I have planned to buy a 4x6 trailer for along time. I sold my 1997 ford ranger to get my 03 civic EX. I never needed the truck untill I sold it, and that was about 3 years ago.I have always used a friends truck when I needed to but he is about to sell his tomarrow. Now I can not transport any thing larger then a good sized cooler. I want to be able to put my bike on a 4x6 trailer and take it to Barber Motor Sports, or to the beach. I LOVE to ride but 5-8 hour trips on a sport bike at a constant speed is not for me(90% of the time). Also being able to carry mulch or a large lawn mower, or ANY THING would be great. My question is........would the Civic be able to pull it without any damage being caused?

My car
-03 Ex
-Lowered neuspeed sport springs(will put stock springs back on tomarrow if I need to.....but im keeping the blues on )
-5 speed
-50,000 miles

Plans for towing
-I have no need to exceed 60mph when towing
-1 bike
-couple of mowers or one large mower
-mulch

How much tounge weight do you think it could hold? Or any sites that have this information would be alsome.
I have made one of these topics before but did not get much of a reply.
I believe that our civics have the ability and it would look real cool in the process


Thanks in Advance HT members

 

pretty sure that you aren't suppose to tow anything with a civic...

 

Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, and Reese all sell Class 1 hitches for your car. They're rated up to 2000lbs GTW (Gross Tongue Weight), but I wouldn't exceed 1000lbs on them, for security's sake. Ideally, you shouldn't load the trailer so that the weight is off-balance. You essentially want the axle on the trailer to support the weight completely, meaning if there were no stand at the front of the trailer, it would balance perfectly on perfectly flat ground. That way, your car won't suffer HUGE adverse driving effects.

As for your car's towing capacity, it should be listed on the sticker in your door jam.

 

You will want some tongue weight otherwise the trailer will probably squirm like a ****.

Also every bit of weight you can save from the trailer will help in load capacity for the car.
Stil not the greatest idea, but I have seen a lot worse.

 

You think your torque curve is bad now...

 

we had a tq to begin with?

 

the trick isnt towing forward ,per-say, but the ability to STOP the load trailered ...

 

I will mainly be towing just a small lawn mower, a gas can, and a weed eater. I dont think that I will even get close to 1000 pounds my bike only weighs around 360 pounds and that will proably be the largest thing I put on that trailer. Thanks for the info guys.

 

ya stopping might be fun but besides that they car should be able to handle those small loads. Just make sure you balance it well or else you will be swaying!

 

i've been thinking about doing this for a while to tow my bike around. i have pretty much the same car as you do. (5 speed, EX, neuspeed sports, etc.). i dont think that it would hurt the car at all, just dont drive too fast and and brake early.

 

im in the same boat, I need to be able to tow my dirtbike, I think I might just go ahead and do it

 

noob question, but what about a tear-dropped trailer like this?

http://www.socalteardrops.com/index.html

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DieMaster &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">noob question, but what about a tear-dropped trailer like this?

http://www.socalteardrops.com/index.html</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's possible if the combined weight of the trailer and it's cargo aren't over the hitch or the car's overall towing capacity.

 

Ok, I got the hitch, and trailer put on and it looks great, not to bulky. I will take pictures in a day or too.It rides like a dream with about 30+ pounds on it. The trailer like I said earlier was a 4x6 and it does not sway at all(it rides so good you could almost forget that you where pullling anything). With the bike on it it just feels like you have 2 fat people in the back of the car.I must say that with out pratice that it is easy to jack knife(I have not, but it would be very easy to do if your not paying attention).......I have a 5 gallon gas can and 2 push mowers in there right now.....and it really does ride as smooth as glass.

......I drove about 80 miles today and it does not seem to effect gas mileage as much as I thought( I cant tell the difference).

.......Personally I think it looks bad ***.

.......I cant wait to get soom SI rims for it jk

If any one is considering this, DO IT. It is one of the best investments you can make. If you dont have a truck and need one for anything, this is it.

For price
Hitch-$135
Tailer hitch ball thing-$20
Trailer-$535---(comes with life time warranty)
Lights, and labor-$40
Total=$730

This is alot cheaper then buying a truck, getting insurance, tags, etc...etc....etc....plus it can be taken off with in minutes and stored away....(not taking up a parking space).....and when you have the trailer hooked up and you lock/unlock the car the trailer will light up as well-it looks tight.

P.S.-If you are going to carry a bike, make sure to push down and compress the suspension(front and back) when you strap it down so the bike can not move. If you do not the bike may move up and down and fall.I just dont want that to happen to anyone.

 

*awaits pictures

I might add that in some states one is required to tag their trailer and keep it registered. If you dont you can get a tik-it


*still awaiting pictures

ps be safe- brake early

 

My old hatch had a trailer hitch on it when i bought it. I was like WTF and took it off hahah

 

Pictures you shall have









I know it is dirty, but nothing a good wash cant fix.

 

Forgot about this one. It gives a better look at where it hooks up.

 

looks good, maybe get a pic up of how the hitch actually attaches to the car itself?

 

I will do that, but not today. I will need to lift the car up in the back for you to get a good picture.It is alittle low for me to get under the car to get the picture. I'm 5'11 217pounds with 14% body fat(I'm not flexible enough to get under the car---at all-not even close).

-As you can see it sags just alittle in the back.( but it is reverse raked anyways)
-You must put 600cc and 750cc bikes in diagonally......1000cc+ I dont know if they will fit, because I they are longer but by how much I dont know.
-I live close to the mountains and I have NOT scrapped any where.


If any one has any questions just let me know

 

Hahah that joint looks dumped!
Kinda cool though New fad??

 

lol. I works great for me. I should of did this along time ago. I love it when I tell people what my gas mileage is

 

I tried to post on that thread and tried to IM U but couldn't so I'm trying this...On your hitch thread you listed the price for everything but no manufacture or part number for everything U used to install for towing a trailer...I have the same car so everything you used will work on mine...Can U post on this thread or the one you started about the hitch and please post the manufature and part numbers and where they were bought...It would be great appreciated...Thanks...

Ps. If anybody knows bojeEM2 and or go on his hitch install page and copy and paste this on there so maybe he'll check that thread he started and give me the info I need that would be great...I'm a new memeber, what do I need to do to be able to post on threads and send in house IM's let me know on this thread...Thanks a lot


Modified by hondajohn at 10:42 AM 6/29/2008


Modified by hondajohn at 12:03 PM 7/2/2008

 

ttt, how is this this working for you still?

 

what brand of hitch did you get?