Author
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Topic: Towing a Montauk 17 with a small Toyota Tacoma?
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mdc |
posted 01-12-2009 10:23 PM ET (US)
Looking at a Montauk 17 Whaler for towing up to the wilderness lakes in British Columbia. Have a 4 cylinder Toyota Tacoma regular cab pickup to tow the vehicle. I am not interested in purchasing a bigger rig just to tow the Whaler for a couple of weeks a year - fuel, heavy truck in traffic, difficult to park, etc. Will the Tacoma be adequate? Or will I have to downsize to a 13' Whaler? And how would the smaller Whaler perform and a big, windy lake?
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Tom W Clark
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posted 01-12-2009 10:32 PM ET (US)
No problem. For years I towed a fully loaded Montauk with a 1983 Toyota P/U powered by the venerable Toyota 22R engine with all of abut 100 HP.You Tacoma will be more than adequate. |
kwik_wurk
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posted 01-13-2009 12:56 AM ET (US)
Should be fine. Just don't expect 95 km/h uphill.I tow mine with an '83 Volvo station wagon. (Granted it only goes to the shop and back.) And it depends what part of BC, you can have some steep grades. Not to mention an occasion frost heave, which can jump out at you. You may want to take the fuel tanks and secure them in the bed of the truck. (Very carefully too.) |
phatwhaler
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posted 01-13-2009 09:42 AM ET (US)
I think you'll be fine. I towed my 1998 20 Outrage with a 1994 Std cab toyota pick up. http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h109/whays/Truck007.jpg |
Chuck Tribolet
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posted 01-13-2009 09:59 AM ET (US)
Older 16'7" Montauk, or current 17'0"? The latter is heavier. I had a friend tow one with a four-cylinder Tacoma, wrecked the truck, and was much happier with the V6 Tacoma he replaced it with.What's the tow capacity of your truck? 16'7" on the trailer will weigh in at about 2000 pounds, 17'0" at probably 2500. Also, a 15' might be a reasonable downsize. Chuck
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Tohsgib
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posted 01-13-2009 10:37 AM ET (US)
My 97 tacoma 4cyl had a 3500lb capacity. I towed a 6k pound Baja with it on the bumper hitch. Montauk will be a piece of cake. Friend towed his 23' SeaCraft with an identical truck as well. |
mdc
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posted 01-13-2009 11:35 AM ET (US)
Thanks for all the help on this. The boat I am looking at is a 16'-7" Montauk so i should be O.K. according to all of your comments. The towing capacity of the vehicle is 3500#. Another question: in looking at the Montauk other than checking out the outboard through a mechanic are there any hull/fiberglass issues about which I should be looking? |
Tohsgib
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posted 01-13-2009 11:42 AM ET (US)
Check for soft spots on the floor. Look for any screw holes that have not been filled where you can see water intruson or a soft spot around it. Make sure trailer is sound, rebuilding a trailer can eat up $500 easily. |
JOHN W MAYO
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posted 01-13-2009 12:32 PM ET (US)
I have two Toyota 4x4's and tow a 76 Revenge 19. Either should tow your boat fine.The 6 cylinder does the best as it has about 80-90 more HP. The 6 gets better gas mileage as it is not straining much. The 4 cylinder will do fine, just don't expect to drive it faster than you should. It tows my boat 55-60 and that is about all, max speed would probably be 70 mp. That Toyota is a fine truck and is kinda like a Whaler, it will always do an exceptional job for what it is. A friend is a logger and always has probably 1000 pounds or more in the back of his toyota, drives it like h..., and it been running for way over 150k. Speaking of the truck, one of mine just turned 110k, and has the original tires on it still,.......unheard of. |
1980Montauk
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posted 01-13-2009 01:42 PM ET (US)
I towed my Montauk with a 2002 Tacoma standard cab 4 cylinder for a while. I think it was a 2.7L It did a pretty good job. As John Mayo stated, don't tow faster than you should. I tried and could literally feel the heat from the transmission on the floor boards. Also, take special care while braking. I believe there's just drums on the rear brakes. |
Teak Oil
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posted 01-13-2009 04:54 PM ET (US)
Throw a $50 transmission cooler on it and you should be fine. It makes a big difference in transmission temp. Dont want to be stuck in B.F.E. British Columbia with a smoked tranny. |
mdc
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posted 01-13-2009 05:29 PM ET (US)
Are transmission coolers difficult to install? Do they work on stick shift vehicles or automatics or both? |
Tohsgib
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posted 01-14-2009 11:53 AM ET (US)
Auto's only. |
jschmidt63
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posted 01-16-2009 01:40 PM ET (US)
mdcIf you have 4 wheel on your Tacoma that may come in handy. If you don't I would recommend that you use caution on the steep ramps or very steep back-country roads. I have seen guys at steep ramps struggling to maintain traction on the pull-out. I have a Tundra 4x. towing a Katama and 99% of the time I am okay with 2 wheel, but on a few slippery ramps 4x engaged reduced the "pucker factor". John |
deepwater
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posted 01-16-2009 08:44 PM ET (US)
towed my 17 with my 95 tacoma all over the east coast,,some times with max fuel load of 70 gal + gear,, at 200+thou i got an o3 tacoma 6 cyl as my 95 was getting winded going up hills,,make sure you leave lots of room to stop because it dosent take much to overheat the brakes |