Towing Questions
 

I am a complete newbie to trucks and towing a 20-foot boat.

My boat is a 20 Seacraft on an Alum Loadmaster dual axle Trailer model 19.21.6, Kodiak disc brakes on one axle with a TITAN model 60 surg-o-matic hydraulic brake actuator.

My tow vehicle is a 2005 Toyota Tundra double cab, V-8 with factory fitted tow package (wired 7-pin plug, heavy-duty tow hitch, and 130-amp alternator.

I found an Electric Brake Controller Connector harness in the glove box. Do I need an Electric brake controller, what are the advantages in having one?

Is it a good idea to fit rear adjustable air shocks and what are the advantages/disadvantages to fitting disc brakes on the second axle- more braking I know but does a 3000 lb load need it and is it one more thing to go wrong?
Do brake-flushing kits work well and would you recommend fitting one to my rig?

I tow 200 plus mile and would like to hear experienced boat towers recommendations to make my rig as safe as possible.

Many Thanks

Re: Towing Questions
 

Fishstu, I pull My 20 MA which is Heavier than Normal with a 97' Jimmy 4.3 V6- lock diff. 3:42 gears. Nothing else added except for Fac.towing as You have. The P/U 's are lighter in the rear which may make You Adjust the Tounge weight if You slip at the Ramp.Trick; 2nd Gear barley give it gas just to start rolling. Apply slight emergency brake pressure if its slippery,as long as the rear wheels don't slip she'll come out slow. The Tandem axle trailer will pull much easier. DO NOT USE Electric brakes,Problems will start happening. Surge brakes are all You need & on one set of wheels. If You have a Complete S.S. Brake setup(As Rolls Axles) You do not need to flush,Although I do spray them. Air shocks;You will just have to see how it looks & tows to determine if You need to add air shocks,again the tandem helps greatly with the load.The electric brake contoller is Great for campers,horse - utility trailers etc. They can be adjusted to stop the load as Your putting the truck brakes on. Surge Brakes;You will have to Run an extra wire from Your Reverse light(Usually lt. green or lt. blue) to the trailer.This will allow You to back up.Otherwise the weight/surge will cause the brakes to come on .You can buy a 5 wire harness or just add a slip connector. Tug
200 Miles !!!!! Get a spare tire & Axle lifter ! or the Tow insurance,Which usually You'll have it fiXed by the time They show up!
:cool:

Re: Towing Questions
 

Capt. Brad knows his stuff and you will be wise to accept his input. I think your truck is ideal for your rig if properly set-up with 5% to 7% tongue weight and level. You could climb the Rockies with that rig. Have fun and good luck!

Re: Towing Questions
 

Brad is dead nuts on.

That truck is more than capable of towing your 20 SeaCraft. It is a fantastic vehicle. My fishing buddy has had 2, one extended cab and now a crew cab. he regularly towed his 27 Contender cuddy with it, It was a tad hairy but did get the job done.

The flush kit is more for "drum" brakes.

Does this mean we will see you here in Newport this summer??

Re: Towing Questions
 

I have the exact same trailer as well as a SeaCraft 20' that is likely as heavy as any 20' on this site when full of fuel. Your tow vehicle is more appropriate than mine (Jeep Cherokee) and I've towed two SeaCraft's roundtrip from Miami to NC and never felt like I needed more vehicle or trailer (maybe wished I'd bought a lesser trailer but that's another story).

-you'll be fine :cool:

Re: Towing Questions
 

One more suggestion, check out the local Coast Guard Aux.
in your area. Not only do they teach boating skills but also
towing. I see people on the road with the safety chains on wrong, no spare tire, lights out, etc. The best one ever was on a trip to the Keys on the Turnpike, with some moron towing a 30ft Fountain with a Jeep CJ-7. It was pulling it at 75mph.
Good luck with the new rig, you will be fine.
See ya, Ken

Re: Towing Questions
 

fishstu,

I'm not the person you need top talk to regarding the safety aspects of towing, but I dragged my 20 back from cenrtal PA, along coastal CT (Rt 95) and into Boston on a Friday afternoon/evening with my 2002 Tundra V8 and never felt I needed more truck.

Re: Towing Questions
 

It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand :D

In all seriousness, my dad in California loaned me his CJ-7 once and I refused to drive it on the freeway. Anything over about 45mph in a Jeep (Wrangler, CJ5/7/etc) is sketchy. They weren't designed for that. Before y'all jump on my case, I'm on my eighth Jeep product and have had them in the family since I was 3. My first was a '47 CJ2A so don't get all teary eyed on me :(

On the turnpike at 75mph? - how many empty Corona bottles were in the back?!

P.S. this does not underscore how much I appreciated the loan of a certain black Jeep Wrangler from a close friend in Key West over the past year :D

Re: Towing Questions
 

[QUOTE]
Oh yeah I would!!, owned an 88 Grand Wagoneer, and a 78
CJ-7 till the ex-wife planted the Wagoneer on a telephone pole. :( It was the best riding vehicle in its class. Towing on the other hand was not the best because of the short wheel base.

See ya, Ken

Re: Towing Questions
 

Fish - You won't even feel the boat behind that truck!!

Re: Towing Questions
 

Most every truck/towing vehicle has a manufacturers rating for towed trailers. Also on the title for the boat ,at least in texas, it has the weight of the hull as it came from the factory, the outboard weight is easily found online and the weight of the trailer should also be listed on the trailer title. I would agree that you should have no problem towing with the combo you described, I pull my 23cc with twin 150's 150 gal's of fuel all the gear etc. with our 2wd ford expedition up and over the Galveston causway at freeway speeds {60-65} no problems. Good luck.

Re: Towing Questions
 

Fishstu-Towing can be a seriously stressful deal as you know and heard stories. Mistakes can spell tragedy-check out trayder's new misc. photo gallery for some bad days trailering. One simple correction that I ran into that Otto mentioned was the tongue weight. My Landcruiser/Lexus LX450 had such soft springs that my 18SF that was too far up on the trailer sagged the back of the truck way down. All I did was weight the tongue seperate and reduced the load up front by sliding the winch post toward the back of the trailer a foot or two (keep the transom on the bunks). Major difference. I tow my 23 with a 04 Yukon XL using a Rolls Dual Axle trailer-brakes have been disconnected on the trailer.

Re: Towing Questions
 

Thanks guys for the feedback.

I need to add matching Kodiak SS disc brakes to the trailers second axle. Connecticut’s MVD requires brakes on all wheels of trailers rated at 3000 lb gross and above. The trailer is used from New York and has to go thru CT inspection. I got the brakes, tubing and tees that should fit right on directly from loadmaster.
As far as tongue weight, if possible I will get boat/trailer weighed. If not, my guess is they weight between 3200 - 3500 Lb.
Then I will see how the rig handles.

Re: Towing Questions
 

I'm going through the same thing right now. Brought the boat home from MD with the whole brake system stripped out but the rest of the trailer in good shape. Looks like it's going to be over $700 in parts to get this thing registered in CT. I started out planning to do the Kodiak SS on all 4 wheels but after pricing everything it was too much to spend on a trailer that will rarely see the highway and will likely only be used to launch/retrieve the boat 2-3 times per year. Kodiak actually reccomended using the Cadmium for such low usage but, I'm may even go down to drums at this point. Gotta see the price difference.

Re: Towing Questions
 

Brad at Hi Tech Trailer's has been testing diffrent brake system's on his personal trailer. he told me the Cad kodiak's have been on there 2yrs now and show no sign's of rust or any problem's. Only dunked in saltwater.

That's what's on mine.

Re: Towing Questions
 

Here are a couple of shots of the Brake system on the Rolls. Strange look'n but they work. I was told they need NO cleaning/spraying Nothing! I still do , juz' for Fun.

http://www.frenzie.com/IMG_0404.JPG
Top Shot

http://www.frenzie.com/IMG_0405.JPG
Back side shot.
Tug :cool:

Re: Towing Questions
 

Capt Brad,
Those calipers appear to be machined from billet stock, as opposed to what most of us are used to seeing made as a casting (sand or die).

Must be a fairly low volume production, to be able to afford to be making them like that. ;)