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So my 2016 XLT is my first ever truck, and I recently purchased a 21' starcraft boat. I will be getting ready to head down to FL to pick it up and tow it back, and since this is my first time ever towing anything, I had a few "rookie questions"
- How imperative is it that I upgrade to towing mirrors on my truck? Since I have never had a trailer behind my truck, I have no idea how good the visibility from the stock mirrors are. I have seen the syppo towing mirrors, and these are probably what I would get if you guys told me its an absolute must, but I was curious what everyones thoughts were on the necessity of towing mirrors.
- Since I have not tried to hook the trailer up to my truck yet, how am I supposed to know if I need to get a ball hitch that has a rise or drop in it compared to just buying a standard 2" ball hitch?
- Any other items I should purchase or upgrades I should make to the truck that you guys think would help the ease of towing? I am going to be heading down to pick up the boat in about a month so I have some time.
I appreciate everyones help on these rookie questions!
Standard mirrors should be adequate. You'll know how much of a drop or raise hitch you'll need by whether the frame of the trailer is level, nose up, or nose down. Hopefully the trailer is set up with about 7% tongue weight, and has surge brakes on at least one axle. A spare wheel/tire and hub are always a good idea to have with you on longer tows, even with a brand new trailer.
You'll be fine with a 21' boat. I tow a 20' and I see no reason that I would ever need town mirrors. Hard to say what you'll need for a hitch but for mine (4x4), I used a standard hitch with no drop. You can see below how it lined up. I also don't have any kind of brake assist and never felt the need for it. My truck tows it like a champ. Tow mode seemed like over kill but I find that Sport mode works just right.
Your standard mirrors should be fine for that boat. Contact the boat seller and ask what the coupler height is when the trailer is level. A 2" drop would probably be good, but it's better just to ask so you know for sure. You can also buy two or three hitches and just return the ones you don't end up using.
As far as towing for the first time, just remember you need wider turns and longer braking distances. Allow more space between you and the vehicles ahead of you. You'll get the hang of it in no time.
All good advice. 2" drop hitch should work. If it's too low, you can put the ball upside down, flip it and have a 3/4-1" raise.
Practice backing up in a big 'ol parking lot before you even try a boat ramp. Use the lines for spaces and try to back it around and "stick" it into different parking spots. An hour of that will greatly boost your confidence.
Allow more braking room, don't tailgate, turn wide.
What decides whether or not you need tow mirrors is the beam of the boat. With a 21 footer you'll be fine. I tow my 23 ft with std mirrors with no problem. Combined weight is about 7500 and my 5.0 with 3:55 has no problem. You might want to start out with 1" drop and a lot of boat trailers need 2 1/4 *****.
03-10-2019, 03:23 PM
First time tower - just bought boat
