Maverick does snowmobile rescue (towed snowmobile trailer)

[matmondro]

My family and I got out for the first ride of the season during the blizzard today. Rode around Baldwin, MI. Well, the day didn't end ideally with my brother's sled breaking down.

Fortunately, Maverick to the rescue! The roads are absolutely terrible, outside temp is 5°F, and there's blowing and drifting snow, but it towed our 4-place snowmobile trailer with nearly no problems at all. About the only noticeable thing was it would struggle a little for traction when starting from a stop, otherwise it felt sure-footed while driving. My truck is FX4 and 4K Tow, I used Tow/Haul mode while driving.

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[Maverickman74]

LUCKYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sleeper 7]

Tow ratings dont apply when its for sledding. I once towed a 2 place 400 miles to Canada in blizzard conditions with a 1984 Chevy Citation. When its time to ride you go.

 

[matmondro]

Tow ratings dont apply when its for sledding. I once towed a 2 place 400 miles to Canada in blizzard conditions with a 1984 Chevy Citation. When its time to ride you go.

Agreed LOL. I'm at the point where if the conditions are good, I drop whatever I'm doing and go.

 

[Sleeper 7]

Im sure the big limitation for the Mav is its weight. It probably only weighs about 3600 with AWD. With a enclosed trailer the wind would be the challenge more than weight being towed.

 

[matmondro]

Im sure the big limitation for the Mav is its weight. It probably only weighs about 3600 with AWD. With a enclosed trailer the wind would be the challenge more than weight being towed.

I definitely agree with you there. Fortunately, had to drive pretty slow so the wind didn't make it too cumbersome yesterday, but definitely something to think about if towing a trailer like that.

 

[matmondro]

BTW, this was the culprit for my brother's sled... driveshaft bearing failure. Hello ball bearings!

 

[HolyCarp]

I looked at the first picture and immediately looked at the muck on the bottom. I said "What ball bearing?"...and then I looked up.

 

[rlhdweman]

Tow ratings dont apply when its for sledding. I once towed a 2 place 400 miles to Canada in blizzard conditions with a 1984 Chevy Citation. When its time to ride you go.

We did something similar, using a 1980 Buick Skylark (V-6) cousin of the Citation, towed 3 snowmobiles on a oversized 2 place trailer up north (200 miles), in the middles of the state we had to stop & remove the downshift cable from the carburetor so it would stay in 3rd gear, because the accelerator was pushed so far down. Made it there & back, that was a tough little car.

 

[Z_ealot]

My family and I got out for the first ride of the season during the blizzard today. Rode around Baldwin, MI. Well, the day didn't end ideally with my brother's sled breaking down.

Fortunately, Maverick to the rescue! The roads are absolutely terrible, outside temp is 5°F, and there's blowing and drifting snow, but it towed our 4-place snowmobile trailer with nearly no problems at all. About the only noticeable thing was it would struggle a little for traction when starting from a stop, otherwise it felt sure-footed while driving. My truck is FX4 and 4K Tow, I used Tow/Haul mode while driving.

Looks like you have the stock Pirelli tires on there, that would most likely be a big part of your struggle to get traction, they’re ok for light snow but beyond that they struggle for traction

 

[matmondro]

Looks like you have the stock Pirelli tires on there, that would most likely be a big part of your struggle to get traction, they’re ok for light snow but beyond that they struggle for traction

Yep! Those Scorpions are alright for most stuff, but super icy roads (especially towing a trailer) find them struggling a bit.

 

[desmobob]

I towed my buddy's two-place covered trailer and was a little nervous about not being able to see behind me at all... the little Maverick needs some of those strap-on extension mirrors!

 

[matmondro]

I towed my buddy's two-place covered trailer and was a little nervous about not being able to see behind me at all... the little Maverick needs some of those strap-on extension mirrors!

Oh yes! Something I forgot to add. If I were to go more distance than what I did the other day, those would be necessary.

 

[Aherpa]

BTW, this was the culprit for my brother's sled... driveshaft bearing failure. Hello ball bearings!

I'm no sled expert but I think those little rounds thingies are supposed to be on the inside. Looks like fun 'til that happened.

 

[BlueSnake77]

Tow ratings dont apply when its for sledding. I once towed a 2 place 400 miles to Canada in blizzard conditions with a 1984 Chevy Citation. When its time to ride you go.

The US Postal trucks have the same 2.5l engine (Iron duke) that they were putting in the Chevy Citations, lol. But where the Citation 2.5L put out 90hp, the mail trucks have the "improved" 2.5L with the hp bumped up to a whopping 110hp. My uncle had a 1980 Chevy Citation. I remember it had the radio turned sideways in the dash with the rotary tuning and volume knobs at the top and bottom. Looked weird as hell.

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