I have a 1988 DL Wagon, 5 speed, FWD, 1.8L motor. I could use a vehicle that can tow other ~3000 lb vehicles, probably on a trailer. Will my wagon handle this without blowing up, or should I look for something else?

 

-=Russ=-

I have a 1988 DL Wagon, 5 speed, FWD, 1.8L motor. I could use a vehicle that can tow other ~3000 lb vehicles, probably on a trailer. Will my wagon handle this without blowing up, or should I look for something else?

 

-=Russ=-

 

Umm...id say it could tow safely up to 1500 lbs...but beyond that...either the car needs alot of upgrades...or get something else.

Umm...Amen to that.

 

 

 

Umm...id say it could tow safely up to 1500 lbs...but beyond that...either the car needs alot of upgrades...or get something else.

if you have trailer brakes and like going slow you could do it. i did tow my 57' chevy truck on a car dolly behind my 84 wagon but i wouldn't recommend it. i was going less than a mile. the brakes where the main problem. the car is so light that the truck would over power them

I have towed a 1600kg ford on a trailer (350kg ish) with my 81 wagon, but it wasn't a pleasent experiance, and i wouldn't do it again. I wouldnt have done it at all, but it was kind of an emergency.....

Rear alignment had to be adjusted afterwards.

my 84 wagon towed a 550 lbs motorcycle on a trailer for 200 miles without complaining at all. And I pull cars all the time with my 87 DL spfi, but always less than a mile (to a gas station or something for some people) Honestly if you have a manual transmission and you keep it in low gears you can tow whatever the hell you want is what I say. stopping can be a problem if the trailer doesnt have brakes

I've towed Hobies, cycles, snowmobiles, lawn tractors and junk behind my 82 GL with no problem. In fact the low gearing of the car actually helps you tow better. I've never had a problem but, I have never towed anything very heavy.

 

What are you thinking of towing?

 

Glenn,

82 SubaruHummer--towed all kinds of crap--waiting for a hitch to be installed again

01 Forester--towed "Summer" before it was finished.

What are you thinking of towing?

 

I'm thinking of towing various RX-7s (project cars/parts cars). They're around 3000 lbs with engine.

 

Talking to some people on the RX-7 forum, the RX-7s are more than capable of towing other '7s, as long as there's no significant tongue weight (flat tow with a tow bar, or use a tow dolly or such). I'll probably tow with that one instead.

 

-=Russ=-

If you are going to tow with it...get some beefier rear springs, upgrade the brakes - stainless lines, new rotors, some QUALITY pads F/R, and QUALITY Hi temp fluid.

Eh, that's why I'll probably use the RX-7. I've already done brake work on it, and it puts out something like twice the power of the wagon.

 

I'm not planning to use a method that puts much weight on the back of the tow vehicle. 100 lbs tongue weight, max. I'll either tow flat, or with a tow dolly.

 

-=Russ=-

Are you planning on renting tow equipment (dolly, bar, etc)? Good luck. It is getting harder and harder to rent such equipment as the insurance companies are clamping down on rental companies. I cannot rent a tow dolly to tow a gutted soob behind my Aerostar. My minivan isn't big enough!

 

Anyway, it is a bad idea to try to tow a vehicle and tow equipment that is not significantly lighter than your tow vehicle. It doesn't matter about brakes, its a physics thing: A heavier towed combo will just push around a lighter tow vehicle. The one with more mass will win. And just because you have done it and not died doesn't mean that it is safe.

l have towed over 2000lbs often in my work Brat and recommend you buy a bigger car to tow as not only is it the best way to destroy your mechanicals

but as no one else has mentioned this l will, check your towbar mounting holes,

these will elongate causing your towbar to drop, l know this because mine did and the reason is the rear frame is not built to carry this type of weight, Redskin

And just because you have done it and not died doesn't mean that it is safe.

No kidding. I pulled my buddies Toyota p/u (on 33"s) all over town last week with the wagon, tow strap style. It was scary.

I think it would be very unsafe to pull that much weight with that car. Also, I believe in order to be safe you'd want 10% of the overall weight of the trailer as tongue weight to keep the trailer from fish tailing.

 

Klaus

 

 

Eh, that's why I'll probably use the RX-7. I've already done brake work on it, and it puts out something like twice the power of the wagon.

 

I'm not planning to use a method that puts much weight on the back of the tow vehicle. 100 lbs tongue weight, max. I'll either tow flat, or with a tow dolly.

 

-=Russ=-

I am actually afraid to put a hitch on the back of my Loyale just to tow a single rail trailer with a dirtbike on it. The car is just so light...a strong wind about blows me off the road and half the time it doesnt want to stop itself let alone anything else:)

I have a hitch on both my brat and my loyale. I haul everything up to a total gross weight of about 800lbs. Dirtbikes are light, I haul mine around all day long at 70mph. Never had a problem.

 

Klaus

 

 

I am actually afraid to put a hitch on the back of my Loyale just to tow a single rail trailer with a dirtbike on it. The car is just so light...a strong wind about blows me off the road and half the time it doesnt want to stop itself let alone anything else:)