Towing/launching 4x4 or not?

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mikehibb

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Hopefully next year I will be purchasing a new (to me) double cab pick up. Then dependent on funds possibly a small motor boat/day fisher type. (for the days when the other half of the crew does not fancy a sail due to a bit of rain) Also great to take the nephews out in for some fishing.
I understand from the Major that fishing is an activity to be enjoyed that does not necessarily involve actually catching any fish
I have the choice of 4x4 or 4x2 for the PU, there is a considerable price difference between the ones that I am loking at.
The boat trailer combo will be well within towing weights for a mid sized saloon car so towing in 2WD not a problem.
My concern is that I have no experience of slipway launching, well it is the recovery not the launch that I am more concerned about. Obviously 4x4 should get the combo back up a steep wet and slippery slip way, my question is how well do 4x2s handle? I could put a couple of paving slabs in the back over the rear axel to help. I am also prepared to change all tyres etc to something more grippy.

Although there is a price difference, I can afford either of the above, just do not want to look like a numpty spinning the rear wheels and stuck trying to get a relatively small boat and trailer out of the water whilst sat in a big double cab PU (thinking wish I bought the 4x4) However if most people manage OK with just 2 WD and some weight over the rear axel then the cost saving would speed up the purchase of the afore mentioned little day fisher.

As always thanks in advance to all constructive help and /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif to any witty comments.

(and can the forum admin please find a wine glass smiley as
/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif is not appropriate at the moment)

cheers

Mike
 
I go 4wd all day long.

I had a subaru legacy estate car a while back, and despite liking fuel a bit too much it was probably the best car I've owned. It had 200bhp and a bucket load of torque.

Would tow anything, and go anywhere. I once took it onto the beach at fleetwood where a load of guys where out with their jet skis, having been towed down on the back of 4x4's. The sand is very very soft around there and I go some strange looks as I drive my estate car on to it. Kind of, "what the hell is this tosser doing" stares. The Subaru prevailed, but had it been 2wd, I would have been well and truly stuck. It'd also get me home at 145mph; in theory.

Also, for wet slipways, I'd want the comfort of having power at all wheels rather than just th front, where there's no weight to keep the tyres down, or the rear where it's all slimey and wet.

Just my opinions of course.
 
I'd go for 4x4 every time. You can get away with 2 wheel drive on some slips, but if you want to be able to launch and recover from the maximum number of slips, then 4x4 makes things much easier, and as Paul says, low ratio if available even better.
 
Totally agree with comments already made, and here's the answer to the second part of your enquiry /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

bottle2.gif
 
Hi Mike,

I travel great distances towing a boat and trailer that together weigh about a ton. My towing vehicle has always been 2WD and for the last (ahem) years those have been the front wheels. One day I may get stuck but so far I have always managed on every conceivable kind of slipway and even beaches.

Why do I drive a 2WD? - well because 4WD always has a fuel consumption, purchase and maintenance cost penalty and I have always got on fine without. Nathan's Subaru illustrates the point. They are brilliant tow cars but there is a price to pay.

However, if the cost was not an issue I would go 4WD every time for the greater confidence and lack of drama when the conditions are poor. Nobody who owns a Land Rover will ever advise you to use a 2WD.

Your pick up is a special case. Fuel consumption will be relatively poor in either case and traction will be lousy from the lightly loaded rear wheels getting oceans of torque from what is basically a truck engine. If you must use such a vehicle (which should at least have the benefit of tough transmission which will survive a lot of towing) then choose the 4WD option.
 
Another vote for a 4 x 4. In our case, because of the lousy fuel consumption, I got an old shed of a Series 3 Landrover and only used it when we were towing the boat. The rest of the time we used my wife's car.
 
My thoughts as well. The new build will weigh about 2t with trailer and kit. Neither of my cars can go more than a 1100kg (legally). Big plus here is no road tax. So it is just the ins. and MOT every 2 yrs. So an old 4X4 it will be, should be able to pick one up in UK next year for peanuts with the coming tax changes....... I fancy an old Mitsubishi as bullit proof.
Andrew
 
I agree with the comments supporting a 4x4 - but that does not have to be the full Landrover type 4x4 for recovering a boat. I have an X-trail, which has electronic selectable 4x4, so you can lock all the wheels together for recovery, then switch to 2 wheel mode for the drive home. (I think the Navara pickup can do the same.) I have found that works well for getting my 1 tonne boat up a wet slipway.

I would think of a "proper" 4x4, like a Landrover, if I also wanted to go off road, through deep mud etc, but the electronic version like they have in an X-trail is a great compromise for boat recovery.
 
We run Mitsubishi L200s as our immediate response vehicles, the old shape ones before it went all drug-dealerish. The drivetrain options are 4x2, 4x4, 4x4 low and rear diff lock - all in the one vehicle.
It's very rare even on slipways that we use the 4x4 high, and the 4x4 low really only gets used across fields in wet weather. Given the far better condition of French roads than UK, the only time I can recall using 4x4 on the road was towing in a very heavy rainstorm around Nantes!
The key isn't really the drive - permanent 4x4 will cost you more in fuel - it's the tyres. Put normal road tyres on a 4x4, let them wear a bit, and even low 4x4 won't get you out of a whole. Put a decent set of all terrains on though, (we use either BFG or Grabbers) and even in 4x2 you don't feel the need to reach for the drive selection.
And ours do carry one heck of a weight of kit on them as well!
 
4X4 again.
We have a 2 wheel drive pick-up at the campsite I do a couple of days in. Bloody useless, even gets stuck on tarmac hairpins coming up from the lake.
Hard rear suspension and commercial tyres don't help.
A vehicle with selectable 4 wheel drive and low ratio are your best bet. 2wheel drive for economy (some of the 4X4s with viscous centre couplings are a bit thirsty, I had a Cherokee which managed 14 mpg) and 4wheel-drive for grip.
I also had a Rav4 and a Honda CRV which both engage 4 wheel-drive automatically depending on grip, but neither had low-ratio and recovering even a light boat up a steep shale shore will cane the clutch without low-ratio.
The Grand Vitara with 4 wheel-drive, low ratio, and the torque of a diesel means I can recover gently at tickover without hassle.
I have a friend who launches and recovers a 2.5 ton classic motorboat with a 3 litre diesel automatic crew-cab pickup. He reckons it's the dogs bollocks after his V8 Landrover County.
 
I always used old Ser. 2a / 3 Landrovers for serious slipway work. When tides just gone out and you are pulling up a seaweed and slime slipway - you'll be glad of that LR capability.
If you go for the 2wd pick-up - make sure when pulling out have drive wheels as the lower set ie back-up the slipway, with towbar fitted to front if FWD, towbar at rear if RWD. This puts more weight on the drive wheels.

Tip - So many people have trailer still on the hitch when launching - recovering boats. A better way is make sure trailer has jockey wheel and tie a good rope to trailer and then to tow bar. Let trailer roll down slipway with tow vehicle controlling descent ... this keeps all straight. It allows trailer further into water without having vehicle in the water as well. Recovering is even better if you can place trailer down slipway before tide comes in. Rope up to above high water mark to vehicle.

Personally ? 4wd selectable if possible and also locking Hubs. Auto-select 4WD is not same and is a compromise. Full time 4WD is with freewheeling / differential and so you are not getting locked 4WD. Locked 4WD is the dogs wotsits to get out of anything - but NEVER EVER use locked 4WD on road !
 
Many thanks all.

I think that I already knew the answer would be 4x4 any way.
I am already a 4x4 owner, but the vehicles are in different countries, and can not be taken in to Turkey due to import problems. I need the 4x4s where I am now due to road conditions and snow and steep hills. Usually run in 4x2 just need the 4x4 design with greater clearance and ability to handle rough rosds and pot holes that could swallow a Lada. Use the 4x4 for winter in the hills.
In turkey I will not have these problems, only the recovery of a boat.
So best to go with a 4x4, not worth getting stuck.
I have been looking at the following

Nissan Pick up
Nissan Navara
Mitsubishi L200
Isuzu D-Max

I prefer the Navara and the D-Max.

The L200 is cheaper than the Navara but as said earlier, not too sure if their new look is to my taste.

I love Land Rovers but price wise they are out of the picture.

Once again many thanks all.

Mike
 
My Kia Sorento XS diesel has the best of both.

In high ratio it runs in 2WD until it experiences a loss of traction at the front, then goes to 4WD automatically.
Or

Select low ratio and get 4x4 for trundling up slipways etc. A complete doddle.

As I don't sail on salt water at present, dunking the back end a wee bit is not a serious problem, but i'd have to employ a rope or and extension bar before i'd let it go anywhere near the briney stuff.

I have a mate with an Isuzu Double cab/pick up. Its not as refined as my Kia overall, but is more of a dirty work vehicle, and has a more comfortable ride than the Kia, which doesn't handle bumps quite as well as the design would suggest. That is however my only complaint about the vehicle which still impresses me after two years.

Tim
 
I use a Ford Falcon station wagon. Automatic gearbox with a 4.1 litre engine. Obviously rear wheel drive only. Easily pulls a caravan.
Boat trailers up boat ramps. I carry rope to help the odd 4 wheel drive that's short on torque and grip.

If the ramp is unsuitable go else where. If you have wheel spin with a two wheel drive pick up, stick the grandkids in the back and have them jump up and down. If that's not enough grab a couple of onlookers and pile them in the back.
 
I have had my 21ft trailer sailer for 25 years. (weighs about 1.3 tonne all up)
Started towing with a 3.3l 2speed auto then went to a 4.1 l Ford 3sp auto. Went to a Mitsubishi L300 4x4 manual for a few years, Then back to Ford 4l 4sp auto. Even tried a Toyota 2l 4sp auto Never any problem with lack of grip with 2WD auto.
Much depends on the ramp you use. I always back the trailer into the water and roll the boat off while trailer is attached to the car.

However as said you may be able to get the boat and trailer out if you disconnect the boat and put on a rope where the car can be put up on the flat with better traction.

So I got away from 4X4 and find 2wd auto very adequate. olewill
 
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