Towing a 'Big' Boat (for the Bronco)

DISCLAIMER - I do NOT recommend doing as you see here. This post is meant to inform and potentially discourage others. Fully aware you guys will probably rip me.

Bronco Specs:
Boat Specs:

Towing Weight:


I towed this boat, with my dad in the passenger seat, approximately 70miles home down a flat stretch of straight interstate with occasional short hills/bridges. So, how did it tow?

From dead stops, the manual transmission required light throttle blips and careful clutch slips to keep the 2.3L happy. The weight of the boat was obviously noticed by the 2.3L and the turbo need to stay spooled constantly (2000rpm +). The interstate on-ramp was inclined but the Bronco was still able to hit 60mph by the time I was merging. Once on the interstate, I left it in 5th gear and held a speed of ~65-67mph. At this speed/gear, the engine was around 2300rpm. 6th gear was not usable at this speed since the engine RPM was not high enough to spool the turbo. The trailer had no sway and the Bronco was not bossed around by it, even on a long bridge with a decent cross wind. At one point on this bridge, the evenly spaced bumps from the bridge segments began to, with lack of better term, "buck" the Bronco so I reduced the speed to get out of that rhythm. Hottest the engine got was ~220°F which appeared just above halfway on the gauge. Since the trailer does not have brakes (not a requirement for this size where I live) I left plenty of room between me and vehicle ahead. Once I was in town, it stopped the trailer "acceptably" but not great. I would recommend surge or electronic brakes.

I have launched a 21' Sea Hunt (deep-vee) which weighs a few hundred pounds less than this and the Bronco was able to pull it up the ramp, in 4WD, no problem. But, I will be launching the Contender this weekend so can report back how that goes.

My "home" port for this boat is 2 miles from my house through a residential neighborhood. Seldomly, I may tow it ~10 miles down a country road to a different launch. So for now, I'll stick with the Bronco but if I want to explore other areas of water, I'll be phoning my fishing buddies for their trucks.

"Fully aware you guys will probably rip me."
It's a coming!

Well I guess you don't really care about the safety of others and yourself. You apparently don't care about towing capacity of the Bronco being only 3,500lbs. Trying to convince others of your negligence is note worthy is a fail in my opinion. You might as well not even of posted this.

Not going to rip ya. Just it is not about pulling power, it is about stopping power. If you have to do an emergency stop because a kid runs in front of you, can you stop it fast enough?

Mlarv said:

Not going to rip ya. Just it is not about pulling power, it is about stopping power. If you have to do an emergency stop because a kid runs in front of you, can you stop it fast enough?

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This....... Also if you're driving 65 in a 55 and a kid runs in front of you................

Good write up and info. Appreciate it. Good to know how she does trailering.

MNBigfoot said:

This....... Also if you're driving 65 in a 55 and a kid runs in front of you................

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natural selection occurs.

Love you Contender- sweet little pocket rocket!

Your

That is a sweet rig. Looks like a good drop hitch selection and a good level setup.

I'm shocked your state permits this trailer set up without brakes on at least one axle, and I sure as heck wouldn't run a non-braked overweight on a public road, just my $0.02. Maryland goes to brake requirements at 3000 lbs. This is what is stupid, various states permit different trailer GVW weights to require braking systems. I'm sure this must drive auto manufacturers nuts. I'd fly that setup on short trips with properly functioning surge brakes on the trailer. I'd try and avoid it loaded with fuel, bait, and Ice though.

Appreciate the insight. I don't think I'd pull that boat 700 miles to Charleston with the Bronco, but I would tow it on private property from the storage field to the ramp. My sailboat is underweight (2550 all in boat, trailer, sails, etc), but I move plenty of coach boats over the year, so I'll see what the heaviest we have and snap a photo when they come out of storage.

The hitch and boat and Bronco are all very nice. Just shouldn't be together like that. As was said, its the stopping power, and controlled maneuvering. Oh and pulling the trailer with the boat on it out of the water.

Mlarv said:

Not going to rip ya. Just it is not about pulling power, it is about stopping power. If you have to do an emergency stop because a kid runs in front of you, can you stop it fast enough?

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Can a Semi, can an F-550 pulling 30k, can my F-250 pulling my my 14k fifth wheel? The answer is no. When you tow your braking distance increases. You, the one behind the wheel operating said vehicle need to know what your doing and drive accordingly! These tow ratings in some respects ar total BS. My dad had an early 2k F-250 rated to tow like 7k and I had a 2013 Expedition that was rated to tow 9.2k. I would never hook 9,200 lbs to the back of that Expedition but I would tow that with that F-250 all day long. Some of you people need some real world experiences and quit arm chair quarter backing people and their way of doing things! I'm sure the OP has towed stuff before and know what's safe and what's not! Hell, my SXS can tow a rated 2,000 lbs... I'm sure the Bronco is plenty safe with 4,300 lbs...

orion said:

Can a Semi, can an F-550 pulling 30k, can my F-250 pulling my my 14k fifth wheel? The answer is no. When you tow your braking distance increases. You, the one behind the wheel operating said vehicle need to know what your doing and drive accordingly! These tow ratings in some respects ar total BS. My dad had an early 2k F-250 rated to tow like 7k and I had a 2013 Expedition that was rated to tow 9.2k. I would never hook 9,200 lbs to the back of that Expedition but I would tow that with that F-250 all day long. Some of you people need some real world experiences and quite arm chair quarter backing people and their way of doing things! I'm sure the OP has towed stuff before and know what's safe and what's not! He'll, my SXS can tow a rated 2,000 lbs... I'm sure the Bronco is plenty safe with 4,300 lbs...

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I sort of agree with this. My question is still valid. With all these vehicles you mention, most of them come equipped with a way for trailer brakes to help stop the load. Which if set up correct the trailer will stop the tow vehicle. I have towed a few times. I even know I towed way over my trucks tow rating, went over Snoquaimie Pass on I90 in WA. I knew it would take longer to stop etc.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Good to see I shouldn't have any issues towing my 2, 3 up Sea-Doo's this summer with the Bronco

Nothing brings out the pedantic safety patrol like a trailer over the artifically low tow ratings.
Granted that at anything over a common garden trailer should have brakes.
When I was a kid, our family towed a travel trailer all over Alaska with a Buick Skylark, which weighed less and had less power than our Broncos. It had brakes and a weight distributing hitch and towed that Shasta like a beast. In Europe they tow more with less, and most of the trailers have surge brakes to make it possible to do so safely.
I believe it's the open top aspect of the Bronco that derates the towing. UHaul policy is to not rent to a vehicle without a hard top over the passenger compartment.
If I were the OP I'd get the trailer brakes sorted out , that's common sense really.