What should be the max weight towing with the factory receiver, a 10,000# ball mount, 2 5/16" ball and no weight distribution bars? I see the sticker says 5K normal and 10K weight distribution, so...

Would a 6500 - 7000# boat be OK?

Thanks,

Tony

 

I'm curious to the answer of question #1 myself - I'm running the exact setup you listed. My boat/trailer is 8500. Tongue is somewhere between 500-600.

Should, is the operative word. I've seen boats lots heavier than mine being pulled by other 3/4 ton trucks (w/factory receivers), and some half-tons; but that doesn't mean its the right thing to do.

 

Tony,<br> I've towed a combination like that. It can be done without the bars but it's not a comfortable pull. You get a much better pull and ride by setting a bit more weight on the tongue and using the bars to level the rig out.<br><br>Bill

 

Huh? Boat trailer, Load leveling bars? 99.9% of all boat trailers I've seen, had surge brakes. Surges don't work with load leveling bars. They interfere with the movement of the trailer brakes master cylinder. No movey, no brakey.

Ok, I see it, without brakes, yeah, I'd agree it'd be a mite uncomfortable.

My lil brother in Detroit tried electric brakes on his Cigerettes' trailer (that .1%) and load levelers a number of summers back. After a nice dunking the brakes didn't work. He put the surges back on; and stayed there til he moved up to an even bigger boat (its' trailer has surges on it too).

Tony, that 7k boat will be fine. Be careful you don't get a speeding ticket pulling it down I-94 near 21 Mile. But don't get in the way of those fast guys on 696 or those making the trailer run down to Put in Bay.

 

Won't be up that far on I-94...<br><br>Buddy at work is buying the boat in Michigan City, IN and I'm pulling it back for him... he's only got a trail blazer and didn't feel comfortable towing it that far with it.... <br><br>

 

Tony, you should be O.K. as long as you don't get wild with the accelerator pedal. The biggest factor with a tongue pull is the tounge wieght, and as long as you are within the tongue weight and the truck AND trailer are level, and you drive within the road conditions present at the time, you will probably have no problem.