# Opinions needed: towing a boat with front wheel drive



## huntinfool (Jun 5, 2011)

I am in the process of looking for a small SUV or Pickup. I have come across several small SUV's that are FWD. I can not afford new, so I am looking at used. I know years ago that towing with FWD was frowned upon, but I am hearing more and more that the manufacturers are building better FWD vehicles that can tow a trailer safely. Anyone have an opinion or info? 
Thanks in advance.`


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## FishingCop (Jun 5, 2011)

Can't help you withe technical details but I Have a 2002 Dodge Caravan with a 6 cyl. and front wheel drive. I've pulled our 16.5' deep V fully loaded with gear, two motors and sometimes suitcases and other vacation stuff all the time - locally and on 600 mile trips. Launched and loaded numerous times also.

Never had a bit of a problem.....


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## huntinfool (Jun 5, 2011)

That's good to hear.


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## bAcKpAiN (Jun 5, 2011)

My 98 Town and Country pulls mine just fine cross town or cross state.


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## DGF (Jun 5, 2011)

I have towed most of the boats I've owned with FWD and never had any issues. I've actually watched RWD trucks slip on a slime covered ramp while my small malibu didn't have any problems as the power tires never got wet.


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## reedjj (Jun 5, 2011)

I tow my boat with a honda civic without any issues. Its rated for 1,500lb trailer weight.

My wife drives a front wheel drive honda pilot (some are all wheel drive like the Ridgeline). Its rated for 3,500lbs trailer weight and tows like a champ. 

You will be fine with a front wheel drive. I would trust a front wheel drive on a slippery boat ramp before a little S-10, Ranger, or Toyota with rear wheel drive and the drive wheels in the water.


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## reedjj (Jun 5, 2011)

I tow my boat with a honda civic without any issues. Its rated for 1,500lb trailer weight.

My wife drives a front wheel drive honda pilot (some are all wheel drive like the Ridgeline). Its rated for 3,500lbs trailer weight and tows like a champ. 

You will be fine with a front wheel drive. I would trust a front wheel drive on a slippery boat ramp before a little S-10, Ranger, or Toyota with rear wheel drive and the drive wheels in the water.


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## 3dees (Jun 6, 2011)

I tow my 19' aluminum with a Ford Edge FWD and have no problems. this is my first non 4wd and I don't remember ever having to use 4wd for launching my boats. with fwd your front wheels are usually on the dry part of the ramp.


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## jasper60103 (Jun 6, 2011)

Put me in FWD club too. 2000 Honda Odyssey has worked fine for my towing needs.


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## huntinfool (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanks for all the replys.


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## BloodStone (Jun 6, 2011)

*Not to be a wet blanket guys BUT..those FWD vehicles may be fine & dandy for those fairly lightweight ALUMINUM boats but, how well do they manage with fiberglass boats like let's say a 16' bass boat with a 75+hp OB motor? Mechanics I've talked to in the past said the undersized transmissions won't hold up. :?: *


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## muskiemike12 (Jun 6, 2011)

We had a guy in our bass club that pulled a 1993 18' Stratos with a Caravan. He said it pulled just fine. Also had a guy that pulled a 18' Nitro with a 4cyl Mazda p/u. Now that was funny!


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## KMixson (Jun 6, 2011)

Here are a couple of good things about towing a boat with front wheel drive,
1. The engine weight is over the drive axle.(More traction)
2. Your front wheels are more likely to be on dryer parts of the boat ramp while launching and loading. (More traction)


Here are a couple of bad things about towing a boat with front wheel drive,
1. In a turn, the rear axle may want to slide to the inside of the turn.(Wet roads or cutting the corner and dropping the trailer wheel off the pavement will exacerbate the problem)
2. Stopping in a turn may want to push the rear of the vehicle around. (Tractor jackknife)

Now with that said, I believe you will be fine pulling a boat with a front wheel drive vehicle. Just be careful and all should go well. People do it all the time.


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## reedjj (Jun 7, 2011)

BloodStone said:


> *Not to be a wet blanket guys BUT..those FWD vehicles may be fine & dandy for those fairly lightweight ALUMINUM boats but, how well do they manage with fiberglass boats like let's say a 16' bass boat with a 75+hp OB motor? Mechanics I've talked to in the past said the undersized transmissions won't hold up. :?: *



Im sure my wifes Pilot with 265hp or the other guys Dodge van with the big V-6 will tow one just fine. I sure wouldn't try to tow one with my civic, or any small car. Or a small truck for that matter......The trick is to check your owners manual and stay within the guidlines even then you need to use common sense. 


I pull my little boat with a civic, but that is just locally. Its only about 2 miles to the boat ramp where I normally go. I pulled it 70 miles up to Folkston, Ga last weekend (to run the St Mary's River) and definately used the bigger vehicle (Honda Pilot).

I saw a guy the other day with a nice Ford Ranger (2 wheel drive) trying to pull a 18-20 foot skeeter out of our creek. He had the Big V-6 but was just spinning his tires. About 4 of us that were waiting to use the ramp got in the back of his truck and he was able to get a traction and finally got her out. Im sure the boat was well within his tow rating but he just couldn't get any bite on the wet slippery concrete.

Not that it matters though...... This website is called "tin boats"! I just assumed that he was asking on this forum because he was wanting to tow a tin boat. He probably would go to a bass boat forum if he was asking about pulling a heavy "glass boat"!


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## Tigerhunter (Jun 9, 2011)

I use to tow my boat with a 1994 Honda civic with 102 bhp and never had any problems towing. I had a manual transmission which I feel was probably better for towing because you could control how long you were in each gear.... But I think my clutch didnt like it all that much.... Just use common sense, when towing with a smaller vehicle, getting going is easy, its the stopping part that can get tricky.


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## jellio5 (Jun 9, 2011)

I tow my 14' alumunum with my 94' Cavalier works just fine for lakes close to home. I use 2nd gear for going up and down hills other than that it works just fine. I think the tongue weight is about 100lbs or so maybe less.....


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## devilmutt (Jun 9, 2011)

I have no problems towing my 16' boat with a 2004 Saturn Vue (95,000 miles).


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