Bass Boat weight?

[bassin_man]

Generally speaking how much does a bass boat in their respective length(18', 19' etc.) class weigh after gas, equipment, etc.  I am looking at towing weight.  Just seeing(which I hope it should) if my 1991 Chevy 1500 can pull a boat of that size.  But it is getting up there in mile around 130,000.

[Catt]

We're assuming a V8 here right and if it does you're alright

My concern would be a transmission with that many miles

[cart7t]

A standard 18-19ft bassboat will weigh in at around 1200lbs, motor 400-450, gas @ 30 gallons 210lb, batteries 150,  trailer - 500-600, misc 200 for a total of 2500 - 2800.  If you're truck is powered by a V8 you should have no problem. Remember this though

Have you're brakes redone before you start towing.

If the truck doesn't have a tranny cooler I'd suggest getting one.  I'd also suggest having the auto transmission filter changed and new fluid installed.

Increase you're oil change frequency.

You might want to change you're u-joints if they've never been replaced.

Back flush and refill your coolant.

I've pulled boats with trucks with higher miles than your's.  American made trucks are pretty resiliant.  Just know the maintenance time frames must be adjusted.

[HPBB]

I don't think you will have a problem, even if its the 305 V8 not a 350V8. If it has the 4.3V6 it should tow.

I have towed a 2500lbs rig for years with a GMC Jimmy (small one one) 4.3 V6 before that a S-10 Pick up 4.3 V6. had no trailering problem. That Jimmy has over 150,000 miles on it. Only reason I don't tow with it regularly anymore, Is I bought a newer Chevey Tahoe.

Remember  what Cart7 said. keep the trans  happy.

get the fluid changed & change every year to two years

put a trans cooler on it. even if it has a factory cooler, add a new one . You can pick one up for about $40 or so. running the factory cooler with an add on cooler will help greatly. Heat is the trans worst enemy

and the big one, if your truck is an automatic, never tow in overdrive with that truck, being a 91 that trans isn't made to be towed in overdrive, put it 3rd and leave it there. this also has to do with heat, the trans will cool better in 3rd that overdrive.

I have done all of this with my trucks and never have had a trans problem & I average about 5,000-10,000 miles towing a year(depending on how many trips and extra tournaments I go on). The only thing different is on my new Tahoe, that trans is built for towing in overdrive.

PS...

when you get the trans fluid changed. If you have never had the rear end fluid  changed. I would change that to. That is the only thing I have ever broken in the drive train while towing. My GMC Jimmy is a short 2door so when launching the rear end would get wet. Well water got into it. long story short, you don't want to be running 70+mph with the boat on back and the rear end come apart. Not fun. I now get the rear end fluid changed when I get the trans fluid changed. I do that  every year now

[bassin_man]

Yes its the 350 V8.  I was thinking if I could use it for at least four more years it might open up a little more money for a boat.  There is some great information here that I will have to keep in mind.  If I were have to replace transmission I am assuming that a factory built one instead of a rebuilt one would be best?

HPBB, Thats the first time I heard about not towing in Overdrive and towing in 3rd with an automatic.  What about regular Drive can it be towed that way?  Thanks

[Way2slow]

I have a 1988, 16'9" Stratos (169V) with a 115 I-6 Merc that I weighed with my normal fishing load in it and it weighed 2,700 pounds. I have a 1989, 18'5" Startos 285 Pro, with a 200 Johnson on the back that weighs 3,250 pounds with my normal load. I have a 20' Javelin Renagade 20 DC with a 225 ficht on it, I haven't weighed it but I figure it will tip the scales at about 3,500 - 3,600 pounds with my normal load.

I tow with a 1998 1500, 4WD Chevy 350 CI pickup with 165,000 miles. The weak point to your setup is the transmission. The 700R4's and 4L60E's (yours may have the 4L60E, it was about 91 92 when they went to them) (ECU shifted version of the 700R4) are not the strongest things made, they have a very small clutch pack for OD, and are not suited real well for a lot of heavy towing. A fairly large Auxillary cooler is a must, and keep it out of overdrive. I have rebuilt and modified my transmission so it will tow 6,000 pounds in OD if I wanted to (approx $700 just for the parts and me doing the work) but I still don't use overdrive. Towing my Javelin at 70 mph on fairly level roads in 3rd, I get 14.3 mpq, towing it in D (OD) I get 12.6 mpg, this is with several thousands of miles of records to prove it. A loaded engine burns more fuel than a free turning engine.

On your truck "D" is overdrive, "3" is drive. Most later model vehicles have a button you can press to turn Overdrive off but you have to shift down to 3.

ONe little note, if your transmission goes out shortly after you start towing, it was probably not the towing that caused it. You are getting into the window of when they are subject to fail reqardless.

[HPBB]

factory or rebuilt are about the same,  a good trans shop could rebuild it stronger.

But a stock trans will do fine pulling a bass boat

In a 4 speed overdrive automatic 3rd gear is drive.

If it's only  a 3 speed auto than drive is fine

I forgot back in 91 some of those GM trucks had 3 speed autos.

I had a 90 SS454 it only had a 3 speed auto. towed like a tank, got about the same mileage as a tank too.

read your owners manual on towing, some trucks are ok to tow in overdrive(mostly newer ones), Like my Tahoe, others like my Jimmy and S-10 said not to tow in overdrive.

[Way2slow]

Three speed automatics were only in the trucks with engines like the 454 or your heavy duty work trucks like the 3500's and some 2500's not in the 1500.  They were just you standard Turbo 400 transmisson, they used those because the 700R4/4L60 would not hold up in those applications, it's was strickly intended for light duty use like in a 1500, S10's, Astro vans and the rear wheel drive cars.  They later came out the with 4L80 for those heavy duty applications which is basically a T400 with overdrive added.  The 4L80 is a much better transmission for towing than the 4L60/700R4 and has been transmission used in the 2500 and 3500's.  May still be the same today, I haven't messed with any in a couple of years but my 2000 model 3500 van has the 4L80E.

As for repair if/when your transmission goes bad, a factory authorizied rebuilt from a dealer will usually cost you approx $1,700 plus a few hundred dollars labor to install (in reality if yours is a 2WD it only take about two hours to swap out).  I would do that before letting a transmission shop to rebuild it, some are good and honest but too many are not quit so.  The standard rebuild most shops do, the parts and torque converter to rebuild yours cost them less than $150 but they don't replace any where near all the hard parts that should be replaced but they still charge almost as much as the factory jobs where they do replace all the necessary parts.  

For about the same as a factory rebuild, you can order one that has been modified similar to the way I did mine  and they are almost bullet proof but very few local builders can/will build one like that unless you happen to live close to one of the companies that does build them.

[StatosDadRI]

1996 278 V 18' Stratos 150 HP Intruder trailer 3 -27 batteries, NO GAS or Tackle 2780 lbs certified scale. The night I bought it I stopped at the Truck Stop and unhooked it on the certified scale.

30 gallons gas 240 Lbs

oil                   12 lbs

tackle             100 lbs

jackplate            27 lbs

battery charger 18 lbs

spare prop       5 lbs

upgraded to 2 31 series batteriers 25 lbs

427 lbs 2780 lbs = 3207lbs

I tow this all over New England with a 1993 Chevy Astro Van 4.3 V6 3.23 gears a tranni cooler and a HD Radiator. Never over heats and can run 65+ except for the biggest hills. 275,000 miles

OR

My 2005 Mitshubshi Endeavor 3.5 V6 AWD limited with 3500 lb tow package.

You never know its there 75 -80 mph on any highway, hills 75 mph and my foot is never on the floor. 17 Mpg towing at 65 mph with the it packed for a week also.

Trailer has no brakes but I may put a set of electric's on this season. stopping isnt that bad either but brakes would be nice for the panic stops and hairline...

I had a F100 with a 450Hp 428 cobra jet C6 and 3.89 gears and have been towing for years. Any good V6 will do fine with 3500lbs unless you want to drive 65 mph in the Rockies.

[hakksaw]

d**n Stratos, I would've liked to seen the F100 pickup, sounds like a brute.  I myself used to own a F150 with a BUILT 460 4-speed and it would tow a coal car if I tried to!  I drive a semi locally here in Omaha totally understand the diesels for towing, but I love the smell and sound of big gas V8 laying it down.  I also have a Mits. 3.5 V6 in my montero and have had no issues with the towing capabilities.  Hell, years ago I use to tow my dads 18' deck boat with a little 4 banger Nissan with 100k on it.  No problems and still runs like a champ.  My brother still has it and is running it around on the mass transit mess that is Los Angeles!  I don't disagree that upkeep and maintenance should not be ignored on any tow vehicle with 130,000.  Upgrading and strengthening the drive train is a great idea and pay attention to the color, composition and smell of the tranny fluid.  You'll be good to go.

[bassin_man]

I have a friend thats a mechanic that can do tranny rebuilds and I know he is honest and would do it for little to maybe nothin.  

hakksaw, You wouldn't be talking about Omaha,Ne would you?  I live close to there, about 20 miles away.

[hakksaw]

Yessir bassin_man, around 42nd I-80.  "Aroma-ha."  Right by the old Vinton street elevator.  What town are you from?  Chances are I have driven through there a few hundred times or so ....Great forum here, huh?

[bassin_man]

I live by the Mead area.  You bet this is a great forum.  There are more Nebraskan's on here that I thought there would be thats for sure.

[hakksaw]

Mead, nice and quiet out there for sure. i have delivered all around that area.  Laid back.....yeah, there are a couple of other Ne. fellas but their post IDs are slipping my mind.  what fishing holes have you been hitting in the last few years?  i have been staying pretty close to Omaha and have seen some really solid largemouth action on some of the small rec areas like Standing Bear and Walnut Creek.  finally got a decent boat to get a little closer to the prime spots.  hoping this year will really produce.

[bassin_man]

I use to go out to my buddies cabin on a sandpit almost exclusive with him some really nice fishing.  Now since then he has moved away and I no longer have axcess to the sandpit.  So that left me high and dry without a fishing hole and back on solid ground(man once you start fishing from a boat consistently going back to solid ground just doesn't feel the same).  Last year I start to fish Zorinsky, Standing Bear, some of the others around OMaha along with Czechland by Prague and didn't do to bad for shore fishing.

[Guest JoshKeller]

I tow with a '91 f150, 5.0 HO, E40D, and was told by many people (who have no interest in making money off  me), that to get up to 65+ mph in 3rd, then switch on OD, and keep it in OD on the highway as long as its not hunting gears and the torque converter stays locked.

[hakksaw]

I have been by Czechland but never fished.  Big enough to spend an afternoon there? I want to get out to Pawnee and Branched oak but have been concerned with the algae problems over the last couple years What is the size limit on Czech?  I had been doing a lot of bank fishing at Standing Bear and saw some great largemouth pulled out.  On the north side theres a few spots with heavy reeds that you can't fish from the bank unless you cast over them.  I can't wait to get up close from the water side.  Its an electric motor only lake, but have talked to a few guys running large outboards that have had no problem as long as your not wrapping it up you know.  Willing to give it a shot.  The game and parks site here has been pretty resourceful and quick to answer questions. I guess with all the rotten weather lately, they really don't have much else to do!

[bassin_man]

Edit:  Sorry for hijacking my own post and taking it off subject.  If anyone else has anymore info. pertaining to boat weight and pulling don't be afraid to post it up.

Czechland holds some nice bass.  I think its about 75 acres in size roughly.  I am wanting to believe the size limit there is 15".  Big enough to spend an afternoon there as long as all other anglers don't have the same thing in mind.  I really probably wouldn't waste your time with Pawnee I haven't fished it lately but have heard from more than one person it has really gone downhill for bass.  Branched Oak there are some bass in there its not so much known for a bass lake but they are there and if you can find them you can get into some but probably won't find great numbers of bass.  I have only been to Standing Bear once and it seemed like a good lake.  What is the size limit there?  I am looking at possibly running a NBAA Team Tournament trail around the Omaha area this year and that might be a lake to consider.