Trailer for a car?

[Okiepikapp]

Hey guys and gals I got a question. I've got a 97 avalon with the v6 (pretty peppy) that I am thinking about using to tow a trailer ( shoulda kept the 92 2dr cherokee :cool: ). I know :bang: I HATE seeing cars with hitches, but I have no other rig and can't afford anything. So, my questions become, what do you think would be a good style trailer to use? I am getting soon a 250 of some brand and my buddy is considering a bike also, he has an rx-7 so no dice on towing either. So I was wondering, should I look for a small 2 or 3 rail trailer? I found that the car has a 2000lb towing capacity, but was really curious if any of you out there have experience with this. Thanks alot in advance to anyone that can help.

P.S. can someone quote me a cost on having a hitch installed? I'm too lazy to call u-haul to find out :nener:

Thanks again.

Scott

 

[OldassKDX]

you might check harbor freight for a trailer. They have small trailers that don't weigh much. I've thought of this myself for my car, but its probably more practical if you're only taking small trips. Heck, its really all about getting your bike to the trail though right?

 

[YZ165]

Damn, I wish I had some pics from this weekend. There were a couple guy's out at the local MX track towing trailers with cars. It's definitely possible. I like the Harbor Freight trailer idea. Small and light. Around $299 for a 4ft.X8ft. I think. You should be able to get two bikes on there no problem. I've never bought a class II hitch, but my class III was $120 from a local RV dealer. So that should be in the ballpark. As far as installation goes, I helped a buddy put one on his Nissan Murano a month or so ago, took like 30 min. with two guys. Six bolts total. You should be able to pull it off. Good luck with the hitch, trailer, and bike hunting, YZ165

 

[Jaybird]

I think Wardy used to tow his mx bike with a harley. :)

 

[Enduro_Nut]

I towed a 3 rail trailer all over the US with my '78 280Z, '80 320i BMW, Mercedes 300td station wagon(Dad's) and would put one on my 300ZX if wife would let me. Keep in mind the trailer weighs about 400 lbs and 3 bikes @ 750(250~pc.) = 1100-1300 lbs, if a car can't tow that how can it haul anything! Way to much is made of cars inability to tow. In Europe they tow with all of their vehicles and use them for many years with no ill effects. The one thing I'm fanatic about is changing tranny fluid every 20K(auto) and don't use overdrive if the car wants to downshift all of the time.

Go for it and enjoy!

PS>> The Uhaul hitch should run $250~

 

[Patman]

I think Wardy used to tow his mx bike with a harley. :)

I thought it was a G-wing.

 

[Casper250]

I got a 5x8 tilt trailer and I pull it behind a 300zx. I think the trailer ran me about $500 and the hitch was expensive, I think close to $300 cause no one made one for my car. I've towed my trailer with my dirtbike and my streetbike on it which had to weight near 1000 pounds. I've only met one other person that pulls with a sports car and he was sporting a old BMW M5.

 

[Shig]

Back when the earth was first cooling, I towed a 3-rail trailer with a VW Scirocco. I have three friends who currently tow 3-rail trailers with an Acura Legend, a Plymouth Breeze, and a Toyota Matrix. My hitch was mounted to the bumper, but a class II or III from Uhaul would be better. Uhaul will install a receiver for about $175 around here.

 

[MikeT]

I pull a 4x8 trailer behind my Honda Accord FOUR cylinder with 183,000 miiles on it with no problem. I think if it had a 6cyl I might not even feel the trailer.

BTW, I have pulled the trailer with my 250, an XR50, and the car loaded with two boys, myself, my wife, baby girl, three car seats, two sets of equiptment, gas and tools, all with that same Accord. Now mind you with all that, it did strain a little on the long hills but that was about it.

 

[Trigger1911]

Thank RMGuy for tipping me off to your thread because he knows how much I travel with trailers. i just got back from a 3500 mile trek thru the Florida Keys from Pennsylvania towing a borrowed Harbor Freight 4x8 trailer. The kicker is that I towed it with a 96 Ford Aspire 5 spd that has 62 HP and the trailer had my new Harley Wide Glide on it (650lbs). It performed perfectly, the trailer and the car, but the trailer is very flimsy! I also tow a 6x12 aluminum landscape trailer(600 lbs and my car fits ON this trailer!) with my DRZ400 (300lbs) on it no problem. No speed demon but it will do 75-80 MPH on flat ground. Your car has an automatic so change the fluid every 20, 000 miles. You will have NO problem towing with an Avalon. Trust me.

 

[Trigger1911]

If i were you, buy a 5x10 steel landscape trailer with a gate and get the large 13 or 14 inch wheels. It will ride better than the little 8 inch wheels on the Harbor freight deal, is much stronger and will easily hold 2 Harleys or 3 dirt bikes. and they are still about 800 bucks if you shop around.

 

[Okiepikapp]

Hey everyone,


Thanks for the quick replies. I found a 1998 KTM 200 exc i am looking at, this will be my first bike so I hope this is a good one. I also found a hitch online for $100 so I guess for trailer and hitch I'm look at about 400. So, now to pickup that bike! Thanks again to everyone!

P.S. if your in the okc/norman area send me an email, i need some buddies to ride with! :laugh:

 

[super rat]

Back when the earth was first cooling, I towed a 3-rail trailer with a VW Scirocco. I have three friends who currently tow 3-rail trailers with an Acura Legend, a Plymouth Breeze, and a Toyota Matrix. My hitch was mounted to the bumper, but a class II or III from Uhaul would be better. Uhaul will install a receiver for about $175 around here.

Back when I was a kid I took the pop off of a pop up camper and made a tinny trailer. I would tow my bike and all of my gear to races all over the east coast behind my girlfriends Honda CRX. I could go 100+ and still get 30MPG or more. LOL! Good times.

 

[RM_guy]

Back when I was a kid and cars had real bumpers, I slapped a pair of bumper carriers on my dad's stationwagon and loaded the bike on. No trailer, no hitch, no problem :)

 

[Trigger1911]

i had bumper carriers too! I was also not very bright.

 

[MikeT]

Back when I was a kid and cars had real bumpers, I slapped a pair of bumper carriers on my dad's stationwagon and loaded the bike on. No trailer, no hitch, no problem :)

I did that too. It was all we could afford.

 

[rollerman]

i tow a 4+8 liltex trailer on my jetta tdi no problems towing two adult bikes .. kdx 220 and a ktm 400.. hitch was about 250 installed ... good luck :ride:

 

[ScottS]

I still have 2 sets of bumper carriers- I used to have them on an Audi fox with an RM125.

 

[KX02]

OK, let me chime in too! I have a 4 X 8 Harbor Freight trailer that I tow my bike with. My "hauler" is a 1996 Thunderbird. I just use a wheel chock to hold the front wheel with tie downs. It could definitely handle 2 bikes.