Towing Question... Too Much?

[John Lewis 2]

I have a 2002 4wd ST geared to 4.10 with a limited slip rear differential and 54,000 miles that's in great shape. In a few days (hopefully) I'll be closing a deal on a boat and I'm really worried about towing this thing...



The boat, motor, and trailer all weight a combined 4000 pounds and full of fuel and gear the total towing weight could be approaching 4700 pounds. I'd be towing it from my house (up a small hill) to various launch ramps around the area on a regular basis.



I know the maximum towing capacity is 5000 pounds but I've kept my ST in such great shape it would kill me to trash it by towing this boat. Right now I'm looking thinking about selling my ST and getting a full sized truck with a V8. Does anyone have experience towing and launching boats this big with a 1st generation sport trac?



Thanks for any advice, suggestions, or opinions.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

While I don't toe boats with mine I do tow my show truck and I also have a trailer I've hauled 5800lbs. With my '03 XLT ST 4x4. Suggestions: Really good tires ( load range D or better ), external tranny cooler, better than stock shocks, an air locker would be great on the boat launches, just a few. Tranny cooler, tires, shocks are main things.

 

[Kyle Keller]

We use to have a 2000 Crownline 202 that was about 3,700 plus whatever it was loaded down with. I have an 04 4.10 LS and it would handle it fine. We towed it on the bumper (before we got a hitch mounted) around a mountain and it handled like a champ. I pulled it up a 200ft semi slippery boat ramp with some sucky highway tires in 2wd and it didn't slip. I would second what Jerry said though. Look to get some beefy LT tires and definitely new shocks and you will be just fine.

 

[Johnny O]

Just flush the tranny. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Scott Tanner]

+1 on tranny flush... I regularly tow a TT at 5500# with my 2002 ST w/ 170,000 miles on it... boats are easy... they are streamlined... you should be fine..

 

[D Hizzle]

I tow my Bryant 214 Cuddy with a dry weight of 3,450 lbs, add the aluminum tandem axle trailer 1200 lbs , 42 gallons of fuel at approx. 6.25 lbs per gallon (263 lbs total), and any extra gear im pushing the lil' 4.0L to it's edge. Small inclines are tough when traveling above 20 mph. I thought i would be able to manage with the 2003 Trac 4x4 4.10LS. The Trac usual feels like the "little engine that could" when I'm pulling the boat to the ramps that are less than 20 miles away, but I don't want to push the truck to the "little engine that couldn't" point. My solution is to upgrade to the '08 STA V8, like me.

I boat around the Norfolk area, how about you?

 

[John Lewis 2]

Hey thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.



Right now I've got the ST in the shop getting transmission service, hopefully some new fluid and filter will help with the temps. I won't be towing long distances so I'm going to see how the truck feels on the launch ramps and decide if I need to go for a V8 after a couple weeks.



Dhizzle - I'm in Southeast Alaska. Getting a boat just in time for the silver run to start!