suzuki sierra - towing boat??

[trolley]

Hi everyone.
im looking at getting a suzi and a boat.

i was just wondering if the suzi could pull it ok.

i was looking at a 4.4m aluminium runabout (steering wheel and windshield style)

will this work ok or will i need a suzuki with the vitara conversion.

cheers.
John

[lay80n]

To do it legally you may need to get need a bigger car. From memory a sierra is limited to 450kg towing. Im sure someone will post up saying their dads uncles best mates whatever towed his house with a sierra, but legally you are limited. Have an accident overloaded and your up the creek with no paddle.

Layto....

[trolley]

its just to move it to the boat ramp and back to the house. not for offroad or anyhing like that. im might have to test it before i buy i guess

[lay80n]

In the end it comes down to how far you are moving the boat. My comment was just to let you know that if you drove on any public road towing over 450KG it is illegal. If your only moving your boat one block, you might be keen to take the chance. But if you have to go any longer than that, you might want to re-consider your plans. How much does the boat & trailer weight? While you could re-engineer the car to take the larger towing load, in reality you would just buy a bigger car. Some vitara's have a larger capacity. Offroad towing a boat would be a bit easier due to using low range and lower speeds, but still stressing the chassis and brakes due to the overweight towing load.

As for acutal towing power, if you just want to pull your boat up and down the ramp you should be fine. I have towed a commodore attached to a decent sized half cab up a boat ramp after the dunny dore driver coudlnt get traction to retrive his boat. low first, locked. Was too easy.

Layto....

[trolley]

yeah i was thinking of updating the brakes too cope with the weight when braking.

[david123]

is this a plate boat or a general tinny.

If its a general tinny,(stacer/clack etc) I can see no drama, you will have all the power needed, and be legal, but, if your looking at a plate boat, they tend to be a fair bit heavier, like 3 or 4mm rather than 1.5. and so also the trailer will be heavier.

As spoken of, legal specs come into play, you may well be able to tow a heavy boat, but, if you hit something, and its found that you are overloaded, you really are in deep shit.

I have towed around 1.8 ton with me sierra, no drama, but, not on road.

Id check the weight of the vessel and trailer as a start point.

[alien]

not sure on weight, but i once towed a 4.5m dinghy loaded with camping gear from perth to mandurah (1hr drive)... went fine, did about 80 all the way (freeway) just to be safe though.

[trolley]

yeah sounds like ill have to make damn sure before i purchase. cheers guys

[RangerCam]

This is my tinnie that i have towed for many years behind my sierra, the weight of a small boat isn't huge. I find it handles well, just is a bit slow in getting up hills but breaking is fine. I live in QLD and the transport guys are nazi up here and i haven't been pulled over. (Note that the 4 stroke 15 hp outboard is a suzuki too !!!)

[Zooknut]

You will really have to check also with your state laws. Yes my Zuk had a plate which states the 450kg limit, but my state laws say you can tow up to 1.5 times the cars weight if the trailer is braked (loophole). So I could legally tow my 19foot fiberglass trailer yacht. The all up weight was 750kg's on trailer.

[Highway-Star]

You will really have to check also with your state laws. Yes my Zuk had a plate which states the 450kg limit, but my state laws say you can tow up to 1.5 times the cars weight if the trailer is braked (loophole). So I could legally tow my 19foot fiberglass trailer yacht. The all up weight was 750kg's on trailer.

I know of this law, but understand it only applies if the manufactured towbar is also rated to that much. i.e. the car might legally be allowed to tow "1tonne", but tobar says maximum of "450kg", then 450kg is the max you can legally tow. I do not know of a towbar for a Sierra that can tow over about 450-500kg mark. Vitara, Jimny etc are all rated much higher.

[trolley]

well ive already commited to buy a boat and suzi. the boat is around the 450kg mark so should be all good. iff i have trouble with the MAN ill just get some brakes on the trailer....

[FC3892]

i know it's not a boat, but i pull a boxy with two bikes, plus gear most weekends. Be about 400kg all up.. i was pulled over an told i would be very close to being over.. BUT anywho pulls that up ok, mine is a lil on the tall side, so over some bumps it gets a lil shimmy up.
Nother scary tho, see how u go

Adam

[lay80n]

well ive already commited to buy a boat and suzi. the boat is around the 450kg mark so should be all good. iff i have trouble with the MAN ill just get some brakes on the trailer....

If the boat is around 450KG your stuffed, as the trailer etc is going to put you over. As Highway star said, even if you have brakes you car is only rated to 450 and your towbar is only rated to 450, so you are still exceeding the maufacturers capacity therefore illegal. Hayman Reese rate their bar to 550 load 50Down for a SWB. Still short of the 750 weight claimed above.

Layto....

[Zooknut]

Mine was a heavy duty bar rated to 1000kg that dropped down and also protected the fuel tank from bumps. I will see if i can dig up some pics.

[trolley]

sweet

[trolley]

around 450 all up. very light build.
i think it is 300kg minus motor and trailer. and the trailer is very light anyway. and it has a 35hp motor so not too bad.

[matsmad]

I've towed my 15ft fibreglass half cab behind the mrs sierra. Tows it easy, but after 70kmh on the highway its scary

[trolley]

yeah fibre glass would fully heavy.