trailer towing question

For my next vehicle I'm looking at one of those mini-SUV or cross-over vehicles such as the HHR, Compass, or Vibe/Matrix. I need to occasionally pull a small utility trailer, empty weight 500 lbs, max gross weight 2000. Trips would be mostly short that is from the building centre to home.

I'm trying to make sense of the official company ratings for towing. The HHR and the 2wd Compass weigh about the same, but the Chevy has a 1000 lb rating and the Jeep twice that. And the Matrix/Vibe which weighs 400 lb less has a rating of 1500 lb. I'm wondering if all this really reflects ability to pull a trailer safely, or is GM simply being more cautious?

Reply to
Dave Gower
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The tow vehicle weight is only one relatively small part of the equation. The tow vehicles braking system capacity and suspension system capacity are much more important, particularly if the trailer doesn't have brakes.

None of the cars or cars in SUV disguise will have the towing ability of a real pickup or large SUV that has a frame (not unibody) and more substantial suspension and drivetrain.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

"Pete C." wrote

Uh, well thank you but I was aware of these general points, but I was hoping someone could comment on the specific vehicles mentioned.

Reply to
Dave Gower

Its not just power vs. weight, its about braking, cornering, and other aspects of vehicle dynamics. The HHR is a front-drive, and the Compass is rear-drive. That alone makes the Compass a much better towing platform than the HHR. If anything, I'd say the Matrix is over-rated at

1500 lb.
Reply to
Steve

"Steve" wrote

The Compass (which in fact is a Caliber with a Jeep-like body) is either front-drive or 4WD. I'd buy the front-drive.

Reply to
Dave Gower

I'll probably get flamed but I'd buy the one I liked best. Infrequent short trip from Home Depot can be managed by a riding lawn mower. Drive cautionsly when loaded and I doubt you will have any issue unless you have serious hills to navigate.

The ratings are based on several things. The 1000 pound rating is for driving at highway speeds down the highway for significant miles. To avoid warranty issues, this car can perform this task or they wouldn't print it. A 2000 load will most likely overhead a small automatic transmission at high way speeds for hours one end in a car rated for 1000 max. Again, 1500 lb for 5 miles at 35mph, allowing ample stopping space will probably hurt nothing.. Oh yeah, be sure to balance the load with like 60% on the tong,

40% behnid axle (toung weight should be about 10% of total load or 150# for 1500#. This should not be an issue to the suspension...

Again, that is what I would do. Not saying this is the best solution.

Reply to
bob

Dave: does the trailer have brakes? How occasional is the towing? What kind of terrain?

Richard

Reply to
Richard Krause

"Richard Krause" wrote

No trailer brakes, hard to say how often (maybe once a week?), mainly flat or moderate low hills. Distances unlikely to exceed 30 miles, probably much less.

Reply to
Dave Gower

Once a week seems more than occasional to me. Many people who need to tow buy "too much" tow vehicle in my opinion. But in this case, you need a beefier vehicle than the Vibe or the HHR. The Compass would be barely adequate. I'd still think you will have marginal braking and acceleration. A vehicle in the Trailblazer size range is going to be a lot more suitable.

Richard

Reply to
Richard Krause

I think the point was that the vehicles mentioned will all be about the same as far as actually towing ability regardless of manufacturers claimed capacity. All should handle the light, brakeless trailer reasonably well if it's loaded with a couple sheets of sheetrock or similar. All will handle like shit if you load the trailer to that

2,000# gross max, though you'll probably survive if it's only a 10 mile trip. Do not consider any of those vehicles as viable for frequent towing as that will in all probability cause premature wear on the lightweight suspension components.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

I think the *real* point is that rated towing capacity is limited by the weakest link, which isn't always obvious and could be any of several things, such as transaxle, unibody (either generally or in the area where one would attach a hitch receiver), brakes, handling dynamics, cooling system...

How often are you going to approach the gross weight of that trailer? Are we talking a few sheets of drywall and some 2x4's, or 20 sacks of ready-mix? Is making two trips as the better part of valor feasible for you? Are "real" pickups rentable in your area for those special occasions?

Frankly, I wouldn't shortlist any front-wheel-drive, unibody vehicle of essentially carlike nature for frequent or demanding towing with 2000 pounds on even if the manufacturer said it was marginally okay, but if you use your trailer more for bulk than for weight, it should be fine. (Speaking of bulk, remember that in highway trailering, aerodynamic load becomes important, so choose speed and gear prudently when you bring home that side-by-side refrigerator.)

The only one of your candidates that I've driven (not towing) is the Chevy HHR. It drives bigger than it is, and felt stable and well planted. Another point in its favor for the do-it-yourselfer: its cargo area is very ergonomically usable. A homeowner who wanted more capability than an ordinary sedan has to offer, but didn't want a pickup or pickup-based SUV could in my opinion do a lot worse, given consciousness of its limits.

Best of luck,

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

Your replies were appreciated.

Reply to
Dave Gower

I was just going to throw out there, if you have the parking, get the vehicle you want to drive every day, and lift a $1000 beater pickup or van for that weekly trip.

My $0.02

Regarding GM: There was a time about 10 years ago when Chevrolet was claiming up to a 10,000 pound towing capacity on their S-10. The dealerships backed that up, but I think it's insane. I know the HHR is a completely different animal, but maybe they got burnt too many times since then, and are trying to be conservative these days.

Reply to
phaeton

I've towed 1000's of miles, sometimes with as much as 9000lbs. of cargo weight on a stretched-chassis 1-ton Chevy truck. My daughter has a Matrix. I would not feel safe pulling over 400# at tops. ( first put five hundred, but after re-thinking, it is NOT made for pulling!)Hope this helps. s

Reply to
sdlomi2

You are correct, sir. I was thinking Liberty/Nitro instead of Caliber/Compass.

Reply to
Steve

I tow a 10,000# trailer with my Chev K3500 dually (GCW 20,340# on the last trip and it handled very well), I wouldn't even consider trying to do that with an S10 under any circumstances no matter what GM or the dealer claimed.

Pete C.

Reply to
Pete C.

Precisely. The K3500 is the right tool for that job. I can't think of

*any* small pickup, no matter what engine, transmission or rearend ratio that i'd even consider trying that with. Not even the silly ones with the 'dually conversion' kit. It's not about pulling, it's all about stopping and stability. The duals on a full-sized truck go a long way in keeping things under control

That said, last week I saw someone pulling a Ford Contour on an auto trailer with (I believe) a Pontiac Aztek. I was very glad that we were travelling in different directions.

-phaeton

Reply to
phaeton

No kidding. Even well under 10,000 pounds I've seen too many scary examples of a big trailer demonstrating the laws of physics to an undersized tow vehicle. I am just gobsmacked that they'd even be willing to discuss 10,000 pounds behind a midsize truck, or even a fullsize half-ton for that matter, let alone officially rate it for that!

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

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