Pulling a trailer with humber 5.8

ciaranp · 29 January 2008, 18:23

Bought a rib now have the problems of towing it.
Its a humber destroyer 5.8m with a 140 suzuki on it and its on a double axel trailer.
Just wondering what would be the overall weight? and if a 1.4 Toyota would pull it on the road ? maybe not launch it but tow on the road?

Any suggestions?

Cypman · 29 January 2008, 18:44

I think you will be struggling with a 1.4l engine, however, the real issue is what weight the car is 'authorised' to tow. The maximum towing weight for a braked trailer should be found in your car handbook, I am guessing it will be around 1200kg. My 6.3m Ocean Pro with the same engine but on a single axle trailer and with 100ltr fuel and all normal kit on board weighed in at circa 1350 kg (boat and trailer). Good luck.

Stoo · 29 January 2008, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaranp

and if a 1.4 Toyota would pull it on the road ? maybe not launch it but tow on the road?

Yikes! I just bought a Chev Tahoe with a 5.3 l. V8 to pull my 5.9m Hurricane. I suspect my boat is somewhat heavier, but I can't imagine a 1.4 l pulling it safely.

Assuming you do anyway, how do you intend to launch? Let me rephrase that... recover? (The launch will be easy!)

BruceB · 29 January 2008, 19:35

the real problem is not pulling it, its stopping it!
I used to know someone who pulled a 5.8M destroyer with a 125HP outboard using a 1.6l Rover 214. It easily pulled it along and once moving was fine, however if there were any problems the boat was going to take over and there was no way he was stopping in a hurry, trailer brakes or no trailer brakes........
your insurance will also be null and void if you are over the recommended towing weight of your vehicle plus the rozzers will have a field day with you if you ever get stopped, and they do stop the odd trailer even up here now and again and have a decko.
The boat is the only reason I keep my old Cherokee, otherwise it would have gone years ago, one of the other hidden costs of having a RIB.........

I also remember p**sing myself laughing after he misjudged a launch and the boat pulled the Rover right into the water as far as the rear of the front doors, the engine was still running and the bubbles were coming up at the back but he couldn't pull the boat and now waterfilled boot of his car back up. He had to wait till I got some bodies to physically unhook the boat and help push the car and trailer back up the slip out the water, something that was a bit difficult as we were all bent double laughing our heads off.
I would hate to have been the next owner of that particular car............

Stoo · 29 January 2008, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceB

...one of the other hidden costs of having a RIB.........

LOL.. When I "upsized" my RIB from a 4.5 m Hurricane, I tried pulling it behind my V6 Isuzu. After blowing 2 sets or rings over the next month, I broke down and bought a GMC Yukon... I think it was about $52K as I recall.

The first time I used it to take the boat into the dealer, all he said was "Nice accessory..." He resisted saying "I told you so" as he had told me I was going to need something bigger.

As mentioned, there is so much more to trailering than just getting the boat rolling. Horsepower, transmission, torque, wheelbase, weight of the tow vehicle all have a tremendous bearing. I pull my boat about 4 to 5,000 km a year, much of it on 120 kph highways, so I need a serious tow vehicle.

On the other hand, if you intend to pull your new Humber to a yard and store it there and never tow it again, I suspect you could have a mate pull it for you, or hire someone to do so. It would be a shame to total that nice new boat because your little car couldn't stop it in an emergency!

thomas · 29 January 2008, 20:26

Your 3 biggest problems, first I dont think a small 1.4 Toyota would be able to pull a boat with that size engine and combined weight without breaking the law, 2nd, if you are, then stopping it will be hard and you will go through brake pads like no ones business and again Im not usre how safe it would be if you really had to break hard, then also you clutch will be fried in seconds. You will start building up lots of points on your halfords store card very quickly. If your not going far and budget doesnt allow for much more spending, best buy a cheap old 4x4, get it checked out and making sure your safe

ciaranp · 29 January 2008, 20:55

thanks for the replys.
will only have to tow it about 7miles on flat road the odd time so might do

Endeavour · 29 January 2008, 21:03

If its a Corolla, then car weights roughly 1200kg. And the towing capacity is 1000kg.

ciaranp · 29 January 2008, 21:19

Its an Auris 1.4 new model of corola.
Toyota told me the gross weight of car is 1720kg and if i was to fit hitch to it hitch towing capacity would be around 1200 to 1300kg.
It would probably tow it the short distance of 7 to 8 miles taking it easy..

ashbypower · 29 January 2008, 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaranp

Its an Auris 1.4 new model of corola.
Toyota told me the gross weight of car is 1720kg and if i was to fit hitch to it hitch towing capacity would be around 1200 to 1300kg.
It would probably tow it the short distance of 7 to 8 miles taking it easy..

Mmm Check HERE You'll find it's more like 1000Kg!!!

dverstege · 29 January 2008, 22:08

OK. It may look funny pulling my 12' Metzeler with a 20hrs suzuki with trailer and boat being longer than my car but it pulls it no problem. I took the hole package (boat, trailer, motor, gas) and got the hole thing weighed at the dump scales 570 lbs. I have no problems launching as will though use 1st gear pulling it out. I only have to go 2-3 kms to launch sight but make a couple hundred kms trips a year with it. One reason I'm not upgrading my rib is that I think it would be to hard on the car. Hope this helps.

Nos4r2 · 29 January 2008, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciaranp

It would probably tow it the short distance of 7 to 8 miles taking it easy..

Don't do it. Eventually it's going to hurt. Lots.

Poly · 29 January 2008, 23:11

Ciaran,

I have a similar sized car which "comfortably" (in terms of law, speed, effort, clutch smell (most of the time), normal braking etc) tows a much smaller trailer. [Although I also have a bigger car which is much more pleasant].

My trailer is unbraked, single axle and total weight is probably a bit less than 500 kg. It could cope with a little more - but I don't fancy towing yours.

Have you ever hit the brakes and has the trailer try to overtake you? I have with the car/trailer combo I described above. It was bloody scary and whilst I like to kid myself (and my brother who was in the car with me and required an underwear change) that it was great driving skill which kept car and trailer on the road and managed to avoid the on coming trafic. In reality luck had a lot more to do with it.

I was driving on roads I know pretty well, within the speed limit, and not doing anything outrageous/unusual or stupid. In the dark and wet I arrived at a t-junction sooner than I expected. Had I not had the trailer it would have stopped no problem but with the boat my breaking distance was increased - I hit the anchors harder locked the wheels, the trailer went sideways - and tried to do the same to the car. Fortunately because it was a junction the road was wider than normal and I managed to find (end up in!) enough empty road to avoid hitting anything.

All that is within the towing spec on a similar car to yours. I wouldn't risk going over it even for a short distance on familiar roads.

[and before anyone points out that it was my fault - not the trailers/cars - I am completely aware of this, but with a trailer a small lapse in concentration can be so much worse]

codprawn · 30 January 2008, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoo

LOL.. When I "upsized" my RIB from a 4.5 m Hurricane, I tried pulling it behind my V6 Isuzu. After blowing 2 sets or rings over the next month, I broke down and bought a GMC Yukon... I think it was about $52K as I recall.

The first time I used it to take the boat into the dealer, all he said was "Nice accessory..." He resisted saying "I told you so" as he had told me I was going to need something bigger.

As mentioned, there is so much more to trailering than just getting the boat rolling. Horsepower, transmission, torque, wheelbase, weight of the tow vehicle all have a tremendous bearing. I pull my boat about 4 to 5,000 km a year, much of it on 120 kph highways, so I need a serious tow vehicle.

On the other hand, if you intend to pull your new Humber to a yard and store it there and never tow it again, I suspect you could have a mate pull it for you, or hire someone to do so. It would be a shame to total that nice new boat because your little car couldn't stop it in an emergency!

My Land Rover Discovery with it's "puny" 2.5L 4 cylinder diesel will tow 3.5 tons quite easily - it will even tow 5 tons but thats another story!!!

Then again it's a Land Rover!!!

perk · 30 January 2008, 06:59

I have a Volvo XC90 (leased and only there for a couple of years) and out boat with trailer is around 700 kg. I did not _have_ to get a braked trailer but upgraded the default one and got brakes fitted.

It's extra worry with the cables and drums - but worth it! Even with the heavy XC90, you can feel the brakes work on the trailer - and I feel a lot more safe at higher speed.

Anyway - back to the topic, the weight a car can pull seems to be more related these days to the amount of steel in he car then to the engine (my impression) ... we have a Peugeot Partner to, 1.6i 110hp, biggest fuel engine you can get in it. Max pulling weight : 1100kg braked, 500 or 400 unbraked.

Then there is the matter of how much weight you can put on the back of the car. Be carefull... you easily overdo it if you do not balance the trailer (read - move the axel to the right place), needed even for a couple of miles.

I'm as wel thinking about getting a bigger boat (rib this time) and seriousliy doubting about the max size of the boat - just because the entire trailer + licence issue.

Patrick

BruceB · 30 January 2008, 07:19

I used to tow the club 6m RIB with my old non turbo Landy as well. The weight of the vehicle was fine and towing capacity was well within the limit of the landy but with only around 60 horses under the bonnet it struggled to get it moving. Around 55mph was the fastest it could get up to and don't ask about hills..............

Endeavour · 30 January 2008, 19:22

I tow the 5mtr aircraft with a 1.6tdci c max, and you can feel that behind. The boat fully fuelled weighs in at approx 900 kg. The c max will tow 1300kg and i think at 900kg is probably the most i would want to tow with it.

I wouldn't tow mine with a 1.4....

fred bolton · 30 January 2008, 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Don't do it. Eventually it's going to hurt. Lots.

Couldn't agree more, buy a cheap disco it'll be cheaper in the long run

BogMonster · 31 January 2008, 09:43

I can confirm a Defender 110 tows a Destroyer 5.8 very nicely, though that probably isn't a lot of use to you

An early 300Tdi Discovery would be a good choice and very cheap. If it's just for a tow vehicle an earlier 200Tdi, if you could fine one in good nick, would be just as capable and cheaper.

Nos4r2 · 31 January 2008, 11:44

I'd personally spend 4-600 quid on an old Frontera Sport if it's only 7-8 miles occasionally.