# getting stuck at the ramp



## Chuck3000 (Oct 4, 2007)

Been a few months since I sold my boat and I got the bug for another, bigger one... problem is my truck is only 2WD. I was thinking of putting a winch on the front to hook to a tree/post/other truck in case I ever got stuck on a slick or steepramp. I am just wondering if this is a valid idea or retarded.

Truck is a 2007 Tacoma that never had any trouble hauling3500 lbs out of the water, looking at boats at most6000lbs.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

your main problem with pulling at a ramp is traction. Have someone stand on the back of truck or put sand bags in it and any ramps around Pensacola shouldn't be a problem. If the ramp has seaweed or slime on it throw some sand in front of the weels.


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## parrothead (Oct 1, 2007)

I agree with what sealark said. What i used to do is instead of sandbags, i used my ex-wife. She would sit in the back of the truck and the front wheels would come off the ground.Never had a problem.

Scott


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## Hydro Therapy 2 (Sep 11, 2008)

> *parrothead (12/12/2008)*I agree with what sealark said. What i used to do is instead of sandbags, i used my ex-wife. She would sit in the back of the truck and the front wheels would come off the ground.Never had a problem.
> 
> Scott




That's just wrong right there....hahaha!


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## cuzmondo (Oct 1, 2007)

As others have noted, traction is the biggest problem. I don't remember if the Tacoma is the big 'yota or not, but I used to tow and haul out our twin engine Grady 23 Gulfstream with an '01 Chevy Silverado 5.3 litre 2WD. I know that boat weighed at least 7,500 lbs. loaded and full of fuel. It worked it, but it handled it pretty well and even hauled it from Tampa to P'cola at 70+ mph, but hey, it is a Chevy. You gotta choose good ramps and a lot depends on the trailer and how far you have to back down. I had an extremely good Owens and Sons aluminum tandem axle trailer with that rig. With certain trucks (macho 4WD's) you can pretty much go where you want. We had a 4WD Tahoe and launched a 21.5 ft. W/A straight off the beach before, no ramp at all, but 99.9999% of the timethose vehicles are overkill for daily driving.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

If you get to towing and pulling more than 5000 up a ramp, you are going to wish you had a full size truck or 4wd. I used to own a 4wd V6 Explorer that could pull an 8000 pound boat up a ramp with whale snot on it. But in 2wd it would stuggle on some wet ramps with my 3500 lb boat.

I now have a 2wd Tundra that has no problem with any ramp here in the area. But 6000+ lbs on a 2wd Tacoma is going to be pushing it up the wet ramps or ones with sand washed up on the ramp.


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## Katatonic (Oct 5, 2007)

I can not pull my boat out of the water without putting my F150 in 4WD, 1st time i went to pull the new boat out i discovered that my front hubs were not engaging. We used my fishing buddy's 2WD chevy in front of my truck with a tow strap and pulled it right out.

Did that a couple more times until I got my truck fixed, as long as you are ready when it's your turn and you efficiantly get in position to hook it up you probably wont have any problems. We were usually faster than most of thepeople waiting to load up.

You can always look around for a 4WD beater to haul it to the boat ramps.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

I have a Dodge 2500 D, and I have had problems with a certain ramp here at Lay Lake. The ramp was wet from a previous boat removal that I had to unload the boat and use another ramp. My truck has more then enough power to pull anything I want but let the rear tires spin and its all over. So now I pick and choose the ramp, but also carry a strap/chain with me. I don't like the thought of towing 7,000+# with my K-1500 4 X 4 Yukon, as the max trailer weight is between 5.5-6.5K# depending on the axle ratio. And a transmission cooler is recommended.


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## ul412al (Oct 2, 2007)

You can always power it out with the boat motor(s). With practice, its pretty easy. Heck, my boat could almost push the truck while still in park.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

It's not so much about pulling the boat out of the water. Alot of undersize trucks pull large boats out of the water all the time. But think about safety when stopping or trying to. It's hard to buy a truck and drive it all over town getting 10 or 12 miles to the gallon. But you can not set a price on safety. If you ever take a long trip pulling you boat will appreciate the extra size truck . Just a thought. Gene


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## Go_Sic'm (Dec 28, 2007)

I use a 2WD F150 to pulla 5,000 lb. + 25 ft SportCraft with no problems. A trick someone showed me is to press the parking brake half way down. This locksthe rear-end and gives you positive traction. It makes all the difference. I never spin tires on the ramp anymoreand it has gotten me out of many other slippery situations when not pulling anything.


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## Chuck3000 (Oct 4, 2007)

thanks a lot for the tips everyone. I like the half parking brake idea and using the boat engines to assist, never thought of those before. Can't wait to get my next boat and try them out...


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

A spackling bucked filled with coarse sand is mighty handy to have. Throw a handful under each rear tire and in front of it then come on out. If you have to walk on a slick ramp, throw some sand first.


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## johnsonbeachbum (Oct 1, 2007)

For my 2wd Tahoe with the factory tires, I use two 12" wide x 48" strips of expanded metal but not the flattened variety. Each one has a rope with a magnet on the end.

After backing down the ramp, I place one strip in front of each rear wheel and the magnet on the bumper. I then pull out with ease and zero slippage even on the slimiest, most slippery and wetorsandy ramps.

The strips get dragged out and into the parking lot to be hung back on the trailer. They will also spread the load if it is a soft ramp without concrete.

Remember too that big fat tires on a lightweight truck increases floatation and decreases the psi (traction) your putting on that ramp surface.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

Traction mats...teeth on both sides..... 2 sets (4pcs) $31.00

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/29478-traction-mats.html


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## wirebiter (Jun 4, 2008)

I have an 04 Tundra with a V6. I also have a 20 ft Trophy with a tower. I am not sure of the weight but I have no problem pulling it in or out of the water. I haven't even slipped the tires pulling it out of the water. I just put it in low gear. It does help the more axels that you have on the trailer.


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## spear em (Oct 4, 2007)

> *parrothead (12/12/2008)*I agree with what sealark said. What i used to do is instead of sandbags, i used my ex-wife. She would sit in the back of the truck and the front wheels would come off the ground.Never had a problem.
> 
> Scott


thats funny right there i dont care who you are.


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## schrock (Apr 19, 2008)

use the e brake it works every time i put it all the way down and as soon as

you feel the truck start to go pull the e brake and stay in the gas enough 

to keep going but not spin the tires works every time.


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