towing question

[long tall eta]

so guys, i am looking at a small fiberglass boat and i already have a hitch on the e30. my question is, how much weight can an eta with a 3.25 lsd and a 5 speed pull w/o damaging the car? the boat is in the neighborhood of 500 lbs, 85 for the motor, and a couple hundred for the trailor. i do live in jersey so the only inclines will be the boat ramps everything else will be flat roads driving and only like 2 miles from the crib to the marina ramp.

[ALYKZANDYR]

[dreamchasin]

I drive in this exact truck 5 days a week. I hate it.

[long tall eta]

so guys, i am looking at a small fiberglass boat and i already have a hitch on the e30. my question is, how much weight can an eta with a 3.25 lsd and a 5 speed pull w/o damaging the car? the boat is in the neighborhood of 500 lbs, 85 for the motor, and a couple hundred for the trailor. i do live in jersey so the only inclines will be the boat ramps everything else will be flat roads driving and only like 2 miles from the crib to the marina ramp.

bump

[KillaCams]

It can pull it im sure, the real question is how long?

[Dustn525]

2 factors: 1)It depends on the tounge weight of the trailer, ie the weight load on your rear suspension. Some trailers are configured where most of the boat's weight is on the trailer's axle, some shift the boats weight load forward, where it is focused on the hitched part, the "tounge".

2) 785 pounds should not be a problem to pull, it'd be like the car having 3 fat ass friends and yourself in it, on a trip to the bar. Don't expect to win any stop light drag races though. Be nice to the clutch.

[James]

f-550 minimum other wise you will die.


Actually you should, isn't the factory tow rating around the 1500lbs mark?

[camip]

I agree with the fat friends idea lol but where did you get your hitch?

[Dustn525]

I don't have a hitch on my E30, I stated towing facts that apply to all vehicles. By "tounge weight", that means the downforce the "tounge" of the trailer puts on your car. You'll find the same term in truck forums, etc. :)

[Nsquared97]

I don't have a hitch on my E30, I stated towing facts that apply to all vehicles.

Pretty sure he was referring to the OP ;)

[ReallyDirtyThirty]

800 pounds shouldn't be a problem. Just don't burn your clutch out on the boat ramp. Pay attention to the temp gauge and make sure it doesn't start over heating.

[long tall eta]

I agree with the fat friends idea lol but where did you get your hitch?

picked it up a year ago from a forum member. gps had one for sale a month or so back when i was up there.

[long tall eta]

800 pounds shouldn't be a problem. Just don't burn your clutch out on the boat ramp. Pay attention to the temp gauge and make sure it doesn't start over heating.

what i was really concerned about was not being able to get her out of the water. don't want to just spin the wheels and not be able to get her up the ramp.

[Wishno87]

You will be fine. The most I have carried was two engines on the very back of a trailer and an engine hoist right on the tounge. Bouncy as hell but it worked.
Also hauled an entire 24v -> m20 swap 300 miles without a problem. My main issue with towing is usually stopping distances.

[Zacm829]

Go for it. ~600 miles up to the Tail of the Dragon and even ran it through the Dragon on the way home :)