Capacity for Towing with the VehiCross

[kpv]

I have a D Lan hitch installed on my VX. I have used it to tow my motorcycle trailer in the past without any problems at all.

I now have a need to tow a car on a trailer. The car weighs 3,400 pounds and the trailer I am assuming weighs 1,500 pounds. That makes my total load nearly 5,000 pounds.

Has anyone done this???

Can it be done???

What do I need to know or do??

[t2p]

Can it be done.
.
Yes.
.
Should it be done ?
.
? Probably No.
.
Should it be done on a continual/regular basis ?
.
No.
.

[kpv]

t2p,
Thanks for your response!
This will be a one time thing. I need to trailer my sports car up to Watkins Glen Racetrack for a track event. It is 230 miles each way.

I am looking to rent a UHaul trailer (2,000 pounds) to carry my car (3400 pounds).

I intend to take it easy and be very careful.

All of this considered, do you still think it is appropriate??

Have you personally done it?

What is the basis for your "Yes" answer in your previous post??

[psychos2]

one thing i would make sure the trailer has brakes and they are functioning. shawn

[Maugan_VX]

I wouldn't let it get into overdrive, your torque converter may never well lock up.

Heres the way I look at towing in the Vx:

The driveline is straight out of a trooper. On my old 93, the max allowable tow weight was 5000lbs. I tested this once, towing a Pb-keeled (Lead) sailboat from North Carolina to Key West and back. While accelerating slowly is managable, many people overlook the slowing down part of the equation. The brakes on the VX are more than adequate to stop IMO, but just be careful because of theshort wheelbase.

On a related note, I towed a ~5000lbs wooden shed on a 2500lbs flatbed trailer up a hill in the trooper once. Probably did some damage to it, but it made it up.

[Joe_Black]

Tow away, just follow towing guidelines as outlined for the 2001 Trooper: 5000lbs and 500lbs tongue. Be mindful of the short wheelbase, it turns quicker and gives you a great deal more maneuverability. I had a '93 Trooper RS, which has the same wheelbase as the VX, and there were some additional precautions for towing for that reason.

[Maugan_VX]

Quick question:

Does anyone know if towing voids your manufacturer warranty?

I'm sure they'd use it as an excuse.

[SlowPro48]

Originally posted by Maugan_VX
The brakes on the VX are more than adequate to stop IMO, but just be careful because of theshort wheelbase.


Good tow vehicle brakes don't mean a thing when the tow-ee outweighs the tow-er. There are two reasons for this and transio will be happy to draw you some diagrams! javascript:smilie(';)')
wink

kpv, I'm sure your VX pulls a m/c just fine but DO NOT rely on the VX brakes in this case. Somewhere in that 460 miles of driving, you will probably need to slow down quickly. If you have 5,400 lbs behind the VX and no trailer brakes you WILL jack that rig.

Even with a longer wheelbase towing that much mass is not safe without trailer brakes. You may get by with it but you'll be pushing your luck - which is fine if you're the only one to suffer the consequences but unfortunately sometimes when you push your luck other people pay for it. Against my better judgement a couple months ago I pulled a 1957 MGA on a tandem axle, steel deck trailer - without brakes. The gross weight was around what you're talking about. The tow vehicle was a longbed 3/4 ton pickup with close to 1,000 lbs of parts in the bed - as far back as possible to prevent brake induced jacking. Coming down off the Blue Ridge Parkway on those steep, winding little roads it was getting pushed all over the place. I could hear the inside rear tire skipping on the braking bumps. It wasn't even in contact with the pavement a lot of the time. What a hell-ride. The VX wouldn't have made it past the first off-camber downhill turn. I'm just thankful I didn't kill anybody...

Bottom line:

If the trailer has brakes, go for it. I'd also see if U-haul rents weight-distributing hitches too because with that kind of tongue weight, you'll need one on the VX.

If the trailer doesn't have brakes... uh... find one that does!

[SlowPro48]

Originally posted by Maugan_VX
Quick question:

Does anyone know if towing voids your manufacturer warranty?

I'm sure they'd use it as an excuse.

I'm sure they'd never find out. Nobody tows anything. Everybody's hitches are used for bike racks only - right?

[visconte]

on a VX in Torrance and the hitch had a SETA brand name on it. Unfortunately I can't find any info on the SETA hitch on the internet - anyone know anything about this make of hitch?

[SPAZZ]

I've towed a '68 Mustang over 200 miles up mountains.
No problems what soever.

[Maverick]

towed 2700 plus lb sports car several times now, no issues..
towed uhaul 6x8 van trailer fully loaded, no issues..

run in "3" , take it slow and easy, anticipate braking, everything will be ducky..and as mentioned above, beware of steep downhills, they can be tricky in any vehicle , but the vx will tow very nicely..maybe too nicely..its easy to forget theres a trailer back there on open roads...;eekp; :D

[SPAZZ]

at LEAST CLASS III hitch!!!

[xdfarrx]

I towed boats in tahoe albeit short distances. I also towed a 4 up trailer with snowmobiles frequently with no problem. The short wheel base can be sketchy but conversely makes maneuvering when backing up easier (and harder, you;ll see)....

[SlowPro48]

Originally posted by Maverick
towed 2700 plus lb sports car several times now, no issues..
towed uhaul 6x8 van trailer fully loaded, no issues..


Was this with or without trailer brakes?

Just wondering because I'm thinking of borrowing my brother's 7x10 enclosed trailer (don't know exact weight but it's fairly heavy) to haul some motorcycles to a DS ride and then sleep in it instead of using a lightweight three rail m/c trailer and tent camping.

Thanks

[Maverick]

no trailer brakes.. theyre a good idea if you tow often though.. but i had no problems.. im guessing the loaded uhaul was at least as heavy as the cars ive towed.. i didnt need the brakes much, just slowed early enough to decelerate way before the stopping part was needed..

unless that trailer itself is really, really heavy, you shouldnt have a problem.. but even most enclosed short trailers dont go much above 2500 lbs.. and most are half that.. add a couple bikes and gear and it still shouldnt even come close to the 5k limit.. if it were an every weekend thing id definately want trailer brakes, but for the occasional outing, i wouldnt bother..just be that much more carefull, ensure the load is well balanced, hitch good, etc..as said by others above...

[lttlbddy]

In CA, I don't think U-Haul would even rent you the trailer if you showed up in a VX. If you have no better options, just be careful!!

Steve G

[Tone]

Not! Show up with a hitch or get UHaul to install the Dalan/Curtis hitch and they'll rent you a trailer. Where do people get these ideas?

BTW, the hitches I offer can handle 5K, 400lbs for the frame mount or 3500/300lbs tongue for the Dalan - both are class III. Mine mounts to the 7th ladder of the frame, the Dalan mounts below off of the 2 frame rails.

There is a more leverage at work on the Dalan but psycho moves way heavy boats with his all the time - be sure to check for cracks in the welds if you move weight like that.

Mine looks factory, Dalan's hangs below the rear bumper by quite a bit - installed pics of both are on my web site.



8/27/04 - correct tongue weight values

[SlowPro48]

Originally posted by Maverick
no trailer brakes.. theyre a good idea if you tow often though.. but i had no problems.. im guessing the loaded uhaul was at least as heavy as the cars ive towed.. i didnt need the brakes much, just slowed early enough to decelerate way before the stopping part was needed..

You're lucky you didn't need to slow down quickly then! ;eeky; A heavy trailer with no brakes will drastically increase stopping distance whether you pull it once a year or once a week.

What you're saying is that you are reducing your chances of an accident not by increasing the safety factor, but rather by simply reducing your exposure to the risk. The only problem with that method is that the risk factor per mile is unchanged. You are just as likely to ram into that little old lady who pulls out in front of you 2 miles into your journey as you are if she pulled out in front of you 200 miles into the trip. So basically you're just counting on good luck to keep her from pulling out in front of you at all. My luck's not that good so my conscience just won't let me do that when people's lives are at stake.

I've forgotten who started this thread but whoever you are with the 5,400 lbs to tow - I hope you'll insist on a trailer with brakes so that each and every mile of your journey will be safer.

[SlowPro48]

Originally posted by Tone
Not! Show up with a hitch or get UHaul to install the Dalan/Curtis hitch and they'll rent you a trailer. Where do people get these ideas?

BTW, the hitches I offer can handle 5K, 250lbs for the frame mount or 3500/150lbs tongue for the Dalan - both are class III.

I thought the Da'Lan had max tongue weight of 300lbs.

Why is it that yours is rated at 5,000 lbs and the Curt/Da'Lan is only 3,500? They mount straight to the frame rails so the way they're mounted isn't an issue. Guess it's just the design, eh? The tube that the receiver is on won't handle as much as the frame of the VX which is what yours mounts directly to...? Is that it?

[psychos2]

Originally posted by SlowPro48
I thought the Da'Lan had max tongue weight of 300lbs.

Why is it that yours is rated at 5,000 lbs and the Curt/Da'Lan is only 3,500? They mount straight to the frame rails so the way they're mounted isn't an issue. Guess it's just the design, eh? The tube that the receiver is on won't handle as much as the frame of the VX which is what yours mounts directly to...? Is that it?

it does have a max tongue weight of 300 lbs. and the hitch can handle more than the 3500 lb rating. i have done it. i am not telling yopu to go over the rating but it can handle more. shawn

[Maverick]

Originally posted by SlowPro48
You're lucky you didn't need to slow down quickly then! ;eeky; A heavy trailer with no brakes will drastically increase stopping distance whether you pull it once a year or once a week.

What you're saying is that you are reducing your chances of an accident not by increasing the safety factor, but rather by simply reducing your exposure to the risk. The only problem with that method is that the risk factor per mile is unchanged. You are just as likely to ram into that little old lady who pulls out in front of you 2 miles into your journey as you are if she pulled out in front of you 200 miles into the trip. So basically you're just counting on good luck to keep her from pulling out in front of you at all. My luck's not that good so my conscience just won't let me do that when people's lives are at stake.

I've forgotten who started this thread but whoever you are with the 5,400 lbs to tow - I hope you'll insist on a trailer with brakes so that each and every mile of your journey will be safer.

NO, what im saying is what i said, the VX has ample braking ability to stop 3500 plus pounds in addition to its own weight, and CAN handle abrupt stops WITHOUT incident. HOWEVER, excessive braking can and will reduce that ability after time, which is why i recommended taking it slow and easy and ANTICIPATING slow downs when ever possible.. Having towed these weights with out trailer brakes several times in my VX, and dozens of times in other vehicles, i can only say that the VX tows much better than id expected, and i experienced ZERO Brake fade, and no loss of control at reasonable speeds..as i also said, if doing this regularly a trailer braking system is definatly a wise idea and will reduce stress and maintenance on the VX's systems, but for a an occasional towing duties, the VX is more than capable with out those expensive add ons so long as the proper caution is taken...
DO not make assumptions as to what people may intend, is it not polite nor is it accurate, and it certainly isnt respectfull ... end of rant...

[SlowPro48]

Sorry Maverick - I didn't mean to come across as impolite or disrespectful. You obviously have experience pulling heavy trailers with no brakes with the VX and I've only pulled lightweight trailers.

Today I made a PERSONAL DECISION not to pull a heavy trailer with the VX unless the trailer has brakes though - based on these simple facts:

1. The physical laws of the universe dictate that the VX will take a lot longer to slow down in a panic situation if it's got a lot of dead weight behind it. Strong and fade-resistant brakes don't mean squat when I have double the momentum and the same size contact patch between the tire and road and essentially the same mass pushing down on the contact patch. Friction between the tire and the road is the limiting factor for braking distance with all modern vehicles - not how strong the brakes are.

2. Sometimes things are beyond my control. It doesn't matter how far ahead I'm looking, there will come a time when the unexpected happens. It always does. And when it does I want to know I'm as safe as I can be, since lives depend on it.

Look - there is always a point of no return when it comes to braking - a point beyond which it is physically impossible to avoid a crash - whether you've got trailer brakes or not - or whether you're just tooling around town in the VX not even towing anything. Having more braking rubber on the road just brings that point of no return closer to the VX and gives you more room for error.

Having good driving skills - the ability to see well ahead and anticipate - also helps. But even with the best skill and equipment there is still a point of no return travelling along in front of you at all times - and if something pops up between you and that point you're going to nail it and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. The prudent solution is to try to bring that point in as close to you as possible. Trailer brakes do that. I stand by my OPINION that - although I'm sure you've got good skills - you have also been LUCKY that your braking needs have not exceeded your ability to anticipate the need for braking. I hope your lucky streak continues.

Anyway - Sorry for the tone of my message. I'll shut up now.

[VCAMILO]

I have towed a trailer with a car before for 100 miles. And thats with Tone's hitch. No problems man! But I also had it welded to the frame along with the three bolts. If you dont feel like towing then dont waiste your time and have someone else do it for you. but you know what! You wont catch me letting someone town my boat or my seadoos to the lake.

I ride a sportbike at 185 mph thus I take risk. I wont let a motorcycle or towing dictate my life. Especially riding a motorcycle. It has given me a life and also made me who I'm today. TOW AND RIDE FOREVER!!! ;Dy;

[Babba Yorgo]

Originally posted by VCAMILO
I ride a sportbike at 185 mph thus I take risk.

Yes I take risk too!!! My Papaki doesn't do that many kilometers though! That's faasst!!! You raise hell on that Katana man!

Yorgo

[Andrey]

I tow a 19 foot boat which is 2050 lb + gas + tools+goodies etc + 750lb boat trailer. So it is over 3000lb I guess. D'lan does it good. I towed from Boston to the lake in New Hampshire about 140 miles. There are some hills on the way and VX does everything good.

[ThunderChicken]

I will be towing a Ironhorse trailer with mine.
We have just secured a sponsorship agreement with the Ironhorse Trailer company for the upcoming year to be the "official" trailer of the ThunderChicken Monster Mower.
The trailer will compliment the looks of the VX.

If any of you are in the market for coool looking light weight enclosed trailer you got to check out the Ironhorse trailer. We will have more info on the trailer soon on the ThunderChicken website - www.thethunderchicken.com

[crager34]

Class III Trailer Hitch Receivers Designed for trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles 2" x 2" receiver hitch opening Rated up to 6,000 lbs GTW with 600 lbs TW Allows for more gear to be carried or towed Works with all Class III accessories, such as bike racks, cargo carriers, and tube covers Class I and Class II (1-1/4") hitch accessories can also be used with an adapter Ball mounts are sold separately. Will work with hitch balls with 1" diameter shank
NOTE: Most manufacturers call any hitch with a 2" x 2" opening a Class III hitch. It is not uncommon to see a 2" hitch rated at 3,500 lbs GTW called a Class III hitch Available in square and round tube designs.

http://www.etrailer.com/faq_hitchclasses.aspx

[erland]

I work at an RV dealership. A class 3 hitch rated at 3500lbs will not accept a weight distribution hitch. 5000lbs is definatly to heavy for the VX. The front wheels would be lifted due to the rear weight causing loss of steering control. I would highly advise againt exceeding the 3500lb weight limit brakes on the trailer or not.

[Gussie2000]

I believe isuzu don't recommend towing with the VX because of the TOD system.

To me 5000 lbs is way too much for the VX that weights 3998 lbs,which means you're about to tow 35% more then VX's gross weight.

Why don't you rent a dodge ram,F-250,toyota tundra or similar truck & save your self a headache & the rig from being damage ?

Personally i wouldn't do that sort of towing,just my opinion :cool:

[Riff Raff]

Another option to tow a vehicle is to use a "TOW DOLLEY". This method eliminates the trailer weight (since there is no trailer). It does put wear on the towed vehicle's tires. For a Race Car, you could just put on some junker wheels/tires on the street contact axle. Just be sure the "drive axle" is on the Tow Dolly itself, and the free-wheeling axle in on the pavement; or "disconnect the drive shaft" at the differential (otherwise transmission problems may occur).

[mrlegoman]

So from what I'm reading, general consensus is 'nothing over 3500lbs', correct?

[Joe_Black]

Go by Trooper RS specs: 500lbs tongue/5000 tow.

[Maverick]

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8630/928nvxingapr9.jpg

1982 Porsche 928: 3500 lbs.
uhaul car transporter: 2210 lbs.
you might think it was pushing it a bit, but 350+ miles loaded, zero issues.... that was about 50,000 miles ago.
I just trailered a ford escort wagon (has to be at least 3200 lbs) for friend last weekend, now with my own trailer (maybe 1600 lbs) now with 175,000 miles on the truck, still ZERO issues... not bumpy, no "light front steering/bouncing," nada, nothing, zilch...

the vx is a champ in all things, plain and simple... :bgwg: