towing with pilot and 70 mph

[coach76]

I will be towing around 3500 lb boat and the trip I take every yr is 1300 miles one way. I could never drive 60, need to go 70+. Can the 06 Pilot do this or not? What gear is recommned and why? PLus is rear end sagging a problem?

My last vehicle was Olds Silhoulette, 185 hp, but never a problem with 70 in drive.

[bioshock]

Im sure you know it, but i just want to say anyways that towing something heavy + speed = disaster
Specially for a vehicle not really made to tow. if you want to go fast towing something large and heavy why not go for a truck, duelly does great pulling anything.

why not just always leave 1 hour ahead of schedule that way you can cruise and enjoy the scenery :P.

sorry for being a blacksheep here

[EdWong]

Have to agree with Bioshock here on this. I've seen too many accidents on the highways here in New York and New Jersey. saw one with a ridgeline and it's trailer last week. It was pretty windy that day so I guess that it must have played one big factor in the accident.

[hondacuraplanet]

Boats are a pain to tow, because the engine puts the weight behind the rear wheels. You might want to invest in a weight distributing hitch setup. Might also be a good idea to fill her up with fuel before the trip to bring some weight forward.

[colorider]

Originally posted by coach76
I will be towing around 3500 lb boat and the trip I take every yr is 1300 miles one way. I could never drive 60, need to go 70+. Can the 06 Pilot do this or not? What gear is recommned and why? PLus is rear end sagging a problem?

My last vehicle was Olds Silhoulette, 185 hp, but never a problem with 70 in drive.

You may find that you make BETTER time, considering fuel stops, if you drive 60 versus 70+.

YMMV

[andyschneider]

If you want to tow that quickly with a vehicle, you need to make sure the vehicle has a weight distributing hitch, and also electric trailer brakes, because when you need to maneuver or stop at speed, you need all the assist you can get.

That being said, something bigger than a pilot would be a necessity, IMHO. The pilot is a little narrow and tall to do that sort of towing, and the low-end "grunt" isn't there with the V6 to handle what you're asking. The best tow vehicle I've ever owned was my 01 Tahoe with the trailering package - you could literally not tell there was a trailer behind you. Most I ever tow is my converted contractors trailer (5x9 bed, angle-iron construction, weighs 900 lbs dry), loaded with a tractor and other stuff (maybe 2k lbs loaded). The Pilot tows OK, but stopping is definitely longer, and at higher speeds you can be suseptable to wind chop from tractor trailers and crosswinds. The wider profile and V8 power of something like a Tahoe will be much safer for what you're asking...

andy

[hondacuraplanet]

I can sure vouch for the trailer brakes. I towed home my 23' Chris Craft Scorpion (don't be too impressed, it's a work in progress) on a trailer with no brakes, and the first thing I had to do was stop at the bottom of a tall hill

[sjlee]

Originally posted by coach76
I will be towing around 3500 lb boat and the trip I take every yr is 1300 miles one way. I could never drive 60, need to go 70+. Can the 06 Pilot do this or not? What gear is recommned and why? PLus is rear end sagging a problem?

My last vehicle was Olds Silhoulette, 185 hp, but never a problem with 70 in drive.

The Pilot will perform as well as (or more likely better than) your Silhouette.

If you want to tow SAFELY, then follow everyone's advice.