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Off topic : tow advise

R

risky1

Joined Sep 2004
1K Posts | 1+
Clovis, CA USA!
I have decided to use my work car to tow two bikes and myself and and another person to Moab. however, to my surprise, the tow rating on the 06 ChevyImpala is at a lightweight 1000 lbs. I am welcoming opinions on whether or not it will be fine towing 500Lbs of motorcycle, plus gear and trailer, and 500 lbs of people inside?

comments?
 
What type of trailer are you pulling?Open bike trailer,fully enclosed etc??
 
4x8 flat bed, most likely weighs in around 350-400 lbs. so i guess all told I will most likley be hauling 1500 lbs
 
i can physically pick up my single axle 8' x 4' bed trailer. that is - at the tail whilst on the tow hook. so i estimate my trailer nust way 2 x 200 pounds? say 400 pounds? a bike weighs 250 pounds.

i find that it's the aerodynamics that ruin it. seriously consider a tight skin over the load and no tailgate.

of course if your trailer is twin axle and built like the fourth bridge well.....

seems to me that you're being overcatious this time. good thing to be but you should be fine.

regards

Taffy
 
My comments should not be relied upon as knowledgeable but I will offer this - I suspect your stated weight limit is more a function of your car's ability to slow the extra mass down reliably vs any real issues with the car being able to carry or pull the load assuming the car has a hitch that is up to the task.

There are factors of safety in everything and if you are anywhere near the published value, you should be just fine.

If you were running the trip with 4 'WB' sized guys in the car, with 16 flats of beer and full gear and the heavy trailer and you were running through the mountains I might say you were pushing it.... :)

Watch your tire pressure and load rating by the way. You'll want to run the pressure up to keep the tires from getting too hot.

Cheers

Mark
 
Worse case scenario, would be a burned up rear end or transmission, but you said it is a work rig, so No worries :thumb: No really, the factories under rate there capacities to error on the light side, this is to keep people from towing too much, you will be fine. A buddy of mine used to tow two quads, and load up a weeks worth of camp gear behind a Toyota Corolla without any problems. Load it, drive it, and see ya there!
 
I would go for it but I would not let the transmission shift into overdrive. The clutch in the torque converter might not be able to handle the load when in 4th and your car problely doesn't have a tranny cooler besides the one in the radiator. Last summer smoked the tranny in my Astro van pulling my utility trailer with 2 bikes in overdrive.
 
overdrive

Just listen to the motor,If you are on the flat land let the motor relax in O/D.If you come to some hills pull it down into drive and slow a bit still the extra revs will let the water pump and the pump in the trans turn faster moving more fluid. And the next flat put back in O/D,Pretend you have an egg under your foot and you are trying to get great gas mileage.It goes without saying tire pressure fluids check them all.See you there.Coronaberg.
 

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