How not to trailer
 

Some people may have taken this post too seriously or didn't bother to read and comprehend the OP:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...uck-25485.html

I'm not saying you can't tow a trailer with a prius.
But you don't want the police man telling you not to tow your jeep with a prius on a tandem axle trailer and cutting you a fat ticket.
That's at least a 1,200lb to 1,400lb trailer when it's empty.
Then the jeep has to weigh at least 4,000lb.
I doubt the prius has a brake controller.
I'm sure that's at least double the prius tow rating, if it has one.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1493930967

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1493930967

Just because you have a pickup

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rJuoc0OpxRE

Nah....put that prius in L mode and charge the battery in no time!!!

Waaay too much tongue weight. Couldn't even get that right.

I can understand someone hooking it all up just to see how it would look and to move around the driveway/private road. But any idiot could tell you that actually driving something that looks like that on the street makes you a menace to society.

I wonder just how overloaded that poor Prius is.

I'm amazed the front tires had enough grip to move it.

This is why I would be hesitant in buying an ecobox with a hitch. Bad choices are pervasive when people just don't know the difference.
This poor car will need an alinment after this torture. As the suspension is completely bottomed out, the only thing left to suck up the bumps is bending the sheet metal chassis. There lucky they didn't push the struts through the mounts and out the side windows...
Dreem big chisel down to reality.
In this case its better to just start with a new rock.

Aren't there maximum towing weights in the USA?

Most cars in the United States come with factory recommend tow ratings, then the hitch you install also has weight ratings (because cars don't come with towing gear). Then you use which ever is lower.
The car may have a 2,000lb tow limit, the hitch may one be rated for 1,000lb. Or the car may have a 1,000lb limit but the hitch may have a 2,000lb limit. You have to go with the lower rating.
Then you have trailer limits and tire limits of the vehicle and trailer tires.

They probably only stopped the Prius because the taillights on the trailer didn't work. LOL

Aah okay, so it's about the same as in The Netherlands. The Prius anyway, isn't allowed to tow anything here. The hitch may only be used for a bicycle carrier.

Wow I didn't know the prius didn't have a tow rating.
In the U.S. if the vehicle doesn't have a tow rating here that means you better not tow anything or you better not get caught.

The Nissan Leaf has a 0 tow rating as well.

With the new SAE J2807 protocols I don't see to many eco boxes getting a rating. Any vehicle raited over 1500 must be equipped with a brake controller. The new rating system the vehicle must proform under real world conditions and be leagal. One specification is the ability to stop and start in both directions at max rated multiple times.

Q: what happens when then european model(s) have trailering capabilities, but the exact same USA model doesn't, ie: current 2017 Prius ! ! !

The reason for the euro tow rating versus no US rating is:
Euros do the unthinkable, they actually slow down while towing.
They will put a break controller in a car, unthinkable in the US.
Most if not all of them have to have some kind of trailering class before they can tow.

So in the US everything need to be designed for idiots exceeding the speed limit with no trailer brakes while towing.

Old tele
In Europe your insurance coveret the "leagal "trailing accident. In the us you broke the rules accepting full responsibility for your illegal choices and your ins gos up, Of the old man that you bump has a heart attack it could be murder charges. With the same car made for different markets, aka different specifications.
Duse the EU require proof of concept on tow rating?or is it a magic number pulled from a hat like the US used to be?
Can an EU prius pass the SAE J 2807?

Oil pan
How much was that load under the rating , that inspired you to rebuild your trailer with brakes this time.. If any I'd say the magic rating number from the hat was high by the new standard. I think the SAE J2807 is more to force honesty out of the manufacturer. No more selling a truck with a 5/10,000lbs rating tow package that is only leagal for 1499lbs. Or needs a bigger radiator, trans cooler,etc

The 2017 Prius has an towing capacity of about 750 kgs in the Netherlands. So that is not much. (about 1600 pounds?)

Both cars are rated for 2,000lb. I was towing 800lb gross long distance and I noticed that it was pushing the car around any time I would try to stop.
Then when I was towing 1,000lb gross with my corvette brake equipped firebird I noticed the trailer pushing me around and I even locked up my ultra high performance summer only tires.

I read several articles on J2807, they all said exactly the same thing, except for this one, which actually quantified values.
http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/bl...ngs-explained/

Now I see why they refer to it as "that dam test".
It's going to absolutely murder a lot of these crazy tow ratings we see.

I'm sure my firebird could do it. I had no problems maintaining 75mph in 6th gear going over the mountains in Virginia and Tennessee on I-81 and I-40 with my trailer loaded with around 600lb.

The dichotomy between EU-spec'd towing capability and USA-NON-spec towing incapability reminds me of saying we had in Vietnam when we were issued GENEVA "Non-Combatant Cards", "...hold it up and see what caliber bullets it protects you against..."

In other words, it's just a "paper game", something to check the necessary "box" somewhere on some useless form.

a guy here at 'yota said the HSD does not like excessive weight, and that the body isn't rigid enough in the long run of using a trailer.


And priuses until the latest gen are not allowed to tow here in eu area.


A trailer here has also mandatory insurance, it's separate from car.

If it has brakes, it must be inspected.

(trailer accidents rare here, though. I guess having some laws is good sometimes)

My war wagon can legally pull 400kg with non-brake trailer, and 1000kg with a braked trailer.

I towed a yard of dirt (1800 lbs) with my Prius. I regularly tow a jetski in the summer. No trailer brake. I just leave a much larger gap in front of me and begin braking much sooner. I'm so gradual with the brakes that I only use regenerative braking instead of friction.

I also didn't use a light controller, and instead wired the LEDs directly into the existing wiring. No turn signals, but the running and brake lights work.

A light controller to go from amber turn signal to red turn/brake lights is nothing but a diode W bridge.
I have only ever made my own light controllers.
All you need is four 3 amp diodes, at least that's what I use.

I did that! Fifty-six in a fifty-five! I was constantly checking my mirrors!

I thought about it. Don't the controllers usually come with the correct T harness connector for the vehicle application? That's one thing I wish I had because I don't like cutting into the wiring.

My LED brake light draw is something low like 200mA, which is why I was comfortable directly splicing into the existing wiring.

I need to revisit the wiring anyhow as the folding trailer pinches the exposed wires. I'll run them through some plastic conduit for protection.

For a lot of cars there is no option for a plug in trailer harness.
If there is an off the shelf plug in solution, use that first.

This claim about the HSD not being so suitable to "excessive weight" doesn't surprise me at all, even though the so-called "scalability" is often pointed out as an excuse for Toyota to invest so hard on it. But when it comes to body rigidity under load, it just sounds quite weird since the Prius doesn't rely on an exclusive platform, and I've already seen Corollas towing without any problem.

No


Axle and tire ratings need to be respected.

Other than that there is a bit of science to the lash up. Not rocket science as the saying goes, but decades of experience are on hand.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vYMBEGoN1...0/erereeee.JPG
Just A Car Guy: When dragging them home, all full of hope, and empty of wallet... be sure to grease the bearings, and carry a couple fire extinguishers

As long as you go easy, and know how to position and Haul the load, most cars can tow alot more stuff than the "manufacturer" says anyway. Those numbers they put out are the CYA numbers. I towed all kinds of loads with my Ford Escort when I had it, no brake controller, easy driving, and never had one single issue.

i towed once a Celica with my War Wagon.

1.2 x the weight of my car. And 75 Hp

Oh goodie it was slow.

My car is otherwise allowed to pull a ton if it has brakes, and only 400Kg w/o brakes

Realistically 400kg is about all you want to pull at highway speeds with out trailer brakes.

Not a trailer fsil, more like a failure to trailer.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1499608765

Here in finland you are only allowed to drive 50mph/80kmh with a trailer.

it's also the upper speed limit for semi-trucks and all cars/vans with a maximum load weight bigger than 3500Kg.

Nope.

"Tow ratings" are the advice of the manufacturer. Not law.

With commercial vehicles it is axle/wheel/tire ratings. This would also apply as a recommendation to private owners. In fact, it's what we've do in this country.

But, as to "law" one will find much that is subject to interpretation dependent on no real process except as above. State by state.

I

Nearly every state has requirements for trailer brakes past a certain weight.

Euro laws regarding travel trailers (no use of weight distribution hitches) and a general "not invented here" syndrome-typical means slightly different chassis design. Very low tongue weight, for instance. In toto and as percentage. The low speed limits are as much consequence as cause.

In the US we can tow far larger trailers at far higher speeds as our method gives greater control. We also tow far greater distances, in general.

.

J2807 provides cover for funneling Americans into incredibly profitable pickup trucks.

It ignores the majority of vehicles (no rating or only nominal: not tested), and revises use of WD hitches by stretching definitions of what is safe. This, despite throwing out the door more than fifty years verified experience since Bundorf with hundreds of thousands of users and many millions of miles.

Then are unrealistic tests. Davis Dam Grade. Whoopee! One lives in such a place, one is already aware of vehicle shortcomings in this regard. Unrealistic as it (they) do not describe typical American commuter needs. Etc

Nor is their room for aerodynamic trailers. Weight is single consideration. Yet once to cruise speed, weight means little.

For a contractor or rancher already planning use of a pickup, it's sorta okay.

For car owners, worthless and retrograde.

A pickup is pretty well the most dangerous vehicle type by design. Unbalanced and unstable.

In towing, its singular advantage MAY be larger engine coolant systems. For a car with the same engine, one simply climbs the same grade more slowly. Whoopee! Etc.

Around the world is the idea that the tow vehicle should weigh as much or more than the trailer. The TV rear tire contact patch adhesion is at stake. Counterforce to a snaking trailer.

The advent of electronic trailer anti-sway does most of what's needed for occasional towing "stability".

Many vehicles are adequate tow vehicles.

Don't anyone believe that J2807 is done to increase safety. Protection of profits trumps all else.

All this said, someone towing regularly needs to do homework to get best results.

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Subject to interpretation means you get to defend you actions in court, where you will lose because the system is rigged.
I'm sure the guy in the OP paid what ever ticket the cop cut.
Some times you are better off buying a pickup.

I don't care about larger cooling systems and going faster, we have a whole generation who thinks their pickup can tow 30,000lb, I only care about these idiots being able to stop.
Most of these people don't know anything about needing 5th wheels, and brake controllers and for the load to be properly distributed because they don't show any of that in the advertising.

Now with the SAE spec they at least sale a complete tow package with components rated at capacity and integrated to cooperate with the rigs ABS . Improving the likelihood that a first timer won't kill me due to ignorance(just plain not knowing any better),to cheep, or thinking there skill is high enough to skip brake. Insted of just the cheapest part on the shelf, as many customers did when I worked for U-Haul . Eg the $100 brake controller is good for 2axle ,not the 4+needed for 30k(thatone is closer to $200) or saying ahha my truck can pull the barn if I could find a stronger chains, I dont need trailer brakes. Or its got a hitch I can hook to anything. No your metro can not tow the car trailer in any way shape or form not even empty(2100lbs 250 tongue weight). Many its just hitch ,drawbar, and ball . No lights, controller, no trans cooler , or any consideration to why the $200 hitch cost $1200 as a factory installation. Had the loacal dealership bring new almost sold trucks in for complete tow package. It's surprising how many corners are cut on a non-towing truck.

I have seen a truck definitely new enough to have ABS slide into the middle of an intersection because the dump body trailer they had loaded up with roof tear off didn't have brakes.

I don't know what the total install cost would be. My brake controller is for up to a 2 axle trailer with lots of features and cost $120. Wiring to a car was kind of a PITA.

That's the problem, the general public doesn't understand what all goes into a properly setup tow rig. Generally people see an empty 2x2 Reese hitch and that's their ticket to tow what ever they want because they saw an advertisement showing a truck that looked like what they have pulling a insane load up ludicrous grade.

I'm more worried about stopping. I guess that's how you know you are getting old.

Yeah, the brake controller might be reasonably priced, but how much are the brakes?

My Harbor Freight 4' x 8' folding trailer cost something like $200. What would it cost to add brakes to it?

Also, there is a difference between regularly hauling roof tear off material for a business, and occasionally hauling a yard of mulch 3 miles. A business can write off the cost of a brake controller, truck, 5th wheel hitch, etc.

A quic Google said Less than the controller. -71inch-2000lb with brakes $106 . Use 2 brakers 1 for controller 1 for the charge wire(if used to top up the beak-away batery ) and $49.99 for the brake-away battery boxand switch ,(switch can be had for under $10)