Any chance you can try a different ramp and see if you have the same issue there? Again, I've seen many a big truck slide on a boat ramp with the brakes engaged. Tire pressure might be something to check. I worked with a guy that kept his tires at 40PSI for some reason, he never had the right amount of traction and his truck road horribly. 30 is the way to go. Oh, and, as long as there is someone driving, all you would really need to do is give a little bit of gas (maybe even just let it ideal in drive) to counter the slip.
2009 Yukon Denali - launching boat sliding tires
- Thread starter fjlarosa59
- Start date
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Fast55
Full Access Member
That is a perfect demonstration of why AWD is inferior to 4WD in those situations. Being AWD, there is no way to lock the center differential. It is possible to be completely stuck if traction up front is so bad that all power is transfered to the front axle. Unfortunately it's normal in AWD trucks or 4X4's with the transfer case in the "Auto" position. You have no "Hi lock" or 'Low lock" option. Lower tire pressures will help as pointed out.
fjlarosa59
TYF Newbie
Thanks again everybody. It actually happened on two different ramps and the second one had a slighter decline. I'll try the lower tire pressure and see how that goes.
Take care, Frank
Take care, Frank
BlizzardX23
Supporting Member
That really has nothing to do with it in this situation... I see 2WD trucks back boats in with no issues...my AWD Denali backed the pontoon in with no slipping and it was backed in so deep that the water was to the top of my rear fender lip, above the tires. PLUS, he said its slipping when he has the front brakes on...so AWD/4x4 is completely irrelevant in this case...
Seeing as how a 4X4/AWD setup is not needed to launch boats, I'm seeing this to be more complicated.
If possible, can you post a picture of your setup?
Heres how we launch ours. Tell me how it compares
Im in my truck....my Mom and GF are sitting on the seats in the middle of the boat with my Pop in the driver seat...I back the truck/trailer down the ramp (no slipping) until the boat floats off the trailer which is when my Pop puts the boat into reverse and pulls it away from the ramp. I then put it into drive and pull up the ramp to park the truck/trailer.
Im really wondering about your Center of Gravity....
You say it slides when your truck is in reverse and your backing down...until the point of being in the water and launching. The ramp is wet...are your tires in good condition?
that's normal. You're front tires are unloaded and the weight is pulling you back. I've had this happen many times, especially when there's gravel on the ramp. I would suggest backing down the ramp in neutral - let the weight pull you down. Using your e-brake to slow your decent also helps.
BlizzardX23
Supporting Member
SmallXL...that is a BEAUTIFUL boat!!!! Magic?
No, it's an Orion. Defiantly a Havasu boat though...
ScottL4619
Full Access Member
This may be a dumb question, but are you unhooking the tow line from the trailer to the boat?
I've back boats into the water more times than I can count and on tons of different ramps. Even if your front tires lost traction due to weight distribution, your back tires should stop.
I don't see how your front tires could slide and not your back tires?? Unless, you are gently applying the brakes and since there is very little weight on the front, they are locked up and sliding as the rears with more weight are rolling with brakes applied. I could see this being the case if the front tires are locked and the back tires are still rolling with the brakes applied. Since the front tires are sort of "lifted" from the ground, the brake pressure is enough to stop them from rolling and they would slide down the ramp as the back tires roll.
I've back boats into the water more times than I can count and on tons of different ramps. Even if your front tires lost traction due to weight distribution, your back tires should stop.
I don't see how your front tires could slide and not your back tires?? Unless, you are gently applying the brakes and since there is very little weight on the front, they are locked up and sliding as the rears with more weight are rolling with brakes applied. I could see this being the case if the front tires are locked and the back tires are still rolling with the brakes applied. Since the front tires are sort of "lifted" from the ground, the brake pressure is enough to stop them from rolling and they would slide down the ramp as the back tires roll.
BlizzardX23
Supporting Member
You knew exactly where I was thinking of...
Very nice!---------- Post added at 02:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:53 PM ----------
Scott, thats what I was kinda wondering also...since theres so much weight on the back, it relieves weight from the front...depending on how the boat is hooked up and the COG...it could be too much weight on the tongue causing the back to squat, and not giving the front tires the correct amount of weight to keep from spinning on a wet ramp..
ScottL4619
Full Access Member
Even so, from the original post, it sounds like there is no control over the truck sliding back into the water...it just goes until the boat is floating.
Maybe I missed this in the thread, but is the truck sliding backwards uncontrollably or are the front tires sliding as the back tires roll?? I could see option 2 happening, but option 1 would have to mean both front and back tires are slipping/sliding. I guess the point of my question is: can you stop the truck/trailer/boat halfway down the ramp, or once you start, your truck just keeps going until the boat floats (even with the brakes applied)??
As long as you can stop while backing down the ramp using essentially your back brakes only, the big issue is really going to be steering. I would say either move the boat backward on the trailer or add weight to the back of the boat to reduce tongue weight.
You really should not have to give your truck gas in a forward gear while backing down a boat ramp...that just seems absurd to me. I don't know much about how the brakes apply pressure, but is it possible that the rear calipers are not receiving enough pressure because the fronts are locking up??
Maybe I missed this in the thread, but is the truck sliding backwards uncontrollably or are the front tires sliding as the back tires roll?? I could see option 2 happening, but option 1 would have to mean both front and back tires are slipping/sliding. I guess the point of my question is: can you stop the truck/trailer/boat halfway down the ramp, or once you start, your truck just keeps going until the boat floats (even with the brakes applied)??
As long as you can stop while backing down the ramp using essentially your back brakes only, the big issue is really going to be steering. I would say either move the boat backward on the trailer or add weight to the back of the boat to reduce tongue weight.
You really should not have to give your truck gas in a forward gear while backing down a boat ramp...that just seems absurd to me. I don't know much about how the brakes apply pressure, but is it possible that the rear calipers are not receiving enough pressure because the fronts are locking up??
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