Trucks & Trailers - Cross country tow

Hey all, I have a long trip coming up, and wanted to hear the thoughts of the peanut gallery.

I am moving from San Luis Obispo, CA, to Harrisonburg VA in June. I have made the drive across country several times, and will be doing it again. My vehicle is a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 quad cab with 5.7 Hemi. My boat is a 1996 Hydra Sports, 21' with a Honda 150 4 stroke on the back. Total weight of vehicle, boat and trailer is 10460 lbs, boat and trailer are 4080 of that. The trailer is in pretty decent shape, but the brakes are not workng. It is a single axle trailer.

My options are as follows:
1. Ship boat and trailer across country for about $2000-2500
2. Drive it myself on the single axle, after fixing breaks and getting road ready. Estimate is arounc $500 or so
3. By a used double axle trailer at around $1000, and then do bearings, etc...

My inclination is to go with number 2. I don't tow a whole bunch now, but the trailer has been fine.

Any thoughts or advice? What should I be sure to do with the truck and trailer to prep for this trip. I plan to make it in about 3 days or so, meaning 8-900 miles a day.

Thanks!

Just in case you haven't thought of it, how much difference in MPG do you get between towing and not towing? It might be worth shipping it using that criteria alone.
Mike

Well, my company will pay gas food and lodging. They won't pay for a boat shipping company. That actually is a big reason why I am towing

From the lack of comments it seems like a safe idea at least. Just want to be sure the rig sounds reasonable

Thanks for your reply

Single axle trailers suck when a tire blows out at highway speeds. If you can get a double axle, it's worth it for peace of mind. Otherwise, get four new tires/wheels so you have two spares. Even one tire/wheel/hub set would give you an edge for safety.

good luck!

I agree with bamaboy but if this is a one time long tow thing then I say go for it with the single axle. I towed my old boat many times on a single from San Diego down to Cabo and always got home.

Hi. My Pops moved from York, Pa to Fortuna, CA. He towed his 23 Maycraft Pilot w/ 200 hp outboard on a dual-axle trailer. He towed with a 2005 Chevy 1500 4x4.

It took him a combined time of 51 hours and change. He did it in March. Got lucky and didn't hit any snow.

He had two extra spares on pre-greased hubs in the back of the truck, along with the normal trailer mounted spare.
He went and bought extra Heavy,heavy-duty straps and had two on the transom, one across the gunnel and a monster bow tie down. Make sure you have a bow tie-down.

He had no problems other than hitting a Burger King drive-through with the hardtop. He "forgot" about the boat as he was getting a burger? I know, what kind of idiot tows through the drive-through? I sure do miss that guy. No damage, just glad I wasn't driving.

edited: forgot, but as stated below, he had all four bearings on trailer replaced before he left. He also had a fresh oil change and also got his transmission fluid and filter in the truck changed before the trip. He also bought a jack that you stick under the axle and drive forward a little to raise the trailer. It is like an aluminum half circle. He got it at an RV center. Didn't need it. No flats.

Get one of those IR heat temp guns to check your bearing temps every stop, carry spare bearings and of course tire. Jack/stand for the trailer. Oh yeah fix the brakes.

i would first do the bearings and replace the tires with brand new tires. be sure to get them balanced - some people don;t balance their trailer tires. check out the leaf springs and all bolts - be sure everything looks tow-worthy. no rusted stuff and nothing loose.

after that - go slower than normal and be careful.

i would have that boat on a dual axle trailer regardless, with brakes. but ... that is not your preference at this point or it would not be part of the question. anything larger than my montauk probably deserves a dual axle. IMO of course.

i would first do the bearings and replace the tires with brand new tires. be sure to get them balanced - some people don;t balance their trailer tires. check out the leaf springs and all bolts - be sure everything looks tow-worthy. no rusted stuff and nothing loose.

after that - go slower than normal and be careful.

i would have that boat on a dual axle trailer regardless, with brakes. but ... that is not your preference at this point or it would not be part of the question. anything larger than my montauk probably deserves a dual axle. IMO of course.

That is a long distance for a Dodge to travel. I would be more worried about the truck making it.

:grin::grin::grin: Could not resist.

That is a long distance for a Dodge to travel. I would be more worried about the truck making it.

:grin::grin::grin: Could not resist.

HAHA, that Dodge could prolly do it with no oil and only one fill up, but what can I say I am a Dodge fan.

I'd spend the 500 dollars to bring the trailer into top notch condition and have spares O/H. I also agree with the IR temp gun, nice to have, and will show a difference from one hub to the other. Good Luck

That is a long distance for a Dodge to travel. I would be more worried about the truck making it.

:grin::grin::grin: Could not resist.

that made me laugh...

Funny, though, never even thought about a Dodge in the past. but this is the first vehicle I have owned that I love. When I die, I want to be buried in it.

So, it looks like the winner is option 2.

I will optimize my rig by fixing brakes, new tires. Bearings were replaced about 100 miles ago, if that, so if they check out, I will keep. I will have a solid spare, new bearings, etc...bringin my tool box and jack as well (which has already been used on the trailer for that last bearing replacement...figured out during that afternoon that my truck jack was too small for the trailer. glad that wasn't a "side of the road" discovery).

Will a temp gauge really be more helpful than the back of my hand? I plan to check the trailer at each gas up, and I do have a couple extra straps for the bow and stern across the gunwales. I plan to wrap the center console in plastic for protection, and removing what I can. Any other advice on packaging the boat for that long ass drive?

Thanks for the help!

I agree with bamaboy but if this is a one time long tow thing then I say go for it with the single axle. I towed my old boat many times on a single from San Diego down to Cabo and always got home.

I did that round trip once, in the back of a truck with a sleeping bag and a case of beer. Dang, that was a tough ride. I miss college.

(1) If your tires are older than 3 years get new ones, if you are buying new tires for spares put them on and use your originals as spares.
(2) Change the transmission fluid in the truck, and if you feel extra diligent depending on the truck mileage, change the rear end fluid.
When you check bearing and tire temperatures with the infrared thermometer, check the rear end, you will be surprised how hot it runs my Suburban runs 150 around town, 205 towing (now 180 towing after switching to Royal Purple gear lube)
It wouldn't hurt to check the transmission temp, should be in the 180 - 190 range.

Where can you get an infrared heat temp gun and how much do they cost?
Any suggestions?

maybe rent a dual axle flat bed trailer, strap trailer and boat to it?

http://http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/681035/681035014035xl.jpgWhere can you get an infrared heat temp gun and how much do they cost?
Any suggestions?

I got my Greenlee thermometer as a gift, I think it was quite a bit more than the General Tools that you can get from Lowes (it looks like a re-branded Greenlee)
Item # 73790 for $ 39.98 where I live.

Why not just replace the axle springs and get new tires I moved from palmdale cal. to tampa fl pulling a single axle trailer and only had i tire go bad and it was in tampaand I had a spare I would go for it. good luck

You have gotten some pretty good advice. How old is the trailer and what does the axle look like especially where the spindles are welded on? If you loose a bearing and mess up your spindle, you will need a new axle if a new one can't be welded on. Just something to ponder in worst case scenario.

Get your trailer tires balanced (makes a huge difference), carry extra bearings, grease, hubs, etc and bring a floor jack with somemblocks of wood which make changing tires and hubs much easier. I also carry a roll of paper towels and rubber gloves in my bucket full of bearing stuff.

Good luck!

instead of spare bearings, I'd get a pair of spare hub kits and pre-pack bearings and hubs--

Ncor...why are you leaving SLO? I love it down there! Although you guys got murdered by the MLPA's

Ncor...why are you leaving SLO? I love it down there! Although you guys got murdered by the MLPA's

Greener pastures, my freind! I love it here as well, thought for sure I would spend my adult life here. But, employment is tough, and it turns out we were just giving up too much to stay here.

I must say, the fishing on the Central Coast is pretty frustrating. For salt water, we really only get half a year, and that is for rockfishing, which is more like harvesting than fishing most days. Salmon season is here now, but just not wide open like up north. The albacore usually show up, but not always in easy range. Plus, during our season from May-Dec, most days blow out early even if it is a good weather pattern, and we get our share of storms. It has been tough, not many quality days. There is ok freshwater fishing, but even that is borderline.

In VA, I used to fish almost every day from October-May, fly fishing for trout. And, I have never fished striper before, but this is the land of fresh and salt water striper. Once the water warm up in May, it is bass season, with great smallie rivers and largemouth in the lakes. The salt water will be further away, but something always seems to be open and in season.

One thing that CA has, though, is the good surf. I will have much less of that back east!

Where can you get an infrared heat temp gun and how much do they cost?
Any suggestions?

Check Harbor Freight and look for coupons -- http://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-laser-thermometer-96451.html --

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you guys are all right. thanks so much for the info.

i like the success stories the most, though!

trailer headed to shop monday afternoon (afte i fish a bit) and we shall see what the experts say about getting her good to go. new drums/bearings are already on there. thinking new tires, and getting brake system functional. just rewired about a month ago. will possibly just get new wheels and tires, and keep the old ones plus a new drum/bearing on standby for on road repairs, and give it a whirl. take it at a reasonable pace.

heck, to be safe, i should probably stop somewhere and put the boat in the water, just to take a load off. if it is in the water, may as well fish..... :-)

Get your trailer and truck in tip top shape and drive carefully! Where do you plan on boating here in Virginia?

Harrisonburg is great I went to bridge water college near there good luck on trip

Get your trailer and truck in tip top shape and drive carefully! Where do you plan on boating here in Virginia?

Fresh water will likely be Smith MtnLake, and Dalton Chesapeake Bay. Thinking Yorktown and Poquoson areas, but I am sure open to suggestions!:thumbsup:

i did a similar drive from SE Florida to Huntington Beach Cali. With 2 guys and only stopping long enough for food or gas it took us 56 hours one way. Had a blow out on a triple axle trailer in Alabama. Make sure to have any and every tool you can think of to swap tires including at least 1 maybe 2 floor jacks. Also, hub kits tires etc. We only averaged about 55 to 60 mph. definately an adventure.

Speed is the enemy of tires, equipment and fuel mileage. Everybody is gonna want to pass you no matter how fast you drive. I'd definately check tire and bearing temps each and every time you stop. Surge brakes heat up going down mountains. Tires often times vibrate instead of running true before they blow, so minding them with a good set of mirrors may mean you can stop and change where safe. Always be sure you can get out before you go in and stay away from drive thru windows. Park in well lit areas.

Trailer tires have a speed limit stamped on them of 65 mph.
65 mph seems to be the sweet spot for towing, you are slow enough to about eliminate panic stops, yet fast enough that traffic does not get bunched up behind you because they cannot change lanes.
You only loose 5 minutes per hour of travel time versus travel at the posted limit of 70.
You also will burn less fuel, probably a full tank or two, perhaps more given the length of your trip.

Check the springs on the trailer. The individual leafs come wrapped together with a metal band/strip. A missing or busted band is a telltale sign that the springs are getting weak and can let go at any time. A busted spring on a single axle would not be a pretty site..

Get AAA with RV (trailer) endorsement. Go for it with your current trailer and few spares. Great that company is picking up the fuel tab, it will be a free boat transport for you.

I think you have gotten great advice so far. I just got back from a 1450 miles trip from FL. I would op for a tandem trailer, much better to pull on interstate speed plus if one wheel goes bad you can limp to service and your bad wheel will not hit the pavement. Keep checking the temp of each wheel. I have diligently had my wheels serviced but within the last 50 miles of my trip one wheel bearing went out but I did not realize it until I actually got home, thus a tribute to tandem axle trailers. I was using the hand temp method and realized the bad wheel was hotter than the others but I could easily touch it so the temp was not alarming(wrong). This is the 2nd time this has happened to me, first time was because the brake disc was rubbing heating up the wheel. Not sure this time because the trailer is still in my driveway waiting for me to take it for repair, hoping the spindle is not shot.

Well, trailer checked out a-ok, except for most of the brake system. So, going to get that updated, and carry a drum/bearings/wheel spare, and hit the road around June 11. Also, have double coverage for my trailer, with roadside assist, via my car and boat insurance, so I am hoping for the best.

Thanks for all the advice! See ya on the east coast.

Where can you get an infrared heat temp gun and how much do they cost?
Any suggestions?

We were born with bearing sensor equipment. Use the Back of a finger to touch the bearing caps. What's important is that they are all about the same temperature; not what temperature they are.

If one feels a good bit hotter than the others, you'll have the same information as if you had an IR gun...and your finger never needs batteries. ;)

Greener pastures, my freind! I love it here as well, thought for sure I would spend my adult life here. But, employment is tough, and it turns out we were just giving up too much to stay here.

I must say, the fishing on the Central Coast is pretty frustrating. For salt water, we really only get half a year, and that is for rockfishing, which is more like harvesting than fishing most days. Salmon season is here now, but just not wide open like up north. The albacore usually show up, but not always in easy range. Plus, during our season from May-Dec, most days blow out early even if it is a good weather pattern, and we get our share of storms. It has been tough, not many quality days. There is ok freshwater fishing, but even that is borderline.

In VA, I used to fish almost every day from October-May, fly fishing for trout. And, I have never fished striper before, but this is the land of fresh and salt water striper. Once the water warm up in May, it is bass season, with great smallie rivers and largemouth in the lakes. The salt water will be further away, but something always seems to be open and in season.

One thing that CA has, though, is the good surf. I will have much less of that back east!

Yeah thats very true. Morro is in that weird tweener zone where the salmon fishing isnt as good as it is up here in the bay area, and its not far enough west to get into the warm albacore currents consistently. That is the nice thing about the east coast too is you'll get much more of a year round fishery. Make sure you do a yearly run out into the canyons out there getting yellowfin that far north is insane!

i went to JMU in Harrisonburg. still have friends there. the area is really growing quickly with government contractor type businesses from DC that need to be out of the blast zone. i fished a lot when i was there, mainly in the Shenandoah. with your boat there are an a million places to trailer to an explore within 3-4 hours of H-burg. let me know if you need any advice. i'm in virginia beach.

Well, trailer checked out a-ok, except for most of the brake system. So, going to get that updated, and carry a drum/bearings/wheel spare, and hit the road around June 11. Also, have double coverage for my trailer, with roadside assist, via my car and boat insurance, so I am hoping for the best.

Thanks for all the advice! See ya on the east coast.

Keep in mind that they would need to call a low boy trailer to tow you any where since you have a t-top. That is one of the reasons I dropped trailer coverage and bring my own spares. A floor jack is worth it's weight when you need it along the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Good luck!

i went to JMU in Harrisonburg. still have friends there. the area is really growing quickly with government contractor type businesses from DC that need to be out of the blast zone. i fished a lot when i was there, mainly in the Shenandoah. with your boat there are an a million places to trailer to an explore within 3-4 hours of H-burg. let me know if you need any advice. i'm in virginia beach.

I appreciate it, any good starting points for fishing are much appreciated. I am looking at dragging my rig down to Smith Mountain Lake for stripers and largemouth, and am still wondering where easy access to the Chesapeake Bay is going to be. Thinking Gloucester/Yorktown/Poqouson area, to avoid driving into Hampton Roads...

If you have any pointers, feel free to PM me, I would love it!

N

Keep in mind that they would need to call a low boy trailer to tow you any where since you have a t-top. That is one of the reasons I dropped trailer coverage and bring my own spares. A floor jack is worth it's weight when you need it along the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Good luck!

I am planning to bring my two tool boxes, spare drum/bearings/wheel, floor jack, two jack stands and my lug wrenches that cover just about all sizes known to man, my truck and trailer specifically. Anything I am qualified to fix, I should have the parts and tools for....any other ideas for must haves is great!

Yeah thats very true. Morro is in that weird tweener zone where the salmon fishing isnt as good as it is up here in the bay area, and its not far enough west to get into the warm albacore currents consistently. That is the nice thing about the east coast too is you'll get much more of a year round fishery. Make sure you do a yearly run out into the canyons out there getting yellowfin that far north is insane!

Yeah, love the central coast, but the fishing is just not what it used to be! Back east I can do trout minutes from home, and still get the salt pretty easy. Even though it is further from home, I think with the year round fishing and the weather, I will still get more days out there on the water then I do here. I am so ready to get me some stripers (or I guess they are called rockfish out there!:thumbsup:)

thanks

I appreciate it, any good starting points for fishing are much appreciated. I am looking at dragging my rig down to Smith Mountain Lake for stripers and largemouth, and am still wondering where easy access to the Chesapeake Bay is going to be. Thinking Gloucester/Yorktown/Poqouson area, to avoid driving into Hampton Roads...

If you have any pointers, feel free to PM me, I would love it!

N

I grew up in Poquoson - plenty of good fishing in the area. Keep in mind though that once you pass Williamsburg, you are in Hampton Roads, and the Summer traffic on 64 can get heavy.

I believe JetSkiBrian lives in Poquoson - maybe you can hook up with him to learn some good spots.

Hey guys, one more question....

Would it be a good idea to take off the t-top for the drive? It is bolted to the floor, but I am wondering if it would be better for mileage (weight and wind resistance), as well as to prevent damage to the top. I was thinking about popping it off anyway, to make the boat a bit more summer/lake freindly, and could replace it in the fall.

If I remove it, I would put it on the moving truck for the drive out. Canvas/eisenglass enclosure is coming off for sure, but just wondering if I should pop that top!

Thanks

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_15154.jpg

$20 at harbor frieght. I have 2 and keep one in my truck. I also use it to check cylinder head temps on outboards and I use it to make sure the grease is the perfect temp before frying fish. They are handy :)

I agree that fingers don't need batteries, but when towing in bright sunshine, the whole assembly gets "hot"; an inexpensive IR gun gives you an accurate assessment of the bearing temps, as well as differences between axles and sides. I used the back of my hand for many years to check hubs, but the IR gun always rides along now.

Just got back from a 2000 mile trip using these on my van to get a feel for them. I'll put them on the boat trailer for the tow to Lake Powell this fall. I really like being able to see the tire pressure and temp while moving, not to mention the alarm to let me know a tire blown so I can pull over before it tears up my trailer and boat.

http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2012/04/tpms-tire-pressure-monitering-system.html

Hey guys, one more question....

Would it be a good idea to take off the t-top for the drive? It is bolted to the floor, but I am wondering if it would be better for mileage (weight and wind resistance), as well as to prevent damage to the top. I was thinking about popping it off anyway, to make the boat a bit more summer/lake freindly, and could replace it in the fall.

If I remove it, I would put it on the moving truck for the drive out. Canvas/eisenglass enclosure is coming off for sure, but just wondering if I should pop that top!

Thanks

You havn't left yet? Did the Dodge cringe about making that trip? :jk: :rofl:

That long of a trip i would take the top off. The wind resistance might play havoc on it. Your mileage will be better also.

The Dodge has been too busy pulling stuck Chevys and Fords out of the sand to get too worried!

I think I will take off the T-top, seems like an easier idea. Better clearance, less weight and wind, etc...all that travel may just wear it out.

So, if I get an IR temp sensor, what is a normal operating temp? What is too high?

The Dodge has been too busy pulling stuck Chevys and Fords out of the sand to get too worried!

I think I will take off the T-top, seems like an easier idea. Better clearance, less weight and wind, etc...all that travel may just wear it out.

So, if I get an IR temp sensor, what is a normal operating temp? What is too high?

:rofl:

Normal??? I would think normal would be if all wheels were pretty close in temp

Just did some web research, looks like temps should be as follows;
120 no brakes
180-200 with brakes
O rings fail around 250
Seals fail around 300

So, gives a little guidance for what I should see on the IR gun. I did notice that my hubs felt a bit warmer than usual on my ride home today, figured it was from the newly functioning brakes

My hubs generally run about 10 - 20 degrees above ambient temperature.
The axle with the brakes runs hotter, I check every time I stop.

Hey all, just an update. The trip went well, and thanks for all the advice. One blowout in Barstow, but no other real issues.

2800 miles, three days of driving. Truck did great, averaged 12.5 mpg and cruised most of the time at 70 mph

Not a "fun" trip, long and some stress. But went well as could be expected. Oh, and the dog did great too!

Thanks again for the advice and help

Ncor,
Good to hear, did you take the top off?

Nope, just stripped the enclosure canvas.