2wd and had a tow rating of 9200lbs and I know I was over the limit and I started looking for a low mileage Excursion as soon as I could. While a diesel is nice for the additional torque and high mileage it is a higher up front cost and higher maintenance cost as well. The v10 in my truck tows the boat very well and comes with the same transmission which was behind the 7.3 Powerstrokes (4R100).

One thing to keep in mind is all 3/4 ton trucks/SUVs are not created equal. The 2500 Suburban is rated to tow 9600lbs max depending on which model. Anymore you need a truck to get the higher tow ratings - the Excursion is rated at 12000lbs - but keep in mind you have to subtract for 'stuff' in the truck as well.

Trailer life has an excellent tow ratings guide - last updated for the 2008 model year so if you're looking at a 2009 or 2010 then you'll need to find another source: http://www.trailerlife.com/images/digitaleditions/pdfs/DigitalTLTowGuide0801.pdf
 
I have a 2003 260 DA and just towed it 2,200 miles through desert and mountains. I originally towed it with a Suburban 2500 with the 454. It was a matter of the tail wagging the dog and not nearly enough power. I have been towing it for the last 5 years with a Ford Turbo Diesel Excursion. I would have to say this is the only way to go. On the recent 2,200 mile trip I towed the Baker Grade out of Las Vegas at 113 degress F and the truck just walked up the hill. The whole trip was a pleasure because the towing went so well. You will also need to upgrade any factory installed hitch to a 10,000 tow capacity.
 
Forgot to mention, that with the diesel I averaged about 11 mpg towing. My Suburban with the 454 got 4 to 5 mpg towing the 260 Sundancer.
 
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One thing to keep in mind is all 3/4 ton trucks/SUVs are not created equal. The 2500 Suburban is rated to tow 9600lbs max depending on which model. Anymore you need a truck to get the higher tow ratings - the Excursion is rated at 12000lbs - but keep in mind you have to subtract for 'stuff' in the truck as well.
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The Suburban, when equipped with the 8.1L, was also rated to 12,000lbs.

Keokie - I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the boat vs TT thing. All I can say is I ran a solid, reliable test with both. Yes, the TT was heavier off the start (approx 2K heavier), but over the 1.1 mile course, it just about evened out. However, it was not one of those super tall ones.
 
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