Towing a boat with a small SUV

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mangomadness
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Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by mangomadness »

G'day Fisho's
I'm Looking to downsize from my current 100 series turbo diesel auto Landcruiser to a Medium SUV AWD.
Thinking of a Forester, Outback, X-trail, CRV or similar.
I have a 4.69 Stacer side console with a 60 HP four-stroke. All up with the trailer it probably weighs about 7-800 kg, well within the tow capacity of the vehicle.
Does anyone have experience pulling a boat up our Top End ramps with a vehicle like these?
Some ramps like Buff creek or Dinah beach are not too steep and generally have a clean surface and shouldn't be a problem.
How about ramps like Sth alligator and Wooliana Rd on the Daly? Long and steep sometimes with a loose surface.
A friend with the same size boat as mine said his Forester really struggled to get up the Daly River ramp recently.
I don't fancy being stuck at the bottom of the ramp on a fast rising tide, not to mention the crocs!
If you've done it, or worse, failed to get up a ramp with your vehicle, help me to decide.
Mango


Skippadman
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by Skippadman »

Mate I got up the Woolianna ramp once, at low tide, in a VT Commodore towing a 510 topender, so anything is possible with good positioning and some right foot.
justlearning
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by justlearning »

I would have thought a Awd like the subaru etc
would have no problem towing 800 kg up a ramp
but if your mate had trouble Then maybe look at a 4wd in stead of Awd
Depends on your budget to I guess
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Scottie5.3
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by Scottie5.3 »

You would struggle at a few places with the cars mentioned especially shady and Daly when the ramp is covered in mud. Why not just go to a hilux, smaller and better on fuel then cruiser
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Wadeph
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by Wadeph »

I have a 2008 Subaru Forester manual and tow a 4.5m tinny. The suby tows great and with full time Awd with low and high range transfer gear case it handles the dirt roads and steep boat ramps with ease.
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by NBN »

The wife had an older CRV; the 2.4L was heavy on fuel, small fuel tank (only 45L from memory) and no low range. Good rig generally but based on above for your requirements I'd look elsewhere.
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theodosius
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by theodosius »

Had a ford escape when I had a 4.3m tinny, did the transmission in the hills near pine creek.
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by CharFin »

I (wife) has a 2012 xtrail 2.5L manual petrol X Trail and it can tow a 5.2 m with a 90hp no worries. 120 kph and a Keswick rock beach launch at bynoe harbour no problems. I think at the time the xtrail had the higher tow rating. Despite some of the rubbishing some (only some) can be surprisingly capable. Ground clearance and hwy tyres limit what you can do. Just work within you cars limits. Most disasters I've seen are with proper 4wd's with drivers over estimating their ability. I wouldn't like to use a small suv at shady but I bet it has been done.
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by nomad »

Steer clear of the xtrail
It had no problem dragging a 5m tinny up the Daly ramp even when other 4x4s slipped all the way up!
BUT - I had one and found out just how useless it was at shady while turning around near the ramp. It lost traction and that was it. Not bogged but stuck! It just spun the front wheel and wouldn’t move until I unhitched the trailer – then it drove straight out.
my experience
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Finatic2
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by Finatic2 »

I used to tow my old 4.5m Savage with a Suzuki Sierra 1.3l had no prob at any ramp but the tank was tiny and I had to carry extra fuel, along with only being able to do 110kph tops down hill with a tail wind :) Upgraded to a 100 series after that.
You should look at a Pajero or something similar, just a bit bigger than the small/med suv's, still economical but better to have more horses and not need them than to need them and not have them.
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Once Bitten
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by Once Bitten »

Steer clear of the xTrail they are cr.p with little guts towing up hill. If you are looking at going suv, try the RAV4. I had a two door buzz box and it went everywhere (driving to the conditions) and towed my 445 hornet trophy without a drama. Had to upgrade when I upgraded the boat to a 5.1 Plate boat though as it struggled a bit and drank faster than my in laws! Not a problem now the the Hilux 8)
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Re: Towing a boat with a small SUV

Post by shaggs »

What ever you get spend a little more money and get an air or electric locker fitted to the rear diff and you shouldn't have a problem
I had no problems towing my bigger boat (5.2) with the Vitara as the trailer had brakes and it doesn't even know the 4.2 is behind it
A 20 litre jerry can is a long range tank for it LOL
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