Anyone towing a 240 short distances with a 5000 lb rated SUV

[Rockfords Fosgate]

You are probably right.

In the right circumstances it should work out just fine. To me though, having those restrictions, those caveats, those concerns...is just not worth it. You don't always get to choose your circumstances. Having a more capable tow vehicle with plenty of room to its max towing capacity is what I'd go for.

Keep in mind, the Palisade only has 262 lb/ft of torque. That's not much for a 4,500lb vehicle. Furthermore, you have to run it up to 5200RPM to get it. It's great that it has a tranny cooler, but tugging a 240 behind this vehicle is going to put major stress on the drivetrain.

 

[AZMark]

You are probably right.

In the right circumstances it should work out just fine. To me though, having those restrictions, those caveats, those concerns...is just not worth it. You don't always get to choose your circumstances. Having a more capable tow vehicle with plenty of room to its max towing capacity is what I'd go for.

Keep in mind, the Palisade only has 262 lb/ft of torque. That's not much for a 4,500lb vehicle. Furthermore, you have to run it up to 5200RPM to get it. It's great that it has a tranny cooler, but tugging a 240 behind this vehicle is going to put major stress on the drivetrain.

You're right on the vehicle stresses.

@Alan if it were me and I was worried about it I would just pay for marina gas and not drive the 4 miles to the gas station. Then you're barely towing at all.
Don't marinas with dry storage usually offer launching service anyway?
Don't they also sometimes have better fuel without ethanol? I've never bought gas on the water but I feel like I've heard that elsewhere.

I definitely wouldn't invest in a truck for this situation unless I had other uses for it.

 

[212s]

I am a vote for no on this one. The limits are too close for me. I've been trailering a long time and have experience and memory to remember how scary it can be to take evasive action with a large load (relative to the vehicle) being towed. Ever have a front wheel go off the shoulder and need to quickly correct?

That's a bad example...you were not paying attention to your driving if you're going off the road!

 

[DavisAR195]

I would be more worried about pulling the boat out of the water depending on the ramp.

 

[octavio3311]

I believe the OP is in my neck of the woods on Candlewood.
Gas is 2 miles from marinas. Gas is currently $1.82 per gallon at Costco’s. But it’s $6.00 at the marina. Considerable difference.

 

[212s]

Keep in mind, the Palisade only has 262 lb/ft of torque. That's not much for a 4,500lb vehicle. Furthermore, you have to run it up to 5200RPM to get it. It's great that it has a tranny cooler, but tugging a 240 behind this vehicle is going to put major stress on the drivetrain.

Torque value has little to do with capability, it has to do with acceleration curves. More torque from the engine merely means you can accelerate faster for a given weight until the revs are high enough that HP takes over. The transmission gears increase the torque to overcome the moment of force to get a load moving, which is why almost anything can pull a 5000lbs trailer. A small I4 or V6 SUV won't be able to accelerate as fast as a large pickup with a strong V8. Doesn't mean it's any less capable of pulling the weight. There are plenty of vehicles with turbo 4 cyl gas engines that are rated to haul 4-5000lbs. I bet if you reinforced the hitch for strength, a VW Beetle could pull a 5000lbs boat without much effort. It's not about peak power, it's about overcoming moment of force to get something moving. Pulling it out of the water up a ramp is a different story as the drive train is not strong enough and would probably break the tranny!

 

[Rockfords Fosgate]

I believe the OP is in my neck of the woods on Candlewood.
Gas is 2 miles from marinas. Gas is currently $1.82 per gallon at Costco’s. But it’s $6.00 at the marina. Considerable difference.

Love me some Costco gas!

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Vehicle is a 2020 Hyundai Palisade 291 HP AWD rated to tow 5000 lb. 5700 lb weight is a more accurate number for the boat and trailer but at that level the GVWR of the vehicle is still not exceeded taking into consideration passengers, cargo and fuel in both the SUV and the boat - only the gross towing weight is above the rated SUV limit. Location is CT about 400 ft above sea level and basically level roads.

@Alan, you'll be fine. If your trailer has brakes (even the basic level Shorelander trailer that came with my 2020 SX195 has disc brakes. They are great and stop the trailer well.

 

[Rockfords Fosgate]

Torque value has little to do with capability, it has to do with acceleration curves. More torque from the engine merely means you can accelerate faster for a given weight until the revs are high enough that HP takes over. The transmission gears increase the torque to overcome the moment of force to get a load moving, which is why almost anything can pull a 5000lbs trailer. A small I4 or V6 SUV won't be able to accelerate as fast as a large pickup with a strong V8. Doesn't mean it's any less capable of pulling the weight. There are plenty of vehicles with turbo 4 cyl gas engines that are rated to haul 4-5000lbs. I bet if you reinforced the hitch for strength, a VW Beetle could pull a 5000lbs boat without much effort. It's not about peak power, it's about overcoming moment of force to get something moving. Pulling it out of the water up a ramp is a different story as the drive train is not strong enough and would probably break the tranny!

Sorry bud, but I am in disagreement with you here. Torque is a major factor in the tow-ability of a vehicle. I am well aware that small vehicles, and even hitched ATVs & lawn tractors can move loads around...precariously and with severe limitations. For many years I used an old 4cyl Ford Ranger to tow a runabout. That truck could hardly get out of its own way. As I said before in other threads, even this woefully underpowered pickup could yank a boat out of the water on a steep ramp with enough tongue weight (I almost always had to have someone sit on the tailgate). It did not have enough traction and footprint to overcome the algae, etc.

Short trips on low speed backroads are not a problem with a situation like this. The problems arise when you want to venture out and explore. Highways, passing situations, congested traffic (stop and go). Without enough power (hp/torque/gearing), the vehicle is constantly down-geared and near its upper RPM limits. When you finally get out at the ramp, it smells like a chemical factory outside your car. Clutch and tranny aromas.

The Palisade is rated for 5000lb max tow load (braked). The 240 weighs 3700, trailer 1000 (guessing), 50 gallons of fuel is about 400lbs. Without accounting for a cooler, and all the other crap we load into our boats that is 5100lbs...so its around 100lbs over the max rating.

 

[Rockfords Fosgate]

That's a bad example...you were not paying attention to your driving if you're going off the road!

Can't disagree with that!

 

[mwalker4]

Here goes one more opinion. All modern trucks use the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) J2807 standard for determining the towing ratings and capacities. For example the J2807 includes the Davis Dam grade test. This an 11.4 mile stretch of highway in Arizona. The standard requires a truck to successfully complete the climb up this (on average 5% grade) without overheating on a 100 F day with maximum air conditioning enabled. There is a parking brake hold test on a grade. The truck’s parking brake is asked to hold the truck and the fully loaded trailer on a grade of at least 12% with the transmission in neutral. Acceleration tests include: 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, and 40-60 mph runs. All manufacturers agreed on certain maximum acceleration times that a truck must meet in order to pass the evaluation. So the manufacturer certifies the vehicle in those and other situations.

If you decide to go above the certified weight in very limited near ideal circumstance, you are now relying on your judgement and assume that risk. I assume that risk sometimes in similar very limited circumstances. I agree with @212s, the quality and characteristics of the ramp is important.

 

[zipper]

How steep/slippery is the ramp you will be hauling the semi-loaded AR250 out of the water?

Edit:
Dry boat with trailer is 5224#. Gasoline is 6.3#/gal. A full tank is 75 gals, 470#. Other gear, coolers, anchor, additional batteries all add to what is now over 5700#'s. Not within my comfort level on a public FLAT surface, never mind a wet ramp. Trailer brakes are usually deactivated while in reverse.
The OP/title are confusing...is the inquiry about an AR240 or a AR250 or both I guess. 375# difference plus the difference in trailer wt.

 

[212s]

How steep/slippery is the ramp you will be hauling the semi-loaded AR250 out of the water?

I don't think that will be a factor, his SUV has AWD and probably also has a feature for locking the diff/transfer cases. I seriously doubt he'd have any issue pulling up the ramp. I have no issues without using AWD, the FWD pulls my 212s out without issue unless there's weeds on the ramp, then the AWD kicks in automatically and climbs the ramp no problem.

 

[2kwik4u]

@mwalker4 nailed it. The tow rating in impericaly tested. This rating can be thought of as the working load. It leaves a safety margin such that the system is safe to use every day all day in that configuration. There is additional capacity ABOVE the rating, but it will IMMEDIATELY eat into those safety factors. Once you exceed a rating, it's a judgement call on how long, and how many times it can be done before failure of that system.

In the case of say, a lifting chain under a hoist, exceeding a rating has clear and obvious danger associated with it. In the case of a boat being pulled by an SUV, the dangers are less clear, and the failure modes are extensive. It's could simply be a transmission failure and the consequences low, it could be a brake failure and the consequences high. The further you exceed the rating the more likely you are to find out first hand.

In the case @Alan is asking about, the safety factor is being exceeded by a small amount, and exact situation risk is being managed well by reducing speed, distance, and proximity to others. I wouldn't tow it to Florida, but I would tow it down the block.

 

[Alan]

The question I asked was indeed regarding a 250 but I stated 240 since the 250 is new. Thanks for the comments. Yes the loaded weight would be 5700 pounds and the vehicle is only rated at 5000. I've concluded it is a bad idea and will buy a new SX210 instead as it is approximately 4600 pounds fully loaded with gas and gear which places me at 92% of the rated capacity of the tow vehicle.

 

[mwalker4]

The question I asked was indeed regarding a 250 but I stated 240 since the 250 is new. Thanks for the comments. Yes the loaded weight would be 5700 pounds and the vehicle is only rated at 5000. I've concluded it is a bad idea and will buy a new SX210 instead as it is approximately 4600 pounds fully loaded with gas and gear which places me at 92% of the rated capacity of the tow vehicle.

Now you saved $20k to buy accessories

 

[BlkGS]

I believe the OP is in my neck of the woods on Candlewood.
Gas is 2 miles from marinas. Gas is currently $1.82 per gallon at Costco’s. But it’s $6.00 at the marina. Considerable difference.

Buy a couple of gas cans.

 

[nessjosh]

I'm a little late to this thread, but I tow my 2020 AR240 with our 2013 Ford Explorer. We use a store and launch but i'll take it 10miles home to clean it and I have to merge onto I-94 (70mph) uphill to get it home. It pulls it surprisingly well. That's with a full tank of gas in the boat. It also sits on a 2021 dual axle shorlandr trailer with surge brakes.
Furthest I've towed it from the dealership about 45 miles away.

 

[RobbieO]

Where is the best spot or the correct spot to check for level on your trailer? On my trailer, when the tongue is level, the rails show to be a little high, and the fenders too low. I’m thinking I shouls be leveling at the fenders. Yes? No? Suggestions needed. Thanks

 

[2kwik4u]

Where is the best spot or the correct spot to check for level on your trailer? On my trailer, when the tongue is level, the rails show to be a little high, and the fenders too low. I’m thinking I shouls be leveling at the fenders. Yes? No? Suggestions needed. Thanks

I just leveled mine this weekend. I measured from tube to ground in the two locations marked with the red arrows. It's a single pieces of rectangular tubing on mine that has been formed to shape. I got 15-7/8in at the rear and 15-1/4in at the front. Different boats might vary that number, but work towards making them the same.



Also, if your vehicle has air suspension, be sure to measure at the height you'll be towing at. Mine is perfectly level in "Comfort", but a little nose down in "Dynamic", and conversely a little nose up in "AllRoad"