Do I need a 4x4 for towing?

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Just found weights:

RIB = 300 kg
Engine 181 KG

+ 481 KG in total.

I guess that is not so heavy to need a specialist 4x4

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It does'nt stop there:
+ Fuel @ say 1Kg per Lt
+ oil
+ Anchour & chain
+ Ancillaries
+ Weight of trailer
 
Do you have a braked or unbraked trailer? I would say your rig (including trailer) is going to be around 1000kg (200kg engine 2-300kg trailer + 500 for the boat and fuel/equipment) but then I could be wrong!

I think that the Bora is too small, it will cope alot of the time, but your asking alot of it and I suspect things will start to wear out faster than they might otherwise have, in which case you'll be spending more on maintenance!

Also as has been said before its the stopping thats the problem and reason to have something more substantial

I used to tow an 18ft bowrider weighing 1350kg with a Subaru Forester, 4 wheel drive on that was fine for the job, plus it was a great road car!
 
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I have been looking at surfs and they seem good value, what sort of MPH and MPG do you get when not towing.?

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mph....as fast as you want! it gets a bit scary at 115!!!
mpg...depends how heavy your right foot is....up to 28mpg on a run.
only down fall is they've only got small (65ltr) tanks compared to others.
apart from that it's probably the best car i've ever owned. It does everything really well, and when you want it's not slow of the lights either. In sport mode it surprises a fair few cars!!
Go for a 3.0ltr as the 2.4 are a bit under powered.
 
i think a small engined fromt wheel drive car will struggle to get grip on that slip, also as the 4x4 is higher you can get the trailer further in the water ad then you won't have to worry about winching the boat by hand.
 
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You dont need a 4x4 for towing.

If it is just grip you are looking for why not check out Rally tyres ?

I have seen plenty of 4x4s getting pulled back wards as they only have smooth road tyres anyway.
You will find they are more expensive and slightly noisier on the motor way but all insignificant compared with 4x4 which are noisy, guzzle juice and cost a fortune in tyres

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agree that tyres make a huge difference.....but disagree that 4x4 are noisy, drink excessively and are expensive on tyres:

90mph normal conrversation
28mpg ain't bad.....(ready for the flak!) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
£75 per tyre is pretty good when they last 60k miles. Tyres on my Alfa cost £185 each and only lasted 6k!!!!
 
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You dont need a 4x4 for towing.

If it is just grip you are looking for why not check out Rally tyres ?

I have seen plenty of 4x4s getting pulled back wards as they only have smooth road tyres anyway.
You will find they are more expensive and slightly noisier on the motor way but all insignificant compared with 4x4 which are noisy, guzzle juice and cost a fortune in tyres

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agree that tyres make a huge difference.....but disagree that 4x4 are noisy, drink excessively and are expensive on tyres:

90mph normal conrversation
28mpg ain't bad.....(ready for the flak!) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
£75 per tyre is pretty good when they last 60k miles. Tyres on my Alfa cost £185 each and only lasted 6k!!!!

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I agree, tyres aren't to badly priced and last along time - i get 28+mpg and in comparison much more economic than my diesel rib
 
A CRV or similar without a low ratio box is going to get a hammering on a slipway. I have one and traction is not an issue. That's more down to technique, but the lack of a low ration means you will have to slip the clutch. Bad. Bad.

Better to use a long strop between the car and trailer and keep the car on the level ground above the slip. This avoids the risk of slithering down and also reduces the effort required as the car's weight doesn't need dragging up the slope, in addition to the boat.

PWCLaunch.jpg
 
Hmm, that slip looks in good nick but pretty steep.
MajorCatstrophe launches and recovers on a pretty steep and slippy slip, with His Kia.
His boat is heavier than Your R.I.B I would think.
His rig towes OK as He mentioned.
I think the Peace of Mind of a 4x4 would swing it for Me.
Said slip(the Majors) has seen Cars and Trailers slide into the Briney.
I retreived a 6 meter (Ribeye) with a 115 Four Stroke Yam on the back Monday.
With an old Cherokee.
I was glad of the selectable four wheel drive system.

If I was going to buy a Tow Vehicle that would do the Job in most circumstances I would by a Grand Cherokee 2.7 crd diesel.
Not the 2.5 or 3.1 they have the VM based unit which is Garbage.
The 2.7 Common Rail is good for 30 to the gall/ maybe 35 if not thrashed.
Solo that is.
51/52 plate ones are very reasonabley priced right now.
Good bits of kit, imho and nice to drive
 
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Just found weights:

RIB = 300 kg
Engine 181 KG

+ 481 KG in total.

I guess that is not so heavy to need a specialist 4x4

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The 300Kg may be for the bare unfitted hull, make sure any consoles, tanks etc are allowed for....
 
Yep agreed, my Trooper gave me 10years trouble free motoring, Tyres similar to you 55k a set, 90mph cruise, err... 22mpg, but I could have bought diesel I suppose. Despite what the greenies say I reckon everybody should own a 4x4, its the only car you'll ever need, most people would have bought 5-10 normal cars in the lifetime of the average 4x4, is that greener?
 
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May seem stupid but it seems hard to tell if 4x4

Kawasaki above suggested a Grand Cherokee 2.7 crd diesel.

I found the model on autotrader

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/car...rch_full=SEARCH

It does not mention 4x4 ??

Is it an option which this one does not have ?

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All Jeeps have some form of 4wd, mostly given impressive-sounding titles like Selec-Trac or Command-Trac, some are permanent 4wd like the RR, some are part-time 4wd like early series landrovers. All will do the job on the slipway. One of the advantage of Disco/Range Rovers is that control of the diff lock and low ratio are seperate so you can select low ratio but leave the differential bezween the front and rear axles - which is what you want on a concrete slipway....
 
With my Sorrento I can barely tow my own arse up the slipway.......
 
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