Tips for Preparing for a LONG Tow

(04outback) · (04outback) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 06-26-2009, 8:11 AM

So, I have accepted a job in Upstate NY and will be moving soon. I will probably be towing my Moomba single axle trailer up there. ANy tips?
I will most likely take the tower speakers off hte tower and bimini top off too.. no cover. gonna buy a spare.. Trailer has Oil Bath..probably will put fresh oil in...

Any other suggestions?
Thanks

(wakerider42) · (wakerider42) **Join Date: May 2002** 06-26-2009, 8:18 AM

Check your hitch for any cracked bolts, welds, etc. I've had a cracked bolt on the swing away hitch and a hitch where the cup mount for the ball completely ripped out. Obviously, like you said, get a spare (or 2). Check your front bow strap, and make sure you run good rear ties. A boat will move quite a bit without that front strap (buddy of mine had his boat shift 9" back and the rear straps were the only thing keeping it from moving more once they engaged).

If you are concerned about damaging the gel coat with rocks and stuff from the road, I hear you can get a boat "shrink wrapped." Never done it though and don't know where you would get it done. Probably talk to a boat dealer, they would know. This might also be a good solution if your tower speakers are a pain to take off. I used to tow like a 5 hour drive with tower speakers...they just get full of bugs so you just have to clean. Not a huge deal.

(saceone) · (saceone) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 06-26-2009, 8:23 AM

saran wrap on the tower speakers
I got white Roswells on my 210 and they're a PITA to clean.

(sulmaxwell) · (sulmaxwell) **Join Date: Dec 2003** 06-26-2009, 8:24 AM

use some of that shrink wrap/shipping film and wrap your tower and board racks so they don't get bugs all over them...keep a cover handy in case you hit rain...i prefer to tow with a cover...I have a travel/snap one ...as the boat gets super dusty/dirty with out the cover...a couple tarp marks buff out...easily rather than having to detail the entire interior...plus it acts as additional areas to keep a bunch of stuff..throughout the boat...mapout safe areas to stay each night..motels that you can park outside your door or camp grounds that you have everything right there..walmart parking lots.....nothing worse than trying to find a place to crash late @ night off the interstate with a boat in tow...
get your vehicle serviced, tranny fluid checked...etc..

(timmyb) · (timmyb) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 06-26-2009, 8:29 AM

Bring a full size hydraulic jack just in case you get a flat, don't want to try and change a tire on the trailer with the truck's jack. Check your straps (like someone said above) at each stop and you should be good to go!

Congrats on the new job!

(wake1823) · (wake1823) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 06-26-2009, 8:39 AM

shrink wrap it. will run about $500. It will save you a ton of headaches. I would shrink wrap with the tower down, so it's covered too.

(number55) · (number55) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 06-26-2009, 8:45 AM

Don't know if anyone mentioned it, but either tape up your paddle wheel or put a paddle wheel plug in its place.

(duramat) · (duramat) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 06-26-2009, 8:55 AM

^^^^ I was just going to say. Good call Keeps!! Save you some coin down the road

(04outback) · (04outback) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 06-26-2009, 8:58 AM

great suggestions. I just picked up a new truck (09 Chevy with Tow pkg) so I am covered on that end.. (Co. Truck had to be returned before I leave!)
We have big rolls of shipping shrink wrap here.. might work for front of boat and tower. I think i'll take speaker bar off mainly for weight/swaying tower!
good idea on paddle wheel!
Thanks..keep em coming

(razzman) · (razzman) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 06-26-2009, 9:01 AM

How about the obvious here, safety issues. Towing long distance with a single axle means you have to make absolutely sure your tires are in top notch shape, your brakes are working as required, fluid topped if neccessary and all your wiring works and has no frays or damage. Check the connector's for corrosion. Double check your safety cables and safety release cable. A hydraulic bottle jack may not fit under all axles but a HD scissor jack will and works well under torsion axles. A jack is great but make sure you have a means to remove the lug nuts, don't know how many times i've seen that one! Make sure to check the air pressure in all, including the spare. Keeping the weight down in the boat itself will payoff as well for the long haul.

(wakerider42) · (wakerider42) **Join Date: May 2002** 06-26-2009, 9:54 AM

Never heard the paddle wheel one. Do you tape it up just so it's not spinning un-necessarily? Or is there some other reason?

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 06-26-2009, 9:55 AM

It's so it doesn't spin.

(wakerider42) · (wakerider42) **Join Date: May 2002** 06-26-2009, 9:58 AM

Makes sense, just checking to make sure I understood. I honestly never would have thought of that. But I guess for me, what's an extra 4 hours spinning when I tow so rarely? The thing logs many more hours than that! But I suppose it can't hurt to be conservative, and if you do a crap-ton of towing or are going super long distances, then might as well not have all that rotation at 60MPH or whatever.

(bmartin) · (bmartin) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 06-26-2009, 10:26 AM

Grease bearings. If it is super long haul, bring grease gun with you.

(phatboypimp) · (phatboypimp) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 06-26-2009, 10:53 AM

Not sure how long that tow is, but I am a big fan of aftermarket tranny coolers. Cheap investment to extend the life of your tranny.

(epic1) · (epic1) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 06-26-2009, 11:08 AM

if he got an 09 chevy with tow pkg he better have a trans cooler or I would be sad at chevy.

(04outback) · (04outback) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 06-26-2009, 11:20 AM

Colorado.. yes.. got the stock Trans Cooler with the tow pkg.. the display shows the trans fluid temp! Last night was first time I towed with new truck.. does great!

(trace) · (trace) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 06-26-2009, 11:22 AM

I would take the top section of the tower off and carry it in the bed of the truck. You'll get noticeably better gas mileage, especially compared to shrinkwrapping it.

Also, dirt skirts are much cheaper than a $500 shrinkwrap, and are reusable: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Splash-Stop-16-RV-Dirt-Skirt-Brush-Guard-Motorhome_W0QQitemZ200277896394QQcmdZViewItemQQptZ Motors_RV_Trailer_Camper_Parts_Accessories?hash=it em2ea17e2cca&_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116

4 hrs on the road is worse for the paddlewheel than 4 hrs in the water because the water cools & lubes it.

(wakerider42) · (wakerider42) **Join Date: May 2002** 06-26-2009, 11:32 AM

Trace: Agreed. But I don't know the capabilities and design of the paddle wheel to know if that really matters or not. But again, I suppose it doesn't hurt to be conservative. I wonder if PerfectPass has any data on that or what they recommend. I really don't care enough to check though! Haha.

(phatboypimp) · (phatboypimp) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 06-26-2009, 11:42 AM

Perfect Pass recommends removal of the wheel for any towing distance. Comes with a plug to replace the wheel for towing.

(phatboypimp) · (phatboypimp) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 06-26-2009, 11:44 AM

Unless you want a horrible experience that I recently had, torque all lugs to spec.

(wakerider42) · (wakerider42) **Join Date: May 2002** 06-26-2009, 11:48 AM

See, I knew I didn't have to do my own research! Haha. I wonder how many people actually do that? None of my friends with PP have ever done that. I haven't either, but my PP doesn't work anyway! Maybe that's part of the problem, although I think it's the completely seized servo that was seizing before...

(extremeisaac) · (extremeisaac) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 06-26-2009, 11:59 AM

Where in upstate NY? I grew up in Binghamton

(04outback) · (04outback) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 06-26-2009, 12:18 PM

Isaac, I will be just outside Rochester.. Job is in East Bloomfield..

(brett564) · (brett564) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 06-26-2009, 1:12 PM

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet, but make absolutely sure you don't go above 65 MPH. Chances are your trailer tires are rated at that top speed, and all of my and my friends tire blow outs seem to have happened when we were traveling over 65. Since keeping it under 65, I havn't had a blow out yet. Damn it, shouldn't have said that...

(nubb) · (nubb) **Join Date: May 2006** 06-26-2009, 5:18 PM

If you don't already have a cushioned ball mount, it is worth every penny. At 60 to 70 dollars your ride will be much smoother. See below!

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0010057520121a.shtml

(sidekicknicholas)

Grease everything.
strap everything down.
New tires on the trailer, rated to go faster than 65+.... going slow sucks. (they dryrot from the inside out)
Have at least one spare rim/tire, two would be nice (we needed it)
Check all the lights and lugs
All chrome will be caked with bugs f.y.i.

Don't leave where you will be driving during a holiday.... if stuff is closed and you need help, no good.

(duramat) · (duramat) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 06-26-2009, 6:10 PM

Also jack your tire off the ground and spin it and make sure that nothing is rubbing inside i.e. brakepad busted inside rubbing creating a bad bad scenario. Do that while your greasing your bearings. Mudflaps if you have them.

(vino) · (vino) **Join Date: Apr 2009** 06-26-2009, 7:14 PM

I would make sure you have a lug wrench that fits your trailer wheels. Sounds simple, but the one for my Tahoe did not fit my boat trailer wheels.

(cameronb) · (cameronb) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 06-26-2009, 10:07 PM

hauled the boat from washington state to texas.. wrapped the tower in plastic wrap/blue painters tape... made sure the tires were filled to the correct psi... the oem supra snap cover made some nasty marks on the boat.. but they buffed out

i have since then had no problems.. other than 3/4 tires dry rot

another option to protecting your boat's gel coat.. is by using blue painters tape to cover the front end of your boat... its done a lot more often on cars to act as a bra for the front end of the car.

(tro) · (tro) **Join Date: May 2009** 06-26-2009, 10:10 PM

i just towed my "new to me" 2008 230 from Tenn. to Houston last weekend bringing it home from the dealer. LONG trip, but well worth it. good luck with the trip. make sure you stop every once in a while and check on tires, tie downs, lights, etc.