YellowNinja

hey what do u guys think...

im buying another boat today and i have an old toyota pickup truck to pull it with. BUT, i hate that stupid truck! so i was thinking of maybe getting a trailor hitch for my maxima. do u guys think i would be able to safely pull a 17ft glastron low profile cvx17 boat safely? the boat should be fairly light. the maxima puts out more power and torque than my truck does stock, not to mention my lsd tranny. Here are list of mods that may make a difference, AE lsd tranny, 2.5in y pipe, highflow cat, apexi ws catback exhaust, fidanza flywheel, stage 1 clutch, unorthodox lightweight UDP, and Tein S.tech springs and tokico shocks which should help with the sagging of the rearend from to the added weight. let me know what u think

Maxima880

I've got a 17 ft aluminum boat. Total package, boat, motor, gas, gear about 3000lbs with about 400 lbs tongue weight. I use a Toyota Sienna minivan which does quite well, but I added air bag lifts inside the rear springs to control sag. Without the air bags it would be dragging it's *** for sure. I'd say you got the power, but not the chassis for a 17 footer.

Black Maxima

Hey post pictures of your boat. I love Glastrons, my family has two of them. A 14 foot and an 18 foot. What year is your boat? The Maximas can handle 1000 lbs. The problem is pulling it back out of the water. Depending on how good the launch ramp is, it could be possible. But, I don't know if you will be able to. My 1971 14 foot Glastron (60 hp motor) with trailer weighs around 1300 lbs.

ewuzh

iTrader: (20)

I would never pull a boat with a japanese unibody.

Maxima880

Why not? Doesn't a unibody have sufficient rigidity? Do all the new trucks still have ladder frames? I don't know.

YellowNinja

i used to pull my old glassper 16' boat with a 94 plymouth voyager 3.0 liter, and it pulled it fine. matter of fact it pulled the boat and full load of people and cr*p packed in the back from northern california to central texas with no problems at all. the cvx shouldnt be any heavier than the glassper.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Exhaust upgrades won't help you too much if you're trying to tow something, they only really help you when you wring out your engine. The clutch will help a bit and the LSD will be somewhat helpful for when you're trying to pull it back out of the water, which I agree would be a good concern since we're talking about a FWD car (you might have to get a few people to sit on your hood/quarter panels ). The flywheel will actually make it harder to tow stuff.

Anyway, as many have already said, the VQ is a capable tower, but I wouldn't be so sure about the chassis. But congrats on the boat man, I'm sure you'll figure something out.

YellowNinja

if i remember correctly the boat is a 1983 cvx17 with an evinrude 115hp. its a nice boat for its year. the only thing i dont like is the color. its like a doo doo brown.....yeah the only thing im really concerned about is the chasis. i used to have more problems pulling my jetskis out of the water with my truck than i did with my fwd minivan due to lack of weight in the rear of the truck.

Black Maxima

That boat is very nice.

96i30azn

There's an easy solution to that... Just install another hitch on the front of the max! j/k seriously don't do that ur car will look so ugly

f550maranello2

iTrader: (2)

if you like ur transmission dont do it....

MaximaSE96

iTrader: (8)

i wouldnt tow anything more than a jet ski with a 4th gen....but I personally wouldnt tow anything

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

NO, NO, NO WAY.

Please, don't even attempt to hitch it. Find someone with a half-ton pickup that will help you out.

Dave

YellowNinja

yeah im decideding against it. the tongue weight isnt much. but some of the hitches i see for the maxima just dont look like theyll even stay attached to the max. the boat might just rip it clean off. thanks guys

DARQ MX

Wow, Nice, You put an LSD tranny in huh? Lucky...

Anyway, Ya you will be able to pull it, but getting it out of the water will be a challage and it will make you look pretty bad at the docks trying to get it out of the water. I have seen trucks have a hard time getting boats out of water. Nevermind a maxima.

The only thing that will happen to your maxima if you pull it offen, is breaks will go faster, Your clutch may not last as long and you will be putting a good strain on the engine/mounts if you pull it for a couple years. Just expect for those things to go first...

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

What you propose is utter stupidity. I would hope that if anyone tries such a thing, the bystanders would stop them immediately. It's just too dangerous.

Not to mention that the first cop you pass would/should/will pull you over immediately and stop this.

Towing a boat requires a few things:
1) A hitch rated for the load
2) Rear wheel or 4wd
3) Sufficient brakes
4) Sufficient wheelbase.

A Maxima fails all 4 criteria, and any hitch you do install will not be rated for the job. You could find yourself not coming to a stop (heat faded brakes), getting steered by the trailer (wheelbase), or just spinning wheels on the boat ramp (FWD).

You can pull a small container trailer (U-haul) or tire trailer with a Maxima, but anything larger is an accident waiting to happen. Towing a very small and light boat is probably possible, but if it's much larger than a jonboat I would expect to have trouble on the ramp. Please take towing seriously.

Dave

y_boy100

should be ok, my friend used to tow a crx with a nother 91 civic every weekend for track racing about 3 years. but he didn't use trailer, he only use the hitch and the tow bar to connecting two cars.

95_Maxima_5spd

i wouldnt do it for many reason....it will look absoloutely retarded with a hitch on it, you may mess up your transmission, it would look dumb towing a boat with a maxima. i have no doubt it would pull it, but pulling it out of the water would probly cause some problems.....considering the ramp will be wet most likely and it's uphill.........no no

DARQ MX

dgeesaman, Are you saying my post was utter stupidity?

I was trying to say it is POSSIBLE to do, but just not right to do because it will wear your car out and it could not be street legal in your area. It is a bad idea your right, but don't call my post stupid, cause I am calling it like it is, Because he CAN do it, I just never said that it would be legal in his area and like pulling 6 people up a steep steep hill with the A/C on at max in the summer.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

The way it reads you're saying it's ok, but that it won't be easy and it will put extra wear on the car. It sounded like you were saying it's ok to try if you don't mind beating on the car a little. To even try this is utter stupid. If you weren't suggesting they should try it, I apologize.

My opinion (shared by many people with experience towing) is that you should NEVER tow with a vehicle that's insufficient. It's not a matter of power, as I mentioned above. Even if the car/truck manages to pull it, you won't find out that you can't stop the rig until it's too late. I'm not too much of a ***** most of the time, but this issue is way too important to me (and every other vehicle on the road) to risk it.

Dave

Maxgig

iTrader: (5)

These cars are not/were not made to tow 17 ft boats. Look in your owners manual and see what they are rated for, I believe we can only pull like 1500 lbs. That amounts to maybe one large or two small jet ski's at best. If you have the funds to afford a boat do the right thing/smart thing and get the right vehicle to get it to the water and get it in and out of the water safely.

J_Swaleh

I wouldn't trust a Japanese light car's stuctural integrity(or lack thereof) for any kind of towing. Dont get me wrong, i love my max, but there is no doubt that japenese unibodies aren't made for any kind of stress other than the occasional street race. I know im gonna **** off some people, but it's the truth.

Wetballoon

First, the Max packs 4 wheel disk brakes, my Dodge Ram has rear drums, which has better brakes? I think the proposal is not nearly as stupid as you. You have no clue. The car can do the job, but shouldn't. Was the actual weight of the boat mentioned? Could I put too much weight in a "small container trailer (U-haul)"? You bet your *** I could. A cop would not stop you unless you are violating a law, can you identify the law that would be fractured? Please enlighten us. Bystander wouldn't say ****, because they have no clue either. The car wheel steer, the wheelbase will only affect the trailer pushing the rear of the vehicle while braking.
Oh, and a FWD can make a fine tow vehicle, you don;t have to have RWD to tow things.
And fpr those that claim that you can't get a hitch that looks decent on a 4th gen, Reese has a Shadowmount that lays low, and is barely noticeable.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Calm the fuck down before you make yourself look like even more of an idiot--you are wrong on many counts here. For one, the wheelbase is VERY important when towing. The lighter and shorter your car is, the less control it will have over the trailer and the less stable it'll be when towing. Next, when you're on a slick (wet) concrete ramp at about a 20% grade, it will be extremely hard to tow a 1500lb boat out of the water up that grade without sufficient traction, which a FWD car has little in the first place, let alone when it's facing uphill with a significant load on the rear axle (read: even less weight over the front wheels on two counts). Most people who hang around loading ramps are not idiots, and will probably take note when you're smoking your tires off trying to pull that damn boat out of the water.

Him saying you can use a small trailer meant that you should use a small trailer CORRECTLY, not use a small trailer with the SAME WEIGHT as the large trailer. And yes, a cop will be more likely to pull you over with a 17ft boat behind your 15ft lowered Maxima than if you had a UHAUL mini trailer, for good reason. If it appears that you're way overloading your car then it's obviously illegal and they can pull you over.

I don't know what your Dodge is rated to pull, but brakes are definitely an issue, especially when I notice that it's significantly harder to stop with my 260lb roomate in the car (yes my brakes are in good shape).

konak85

iTrader: (10)

that is what U-haul is for. I think its like 20 bucks a day

Batxel

iTrader: (1)

That's what they say. Bring back the vehicle and they'll charge you way more than that. Don't forget gas and they charge you all types of fees and its usually a $1 a mile.

Crooper_Hedder

iTrader: (2)

I installed a hitch on my Maxima -- Class 1, which is rated at 100 lbs tongue and 1000 lbs load (I think). The Maxima is rated at 600 lbs towing capacity. I haul my 14 foot sailboat (read: no motor) with it no problem, but the entire deal including the trailer probably only weighs like 500 lbs.

I've never had any problems hauling it out of the water (even once full of water after I capsized my boat, so add another 200 lbs at least). Even so, I sure as hell wouldn't haul anything bigger with my Max. If/when I get a bigger boat I'm trading in my Max for a Pathfinder.

While my car accelerates pretty well with the boat attached, I think the limitations are more in the chassis -- it's not really designed with hauling in mind.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

Thanks Morph, that's pretty much my point.

As for brakes, disc or drum doesn't matter much - it's the raw size of them that matters. You'd have to look up the numbers for that truck, but my 95 F-150 is rated for a 6000lb trailer and it's got rear drums.

As for trailer size, a 17' fiberglass boat is a whole different league than, say, a 14' sailboat (very light) or a 16' jonboat. Anybody with any experience towing boats will recognize that immediately, although the tailpipe dragging on the road might be another clue. Ever look closely at the rear springs on a Maxima?

Dave

Maxima880

Let's talk weight. The Glastron CVX17 is not shown on Glastron's website so can't be sure of the weight of the boat. The other 3 17ft Glastrons that are shown are about 1500lb. So lets say 1400lbs boat, 90-115hp motor 450 lbs, trailer about 700lbs, gas and gear about 300 lbs. That comes to about 2850lbs. WAY out of the realm of possibility for a Maxima (In my opinion).

fangorn

The max is rated for 1 ton towing with 200 lbs tongue weight. This is less than your 3000, so I'd stay away from it. But, the max doesn't look ugly with a trailer hitch as some have said. The reason is that it's hidden up under the bumper. As long as you didn't leave the ball on, no one will see. I've told several people over the years that I have a trailer hitch and every one of them didn't know because they can't see it. My dad also has a max and has been towing things longer than me. We've both got 5x10 trailers and even though the trailers weigh 700 lbs, that leaves room for many things to tow. I've even gotten a small bobcat home. Anyone who doesn't want a trailer hitch on their max either has a truck (bravo!) or has no house. Hauling is a necessity when you have a house. But I wouldn't tow that boat due to weight and other reasons posted already.

Wetballoon

Actually, I have towed a 14ft tri hull with a Mercruiser 120 IO with my max, but I would never use the car to launch the boat. You have to adapt your driving style, and things like the tranny (or clutch if you are so able and fortunate) will suffer. I stand by the fact that it can be done, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. I bought my truck because I got tired of using the car to do my hauling and wanted something that was better suited for the job.
I mentioned that I would never use the car to launch a boat, I am surprised that none of you exceptionally gifted people have thought to note that when you launch a boat, the back end of the tow vehicle gets wet, some ramps, especially if lowered, will sink to the back seat. Most definitely the contents of the trunk will get a bath.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

I've never had to get even my rear tires wet.

I was taught that proper trailering won't even get water on the hubs of the trailer wheels.

Dave

DARQ MX

I don't know what your Dodge is rated to pull, but brakes are definitely an issue, especially when I notice that it's significantly harder to stop with my 260lb roomate in the car (yes my brakes are in good shape).

LOL, Im sorry, but that just sounded kinda funny. It is like saying to your friend, Sorry man, I can't stop me car with you in it, no ride. That would be like one of the meaniest things to say to your friend.

Wetballoon

You can't control the incline of the ramp, and I can't picture floating a boat off of a trailer without getting at least half of the trailer in the water. The last time I launched a boat, the exhaust outlet was submerged (small pickup) before the boat floated off the trailer.

Hexon

iTrader: (1)

I've seen a chevy impaula trying to pull a boat out of the water once. It was quite funny, actually. It tried and tried but all it managed to do was spin out. It was a pretty good sized boat, too. Don't put a hitch on a maxima, it'll look red neck with you pulling a boat. I definately would not trust the brakes on a maxima to stop a 1500 lb boat. Just borrow a friends truck or something. If you do manage to get the boat into the water with your maxima, after trying to get it out people will probably feel sorry for you and offer you help. Just don't do anything retarded.

gto400no1

iTrader: (5)

the statement for not being able to get a hitch that looks different is false. i have a class one hidden hitch on my maxima, and you cannot see it there unless you look hard for it. they come with real nice covers that also help make it less noticeable. i cannot comment on the towing of the boat as i dont know the wieght of it. i say if it meets the class one hitch abbilities (max 1500 lbs and 100 lb max tongue weight) you should be fine. a tranny cooler would be of a great help. i cant really comment on the towing abilities period as i only tow a small trailer with my 350+ lb ATV, so it really isnt much to tow.

Maxima-4DSC

iTrader: (1)

why in the world would you tow ANYTHING with a maxima.....thats what trucks are for. i bought a 2001 pathy with the 3.5 for my towing needs....heck if you need real towing get the titan....mmmm...9500lbs....

joshporsche

don't put a hitch on a perfectly good maxima!

O_Rly

You COULD, but I wouldn't.

First-hitch on a car=fugly.
Second-the frame wasn't made for that type of stress.
Third-The suspension wasn't made for that kind of stress.
Fourth-The brakes aren't setup for that kind of weight pushing on it from behind
Fifth- Your transmission is geared for commuting, not towing.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (10)

I think it should be made clear that the guys who have a hitch on their Max appear to be well within the recommended weight limits for a Maxima. The original question involved a considerably larger boat and also the question of negotiating a pull up the boat ramp. It's those elements that make the Maxima unsuitable.

Maximas are perfectly fine for pulling small loads, as long as traction and total weight are not a problem. It's certainly less effort for the car than when it's loaded with cargo and people, yet nobody worries when that happens. You can always gear down for more torque, and of course the hitch can be bought as a removable type so that it isn't visible. In fact, I'm considering a hitch not for my Maxima, but for my RX-7 - just so that I can tow a small tire trailer to racing events.

It's not that towing a Maxima or other car is bad, but you have to know its limits and really respect them.

Dave