I have a 2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4WD standard bed lifted 6"and a 2025 wolf Creek 850 installed. I will be pulling my Maravia raft on a trailer with a 36" hitch extension. My question is how steep is "too steep " for me to back my truck in to launch my raft? Main concern being if there is a tippage risk. Most of my rivers do have concrete launches. New to slide in camper game, so thanks for your patience.
You won't tip over backwards on any launch ramp. The biggest danger you need to consider is do you have enough traction to pull the loaded trailer back out of the water. Oh and as Morsnow says, don't go so deep that the camper gets wet.
I launch boats and jet ski's from a dirt ramp all the time. I always shift into 4 wheel drive as I'm backing down and driving back up the ramp. This is more to prevent inadvertent tire slippage and gradually tearing up the ramp for the next guy than anything else though.
On a concrete ramp I use 2wd and a light foot on the throttle. If there is any tire slippage stop and put it in 4wd, drive straight up the ramp, stop at the top and shift back to 2wd before you start making any turns.
Last bit of advice assuming your truck is automatic. For pulling everything out of the water use you left foot on the brakes to keep from rolling back and your right foot on the accelerator. Give it a bit of throttle before slowly releasing the brakes. This will prevent that unnerving feeling of the whole unit rolling into the water as your right foot is moving from the brakes to the accelerator.
You'll not tip over on any normal boat launch, the concern is if the back of the camper dips into the water or not and causes long term damage.
Or did I misinterpret your question? Sometimes my brain doesn’t process correctly the weird stuff people say on this forum. You’re actually asking how much of a grade you can pull before the front tires come off the ground??
Im asking only because of how impractical it is to have a TC on a jacked up truck and how it’s much more apt to lay down and take a nap on its side compared to popping a wheelie!
Ahhh, the old tc on a brodozer. Lol
Based on just reading the one post you wrote, I would say you might wanna learn to just drive that thing on the road first. And maybe learn just a smidge about basic physics and statics before working your way up to highway speed, especially if you’re serious and your biggest concern is flipping over backwards on a boat ramp! Lol
