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Does anyone Tow?; Towing with a metro
Topic Started: Jan 3 2015, 02:02 PM (5,677 Views)
Tubablake
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Okay so I recently starting building one of those teardrop trailers.

Well sorta, I simply made mine a rectangle, it was much simpler. Not as aerodynamic but so much easier.

Does anyone tow with a metro.

I have a 91 4dr 5 speed. I was going to buy some air suspension used for towing vehicles and put them on so that there would be virtually no downward stress on the car as the air cylinders would support it all.

When finished the trailer will only weigh about 850-900lbs.
It will also have trailer brakes so I won't have to worry about the brakes wearing out.

Do you think our little motor could pull that going no more the 50mph normally 35-40mph on relatively flat roads to my campsite?
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TripleThreat


THANKS GMF!
Edited by TripleThreat, Mar 14 2015, 10:06 PM.
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Tubablake
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The way that I figure that I can get away with the weight is that there will be virtually no downward weight because of the air lift. So the motor is only pulling forward which is way easier on a car.

Friend of mine have a 40ft 14,000lbs fifth wheel trailer that whenever he needs to move it in his driveway he attaches a beam with a wheel so theres no downward weight and then uses a john deere tractor to move it. so if downward weight is eliminated then stress on the vehicle is greatly reduced.
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myredvert
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myredvert

There are a few members who tow (or have towed) with their Metros. You'll get some good input from them.
Quote:
 
The way that I figure that I can get away with the weight is that there will be virtually no downward weight because of the air lift. So the motor is only pulling forward which is way easier on a car.
??? I'm having trouble understanding this, and am not sure if it's a geometry or physics thing, or both. :hmm
Quote:
 
Friend of mine have a 40ft 14,000lbs fifth wheel trailer that whenever he needs to move it in his driveway he attaches a beam with a wheel so theres no downward weight and then uses a john deere tractor to move it. so if downward weight is eliminated then stress on the vehicle is greatly reduced.
That's great for moving a trailer around the driveway, but it has nothing to do with towing.

The air support may keep the rear suspension from being overly stressed/compressed by the tongue weight and keep the car more level, but whatever the tongue weight is, is still the tongue weight (that must be supported by the rear suspension of the car). Since a tongue weight of roughly 10-15% of the total weight is necessary for stable towing, you will have roughly 100-150 lb of tongue weight. "Air support" does not change the tongue weight, it simply supports it.

Then the entire total weight of the trailer is still the amount of weight that must be pulled by the engine and transaxle. Forward. What other direction other than forward could the drivetrain be pulling it? :dunno

And do we get to see pictures of your design? I love the teardrop designs. :thumb
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Old Man


Nothing so far about stopping or slowing on a curve or turning. Each of those actions puts strain on the rear suspension parts. Not the suspension parts that hold the car UP. The suspension parts that hold the tires, springs etc TOGETHER. As they are (without a trailer) they are almost too weak for their design purpose. --- collapse them with too much active weight and you will have a tire laying flat on the pavement still attached to all the suspension parts.
Edited by Old Man, Jan 3 2015, 06:10 PM.
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Tubablake
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If our suspension is really that weak then I have a little ranger that I can use.

My thought was that because the air lift would be supporting the majority of the weight that in would take a major portion of stress off of the suspension.

Heres a way to think of it.

A v6 truck could pull a 33000lbs school bus( I know because I've seen the mechanics at the yard do it to mine)

Obviously that well exceeds a towing limit but it can do it because the bus supports all of its down weight on its tire, so all the truck has to do is pull it forward.

If you put the bus on a trailer the truck would be dead because now it has to deal with all the downward weight as well.
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myredvert
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myredvert

And here's one more way to look at it...

There's a huge difference between "it can do it" and it can do it safely with the same amount of safety margins that are engineered into vehicles that are designed for it. Besides the stress issues Old Man pointed out, that's a quite a bit of weight to potentially start swinging around behind a car that was not designed for it.

Also, by changing the design from a teardrop to a rectangle, the degraded aerodynamics can also cause additional handling issues with stronger asymmetrical vortex shedding behind the trailer. Not so much at 35-40 mph, but I wouldn't want to find out where the handling becomes unsafe on an actual road with that much weight behind me.

That and your gas mileage is going to take a major hit.
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Tubablake
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That is a good point, I normally stress to my students safety is key.
Better safe then sorry.

I just thought that with the added air suspension and trailer brakes that it would do it, but I like my metro a whole lot so I'll stick with a truck
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myredvert
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myredvert

Your Metro will thank you for it. :thumb

Do we get to see pictures of your trailer design? I love Teardrops (even if they change into a rectangle drop). :D
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Tubablake
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Yes Ill snap some pictures next time I go to work at it. (It's at a friends house, he has a garage I don't)
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Fubar007
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[ *  *  *  *  * ]
I know a guy that does Metros around Birmingham, he tows Metros with a Metro all the time using a Dolly. I put a hitch on mine. I have a small HF covered trailer I haul Diving Gear around. It bumps my mileage down about 4 MPG.
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Highwayman
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I built a 4by 8 trailer for my Geo. It has expanded screen metal on the front and tailgate so the wind can pass thru. I only transport it empty as I am afraid the hitch is weak. It will pull 55 but it has to go into 4th gear on the slightest hills. It works ok around town though. I am going to build a 4 by 4 out of aluminum after I reinforce the hitch.
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jazzmandolin
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I think that guy GeoJeff somewhat specializes in towing with a metro. He has heavy duty clutch kits specifically for towing and also a tow hitch available. I think it said 100 pound tongue weight with max 1000 pound tow for his tow package. Just google GeoJeff if interested.
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Old Man


jazzmandolin
Jan 3 2015, 11:51 PM
I think that guy GeoJeff somewhat specializes in towing with a metro. He has heavy duty clutch kits specifically for towing and also a tow hitch available. I think it said 100 pound tongue weight with max 1000 pound tow for his tow package. Just google GeoJeff if interested.
You should do a little research before you recommend someone............You can start here with several threads:
https://www.google.com/#q=geometroforum+geo+jeff+site:geometroforum.com
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jazzmandolin
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A suggestion not a recommendation!
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