Car trailers...

Looonie · Post by **Looonie** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 8:43 pm

After some advice on car trailers...

In an ideal world I'd like a braked tandem but I don't think the budget will stretch that car.

Is there any real downsides to single axle? What about un-braked? I supposed un-braked really limits the weight of the vehicle I can carry?

Rough measurements of the vehicle are 4.7m long and 1.7m wide, 2.7m wheelbase and at last check about 1250kg in weight...

I don't think anything I can get is going to have enough clearance to open the door either... so will need to modify that I guess, which creates another problem as most trailers have the wheel/tyre above the deck height...

Adoom · Post by **Adoom** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:05 pm

Definitely needs to be braked!

Have towed a landcruiser on a single axle trailer with a FWD V6 Maxima no problem. But loading and unloading is REALLY interesting.... the back of the maxima is too light, and it gets lifted off the ground!!!

Not really ideal.
I had the same problem with corolla towing starlet on the same trailer. But the towing was really dodgy, I had to abort and swap to the maxima, it just felt unstable, the corolla was far too light.
So I reckon a single axle trailer is okay, as long as your tow vehicle is heavy enough.

Never used a tandem.

duddley · Post by **duddley** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:35 pm

Check your towbars rating as it probably won't be legal with out brakes on the trailer.

Post by **Mr Revhead** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:13 am

Never mind the towball, not a lot that can tow a 1250kg car plus trailer with no brakes.

diss7 · Post by **diss7** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:41 am

I got confused by this recently as well.

I checked the law, and it says that trailers don't need brakes if the trailer + load is under 2000kg.

But, as others have pointed out, its the vehicle that has to be considered. My Hilux only had a unbraked trailer rating of 750kg.

Even my landcruiser in Aus will only do 750kg unbraked.

neo · Post by **neo** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:35 pm

Nothing wrong with a single axle.. If your building trailer its not much more to add hydraulic brakes at the time.

As for door clearance, add swinging guards (have a look at my madfx build thread there should be a pick of it in there). - however even with a drop axle I only need to lower the guards if I have Chelles's mirage on it.

Boost_4_Life · Post by **Boost_4_Life** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:58 pm

thats something i love about the gravel cars. So high off the ground door clearance is never an issue :lol:

wde_bdy · Post by **wde_bdy** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:46 pm

Also be wary of factory tow rating for vehicles, your insurance company can get very unhappy if you have more than the factory rating and you need to go reasonably new or pretty large to get over 15-1600kg even with a braked trailer. I have this problem at the moment trying to find a new tow vehicle, Hilux pre 2003 is only 1500kg maybe 1600kg which really increases the price of your tow vehicle.

Callum

Looonie · Post by **Looonie** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:58 pm

Hrrmm... all valid points, cheers guys. I have towed the car on a hire tandem braked trailer behind my ute (93 B2200), just taking it slow and easy... While a bigger, heavier tow vehicle would be nice, thats a few years down the line at this point. I think the dirty old Mazda will handle towing fine, but I agree that braked is probably best.

So sounds like I can try to find a braked single axle of suitable sizing and save myself a grand or so over a tandem?

DVSMOTORSPORT · Post by **DVSMOTORSPORT** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:01 pm

Personally Id only go single axle for a trailer designed for a 1000kg car or less. Most spindles and hub kits are rated to 1500kg. That means for a 1250kg car, your trailer and anything else you carry needs to be 250kg or less.

As for brakes, dont even think of not using them, as has been said most towbars are 750kg unbraked or less.

wde_bdy · Post by **wde_bdy** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:07 pm

Looking at re-doing my trailer for brakes at the moment, you can get I think Kodiak brand from TWL rate at 1,750kg a pair and the prices were pretty good.

Callum

ee904age · Post by **ee904age** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:27 pm

I used a well built braked tandem to travel from Wanganui to Napier and back twice when I brought the MR2's off Ben. Towing with my old 92 L200, with a non turbo 4D56, complete MR2 on the trailer and a deck full of 3SGTE and spares it was a bit slow up hills but down hills, round corners and stopping, it was like the trailer wasn't even there. On the flip side, I used a Non braked single axle to pick up a Landrover with the same tow vehicle from Tangimoana, and my ass was biting the seat the whole way home. A very tiring trip!

fj40cruzapete · Post by **fj40cruzapete** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:40 pm

most 4wds hae a higher rating for towing

my 2001 v8 jeep grand cherokee ltd has a 3500kg rating

goes pretty good but likes the odd drop of fuel lol would even finish off my coke in the back seat if given a chance :oops:

but love that v8 niose :lol:

Boost_4_Life · Post by **Boost_4_Life** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:53 am

1kz superscustom ftw. My trailer is quite heavy, but this is the second supercustom i've owned and just wicked for towing. little slow up the hills, but otherwise the van handles better towing than it does without a load! On trailers... twl are good for parts. I'm redesigning a lot of my tandem over the xmas break cos i just bought a welder, tyre rack new front toolbox etc :wink:

Post by **Mr Revhead** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:55 am

With twl stuff make sure you can get parts. They have a habit of selling things for a few years then stopping with no spare parts. Just had that recently with a few twl products

Boost_4_Life · Post by **Boost_4_Life** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 7:37 am

good advice, didnt know that! Though if you stick with the Trojan stuff etc you're normally pretty safe. Auto Trail here in hamilton are good too.

neo · Post by **neo** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:00 am

My trailer has all AL-KO bits https://shop.alko.co.nz/, looks like trojan takes trojan replacement parts but is about 1/2 the price

Adoom · Post by **Adoom** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 1:42 pm

Here is some useful tow rating info http://www.aa.co.nz/motoring/owning-a-car/towing/towing-weights/

wde_bdy · Post by **wde_bdy** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 5:10 am

Just looking at the Toyota stuff, there appears to be quite a few errors in that list.

Callum

xsspeed · Post by **xsspeed** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:30 am

The list suggests you can tow more with a Camry than a Falcon