Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck)

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Cd

Oh wow - 46 pages of reading in this thread !
Can you put a small trailer on a G1 Insight ?
I saw a guy did something like this for his Insight on InsightCentral, but I think it was attached to the bumper itself and was not a trailer ( he used it for bikes )
The shop said the car is good to tow 200 lbs.
I have to transport some large paintings and was wondering if you could actually tow a small trailer with an Insight.
I would think even the smallest trailer out there would be close to, or more than 200 lbs.

I'm doing just that:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-29288-24.html

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ign-30653.html

I'm certain I can go well over 200lbs; I've tested 200lbs on the ball.

[cosmick]

Going a step beyond, now that I've made my S-10 average nearly 40 MPG, and upgraded the rear axle. I had to pull the 2.5L and 4 speed manual, no OD. It had a 3.42:1 axle, now it has an Explorer axle with 3.08:1 gears, for which I have 2.73:1 gears also. This axle is rated to carry 3800# rather than 2700# like what I removed. The 4,8L V8 is being backed with a 30.4% OD.
I towed bumper hitch for a long time before trying goosenecking, but gooseneck really is better, and I don't see why an S-10 can't equal a fullsize halfton. S-10s were rated to tow as much as 6000#, and goosenecking can put up to 1/3 of the total weight on the pickup's rear axle, which is now not a problem for this S-10.

[AlexanderB]

Shouldn't that be a little more forward, so some of the weight is also put on the front axle?

[cosmick]

I wrestled with fore-aft positioning, both theory and practicality. This proved practical, and as for the theory, the idea is to prevent the steering from "going light". These front lower balljoints aren't that HD, the V8 and 4L60E add front end weight already, and the hitch ball is still slightly forward of the exact center of the axle.
I've had more than 2000# in the back of a 2WD RCSB 4.3L S-10 before, it handles just fine.
I haven't upgraded the front brakes yet, but I've begun gathering the parts.

[AlexanderB]

Ok

[skyking]

slightly forward is needed and not for the weight transfer as much as it is for handling. They are bad aft, worse than bad. a little forward is great, too far forward they will have too much leverage on the steer axle in slick conditions.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

A few days ago I saw a Nissan Frontier pulling a 5th-wheel trailer. Not sure what was the weight of that trailer, but it was a big one.

[aerostealth]

Habor Freight has a trailer rated for 600 LBS which is basically a small trailer with a cargo hauler bolted to it. The nice thing about this is a load in would be fully enclosed and aerodynamic. The wheels need different faring to clean up the air around them but it could be a good basis for a aero car and trailer set up for only $379.

[oldtamiyaphile]

My trailer is nearly done, it replaces my VW T5 which costs more than a Porsche to run.

The front half is rolling workshop, the rear half is for bulky goods, or sand, mulch etc. It will be getting a roof rack for long loads, alternatively 4x8 sheets can be strapped to the bulkhead.

I can't think of many jobs that this trailer won't work for and my small van + trailer is more flexible than just having a big van.

Not much attention has been payed to Eco/Aero as I really needed to get it done asap, I plan on chopping and changing it until I get it exactly how I want it, then I plan on doing a MkII with the lessons learned.

It looks bigger than it is in the photo, the total floor area is only 7x5'. Internal height is 5', I plan on adding a dropped floor so standing inside is possible. For now the high matches the tow vehicle.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

my VW T5 which costs more than a Porsche to run.

I have noticed that too on the newer ones.