Re: M_Boats: Tongue Weight

So how much time do you spend using starting torque? And how much actually towing the vehicle? A manual tranny is a direct connection to the wheels; it only slips when starting, and it's true, it's dependant on the operator. An automatic is slipping ALL the time while you drive, no matter how you cut it, except for the clutches in modern transmissions that engage a direct connection. They do not engage when pulling a load, except when going downhill. Pulling a trailer, you may achieve as low as 60% efficiency from the engine to the drive wheels while a manual stays at 100%. This is why transmission coolers are mandatory on auto tranny's pulling trailers, it's hell on them.

Yes Craig, if you pull a trailer, and have an automatic, you need a transmission cooler. It's so cheap & easy to put in you won't believe it. Yep, a manual tranny is cheaper to buy, cheaper to fix and better on gas mileage. But unless you are comfortable with them in any situation, you should either practice more, or get an automatic. I personally love the control of a clutch.

As far as tongue weight, if your hitch is rated at 200# and your static tongue weight is less than that, you're cool. If not, put some weight in the back (beer cooler) of the boat (or take some out of the front) & tie it down, till it's right. Careful though; keep about 60% of the weight in the front. unless you want the rear tires of your car to leave the ground, or for the vehicles to jack knife. I've seen it. On an M15, doing the math, that looks to me like a minimum tongue weight of approximately 175# (considering the trailer weight as well).

Anyway... back to torque... unless you hit a stoplight every other block, physics are working against you. And while The torque statement MAY be correct, it doesn't address starting efficiency, just torque; gas costs money. On an auto tranny, the engine is allowed to rev to its optimal torque RPM while the vehicle resists Newton's second law of motion (A=F/M or F=MA (A= Acceleration F= force M= mass)). And while this may produce optimal starting torque, auto tranny's are tuned to the approximate loaded weight (mass) of the vehicle; with a trailer to pull, the mass increases, and the slippage involved may compromise an already slippery situation. A strong pop of the clutch may be more efficient. Ford discourages using overdrive on the auto tranny's while pulling trailers; because of the possibility of too much slip = rising internal temps = tranny failure. That limits you to about 55 MPH and an engine that's revving pretty high. I'd rather be more in control of my destiny with a simple downshift when needed.

I tow my M15 with either a '92 Ford E150 Waldoch conversion van, or an '88 Merkur Scorpio, both with auto tranny's. Neither has any problem with towing the M15, can't even feel it behind the van. I have standard transmission vehicles, but... I think the best vehicle to tow a boat is... the one that has the hitch on it.