2018 a24 weight

[goatv]

So I read the other day on a thread that said the dry weight does not include tower and all accessories.  With a posted dry weight of 5100lbs. what do you guys think final weight would be around.  I bought the boat thinking it was the 5100 range as my vehicle says 8100-8300 lbs.  Are 3/4 tons needed to tow these boats?  We have local lakes but we also travel 5 hrs throughout summer to extremely nice lake and don't want to ruin my vehicle over it.  Although it appears I am going to have to deal with it as I have already ordered and not buying new car.  Just surprised they advertise the weight like that.  

 

[agarabaghi]

you will be fine. we towed a24 about 2 hours each way with a discovery (8300 lbs).

5100 dry weight + 1300 trailer = 6400lbs

76gal tank full = ~600lbs 

Now you are at 7k, add maybe another 500 for tower and accessories ... 7500-7700k... i wouldnt sweat it.

[goatv]

Great, I just wanted someones opinion that has actually towed one.  Thanks!

[agarabaghi]

yea. what i would suggest is finding a 2" ball that is rated for 800lbs tongue weight... i see a lot of them are 600lbs. 

[Pnwrider]

17 minutes ago, agarabaghi said:

yea. what i would suggest is finding a 2" ball that is rated for 800lbs tongue weight... i see a lot of them are 600lbs. 

Not sure why these boat trailers are still using 2” balls. Even small travel trailers are using the larger ball size now. 

[agarabaghi]

only boat ive seen that came with next sized up trailer ball was the 18 Xstar with tri axle. I picked up Shotas supra with tri axle and it was still a 2" 

[onwi]

Buddy has an Xstar on a double axle set up for the larger ball.  Is this an option ever?

[hethj7]

Not sure the ball will matter that much.   This is talked about often here. Not sure on your specific vehicle, but technically the tow rating is "when properly equipped" which likely means using a weight distributing hitch.  Those are near impossible to find for a swing away tongue and surge brakes that we have on our trailers.  So, a lot of us are still towing with 1/2 ton vehicles. 

Again, keep in mind it isn't about the ability to actually haul the load.   A lot of vehicles can maintain speeds, tow up mountains, tow like the load "isn't even back there", etc. 

The real question is do you think you can stop the load quickly in an emergency?  

My 1/2 ton and 23LSV makes me slightly nervous at that thought.  Just be careful when towing and don't be in a hurry to get anywhere.   

Certainly with the weight of boats, it is headed towards 3/4 tons really being the standard to tow with.  Most of us don't own one (yet) though. 

[agarabaghi]

my car is rated at 8300lbs and says to NOT use a weight distribution hitch. 

he should check his manual. 

i am pretty confident in the 14" rotors on the discovery to stop the boat as they are actually bigger than the brakes equipped on a 2500 silverado =D . as always drive carfully when towing always. 

 

Edited March 6, 2018 by agarabaghi

[Cole2001]

My dealer said my new boatmate for the rzx is the larger one(can’t remember it off the top of my head) but haven’t picked it up yet. 

Check out some of the online hitch stores and you’ll find 2” ones rated for 10k. 

[shadetreefab]

My 07 has a 2 5/16 hitch,  extreme tandem.

[hethj7]

My point on the ball is that the hitch and other components also need to be matched.  You are only rated for your weakest component.  

[wedge88]

Back to the OPs original concern about the weight...You also have to factor in vehicle passengers and cargo.  My A22 says 4500 dry weight and I cat scaled it at 6500lbs for a day trip to the lake with full tank of fuel.  Add in my family of 5 and it adds another 600lbs and then the cargo in the bed is on top of that.  I have no doubt that we are pushing 8000lbs when we take a week trip to the lake.  Our average tow to the lake is 240 miles, one way, which is why I am one to error on the side of caution.  If your vehicle is rated at 8100lbs, make sure all the components in the path meet or exceed that rating.  

[agarabaghi]

A22 saying 4500 and u cat scaled it at 6500 seems totally normal if the trailer (on my trailer sheet says 1300)... leaving about 700 for fuel and w/e else... 

[RyanB]

@goatv, what is your tow vehicle?

Tow vehicle ratings are often not simple.  As was stated earlier, it is not really just one all-in number.

Sometimes the stipulation to meet the max tow capacity is a weight distribution hitch.

Sometimes a vehicle will look good on paper, but have a cargo carrying capacity so low that it is nearly maxed out with just people, and leaves little/no room for tongue weight.

I could go on and on.

I believe if you actually "audited" vehicles at the lake towing some sort of wake boat, you would find that easily over 25% (probably closer to 50%) are above the weight capacity of some component.

Some would lead you to believe that is a catastrophe waiting to happen.  I haven't seen anything like that yet.  But it sure could happen.

[RyanB]

@agarabaghi, I am curious.  What is the cargo carrying capacity of the Discover?  It is listed on the drivers door with the tire inflation information.

[goatv]

10 hours ago, RyanB said:

@goatv, what is your tow vehicle?

Tow vehicle ratings are often not simple.  As was stated earlier, it is not really just one all-in number.

Sometimes the stipulation to meet the max tow capacity is a weight distribution hitch.

Sometimes a vehicle will look good on paper, but have a cargo carrying capacity so low that it is nearly maxed out with just people, and leaves little/no room for tongue weight.

I could go on and on.

I believe if you actually "audited" vehicles at the lake towing some sort of wake boat, you would find that easily over 25% (probably closer to 50%) are above the weight capacity of some component.

Some would lead you to believe that is a catastrophe waiting to happen.  I haven't seen anything like that yet.  But it sure could happen.

Awd escalade.  Thanks for all the info. I have had boats in the past but nothing this heavy.  I will get beefy towing hitches and take it easy towing.  Used to have 2008 suburban 2500. Wish I had that one back, those are gems for towing and traveling. 

[RyanB]

1 hour ago, goatv said:

Awd escalade.  Thanks for all the info. I have had boats in the past but nothing this heavy.  I will get beefy towing hitches and take it easy towing.  Used to have 2008 suburban 2500. Wish I had that one back, those are gems for towing and traveling. 

My secondary tow vehicle is a 2011 Yukon XL Denali, so don't take this as me throwing stones.  You aren't going to be able to stay within factory ratings.  The hitch on all the m/y 2008 + full size SUVs is only rated for 5000 pounds unless you go weight distribution.  The sticker is right on the hitch.

And the hitch is built into the frame, and I have been unable to find any hitch to swap it out.  

[agarabaghi]

13 hours ago, RyanB said:

@agarabaghi, I am curious.  What is the cargo carrying capacity of the Discover?  It is listed on the drivers door with the tire inflation information.

dont see it on the door panel 

 

this is what i found online

 

Curb4,835 Lbs.

Gross weight6,900 Lbs.

FUEL

Fuel tank capacity23.5 Gal.

EPA mileage estimates16 City / 21 Hwy

PERFORMANCE

Base engine size3.0 Liters

Base engine typeV-6

Horsepower340 Hp

Horsepower rpm6,500

Torque332 Lb-Ft.

Torque rpm3,500

Maximum towing capacity8,201 Lbs.

Drive typeFour-Wheel

Turning radius20.2 ''

[agarabaghi]

LR says to never use a weight distribution hitch with their vehicles, ever since the LR3/Lr4 and now Discovery and the raiting has gone from 7700 to 8200

[RyanB]

25 minutes ago, agarabaghi said:

dont see it on the door panel 

 

this is what i found online

 

Curb4,835 Lbs.

Gross weight6,900 Lbs.

FUEL

Fuel tank capacity23.5 Gal.

EPA mileage estimates16 City / 21 Hwy

PERFORMANCE

Base engine size3.0 Liters

Base engine typeV-6

Horsepower340 Hp

Horsepower rpm6,500

Torque332 Lb-Ft.

Torque rpm3,500

Maximum towing capacity8,201 Lbs.

Drive typeFour-Wheel

Turning radius20.2 ''

I saw that same info online. What does the sticker on the driver door say for “tire and loading information”?  All vehicles have them. 

[RyanB]

@agarabaghi it will look like this.  

[AzAxisA22]

1 hour ago, agarabaghi said:

dont see it on the door panel 

 

this is what i found online

 

Curb4,835 Lbs.

Gross weight6,900 Lbs.

FUEL

Fuel tank capacity23.5 Gal.

EPA mileage estimates16 City / 21 Hwy

PERFORMANCE

Base engine size3.0 Liters

Base engine typeV-6

Horsepower340 Hp

Horsepower rpm6,500

Torque332 Lb-Ft.

Torque rpm3,500

Maximum towing capacity8,201 Lbs.

Drive typeFour-Wheel

Turning radius20.2 ''

You can calculate the payload with the info you have.  Gross weight - curb weight = payload/carrying capacity.  

[Cole2001]

Land Rover is a European based company, have you seen what they’re towing with over there? A 3500 truck to them would be like a semi to us. 

[RyanB]

6 hours ago, AzAxisA22 said:

You can calculate the payload with the info you have.  Gross weight - curb weight = payload/carrying capacity.  

I'd like to see the sticker.  It is a requirement that all vehicles have it.  I would be very surprised if the cargo capacity was over 2000 pounds.

37 minutes ago, Cole2001 said:

Land Rover is a European based company, have you seen what they’re towing with over there? A 3500 truck to them would be like a semi to us. 

I am not saying that you are unsafe if you are "over the numbers".  But I don't think comparing the US to towing overseas is the same thing.  I do 5 or 6 trips every year that are 460 miles one-way, with speed limits of up to 80 MPH.  The drive goes over the Rocky Mountains, and has around 8000' elevation change.  I don't think my trip is unusual for the US.  Maybe I am wrong, but I don't think a lot of overseas people do similar trips with boats in tow.

My point is that there are a LOT of people who are sure they are well under the vehicles ratings when in fact they are not.

Lets take my Yukon for example, as that is close to identical to what the OP is towing with.

Vehicle states it has an 8000 + pound tow rating.  My LSV is less than 7000 pounds, so I should be good.

Except there is a decal on the hitch that says its limit on weight carrying is 5000 pounds.  Unless you go weight distribution.  Which I don't think I can get to work with surge brakes and a swing-away tongue.

But maybe I do get WD.  Then I should be good right?  Until you look at the cargo capacity of the Yukon.  Mine is 1410 pounds (which is a lot more common than you would think, especially in 1500 series vehicles from Chevy/RAM/Toyota).  So, figure my boat has 600 pounds of tongue weight (which is a SWAG on my part, but probably close).  And me and three of my close friends pile in, leaving 3 seats empty.  There is another 800 pounds.  Which leaves me around 10 pounds for a cooler, beverages, snacks, dog, whatever.

And none of this takes into consideration when someone ditches OEM tires and replaces something with a lighter load rating, uses a draw bar that is rated at 5000 pounds, or a 2" ball that is rated at 3500.

It is very difficult to stay under all the ratings if you have a 23ish foot boat and are towing with a 150/1500 vehicle.  And I would say it is pretty much impossible if you are towing with something smaller.  Yet, I see multiple examples of such vehicles at the boat ramp every weekend during the summer.  Heck, sometimes my Yukon is one of those.

 

Edited March 7, 2018 by RyanB