http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-...ayphotohosting
Did not know what to think thought i share

 

This looks like something Tim Allen would do on an episode of "Home Improvement". Without knowing how that rig is engineered I can't speak with any certainty but I would have to say hell no, it's not safe. It's not even practical. Just imagine what would happen if this truck was ever in a serious collision!

 

That one reminds me of when someone says, watch this.

As all the weight from the boat is behind the rear wheels of the truck, I can think it is too good to do.

 

Didn't look at the link.

Didn't read your post.

I read ther title only, and I have an answer....if you have to ask if it's safe....don't do it.





...now I'll read your post amd check out your link.

 

Oh hell...I looked at the link...


Hey y'all hold my beer and watch this.

 

Hey!!! There's my in-bed winch I want!

When I get mine, I'm going to do the same thing... but with a 22.5ft boat... because I've got premium chrome rims.

 

He's got a nice F150 and a nice boat and can't spend $100 on a trailer hitch?

 

lol funny.. but he does this so he can pull the truck behind a motorhome.. if it was self engineered.. he is crazy. can that thing make it under a 13 ft bridge??? looks like the bow is 15 ft in the air!

 

I think he should get a ticket just for stupidity which could probably work on the technicality of not enough load securement points or something like that. What's holding that thing on, just the winch cable?
I was wondering about the height also. I also think the overhang at the back is more than legal for night driving without at least a red light on the back of the motor. I would hate to be the one behind him if he's going down the road at 65mph and the front winch strap that's holding the boat to the trailer breaks. There's just so many things wrong with that setup.

 

The motor home is probably taller than the bow of the boat, so I doubt if he has to worry about low bridges anymore than usual. The motor home is also pushing the wind ouf the way for the boat and truck, so the extra drag might not be all that bad.

I would not want to drive the truck with the boat like that, but it looks like he puts the wheels on the trailer when he is towing it solo with the truck. As a solution for getting his motor home, boat and truck where he wants to go, it seems to work for him.

It's an aluminum trailer that can't weigh more than a couple of hundred pounds, and the boat is small also.

You can't tell from the pics how safe it is, or how he is securing the boat and trailer to the truck. I would expect any cop that sees him to pull him over for an inspection.

It sure looks goofy and unsafe, but maybe he has over-engineered the heck out of it.

 

I would be willing to bet that rig weighs in at 1500-2000lbs. May be an aluminum trailer, but it is a fiberglass boat with a 4 stoke engine, which is probably 2-300lbs by itself. If you look close at the picture, the rear of the truck is sitting down quite a bit while the front is up.

 

Doing a quick websearch, I found specs that show the motor is 237 lbs and the boat is 950 lbs.

Adding in the trailer, winch, and other gear, his aluminum box and whatever else he might carry in the bed, it does look like it would be in your range of 1,500 - 2,000. No doubt the bed is down in the picture and the nose up.

On the other hand, the truck has upgraded tires and the air bags are probably not inflated.

He is not driving the truck with the boat in that configuration. It is being towed. I agree 1,500 - 2,000 lbs of high-up weight in the bed is a VERY BAD idea if the truck is being driven that way.

However, if he's towing it behind a large motorhome, my main concern would be that the load is firmly attached to the truck and that the truck is well attached to the motorhome.

 

It's perfectly safe. Try it and let us know how it turns out for you.

 

The seller claims to have pulled it to and from North Carolina to Acapulco, Mexico (Pacific Ocean) twice, among other trips. It's doubtful whoever buys it would expect to go further than that.

It's not something that I'd ever want to tow, but I've seen lots of things that appear less safe than that.