towing with ridgeline

[squeekeeclean]

I am seriously considering the purchase of a ridgeline but I'm concerned about the towing capacity. My boat and trailer weighs in at 5300 lbs w/o fuel and 5800 lbs full of fuel. I'm currently pull it with 2002 GMC 2wd 5.3 v8 no problem except I could use 4wd on ramp during low tide. Are there any other owners towing this much weight? I get that I would be over the "towing capacity" but would not be pulling long hills or even long distance 20 miles one way max.

[rtboy1961]

I have towed 4100 pounds but never over the trucks limit. The RL. tows it with ease. I would not tow over the max. suggested. The whole thing about being able to stop and all is a factor with me. Its not really the fact that the RL does not have the power to tow over 5,000 pounds , but it needs to be able to stop and go in a stright line.Its never happened to me, but I have seen a horse trailer slide sideways and pass up the truck pulling it.

[stinger]

Originally Posted by rtboy1961

I have towed 4100 pounds but never over the trucks limit. The RL. tows it with ease. I would not tow over the max. suggested. The whole thing about being able to stop and all is a factor with me. Its not really the fact that the RL does not have the power to tow over 5,000 pounds , but it needs to be able to stop and go in a stright line.Its never happened to me, but I have seen a horse trailer slide sideways and pass up the truck pulling it.

Above is very good advice,
To get over 5000 lbs trailer rolling is one thing and the RL would probably do it but stopping (specially suddenly) is a different ball game.
Then you have to worry about warranties on overloading.
my boat/trailer package is max 2000 lbs when fully loaded and the RL doesn't even know it when towing.
I have been advised to max 75% of vehicle's towing capacity rule.
RL is an awesome truck but like any other vehicle it has its limits,
If I had to tow 5800 Lbs, I would get a vehicle with at least 7000 lbs rating if not bigger.

[TheRidgester]

I'll second the vote not to tow over spec... I did in a jeep wangler. Towed fine, but handling was bad. Then found out the hard way when the brakes gave out on me. Some Yahoo missed her exit on the highway & backed up into me. Prob would not have stopped in time even without the trailer, but I could not swerve, as It most likely would have rolled me.

[vertrkr]

The Ridge has some pretty stout brakes. The vented front rotors are 12.6 inches in diameter and 1.1 inches thick. Solid drum-in-disc rear rotors are 13.1-inches in diameter and 0.43-inch thick with dual-piston calipers on the front wheels. The tandem-type vacuum booster consists of two 9-inch diameter booster chambers. I don't think typical full size pickups have anything better.

As for the 5000lb tow spec, that is rated for two passengers and 200 pounds of cargo and in extreme conditions such as 100 degree weather towing up long steep grades. Towing 5,800 lbs short distances with no grades should not be a problem. I tow 5,000 lbs and have done so on a long trip in high heat, high head winds, steep grades and I was amazed how well it did. Braking was also very excellent, I literally hardly knew it was behind me although I never had to do any panic braking so I can't comment on that.

[Dale]

Originally Posted by vertrkr

The Ridge has some pretty stout brakes. The vented front rotors are 12.6 inches in diameter and 1.1 inches thick. Solid drum-in-disc rear rotors are 13.1-inches in diameter and 0.43-inch thick with dual-piston calipers on the front wheels. The tandem-type vacuum booster consists of two 9-inch diameter booster chambers. I don't think typical full size pickups have anything better.

As for the 5000lb tow spec, that is rated for two passengers and 200 pounds of cargo and in extreme conditions such as 100 degree weather towing up long steep grades. Towing 5,800 lbs short distances with no grades should not be a problem. I tow 5,000 lbs and have done so on a long trip in high heat, high head winds, steep grades and I was amazed how well it did. Braking was also very excellent, I literally hardly knew it was behind me although I never had to do any panic braking so I can't comment on that.

I agree with vertrkr, the rated towing capacity has a big safety factor already built into that rating. I towed 7000 lb hay wagons with an old toyota, but it was a short haul on rural roads and I kept the speed at 30-40 mph. The truck had no problem with it. (the old 3.0 litre v6). If the truck will tow 5000 lb ok, you shouldn't notice much difference at 5800. and are only doing it once in a while.

The only problem I could see is a liability issue. If you run over a brain surgeon (and put him in wheel chair) who has a wife and 6 kids at home, and it is shown that the truck was over loaded....., and that you knew it was overloaded, you see where I'm going, you may need a good lawyer to "convince" your insurance co to pay the claim.

[BassBud]

Originally Posted by TheRidgester

I'll second the vote not to tow over spec... I did in a jeep wangler. Towed fine, but handling was bad. Then found out the hard way when the brakes gave out on me. Some Yahoo missed her exit on the highway & backed up into me. Prob would not have stopped in time even without the trailer, but I could not swerve, as It most likely would have rolled me.

Major DITTO on the Jeep Wrangler.... I had to tow my bass boat once with the Wrangler. It pulled it fine (steep ramps and all), but the handling and stopping was VERY dangerous.... I'll never do that again. As much as I hate to steer you away from the Ridgeline, I sure would not use it for towing close to, or in excess of, 5,000 pounds!

[ssg]

I guess it's all relative to "not knowing it's back there" , are we talking power, or handling?

I've only towed a ~3500# landscape trailer with a dingo (think bobcat, it's cousin) on it, and you could tell it was there as far power. That 3.5l 6 gets to work when it's time to move out, but it gets you there. I definetely noticed it was there.

Handling wise though I thought the ridge had a straight track and I wouldn't have any issue driving across country towing something with a ridge. One of the more stable (work capable) vehicles I have been in (towing and non), and I think Honda already did the 75% calculation for us on trailer weight...a little over, pah!

Brakes were the strong point of my towing experience - this thing has silly braking, I needn't say more. Though I assume you'll have something on a 5k+ boat trailer, at least impulse brakes or something, yeah? I guess it depends how often, I'd be leary doing it without brakes though...I thought anything over a ton had to have brakes, are boat trailers different?

[infinity38s45]

hi , i trying to haul about 4000lbs or maybe more , my question is should i use D3 from and to my destination all the way,, help here ...

[Twintym]

Infinity, I tow a 22' travel trailer that weighs in right at 4K pounds with my RL. Believe me, the transmission will spend most of it's time in 3rd or 4th anyway, so just let it make the decisions. The only time you ever see 5th is on a level or downhill run. More often than not, I feel like the transmission should up-shift long before it does. The logic in the transmission does a pretty good job of keeping it in the right gear. Let you automatic work automatically.