96 4.0 Sport vs. 5100 lbs of Boat and Trailer

[Skibug]

My question is, can this be done for trips around town? I am not talking about trips across the country. I would get a weight dist. kit, anti-sway bar, beef up the rear leafs, and anything else that is needed. I have an aux. tranny cooler already. Myself, my father-in-law, and brother-in-law all are co-owners of a boat. There is a sweat deal out there that they want to get a different boat. A 2004 232 Rinker Captiva 23 ft boat with an alluminum trailer, its pretty. Here's the site with a picture of what it looks like here . We have a 19 foot boat now and the X tows it fine (4000lbs combined weight). The combined weight of the new boat and the trailer is 5100 lbs. What do you think. I have heard so many different specs on what our rigs can tow. I know the weak link in our trucks is the tranny, but will constant fluid changes with synthetic keep it safe from easy towing of this new boat.

What do you think. Is this possible to tow this thing maybe twice a month no more than 10 miles in town with the proper setup on my Sport?

 

[Firefighter]

I think some of the newer Sports are rated to tow 5,000 with a reciever, but I'm not sure about yours. If the trailer doesn't have hydraulic brakes (I would think that it has them if it's a newer trailer) you will want to install a controller for electric brakes because that is a lot of weight for an explorer to stop by itself, especially in traffic. With a tranny cooler and an easy foot on the go-pedal you should be ok with the distances you talked about, and it's really not a whole lot heavier than your other boat. Good luck and enjoy your boat.

 

[410Fortune]

Your A4LD transmission will fail in time, no matter what, towing that weight.
How do I know?
I tow a 19' I/O Bayliner with a 88 Bronco II, about #3800.
My truck has been built for towing, rear discs, suspension, drivetrain, engine, transmission everything.
Transmission has never seen heat, A4LD was built for towing, twice, failed twice.
Its just too much for it.

Now you will also want to address the braking or trailer brakes, rear suspension, transmission and engine mounts, and keep it out of OD.
Use low range if you have it to pull up the ramp. Your truck can pull it, yes but take it easy and dont plan ont he A4LD lasting very long with that kind of load.
Also you better have a good hitch with the proper hardware

You might consider an additional trans cooler (I know you said you have aux but you need a good one, B&M or the like) You will also want a trans temp gage.

 

[Skibug]

Thanks for the info. I do plan on having all of the right equipment that is at all possible to have. We have not decided or found out yet if this boat will be ours. I was just trying to find out if something like this was feasable. The trailer does have brakes already installed and I knew that was necessary. I do have a B&M tranny cooler installed with an in-line filter installed also. Even though I have a 96 year truck, it only has 87,000 miles on it and I would want the tranny to last a lot longer.

Any more opinions out there?

 

[dman726749]

if you do it..get rid of the mono leaves in the back of the sport and swap in some 4door leaves...and prob some add a leaves too......that may be rough gettin up the ramp too...def use 4low to get the added gear reduction....what gear do you have in the diffs??

 

[410Fortune]

oh yes sorry one of the best mods I did for towing aside from the Rancho 9000's custom leafs, and rear disks was 4.10 gears.....huge upgrade.

Also you will want all poly bushings in your sway bars

 

[Skibug]

Got the 3.73 gears in the rear. Planned on adding the 4 leaf pack in the back even before the new boat idea came up. With my current boat, the x pulls it out of the water without any help from the gas pedel in 4low. Simply put it in gear and let off the brake. I don't see having a problem getting the new boat out of the water. I even put it in and out of a lake up near Birmingham, AL that had a ramp of about 30 degrees with no problems. My only concerns was going to be getting this new boat to the ramp, about 15 miles.

 

[410Fortune]

15 miles should not be a problem, its the long trips that will get the transmission, stopping and going dont help but the 2-3 and 3-OD shift with the boat = ouch.

 

[dman726749]

your ramps must be nicer than some of the ones around here....real messy and steep, 4wd is almost a must have, and good tires.....and i agree with 410, 15 miles wont be too much of a problem

 

[Skibug]

Yeah, I know how them lake ramps are. But, here in Pensacola, it's flat and not a lot of steepness into the water. Maybe 3-5 degrees (at most) of pitch to the ramps around here. We don't have fresh water lakes, just straight into the bay.

 

[410Fortune]

15 miles = you'll be okay.
I am talking 1500 miles, with 6" lift and 33" tires in a BII , you should see the looks I get, hahahaha the boat is bigger than the truck!
People are always asking me, how do you tow that with that? I am like, by building this (truck)

 

[Hokie]

Your A4LD transmission will fail in time, no matter what, towing that weight.

I think he actually has the 4R55E

Yeah, its probably over the weight limit, does it mean it can't pull it for short distances? No

Be smart about it, I'm sure it would do fine

Nice boat btw!

 

[Glacier991]

I'd not tow in OD, either. ALL good advice above, IMHO.

 

[Skibug]

Hokie, you are right, I do have the 4R55E in my truck. I did not even notice what was posted before.

Thanks for the replies. If we do get this boat, I will let everyone know how the old X does pulling it.