kermooni

I woulld like to trailer my C6 to the next two events. Can you recommend a light weight Aluminum open car trailer? My Acura MDX can only tow #5000. C6 takes up approx #3200 and I do not want to max out the towing capacity. So anything < #1300 will do.

I have heard there are collapsable trailers where the front fork and the tires come off so you can store the rest on the garage floor

Any ideas???

Bill Dearborn

Don't over estimate your towing capacity. Most mfg'rs list their towing capacity with one 150 or 200 lb driver and no other load in the vehicle. If their are two of you plus some, luggage and tools you have less capacity. You need to look up the Gross Combined Weight for your MDX to see how much you can tow with the load you may have inside the vehicle.

Bill

01Pewter

This spring I got a Trailex CT-80210 open trailer.
It has a usable bed length of 17'7" and weighs about 1400 lb.
This is about the lightest full length trailer I could find.

c4cruiser

IMHO, yur Acura is not going to be able to safely tow the car. As mentioned, you have to include the weight of everything that the vehicle will both pull and carry. In any event, you should not exceed 80% of the total towing capacity.

You will need a suitable hitch (Class III or better) a electronic brake controller to operate the trailer brakes, and the necessary wiring harness for trailer lights, brakes and power. Trailer brakes will be required for the size of trailer you will need and you should have brakes on both trailer axles (and yes, you need two axles).

Tires on the tow vehicle will need to be at a level to support the weight on the rear axke and take whatever extra heat generated by the load. Typically a Load Range C Light Truck tire is recommended.

I would suggest that if you decide to do trailering with any frequence, that you look for a pickup or Tahoe or other full-size SUV for towing. Look for a motor in the 350 cid range and the vehicle should have a towing package. You get more useable room, the power and ability to tow heavier weights, and safety.

beerkat

I have been towing with my Honda Ridgeline for over a year now without problems. I use a Featherlite trailer that weighs in at 1400 pounds. So with my C5Z and trailer I go about 4600. I also carry each wheels and the other normal track stuff. I tow from Myrtle Beach to Roebling a couple of weeks ago and got 15mpg towing at 65 to 70 mph on I-95.

Ridgeline has a #5,000 tow limit also. I think we have the same engine 3.5 L V-TEC. Watch your CGVW (Combined Gross Vehicle Weight.)

kermooni

Thanks. Being an engineer I have made all the calculations mentioned in above posts. My MDX came with a class III hitch and all necessary wiring for trailers with dual axel electric brakes. The Acura comes with a 3.7L V6 and Sh-AWD giving it 300 HP and 275 Ft-lbs. This car was designed for towing upto #5,000 - see http://www.acura.com/index.aspx?initPath=MDX.
The weight info is:
Curb Weight: 4,597
CGVW: 10,050

I have found the following lightweight trailer:
http://www.rnrtrailers.com/assets/sp...auler_07ch.pdf
Model 716CHA weighs only 1180#!!! It seems to be large and strong enough. Some of the guys at the local track use it to haul their BMW and Porsches.

I had heard their was a light trailer that came apart. The front fork stored upright, the tires came off so the deck would sit on the garage floor and kept your vette happy during winter months.

I have never towed anything so I welcome all helpful information.

Regards.

FasterIsBetter

I have a Trailex aluminum trailer, Model CT-7541. Weighs 895 lbs. My C5Z just fits it. I bought it used, so didn't have a choice of sizes. The deal was too good to pass up. But also look at the CT-8045, which weighs 910 lbs. A little bigger all around. The Trailex trailers are not cheap, but they are well built, provide excellent towing capacity, are reliable, and keep their value better than steel trailers. If weight is an issue, definitely the way to go.

beerkat

Do not get in a Hurry!!!


After you have your trailer practice with it. Load your car, find out where it needs to sit for the right tongue weight. If your trailer does not have removal fenders you will need to deal with that issue. You may need to build some approach ramps, most of us do. Make sure you learn how to back it before you go to an event. You will need to get a brake controller, Prodigy is a good choice.

There is more but you will learn it as you go.

c4cruiser

Running calculations can be fine, but in order to make sure yo uhave everything accounted for, build a list of everything that you will be carrying along with the car and trailer.

It would be a good idea to get everything together and weigh all of it and total the results. You will be suprised how much weight is involved

The trailer standard specs don't include a spare tire/wheel. One spare is a necessity, having two is much better. Add 40 pounds per wheel/tire to the total weight.

Are the ramps going to be long enough to get the car loaded without scraping? If not, you may need ramp extensions. Figure another 50 pounds for that if you build them with wood.

The point I'm trying to make is that although your SUV is rated for a certain amount, it is very easy to go over the limits.

Take trailer tongue weight for example. It's typically 10-15% of the total loaded trailer weight. This adds some 500-600lbs to the rear axle of the tow vehicle. That weight, even though it's part of the trailer, becomes cargo weight in the vehicle. Then add the wife and/or girfriend, buddies (pit crew), the kids, the dog, luggage, beer, tolls, supplies, and whatever else, and you can quickly see that the cargo weight adds up quickly.

You can't go too light on the tongue weight as that can cause handling problems like swaying or rocking. And it's hard to load that stuff on the trailer as it just becomes more towed weight and increases tongue weight.

One thing you have not mentioed is towing equipment like tie-down straps. You will need 4 ratchet straps with a 10,000lb load limit. These straps wil have a WLL (working load limit) of 3300lbs which is enough to secure the car to the trailer. Don't scrimp here.

As mentined, once you get a trailer, practice towing it empty. Find a dozen traffic cones and find a empty parking lot. Place the cones in a line and drive thru them. Set up a slalom course and drive thru without hitting cones. Back thru a straight line of cones, Back into a marked parking place on the lot by backing from both the left and the right.

Try some emergency braking. Learn to set the trailer brake controller properly and how to use the manual brake application feature. And the Tekonsha Prodgiy is a great controller You can find them on the interweb for about $100. Tekshona should have a "plug-and-play" controller harness for your SUV. That beats trying to splice wires.

The chances are that your SUV will need mirror extenders. You have to be able to see down the side of the trailer not only for backing, but for cars passing on either side of you and for when you pass.

Once you have done all that, load the car up and do it again. Drive around town with the car on the trailer using both city and freeway traffic.

ghoffman

I would also add a load distributing hitch and a sway control. The load distributing hitch is basically 2 leaf springs that puts a moment on the trailer that reduces the load on the hitch ball. The sway control is an adjustable friction device that acts as a yaw damper for the trailer. The most scared I have been in this sport is when I first started towing and the trailer went into a huge oscillation back and forth at 65 MPH. I saved it, but only because I was lucky. This happened because I did not have enough front weight bias, so don't try to cheat and think that is an acceptable way to reduce ball weight. If this does happen, do not lift on your truck's throttle, but engage the trailer brake controller while still on the gas. I use fixed length steel cables in the front so it is easy to keep the car in the same place every time and they pass under the air dam easier than the ratchet tie downs. I got the "T" hooks at awdirect.com and the cables at Home Depot.

AU N EGL

When you get a trailer you will have THREE vehicles to prepair for a track weekend, not just your vette.

Your Vette
Your Truck
Your Trailer

Then your tool box and spare parts lists

Each should have a prep list of items before towing anyplace.

Your trailer may have a short list but still items to be checked; tire pressure and the brakes plus a few other items.

Your truck, tire pressure and I bleed my trucks brakes almost as much as my cars brakes. Hauling even a open trailer with car takes much longer to stop then you think. So keep your trucks brakes ( and trailer brakes) in great shape.


Good Luck

acrace

kermooni:

I've got a RNR 720. Around 1300 pounds. Nice trailer. One thing that I liked about the RNR is that the fenders are low enough so that I could open the door on my Z06 and not have to deal with removeable fenders or climb out through the window.

Others have given good advice about capacity and accessories. One thing that I would like to point out is that there is no industry standard defining towing capacity. Look for a SAE standard in a few years.

ghoffman

I have to re-learn this every time I tow! Tuesday this week, I am running around NHMS with great brakes on my car, and then I get in the truck/trailer combo to go home and feel like I need the length of New Jersey to stop even though everything works as it is supposed to. Then, you get these F!$&%$ idiots that like to dive bomb in front of you and hit the brakes in their econo-box. I wish everyone that has a driver's license would have to drive a trailer once to see that you simply cannot stop that fast. Leave LOTS of distance in front of you at all times!

Bill Hetzel

Gary has some valid points.

Tongue weight is is very important to prevent oscillation back and forth . I was towing a 24ft. enclosed Featherlite with a weight distributing hitch and an extremely light car (1100lbs.). Got into a bad oscillation at 65, damn near pushed the tow vechile (Excursion) off the road. Stopped at a rest area, moved the car 1 1/2 feet towards the front and the swaying was gone.

A weight distributing hitch puts the load on the entire tow vechile frame rather than just the rear. It also improves the overall braking of the tow rig and trailer. The sway controlers work very well and are inexpensive, $75 - $100.

Anybody see the disc brake trailer conversion on tv? It isn't cheap but does put 4 wheel disc brakes on the trailer that are as powerful as the tow vechile's.

larryfs

The little Acura will do fine, until your first evasive manuever, or panic stop. Then you'll wish you had a burb

Wayne O

I've towed large, heavy horse trailers for years (mostly with my 3/4 ton, 4WD, 8.2 liter V8 Suburban). Engineering specs are all well and good but if it pencils-out 'close' you don't want 'the tail wagging the dog.'

I'm planning on buying an auto trailer this summer. One of the best I've seen is made by Jim Glo in Willcox, Arizona. He makes an incredibly lightweight, tilt, auto trailer. My friend has one and it's jake! Here's his web site:

http://www.jim-glo.com/html/tilt_bed.html

Featherlite and Tommy's Trailers are two other excellent, lightweight auto trailer makers:

http://www.fthr.com/

http://www.tommystrailers.com/

kermooni

Thanks for the great advice from everyone. I really appreciate it.

Drove its big brother the "Denali", no thanks. Nice front cabin - unusable rear. The navigator, just a big lug leaning all over the place. And when it come to handling? Drive an MDX on snow and you see why I chose it.

Granted, it is the smallest vehicle I would choose to tow with, but it is good one.

Gary, the load leveling is strongly discouraged by Acura. It will adversly effect their Trailer Stability Assist system

kermooni

Thanks Tom & Gary.

I heard I should switch from the 3 sec rule to 5 sec rule when hauling. True?

kermooni

Gary,

I have your hardbar and the original harness mounts on my car. I listen to all your tech advise as in talking to you a couple of times, I have come to realize you know Physics and Mechanics like no one I know. Thanks

I really like your fixed cable idea. Can you tell me a bit more about the specs of the cable and the hooks?

JDIllon

Just my .02. I tow a C6-Z06 on an open steel trailer, and put over 8000 mile from Florida all over the east and midwest. And I tow with a Nissan Pathfinder rated at 6500#. Towing with the MDX probably wont be a problem but stopping will,!!!!!!!!! and what Gary said is very true if you dont use a equalizer type of hitch you are going to fine that the front of your MDX is going to be very light and steering and braking may be a big problem. Also, you are going to have a lot more weight behind the MDX than the MDX weighs. Therefore you should try to get all the wheels of the MDX carrying a portion of the load. I use an equalizer hitch and sway control and it has saved me more than once, also with this type of rig your stopping distances are 4 or 5 times that of a normal tow set up. Best of luck, but please becareful it takes a little getting used to. JD
Just one added note, this set up is extremely hairy in wet conditions there is no such thing as a panic stop!!! only a panic crash.