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| Does anyone Tow?; Towing with a metro | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 3 2015, 02:02 PM (5,679 Views) | |
| Fubar007 | Jan 8 2015, 09:56 PM Post #31 |
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Elite Member
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There are two types of trailer brakes, one is electric that requires a brake controller and surge brakes that work just like hydraulic car brakes. The tongue moves and depresses the master cylinder upon braking. They are on all boat trailers that tow over 2000 pounds and on many trailers that are over 2000 Pounds. A kit usually can be purchased for about $400.00 and some change. |
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| Tubablake | Jan 9 2015, 07:17 AM Post #32 |
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Interesting concept. Why are these better than regular electric brakes? |
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| snowfish | Jan 9 2015, 09:38 AM Post #33 |
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Basic GearHead
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The Ranger the most correct answer. Our Metro's thin uni-bodies, and light suspension components, is not a safe towing design at your projected weight. This trailer weights 350lb empty. ![]() Tows OK, but would not want to do it on a regular basis. It's still a 350lb hammer pounding the frame and suspension components. Something will break in a short time. This combo would be insane at over 2000lbs. ![]() This was only to move from behind the garage to the driveway. Use your Ranger. It will feel better, tow better, and safer for everyone.Edited by snowfish, Jan 9 2015, 12:22 PM.
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| t3ragtop | Jan 9 2015, 11:29 AM Post #34 |
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Turbo3 and Twincam Tweaker
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take that to the bank! ![]() snowfish is the owner/ operator of a trailer business so he's got the 411. |
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| Fubar007 | Jan 9 2015, 01:32 PM Post #35 |
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Elite Member
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Electric brakes on a boat trailer dipped in salt water explains itself easily. Electric parts don't work well in salt water. Electric brakes require separate wiring for brake control which must be hooked to existing wiring in the vehicle. A decent controller cost well over a hundred bucks and if the trailer is used on another vehicle it too must be wired and a controller be moved or added, more expense. Surge brakes are simply hook up the trailer and go. |
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| Justahoby | Jan 9 2015, 08:52 PM Post #36 |
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Unqualified informant
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In the end, what mileage difference is there going to be between a 4 cyl Ford Ranger and a 3cyl while towing 1000 lbs? I don't see it.. Honestly..... Not to mention who is going to be pissed off behinds you trying to save a few cents in gas.. At dollars of wear and tear on your geo... |
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| nerys | Jan 10 2015, 01:05 AM Post #37 |
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Grr
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I would not suggest towing a 850 pound trailer. see if you can get the mass down to 500 pounds wet. at 500 pounds I think you could do is safely. it is not about power or braking the metro has plenty of both. my concern would quite simply be the frame itself holding up to that much weight. in fact I would prefer a reinforced hitch and a dual axle trailer at 500 pounds max wet mass. far less stress on the connection with dual axle. if your building it yourself you will save THOUSANDS of dollars if you make it a hi-lo ie make it like a "box" where the top half slips over the bottom half making the trailer HALF the height in "town" configuration. here is an up and down shot ![]() but do it in this size ![]() keep the FULL ON wet mass under 500 pounds. you can go single axle with that. if you can get it down to 400 pounds do it. even better. at 500 pounds reinforce the hitch and frame if you can and beef up the brakes. if I ever have the time its what I want to build for my metro. I want to do an aluminum trailer frame with scooter wheels and composite foam fabrication. figure I can get it down to 300 pounds |
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| t3ragtop | Jan 10 2015, 12:55 PM Post #38 |
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Turbo3 and Twincam Tweaker
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check the load capacity on the tag on the driver's side door frame sometime. the full load capacity for the entire car is under 300 pounds. ask yourself why you can't just go to u-haul and have a hitch installed. could it be that they don't want the liability of towing gone wrong on a metro? yup. ![]() there's a reason why you could never buy a hitch above a class 1 for these cars and why you had to sign a waiver to have it installed. there's a 100 pound tongue weight limit and even a 300 pound gross trailer weight exceeds the car's capacity. you stand a better than average chance of bending the rear spindles and breaking the toe control rods. the base model car's brakes are nominal even without a trailer and they are next to useless when you try to tow. trying to make a car do something it's not made for is dangerous. and i'm not even concerned for you guys who want to do this but there are other people out there on the roads that don't really want to be a part of your experimentation. ![]() i'm full on against this. if you need to tow a trailer, find a vehicle that has the capacity to do that and use it instead of a metro. |
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| myredvert | Jan 10 2015, 02:16 PM Post #39 |
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myredvert
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And if you can build a 1,000 lb camper and make it weigh 50 lbs, that would be better still. ![]() Unfortunately, even a Little Guy myPod trailer with a molded fiberglass body on an all aluminum frame weighs 490 lbs dry, with a curb weight specified at 580. Even if you made a "normal" sized teardrop out of hand layup CF or Kevlar or even Boron for that matter, you'll be much heavier than that when you leave the driveway with it ready for camping. A 4x8 Harbor Freight trailer weighs something like 250 lbs all by itself. And a typical "small" teardrop with wood construction on a lightweight base trailer will weigh 800-1000 lbs. Little Guy MyPod Basic Build the trailer the size you want it to be, and use a suitable vehicle that is adequately rated for towing it.
Edited by myredvert, Jan 10 2015, 02:18 PM.
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| Justahoby | Jan 10 2015, 03:16 PM Post #40 |
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Unqualified informant
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I could get a flat screen and makeshift a/c from a 12 volt cooler, install it into a leather lined oak casket! Then throw an axle under it with 12" geo rims, and a flimsy hitch... Voila 300 lbs trailer! |
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| Fubar007 | Jan 10 2015, 03:45 PM Post #41 |
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Elite Member
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That is a NICE looking small popup!
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| Fubar007 | Jan 10 2015, 03:48 PM Post #42 |
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Elite Member
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I once had a Trail Manor collapsible trailer. It pulled like a mid sized popup and extended to 32 Feet. They are pretty nice and can be hauled around with a midsized vehicle. A mini version would be perfect to tow with a small car. |
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| Tubablake | Jan 10 2015, 05:13 PM Post #43 |
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Yes, having towed before I like to think about safety. Originally I thought with the air cylinders and trailer brakes that I could make it safe. However Geo's are getting scarce while rangers are plentiful, especially the one I have. With a brand new 5 speed from mazda and a new rebuilt motor, I think I'd much rather abuse my ranger than my metro. I like my Metro. |
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| David95237 | Jan 10 2015, 07:02 PM Post #44 |
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In 1982 Me and my Brother loaded up our Gold wing Motorcycles with 4x6 trailers that we had made and headed from California to Tennessee.To see the worlds fair. I think we did about 7000 miles and when i got back I weighed the trailer and it weighed 500#. Pulled like a dream. |
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| nwgeo | Jan 10 2015, 11:11 PM Post #45 |
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I don't know if I agree on this towing stuff with our metros. I thought the payload rating on a Metro was 700#s? Is that right? If that is right I think we could tow at least a 700# trailer and load, maybe more. I have a 7000# 4x4 ford truck that I regularly tow a 5500# trailer with electric brakes. The biggest load I have towed with my 4x4 is 12,000#s with I think a 5000# trailer. I went very slow and braked carefully and gave myself plenty of space to stop and space from any other vehicles. I have a 2x4 ford dually that I believe is rated gross truck and load at 22000#s. The dually does not weigh as much as the 4x4. So with my trucks I believe I am towing much more than my truck payload rating. I got to check on my payload/gross rating and get back. I like electric brakes much better on my trailers. As I am driving and braking I can fine tune the amount of braking needed. I have a friend who had surge brakes and on a fast slow down the surge brakes locked up the tires on a unloaded trailer and the trailer swung around the back end of the truck... it was not icy, I think just sandy. |
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Our Metro's thin uni-bodies, and light suspension components, is not a safe towing design at your projected weight.


Use your Ranger. It will feel better, tow better, and safer for everyone.






7:31 PM Jul 10