WIll it tow a boat?

[clk27us]

I picked up this boat for free 2 years ago. it's a 1960 Crosby 14ft. all fiberglass. I'm looking to buy a 510 wagon and was wondering if anyone would know if a stock 510 would have the power to tow it. I'm not looking to do 80mph over the passes and all that. I just love the old style of the boat and the datsuns and think it would make a cool pair. any info would be great.

[erichwaslike]

get a l18 or a l20b and youll have no problems.

[FoxyRoadster]

Have a guess at the boats weight?

 

Also might change the tires before hauling it anywhere.

[banzai510(hainz)]

Whats the tow bar going to hook to.

 

510 UNIBODY!!!!!!

 

buy a truck

 

510 WITH STOCK L16 BE HARD PRESS FOR 80MPH W/O THE BOAT

 

 

FIND A GOOD WAGON FIRST

[datzenmike]

The goon weighs about 2,100 lbs so I would expect you could safely tow about half that weight with about 10% on the tongue or 100 lbs on the hitch. I wouldn't go much higher if the hitch is attached to the rear shock absorbing bumper.

 

Increase the rear tire pressure to maximum allowed or they will run hotter.

The goon cooling system should handle the load as it is a station wagon.

[datsunaholic]

My wagon has a 1 7/8" ball on it, I got it that way. Of course none of my trailers are that small.

 

 

I wouldn't tow anything over 750 lbs with the setup I have... it's bolted pretty much to the bumper and unibody. I wouldn't tow anything over 1000 lbs with the a 510 no matter how the hitch was attached. The big thing is I'd be real leery of launching a boat with a 510. Small tires, light car, tail-heavy boat (which will pull UP on the hitch ball on a ramp), you are looking at a recipie for taking the 510 for a swim.

[HRH]

A fiberglass boat, even 14' is still pretty damn heavy. I would suggest getting a hardbody or 720. 620s don't weigh enough, neither do 510 wagons. You would also need to put a proper hitch on, which means welding some brackets onto the unibody, and reinforcing the hell out of it.

 

There's a reason they make trucks with a frame.

[DRIVEN]

It will tow it. My parents used to tow a boat about that size with a 1200 (it had an A14 in it). I think the weight concerns are valid. If your hitch is mounted properly and you don't load stuff in the boat I wouldn't be afraid to tow with a 510 wagon. Leave lots of space for stops and don't plan on getting anywhere fast. I also agree that an L18 or L20b would be more appropriate.

 

And nice red truck. '51?

[Boaty]

FWIW, I had a parts car (2-door) that had a tow hitch attached to it. Apparently, according to the tow truck driver that was hauling it to the junk yard, it was used to haul around a small utility trailer. Really light weight, nothing for a boat or anything. It was attached solely to the bumper, which is not even CLOSE to being safe or sufficient.

 

I've seen a couple of wagons with tow-hitches installed, varying ways. My guess is that if you were hard set on towing a boat, I would have a different bumper made up specifically for towing. Something heavy duty, a stock sheet metal bumper isn't going to do much of anything - it was barely adequate for a 10mph collision, I sure as heck wouldn't trust it to tow a thousand pound boat. Around a yard, sure but I wouldn't take it on the road.

 

The mounting points for the stock bumper are pretty much useless for weight. You'd have to definitely reinforce that entire area and find some way of tying it into the unibody of the car. I am positive it could be done though, just takes a bit of handy work.

 

A stock L16 might move it, but I wouldn't expect it to be moving it very far, and you'd never make it up a steep grade. If you have an automatic, you'd be lucky to make it anywhere.

An L20B would have no problem though, they put those in trucks for years and I've seen more than a few 620 pickups hauling light duty trailers. As Mike said, you'd want very little weight on the tongue, and you're probably going to be looking at a beefier set of springs on a goon or you'll likely end up with issues.

 

I have often wondered about making a light-duty tow setup on the 2-door since I go camping all the time. I wanted to set up some sort of trailer to tow around a couple of pontoon's for fishing, maybe a combined weight of 200-300lbs.

 

I think if you had a good light weight trailer, an upgraded bumper with upgraded mounting points/supports, and you were really easy on tongue weight - you'd be able to tow that boat. But if that is a heavy setup, and with an L16... I wouldn't be making a cross-country journey with it. And I'd definitely keep your speeds down low. If a 12' travel trailer can roll over - and take a 1ton toyota pickup right along with it, imagine what it'd do to a 2300# 510.

[INDY510]

FWIW, I had a parts car (2-door) that had a tow hitch attached to it. Apparently, according to the tow truck driver that was hauling it to the junk yard, it was used to haul around a small utility trailer. Really light weight, nothing for a boat or anything. It was attached solely to the bumper, which is not even CLOSE to being safe or sufficient.

 

I've never hacked up a 510 wagon,,, ,,, but the 510 sedan wouldn't even be strong enough to tow Pumkin210 on a Carbon Fiber Honda hood ..... :lol:

 

 

[Boaty]

Like I said it wasn't even close to being safe or sufficient.

 

If a person tied into the spare tire well and did a good job of that, as well as reinforcing everything to the frame rails under the trunk, I think it would be alright for something super-light duty.

Not sure what the guy hauled with his 2DR before I bought it, but I've seen a couple of sedans with towing setups. I'd never use it to tow anything heavy. With the above work, maybe something a little heavier than what I had in mind...

 

But there is no reason why it couldn't haul a small lightweight trailer big enough for a couple of pontoon boats. The trailer I have in mind is so light I can pick it up on it's side without a problem. The one we have, used to haul a plastic little boat at one time, super super light. Maybe 200 lbs with boat, haha. Pontoons don't weigh anything either.

 

But it's a parts shell in my yard at the moment.

 

EDIT - How much does Pumpkn weigh?

I'll see that challenge this Canby - and I'll use a rope.

 

He's gonna have to wear goggle this time around though. I'll give him a hell-of-a-ride. :D

[Laecaon]

Wagons kinda have more structure in the back. Kinda cramped back(under) there, but there are almost "frame rails" in the back... I know it is unibody, but what about every SUV that is unibody? Heck my Jetta is rated for 3500lbs in Germany.

 

Hainz, my stock L16 auto hit 87 on flat land fully loaded with me moving to college.

 

I dont think you will have a problem, gearing is low enough to me. But a L18 or L20 would be smart. Though I would want at least a KA in it.

 

Upgrade the brakes as well.

[HRH]

I've towed a 720 with a 620, both heavier than a wagon, and the 720 probably weighed about as much as a boat. Granted it was with a tow bar, but it was most certainly not fun. As it was, I had to put about 400 pounds of rocks in the back to keep it from walking the back end of the 620 around.

 

I would still advise not towing a boat with a 510 wagon. I've seen a Miata towing a jetski on a trailer, and the Miata weighs about the same as a 510 wagon. In fact, almost identical having weighed my previous wagon and Miata. Towing a 14' fiberglass boat with such a lightweight vehicle is still a very poor idea, in my opinion.

[DRIVEN]

I once used my 3300# El Camino to tow a 4400# Chevy 4x4 on an 800# tow dolly (with no brakes) from Pacific City through the coast range to my house. That was the scariest trip ever.

[wayno]

Even if you have a LZ23 in the wagon, you will struggle to keep 80mph on small inclines, let alone a pass, which will likely frustrate you when you go below 50mph floored.

I have towed a lot of things over the years, and for anything that will be towed frequently and at hiway speeds, I now use my datsun dually trucks, they drive/go where I point them, I am not being pushed around like the single rear wheel trucks I used to tow with, it sucks when the towed vehicle/boat/trailer is pushing the front of your rig around, on roads with ruts, I looked like a drunk.

I have to say I drive fast, sometimes to fast(LZ23 /dual SUs), but I have front disc brakes, power steering, a dually rearend, and electric brakes on the trailer, and 50% of the time I have half a ton or more of debris in the flatbed of my truck.

 

I struggle to do 70mph with the trailer on anything other than level ground, if that 50 something truck is legal to use on the road for towing, I would use that to tow the boat

[freetheoranges]

Impressive amount of wood and weight there!

[clk27us]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have a exploder that i tow it with now. If i was going to tow it with a goon, i would do all the upgrades that i needed like brakes, nice solid mounted hitch, stiffer suspension. the boat itself is light all glass and the motor is going to get upraded to a newre lighter motor. trailer is heavy would have to get a light aluminum one for sure. was hoping the stock motor would be enough but sounds like i would have to swap in something bigger. that's what i was hoping not to have to do. I think a easy lift hitch from a 25ft ish travel trailer with torsion bars would move the wieght up to just in front of the rear wheels(if the hitch can be mounted right. it woudl also help alot with it swaying.

[Z-train]

None of the affore mentioned vehicles have enough"brake" to tow much of anything.

[DRIVEN]

That would actually be my biggest concern of all the points mentioned. That boat and trailer isn't that big and I would guess that the tongue weight is under 100 pounds. Any of us with a wagon has hauled more weight than that in the back so with a properly mounted hitch that's not an issue. You could adjust your driving style to compensate for the lack of engine power. You can't, however, compensate for a steep downhill grade or some clueless dipshit cutting you off. Maybe with a booster and ZX brakes along with surge brakes on the boat trailer it would be okay.

[paradoxx]

I just would take care of having good brakes.......he rest is viable.

[Z-train]

That would actually be my biggest concern of all the points mentioned. That boat and trailer isn't that big and I would guess that the tongue weight is under 100 pounds. Any of us with a wagon has hauled more weight than that in the back so with a properly mounted hitch that's not an issue. You could adjust your driving style to compensate for the lack of engine power. You can't, however, compensate for a steep downhill grade or some clueless dipshit cutting you off. Maybe with a booster and ZX brakes along with surge brakes on the boat trailer it would be okay.

 

Not enough rotor & drum available short of grafting on a Titan brake system

[clk27us]

I did the same thing with a 86 civic si. did a drum to disc swap in the back. went from 4 to 5 lug hubs, swaped in the entire system from a 92 integra. bigger booster and braided brake lines. found the largetst diamiter rotars i could get and it worked well towing a small trailer with a quad two 5gal gas cans and a kx80 notor bike. Shouldn't be any harder to do the same thing to a wagon. Trailer brakes are a must for sure. @ Driven, yeah know shit always going to be some ass that will mess things up for ya by driving like a idiot. The biggest prob towing the trailer with the honda was when a semi truck would pass by in the other direction on a two lane highway like 2 over stephens of 12 over whitepass. little trailer would sway pretty good..lol

[DanielC]

I used to tow a 16 foot Tahiti boat with my 521. It did fine, and It pulled it fine, and I did not have any problems with launch ramps, unless they were covered with mud, or slime.

 

A 521 has a frame. Your 510 Goon does not. You will need to figure out a way to spread out the stress of the hitch attaching points to the body of the car, or it may just rip the sheet metal that makes the unibody "frame" rails.

 

You will need working brakes on the trailer. I believe it is a legal requirement in Washington, and just plain necessary in today's traffic

 

If you do a lot of towing, you might want to consider a lower gear ratio rear axle. A 521, has a 4.375 rear axle ratio with the L-16 engine. When towing, normal driving, run the engine between 3000, and 5000 RPM. Accelerating, 4000 to 6500 RPM.

 

Do not tailgate the vehicle in front of you, when towing. EVER!