2wd, no trailer +Slippery ramp

[ColoMike]

I picked up an OBS stepside Chevy project that's 2wd. It's going to make a great moto/ski hauler.

I'd REALLY like to not drag my trailer 3 days a week when I ride the ski, but I'm not sure the feasibility of a 2wd on an algae covered launch.

Does anyone do this?

I'm curious about a beach cart or something else I can use to park the truck in the lot and wheel the ski down to the drink.

Im also thinking a locker in the rear would help with ramp traction. I'm not opposed to spending that money.

Thoughts?

 

[Quinc]

Try it and see what happens.

 

[CRJ]

Not a great idea. The beach cart is better, but if the ramps slick you wont walk a ski up it either. I have duratracs on my f150, and pulling my boat out on the slimy ramps, 4x4 was sometimes needed. Whats worse is if she starts to slide into the water, theres about nothing you can do but watch the truck sink. I had a 2wd, launched with it twice, that was enough for me to know the next truck needed 4x4.

 

[cam_lg]

Try it and see what happens.

I know this crazy dude that towed skis with his civic on slippery slopes making smokey burnouts.. lol

 

[x2mafia]

hitch hauler to get the ski in the water sooner than the truck tires, maybe add some sandbags over the rear axle.

 

[yamanube]

I have yet to have to use 4wd with my hitch hauler and I put my rear tires in the water, open diff too.

 

[CRJ]

I have yet to have to use 4wd with my hitch hauler and I put my rear tires in the water, open diff too.

So your the one aerating the highways.

 

[yamanube]

 

[Tyler Zane]

I have a 2wd Chevy Colorado and have no problem on boat ramps. Even with a 4 place trailer with a b2, b1, and 2 stand ups. The most weight I've done was a raider, b2, b1, and js. I really was worried that day but the little 2.8l yanked it out the ramp really easy.

 

[ColoMike]

I think I might try it before I buy a beach cart. I'll bring some chocks for the front wheels

 

[R35P3CT]

I think I might try it before I buy a beach cart. I'll bring some chocks for the front wheels

I have a farrell fab cart on the way I will let you test if you like.

Cherry Creek's ramp never seemed to slippery when Id launch off my hitch hauler, but then i did have fwd...and that van would haul my large trailer with two skis out of the lake no problem too

 

[x2mafia]

I have a farrell fab cart on the way I will let you test if you like.

Good For you! Best carts around. We've been working hard to get carts done the last few weekends.

 

[CRJ]

I think I might try it before I buy a beach cart. I'll bring some chocks for the front wheels

If you have time to hop out and set the wheel chocks, she's fine to sit there while you unload.

Let's not forget every ramp is different. Ive been on three different ramps at the same lake, one was well used and clean, so 2wd pulled my boat out no problem. another was private concrete and 4x4 was required to get it up. The third was sand and she dug in but 2wd got it. We can predict how well a unknown truck will do on an unknown ramp about as well as we can diagnose a noise over chat, I just don't want to see him sink his ride. He mentioned algae covered, my experience with those is two wheel drive can end like a youtube boat ramp fail video.

 

[ColoMike]

At this point in the season the ramp is minimally covered in algae. Iv taken the truck out there a few times and it doesn't spin at all under normal circumstances.

Later in the season when the water is warm the algae situation might be different but for now it's good. Pretty stoked

 

[AirJunky]

Depends on how steep & how slimey your ramp is. I've seen 2WD trucks launch without any problems around here. But then I watched a 2WD Chevy get pulled into the water by the weight of the boat trying to launch at Shasta. The ramps there are very steep & very long when the water level is low. We tried to use an old F100 to pick up 4 sit downs on Lake Elsinore (soCal) once. We ended up having like 4 or 5 people sit in the truck bed to get the traction to go up the ramp. That ramp isn't steep at all, but is so slimey you have a problem standing up on it much less driving out of it.

 

[CHRIS@EZ-SKI]

Hitvh Hauler for the Win ... no drag of the trailer through the water when pulling out = less slip on the ramp ..ECT .. I happen to know someone who builds a helluva carrier for a great price ") TIRES BARELY IN THE H20 ( depending on ramp of course

 

[ColoMike]

Circling back on this thread.... I have/had no issues with 2wd. She does great. I appreciate everyone's input though

 

[Vumad]

I have a versihaul hitch hauler and a big foot beach cart. The Bigfoot has a wench and a trailer ball attachment. The versihaul has a 2" receiver hitch.

Usually we just back the hitch to the water and lift it off. It can be dangerous on steep slippery ramps so in those cases we transfer it to the trailer (I pull a twin trailer with my versihaul).

I can use my beach cart as a trailer when necessary. The beach cart will float so non-floating tires would be better for your application.

The beach cart is rated for 5mph. No bearings, just bushings. It has worked fine at Daytona for recovering my ski about 1/2-1 mile down the beach after a break down.

 

[Yami-Rider]

I have a hitch hauler and 2wd 1/2ton chevy, no issues. I know some ramps are more slippery then others. Maybe throw a wheel choke under the front tire.

 

[fastgtfairlane]

i cant imagine any 2wd truck would slip pulling a standup jetski out. all of the stories about trucks slipping or needing 4wd is with a boat. standup jetski weighs at most 3-400lbs. no way that little bit of weight is gonna hold the car or truck back. youre more likely to get the tires in the water with a hitch hauler than a trailer. boats will weigh far more than that. that said, i had a 15ft ski boat at one time and pulled it with a 94 5.0 5spd mustang. never once had a problem pulling the boat out which weighed over three times what the jetski weighs.