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Does anyone Tow?; Towing with a metro
Topic Started: Jan 3 2015, 02:02 PM (5,680 Views)
Old Man


Exactly. I SUGGEST that you know what you are talking about before suggesting a recommendation.
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jazzmandolin
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I will be sure and ask your suggested recommendations before I post anything here again Old Man. He does however offer supposed heavy duty clutch kits and flywheels for towing and tow hitch kits for sale. This I do know! Whether they are really what they are supposed to be or worth buying cant say.
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Fubar007
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I was thinking, Get a Motorcycle type popup, take the metro on a long cross country Vacation. A poor man's adventure! last time I did it in my Dodge Class B Camper it cost me $2400.00 Skins for GAS for about 22 Days traveling. :die
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Justahoby
Unqualified informant

Trivia in metro world
" As you all know I tow metros with my metros, I use my metro as a tow truck. "

Who said this? If you guess you will see how dumb it is :D
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Justahoby
Unqualified informant

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.
I missed that post... That's the idiot I was thinking.
Although 1000 pound is not that much... I don't see the limits on metro brakes allowing me to safe lye approach that..jmo

I upgraded to the 1.3 to have a heavier clutch without planning to tow... However I think as small as that clutch is even, towing would be a bad idea...

With an engine smaller than a smart car, and brakes for a go cart, it is a mileage car.
A tow truck is a tow truck.. Jmho
Edited by Justahoby, Jan 4 2015, 11:27 AM.
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Tubablake
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I have seen much of geo jeffs work posted on here. People do not seem happy.

It all sums up to one thing.

He rebuilds motors without a guarantee. Done. Simple.

If you are sure that you can properly rebuild a motor, then you can guarantee your work. If you can't guarantee it then you shouldn't be trying. Especially for $3k
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myredvert
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myredvert

Quote:
 
If you are sure that you can properly rebuild a motor, then you can guarantee your work. If you can't guarantee it then you shouldn't be trying
:hmm Geo Jeff engine with a guarantee, or...

The engines many of us here paid to be rebuilt without one. No contest. And I for one am extremely happy he didn't follow your advice and that he "tried" to rebuild them anyway. :D

A "guarantee" doesn't necessarily reflect the quality and value of the work, and in my opinion there are more thing to consider that that alone.
Edited by myredvert, Jan 4 2015, 02:24 PM.
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Justahoby
Unqualified informant

He doesn't guarantee transmissions with leaks..... So if he forgets to put in a seal... Your fault... Lol oh, he also believes in putting axle seals backwards if they leak
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Thart10


There isn't a lot of Frame aft of the rear end to even attach a Trailer Hitch TOO. Best option I can find.
http://www.thehitchstore.com/class-i-trailer-hitch-receiver-125-inch-11626-p-328.html

Then take the load off the Geo by making a 4 wheel trailer with pivoting front wheels to follow the car. All you have to do is get it moving.
Just depends of where your camp ground is, how much you can tow.

EDIT: I don't have any problems in KY with my 90 4dr LSi, and you shouldn't in WV. But unless your engine has recently been rebuilt, I wouldn't venture out West. Old Cars, like old people don't breath as well as we use too. You get close to Denver or above and suddenly you don't have the giddy up to make it up a hill, much less towing a trailer.
My old 92 Corolla, with 427,000 miles, had to take a 110 mile detour across a desert to get out of Albuquerque. Current mileage: 449,7XX and still going to work tomorrow.
Edited by Thart10, Jan 6 2015, 10:17 AM.
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Tubablake
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That's some nice mileage! Keep on rolling!
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Thart10


Tubablake
Jan 6 2015, 10:41 AM
That's some nice mileage! Keep on rolling!
My 90 Metro LSi ONLY has 207,XXX :cheers

Not so sure about the miles on my 78 Fiat X1/9 Project as it was Towed behind a Winnebago from Arkansas to California, multiple times. Posted Image

Two years of restoration work. Hoping to get it back on the streets for Good this Spring.
Edited by Thart10, Jan 6 2015, 12:15 PM.
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metromizer


I built a pretty nice hitch for my 3cyl 5spd '96 (bolted thru the floor under the spare tire, and the rear bulkhead behind the rear bumper, backed up with 'doubler plates' to keep from tearing '96's California-dry, un-rusted, yet thin body metal).

I flat-towed my '62 beetle (1700lbs?), using a tow bar (no tongue weight) about 200 miles total, mix of interstate and across town. Just to say I did it. As far as I could tell, MPG was only 35mpg during the tow. I could cruise at 55mph, but not much more. And it took miles to get there. The accelerator pedal's function was reduced to merely a volume control, after 55mph, more pedal made it louder, but didn't do much else :P

I can't say I recommend it.

Even with doubler plates, my rear bulkhead would make this 'oil-can-bloop' sound, every time I left a stop, or slowed with the brakes :O Again, that was with 1700lbs of VW beetle behind me.

First, on anything but dead-flat ground, starting off takes a driver very good at feathering the clutch, and lots of patience. Patient drivers behind you, too. I think I saw a couple 'one-fingered salutes' on my couple trips. Second, stopping takes forethought and driving skill. An emergency stop or someone pulling out in front of you changes a minor inconvenience (having to tap the brake pedal) into a white knuckle accident avoidance maneuver. IMO, Metro brakes are barely adequate without a big load. Add 1000lbs or more of teardrop camp trailer and gear, and you'll be very disappointed in margin of safety and performance.

Now, I've tried to talk you out of it. But wait, there's another side of the coin, I am not as risk averse as I sound...

I've raced cars, I've been 156mph in a VW Karmann Ghia, had a '65 VW bus up to 107mph on Route 66, taken a Suzuki Samurai down Lippencott Mine Road in Death Valley... I've read a fun adventure travel blog about a group of guys doing the TAA (Trail Across America, coast-to-coast without touching pavement) riding rebuilt Honda trail 90's, just to say they did!

If you are in that group, upgrade your brakes with metallic pads and new rotors, or better yet build your trailer with electric trailer brakes (they are cheap) add an electric brake controller (easy to do), keep your trailer light (goal of 500lbs), bolt a good hitch to solid metal, and go for it! Take some test drive first, however.
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Tubablake
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Well as I said earlier it would have trailer brakes. But I am doubting the suspension quality of our little cars.
I will probably refrain from towing with this
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Fubar007
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Put surge brakes on the trailer. They are cheap enough and can be set to really slow you down with using only a tiny bit of brake peddle.
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Tubablake
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Never heard of those.
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