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Towing with a standard
On 23 Jul 2003 17:19:47 GMT, 123 (Butch Ammon) wrote:
Hey again....
Well, my new/used 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup is a beautiful truck!! I am
very happy with it and it is way better then my old, tired, '87 Ford Ranger.
Anyway, yesterday I was at Boater's World during lunchtime and picked up a new
receiver hitch with a 4" drop (just like my fishing buddy has on his Dodge
Ram). When I was talking to the guys in the store about my new truck, they
immediately got concerned (which when you think about it, is a good thing).
Think of this scenario: 2000 Chevy Silverado, 4.8L V8, 5 speed. Never towed
with it before. Never retrieved a 2100lb boat/trailer with it up the ramp
before either.
The guy in the store was saying, "No offense... but wait a minute here...
you've NEVER pulled a boat with a stick shift? Whoa buddy.... DON'T DO IT YET!
Keep using your friend to tow your boat for a while. You need to go hitch up
your boat to your new Chevy with the stick shift and *PRACTICE*.... If you
don't, well, two things could happen: #1, you could burn out the clutch on the
ramp. #2 (and yes, I've seen it happen...), you could end up with your entire
rig in the drink, boat, trailer, truck, all in 6,7,8 feet of water at the end
of the ramp!!!
Does anyone pull a boat with a 5 speed standard? Any advice? Thanks a bunch.
Butch Ammon
A little practice could be a "good thing". Dean also mentioned the
wheel chocks tied to the rear bumper, also a good idea. The chocks
remove the worry about slipping backwards if you muff the clutch.
Years ago I had a Ford F-150 with the "3 speed plus overdrive" on the
floor and a low ratio rear. It got *great* mileage, but was a dog for
towing. Couldn't pull a dead dog into the back yard for a decent
burial. Every third time I went boating, I got to replace the clutch.
 (
Your setup will do a much better job of it.
noah
Courtesy of Lee Yeaton,
See the boats of rec.boats
www.TheBayGuide.com/rec.boats
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