Towing speed.

[tomfromblaine]

What speed do you do you guys normally tow your boats at? I just purchased an 03 18ft Crestliner Superhawk and have no idea if I can tow at freeway speeds or not?

[Surface Tension]

If the trailer is matched to the boat, tires are in good condition with the proper air pressure and the tongue weight is correct theres no reason you can't travel at highway speeds. Of coarse you'll want to give yourself extra room to slow or stop.

[tomfromblaine]

Thanks ST it was a package deal from crystal pierz,(I forgot to ask this question to original owner) the trailer is a karavan 2400#er which seems A tad light to me but I could'nt find any specs so I was just going from new model similar version weights. the trailer tires are 13" and slightly weather checked with good tread. (I will replace if required when wallet quits smokin') one other question, do you run the "max load tire psi"??

[Dave]

Yes, air up to the max load rating PSI.

[Surface Tension]

If it was a package deal the trailer should be OK.

A bit more on the tongue weight, you want the trailer tracking nice with no sway. A low tire heats up and breaks down the cords, I run all my tires at the recommended max psi. My tires have lots of tread and are checked too. I just don't put that many miles on my trailer when the lakes are so close to me. To minimize the checking take the weight off them by jacking the trailer up in the off season and cover tires from the sun.

[tomfromblaine]

Thanks for the replys and tips everybody I can for sure use them, I just got off the lake with doing a test drive and to me it was awesome, even power loaded for the first time, a little scary but went good, only a couple inches off center now I can get on those bigger lakes safely, thanks again.

[18fisher]

A couple inches off center for me and i cant fit in the garage door!!!!!

Guess thats why i bought a quality bunk trailer

[tomfromblaine]

Aw that ain't to bad for the 1st time, I chose a roller trailer because sometimes I get a wild hair and end up at some ugly landings. I was on the Cabelas web site lookin' at guide ons but I'll see how it goes with a little practice.

[upnorth]

I never get mine exactly centered when I power on. Kinda hard when you are weighted uneven me and a full live well on one side is a little heavy

[tomfromblaine]

I'm sure it'll be a kodak moment some day coming in after a hard day fishin in the white caps and rain

[mnrstrider]

Take it easy take you time, leave eariler instead of driving faster.

Make sure you do not use overdrive on you tow truck/car you will work your tranny too hard, pay attention to you truck if it's kicking down too often you can hurt your transmission. Cruise Control only makes this worse, just take it easy, and you'll have many happy miles.

Oh and expect to be cut off (more often in traffic), people see a trailer and assume you are going slow even if you doing a couple mile per hour more than the speed limit and keeping a steady speed, they will just have to be in front of you. Expect it and deal with it, there is nothing you can do about it, expect be able to react safely. It's amazing how many times I get cut off towing, I'm amazed everytime, without fail it happens.

*disclaimer* I do use overdrive and cruise control when towing, but I really listen to my truck and make sure I do it on flat land, with no upcomming speed changes, like on the freeway, if it's flat enough to keep the truck from kicking down a gear then it should be fine, really it's your choice, you're safest following my first suggestion of not using it.

*disclaimer to all disclaimers, I'm not a mechanic, but my Previous car had many miles of towing on it ('97 Ford escort )and my truck has 100K on it with many, many miles of towing, and I've not had a problem to date due to towing, following these ideas.