If this is the only time you plan to do this tow, would it not be cost effective to rent a heavy duty truck capable of handling the weight safely? Even if the rental is a bit more, the piece of mind might be well worth the price. A blown tranny, or worse, will definately cost more!

 

Dude, you are obviously wanting this boat and by the way your posts read, you are trying to talk yourself into your truck being able to tow it. It's also VERY obvious you don't have experience towing heavy weight.
IMO, you're gonna get the boat and that first trip pulling it is gonna white knuckle you the whole way, and you'll be either regretting the boat purchase or be looking for a truck that can SAFELY and LEGALLY handle it. I only hope you don't have an issue and hurt yourself, your family or someone else.

I have a good bit higher towing capacity than you do and I tow a 7700# tractor, rough cut mower and dual axle trailer combo about 28 miles each way, totally flat south Georgia low country, about 3-4 times a year to mow my small piece of farm property. Honestly, I would dread having to haul that thing 200 miles.

Get you that boat, but I'd have some cash saved for the tickets you will receive (in Ga., depending on county, the fine can be as high as $1500), and make sure that boat don't strap you to the point that you can't repair or replace the truck when it has issues.


Oh, and I have the same Rancho shocks you do. Good shock, but they DO NOT increase weight capacity and increasing the firmness won't do much, won't keep the rear from squatting if that's what you are thinking. If you're gonna do this with all you are obviously spending on a 30' boat, at least bag the truck and re-gear to 4.56s and give the truck a chance. Still won't be legal, but it will handle the load better...

 

I have towed that kind of weight with my truck and it is all stock except tires that were 285/70/17 and a 3.55 rear end...which like mentioned the taller tire lowers the gear ratio even more. I don't know the exact terrain you are talking about but I had pretty flat ground for the first 100 miles, but then gets hilly in norther Michigan for the last 50 miles of the trip, I don't know how they compare to your hills.

Now, mine was a 1 time thing (so far), although I have towed that much weight many times, it was short distances...However, it is like everyone said, although almost all of them have admitted to doing it, they also recommended that it's not a wise thing...especially over a distance. When I had the long distance haul with hilly terrain, I was following my freind driving the Uhaul, and I just stuck right on his bumper up the hills so I had very little wind resistance, and his tail draft created a suction right behind the uhaul and helped pull me up the hills without burning up the tranny.

Since you are buying the boat, I assume you would be making this trip on a relatively frequent basis, in which case you should HIGHLY consider selling your truck and buying a truck that is built to do the job...because you will be basically paying for a new truck in repairs and downtime...I keep thumping myself in the head for not buying a 2500, but I didn't plan on towing, even as much as I do, and wanted the 1500 ride as I was driving 150 miles back and forth to school, and STILL consider switching up.

Again, your truck will do it, but it won't like it. It is dangerous like others have stated for two reasons, if the boys in blue around you are sticklers about weight, and in something breaking, causing loss of control and may result in harming you/your family, or worse, someone elses family...and your insurance will most likely stiff you cuz you were not legal.

 

That boat definitely needs at least a 2500 maybe even with airbags. I guarantee you hook up that 1000lb tongue weight to the back of your 1500 and you will be sitting on your bump stops. I used to tow a 25ft tow hauler dry weight was around 6300lbs we loaded full off water (100g) and 5 mx bikes along with coolers etc. The ram did it but before I had airbags it sat an inch above the bump stops and thats with a WD hitch. The sway wasn't bad nor were the brakes but power just wasn't enough. We used to tow this just on just 300 mile round trips but that was maxed out. Now the tow truck has been upgraded to a f350 PSD and a 2500 ram, both tow like there's no tomorrow.

It sounds like your going off numbers and doing the math trying to figure out if your truck will handle it. 10k pounds is ALOT and in the real world you will be white knuckling it. I laugh every time these new commercials show the new tundras and 150's with 10k ratings.

 

I have done a fair amount of towing in the last 6 years and would offer this.

Power won't be a problem. Will you break any land speed records? No, but it will do the job.

Your biggest concern should be your brakes, transmission, suspension, and tires. The tires they put on 1/2 ton pickup trucks have thinner sidewalls than the 3/4 ton trucks. And contrary to what most people say, alot of that "tail wagging the dog" feeling you experience in your truck is from your tire sidewalls. So I would make sure to put a coulpe extra pounds in your tires.

Do you have a brake controller? If not, get one with a high gain. Trailer brakes are notorious for having problems and the last thing you want to have is 10,000 lbs pushing you around in an emergency stop. So make sure they are working.

Make sure the boat is loaded on the trailer correctly. You wouldn't believe how many people are out there towing around boat trailers where the boat dealer put the boat on the trailer too far forward or too far back on the trailer. I had my boat and trailer weighed at a CAT scale and found out my tongue weight was way off because my boat was sitting too far back on my trailer. Ended up having to move the winch post 18 inches forward to get it right.

I would think you would be ok if this is a one time trip or an annual trip to just get the boat to the slip or whatever. But there is no way I'd be trying to tow 10,000 pounds on a regular basis with the 1/2 ton truck.

I just downgraded from a 2006 F-250 with a powerstroke to a 2011 Ram 1500 and I use it to tow my 24 foot boat every other weekend. I don't think I'd be comfortable towing anything more than another 500 - 1000 pounds.

 

I forgot to add...You mentioned the trailer has surge brakes...in my experiences, they are the best and the worst kind of brakes to have on a trailer...They are awesome when the trailer is new. And if kept in new condition, everything will be fine. However, if the trailer is stored outside, the surge mechanism can rust up and not function properly, meaning no brakes...and it is a bi*&^ to try to get them working properly again. We had a bobcat trailer that this happened to...they all of a sudden quit working one day we pulled it all apart wire brushed it all up oiled everything really well, put it back together and it worked for a couple days and quit again. And no matter what we did, we couldn't count on the brakes...But then I know a guy who has a boat trailer with surge brakes and it is 15+ years old and still work like new, cuz he always kept the trailer in the barn. So beware of surge brakes...

 

I very much appreciate all the input. I however wish that some of you wouldn't make assumptions like I didn't account for load weight or how much experience I have with towing. I have been towing for 15 years and for the past 8 years, have been towing 8,000 lbs with my RAM. While purchasing this boat, I knew I'd be pushing it, however didn't realize how much until I added it all up. 9,500-9,800 lbs is fully loaded. I have a Slip so I plan on only towing in/out of indoor storage to my slip around 15 miles each year and I pull out once a year for an annual trip to a vacation spot. It's a 200 mile trip, however 90% of the distance is on straight and flat highway. My thoughts are that my powerplant is sufficient and suspension is adequate with a WD hitch, however I think I'll put Timbren's on to help out. I'll add a HD trans cooler in replace of factory and tow with caution. For next year, I'll upgrade my gear ratio or to a 2500 series, however for the amount that I tow, I'd hate to deal with gas prices.

If I were to upgrade my gear ratio, what do you all recommend? 3.94 or 4.10? Is this a big job? No one has mentioned a performance chip? Don't they adjust shift points and RPM?

I very much appreciate the analytical post above that looks at the main differences between HD trucks; Powerplant, brakeing and suspension. I'm so very surprised that some belive that brakeing is going to be an issue: this is a brand new tri-axle trailer with surge disc brakes on all three axles. The trailer will practically stop itself with a 7,300 lb boat on it! If the boat is on the trailer correctly, especially since it's a tri-axle, my tongue weight is not going to be 1000 pounds, but more like 500-600 lbs.

I do believe that I'll be under 10,000 lbs and therefore will be legal. I'm sure it sounds like I'm trying to convince myself, however I want everyone to have all the correct information. Going to do some calling around to see about upgrading my gear ratio. Thanks again for all the input - it's very much appreciated.

 

Nothing you can do to that truck will give it the towing capacity you're looking for. You're asking it to tow 2,000 # or so more that it's designed to handle. As for the brakes, it would seem that electric brakes would be better suited to the job, but it doesn't matter - you'll still be over the limit.

 

I don't want to seem like I'm ganging up on you, but it doesn't matter what you do to it, as long as that 7500# limit is on that truck from factory, you are ILLEGAL. The cops don't care what you added on.

 

One time shot to get the boat home and two trips a year at 15 miles, go for it. You may get nailed by the cops, but the truck should make it fine. You'll be lucky to get out of single digits with gas getting it home, but shouldn't do any real damage unless the truck has a problem to begin with. Surge brakes do have issues when age/rust/etc. is a factor, but with a new trailer, they should stop the thing just fine.

If it was me, I'd get the WD Hitch, bag the truck and get a larger capacity transmission pan to help keep the tranny cooler, maybe install a tranny temp gauge to keep tabs on it.

The police will run your vin # and pull your towing capacity from that, it won't matter what you do to the truck to increase capacity as far as law enforcement is concerned. I worked with law enforcement on the data collection, fines, arrest report & warrant end, so I know what they go by and what the fines were, at least as of 2005 and in my state.
Technically, my 4.56 gears increased my capacity 1000# over my stock 3.92s, but as far as the man (and the insurance company) are concerned, it's all by the VIN and your VIN is gonna tell them 7550 lbs. max.

Just remember, besides a fine, you run a risk of losing everything if you have a mishap and cause loss of property or injury. The insurance company has every right to deny coverage if you are towing an illegal load. Many of us, including myself have pulled an illegal load or two on a "one shot" deal, but it's a gamble...