how big a boat do you tow with your car

[chris69]

hi all after building my boat 4.9mt tiler 50hp 4stroke on it, not to heavy, my AU1 seems to be haveing trouble towing it,its allright untill i start getting over 80kmh, i dont live far from my local boat ramp thats ok but im wanting to tow it further up the road on holidays,boat motor trailer is around 700kg, so what size boat dose everyone tow with what car and how do you go at 100kmh and any suggestions.

[finga]

Mate, that car should tow that boat with ease.
What problems are you suffering?
Is it wagging in the trailer or something or does your car struggle with the weight?
Cheers Scott

[Mad-One]

I tow a 5.5 Formosa Centrecab With my AU and no problems on the h/way. If you're lacking power your car is sick. Plus don't tow with it on economy if it's an auto

Cheers Mad

[bustaonenut]

what size tyres are on the trailer?

[ozscott]

Mate I had a Haines V163 half cab from the 70s with a 60 Merc - just a bit heavier than yours by about 100kg I reckon, and my VT Commodore with the 5 speed Getrag manual towed it well. Had to rev it but it did the job nicely. The AU has a torquer motor (in the old fashioned long stroke type of torque) and should do it fine, so perhaps she isnt running like it should.

Cheers

PS. I tow the 21 foot Vagabond and just under 2 tonn with a 4.0 litre Land Rover Disco V8 Manual; same size basically as the AU but heaps of torque. Torque is the thing of towing, but mate you really shouldnt have a drama; the VT would have given up at the driveway trying to get the Vagabond off the line

[chris69]

hi mad-one no not towing in economy and yes it should tow my boat real good as finga said and your boat has a lot more drag than mine,but my AU aint sick ist only got just 100thou on the motor it just gets up to 80kmh and then as i put more throtle on it the speed dont seem to build ive towed it better with my 4cyl pintara before i got the AU

[chris69]

13inch tyers

[Angryant]

I tow my 4.85m with 60hp 4st with my VZ Commodore (V6) without any issues. Can cruise down the M1 at 110km no problem. It sounds like you may an issue with the set up or your car. Mine also has 13" wheels.

[chris69]

thanks guys ill have to take it on a longer run and see what happens fuel and speed wize as it has never towed anything it just might need a good run to blow the cobwebs out .

[FNQCairns]

Sounds like windage is starting to get you. How many rpm at 100km/h? it should tow easily, what rpm would it be doing in 4th at 100 if it where a manual?. I have noticed the trend toward very low reving engines to save fuel, is the AU one of these?

cheers fnq

[stevej]

thanks guys ill have to take it on a longer run and see what happens fuel and speed wize as it has never towed anything it just might need a good run to blow the cobwebs out .

no such thing as a blow to get the cob webs out in a fuel injected car

100k is enough for things to start needing to be replaced

my au series 3 wagon will tow nearly two tonne at 100k all day, has a gearbox cooler fitted

something is wrong with the car, does it ride nose high do you have too much weight on the tow ball?

i did tow amates large ally boat which was under 750kg but was a wide boat hung outside the car dimensions so fuel economy went to shite, 450k out of a tank instead of 650

[stevej]

Sounds like windage is starting to get you. How many rpm at 100km/h? it should tow easily, what rpm would it be doing in 4th at 100 if it where a manual?. I have noticed the trend toward very low reving engines to save fuel, is the AU one of these?

cheers fnq

dont know about manual but in wifes wagon 110km is about 2300 rpm in 4-overdrive, the ford 6 is a big tourqey engine

http://www.drive.com.au/buy/new/deta...el1=G%20SERIES

this should show a ford v holden current model spec 396 nm of tourqe versus 325nm

[Mike Delisser]

I got an AU ser 2 with 160k and tow a 750 kg boat no worries, 100kph - 110kph - whatever.
A wide boat as well and I must admit the Falcon does chew through the juice when towing, I'd be lucky to get 450k out of a tank even if I sit on 95kph.
Mike

[Dantren]

Check your AU rear suspension.
Does the whole rig sit level?

If the suspension is standard, the arse is probably sitting very low.
Not good for safety or performance.

I needed air bags from day one with every falcon I've owned.

[griz066]

Show us a pic of the boat on trailer set up this might give us a better clue as to the problem. But i thnk the car may be crook i tow my 4.8m glass boat with a naturally aspirated (read) gutless triton at 100km/hr all day so your ford should do it easy.