What truck do I need to tow a Grady-White Freedom 235?
A loaded Grady-White Freedom 235 (dual console) weighs about 8,060 lb on its trailer by our conservative math, with a tongue weight of about 806–1,209 lb.
| Weight (w/o engines) (Grady-White) | 4,420 lb |
| Engine: Yamaha 4.3L V6 F350 (heaviest listed variant), the heaviest Yamaha that covers the boat's 350 HP max | 653 lb |
| Fuel: 100 gal x 6.1 lb/gal (full tank) | 610 lb |
| Gear allowance: 10% (batteries, anchor, coolers, safety gear, T-top/options) | 568 lb |
| Trailer: ESTIMATE, 35% of boat + engine (no trailer weight published) | 1,800 lb |
| Estimated loaded trailer weight | 8,060 lb |
Truck by truck
| Truck | Answer | Engines |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ford F-150 | It depends on the engine | 5✓ 4! 0✗ |
| 2025 Ford F-150 | It depends on the engine | 5✓ 4! 0✗ |
| 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | It depends on the engine | 3✓ 5! 0✗ |
| 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | It depends on the engine | 3✓ 5! 0✗ |
| 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 | It depends on the engine | 3✓ 5! 0✗ |
| 2026 Ram 1500 | It depends on the engine | 0✓ 7! 2✗ |
| 2025 Ram 1500 | It depends on the engine | 0✓ 5! 1✗ |
| 2026 Toyota Tacoma | No | 0✓ 0! 4✗ |
| 2025 Toyota Tacoma | No | 0✓ 0! 4✗ |
| 2026 Toyota Tundra | Maybe | 0✓ 4! 0✗ |
| 2025 Toyota Tundra | Maybe | 0✓ 4! 0✗ |
Confirm with your door-jamb sticker and owner's manual. Your exact truck's rating depends on cab, bed, drive, axle ratio, options and tires, and your boat's real weight depends on its engine, options, fuel and gear. When in doubt, weigh the rig at a CAT scale.
Gear you may need
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Trailer brake controller
Boat trailers over about 3,000 lb usually need working trailer brakes (check your state's law); an electric-over-hydraulic or electric setup needs a controller in the truck.
Class IV receiver hitch & ball mount
Match the ball mount drop to your trailer so the boat rides level; the hitch rating must cover the full loaded trailer.
Sources
- Grady-White Freedom 235: Grady-White model page (Weight (w/o engines), fuel capacity, max HP), checked 2026-10-29
- Engine weight: Yamaha Outboards spec page (Yamaha 4.3L V6 F350 (heaviest listed variant), 653 lb)
- Method and assumptions: How we calculate