Traction control is excellent at the ramp on the discovery - but its on all 4 wheels.
Nice rig there matey.....looks fast as a package.
Pinhead....I reckon I would be laughing too!
Cheers
Traction control is excellent at the ramp on the discovery - but its on all 4 wheels.
Nice rig there matey.....looks fast as a package.
Pinhead....I reckon I would be laughing too!
Cheers
I have used a friends falcon ute to tow my sharkcat when we had no alternative one day. Laden with petrol and gear. It's a Bruce Harris 18ft cat so I would estimate is approx 2300kg. We did not have to go great distance to get to the ramp and took it easy. It seemed to tow it ok but there was some wheel spinning when trying to get it back up the ramp. It made it but I felt it was touch and go. It was an old falcon xf ute and I think it would have helped if he had some decent rear wheels with some decent tread.
The things you do to get out fishing.
That reminds me of the pacific platey we used to tow years ago it was 2100kgs with an xf ute and an xe panelvan, they did the job but it was sketchyOriginally Posted by steveg1100
From the picture you posted you are on cable actuated brakes. Have you upgraded to breakaway brakes since that picture was taken? Better weigh your rig and find out.I Now have a Nissan Navara ST-X and I have never used 4x4 to pull my boat from the water... My boat and trailer weigh about 2500kg....
Yeah I cable actuated brakes... At this point the cable is more then adequate... I only live 600m from my preferred boat ramp (Loaders creek). As it stands the cable worked well towing the rig to Mackay... I had the rig over a weigh station bridge, and it was 2250kg, Boat and trailer only. Boat was empty and no fuel in tank.. Add 180lt fuel and tackle, rods, saftey equipment and second anchor and it would put it at 2500kg or just over......
whats a load helper?
A load helper is really called a weight distribution hitch such as at Hayman reece.
Go to this site.
http://www.haymanreese.com.au/index.htm
Then click on products then click the Weight distribution.
The pictures will explain everything. There are other brands on the market but this mob is meant to be the best. Its not a new idea we used the same type of setup going back 30, 35 years ago towing large caravans. If the cost makes you cry there was a good brand that used a cast crescent shaped bit of steel that bolts under your tow ball and it used 4 round steel rods to run back to your trailer draw bar. I preferred these ones because i never liked the cast looking bars with chains that Hayman use. If a trailer is packed right so the weight is distributed correct there is not a need as a load leveler but they help in bounce to where you get that bouncing rocking forward and back. It dosnt stop it but it shortens the time it will go on for as your going up the road and makes it a lot less chance of you running all over the road in bad situations.. Though some like the feeling of a rocking horse.
Personal opinion is don't do it...
I've seen 2 guys at the Jacobs Well ramp get stuck. One of which was about a 5m plate boat on a falcon ute... luckily he was a concreter and shovelled the sand out of the way but there was still wheelspin while he dried the ramp off enough to get it to hook up.
The other one wasn't so lucky. A V8 Crewman with a 6m glass boat on had no hope.... Surf to the rescue with a tow rope, low range and rear diff locked got them out.
Point of the story is it only take a bit of sand or boat wash and its all going nowhere fast... not worth risky the inconvenience to other ramp users personally.
Those cable brakes are illegal.
Hi All
We have a patrol, big heavy beast it is and I still get worried backing our girl down the ramp. 6metre cruisecraft which weighs a ton or more empty so I wouldn't even think of using a falcon even if the towing capacity was 2300kg.
Have you got a Video camera?????
Ronnie
Do you know the regulations regarding trailers ????
If you have an accident regardless of blame you will be in court with no insurance. It does not matter whether it is 6m or 600m - if you drive it on a public road you need to have the correct breakaway system.
Braking systems
• trailers over 2000 kg GTM require a brake system (breakaway brakes) that automatically
applies if the trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle; and
• trailers over 2000 kg GTM must have brakes operating on all wheels.
Last edited by Greg P; 30-12-2007 at 07:24 PM.
fFHi all
We now have a ford falcon that has a towing capacity of 2300kg. This is only just more than my 2150kg 5.2m KC.
While it is technically within it’s towing limits, will the car able to tow the boat up the ramp? The ramps I’m thinking about are well maintained ones, obviously wet but not covered in beach sand and of varying angles.
I obviously don’t want the car sliding backwards into the oceanor spend the $1500 required to find out it ain’t going to work.
I have spoken to ford and they say yes it can but they are in the business of selling you stuff and I’m not convinced they know what they are talking about
Ta
ff
Hohoho, have a merry christmas
I don't know where you live but if you can get your boat over Getaway Bridge whit falcon u will have no problem at ramp.
I got mate he tow his Big blue boat whit falcon and no problem at ramp
,and another mate got 6.4 HH no problem at all.
If you scared to try I will do for you but you have to take me fishing after I park car
Last edited by MyWay; 30-12-2007 at 10:01 PM.
Its not about towing on the highway so much, but what happens when somthing happens at the ramp - such as dropping a trailer wheel over the side/in a hole, sand on the ramp, the ramp not being pressure cleaned for a while and being very slippery etc...then you will wish that you had 4wd a heavier one if possible than a lighter one...
freddofrog you do not say how old this falcon is, for $1500 what vintage &
size motor & towing distance from ramp.
If you concerns are only with the local ramp ( ok ) This falcon is going to
get a good work out, if your stuck with it i would be purchasing some rubber
wedges under rear wheels.
My recommendtions wee bit prime mover to do the job.
Cheers ged
i dont know if anyone else does this but i always keep the engine running and the driver door open when im on the ramp. just in case.
i launch and retrieve by myself so i have to really.
saved me once when i found i didnt put the handbrake on enough.
ive seen people jumping up and down on the back of their ute's to get enough grip to pull the boat up. i guess this is out in a car.
if it was really dodgy id just tow the boat to a marina ramp and get them to put it in and out with the tractor.
the next boat im looking at is 700-1000 kg's over my cars towing weight so its storage for me.
ive worked out the costs and its about 40-80 bucks more per month to rack or trailer store depending on where compared to towing and ramp fees.
i looked at putting on a tow hitch on our larger car but it actually works out the same or more expensive per month to tow for a year than store with the added cost of having one fitted
Last edited by gar26lw; 31-12-2007 at 09:37 PM.
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