Towing with a compact car

[Robertusa123]

I towed a 14ft runabout about 1200 with a 1989 Subaru gl wagon 1.8 5speed manual..... it did just dine but 5th gear dident happen

 

[QBhoy]

Guys...sorry to seem cheeky or silly...
Just had a wee chuckle to myself at this post.
Living in bonnie Scotland in the uk...out idea of a compact car is a Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall corsa (feel free to google). These are cars which weigh in at just about 1000kgs (if lucky) and usually have a 1.0l or 1.2l 3 cylinder engine.
Across the pond there...a compact car is a car getting on for 2000kgs (maybe more) and a stonking 3.5l V6 engine.
It's why I wish I was born in North America !
God bless the USA

 

[David Young]

Your car will tow your boat with no problems. Back in 1980 I towed a 15 foot runabout (55 hp Evinrude) with a Opel Manta (maybe 80 hp) using a $15 universal clamp on bumper hitch with no problems at all.

 

[bigdee]

Your car will tow your boat with no problems. Back in 1980 I towed a 15 foot runabout (55 hp Evinrude) with a Opel Manta (maybe 80 hp) using a $15 universal clamp on bumper hitch with no problems at all.

Oh, I remember those days. Prior to the seventies trailer hitch receivers were almost unheard of. Everyone used a clamp-on bumper hitch on the family car. Fewer people owned pickup trucks and those trucks had step bumpers where you could place a ball. Funny thing is it worked just fine even though those early fiberglass boats and steel C-channel trailers were HEAVY!

 

[BrettNC]

Enjoy your boat. Towed a 17' Glassmaster, about 2200 lbs in all, with an 87 Honda Accord. Not the prettiest, not the easiest, but got the job done all the same.

 

[jimmbo]

It is not the issue of does the Impala have enough power to tow more than 1000lb. However does it have enough braking power to exceed that amount, is the transaxle strong enough for the load, and probably is the structure of the car strong enough for the stress a heavier load? The front wheel drive Impala is of the Unibody design, basically frameless made out of metal not much thicker or stronger than a tin can. Older rear wheel drive Impalas had body on frame construction and were much better suited for bolting a hitch to. I had a 1990 Cadillac Sedan DeVille, it too was a unibody FWD, and rated for 1000lbs towing. Well it had a lot of power and Class 2 hitches were available for it. I used it to tow my 15ft boat, but the cars body was stressed(made oil can noises) by the extra load placed on it. Over 20yrs ago, I took that Caddy to the Buick Dealer and traded it for a RWD Roadmaster with a tow rating of 5000lbs. I still use it for towing and am getting a RWD Fleetwood with a 7000lb tow rating rigged to replace it.

 

[bigdee]

The front wheel drive Impala is of the Unibody design, basically frameless made out of metal not much thicker or stronger than a tin can. Older rear wheel drive Impalas had body on frame construction and were much better suited for bolting a hitch to.

Unibody simply means body and FRAME are built as a single unit. Frame is still there. Look at the Jeep grand Cherokee....its unibody design has an impressive tow rating. Safety crash tests for body-on-frame vehicles proved to be less safe in most cases!

 

[philipp10]

A lot of off the cuff bs comments here. I don't know about the legality but I will say it will pull that little boat piece of cake. What I don't like is "stopping" this boat. I assume no surge brakes? I have towed 2 boats with my 4 cyl RAV 4. The first boat was similar to what you have, no surge brakes. It was fine but in a panic stop or going down hill....if a kid ran into the road....just saying. Second boat was much heavier but had trailer brakes. Again no problem pulling and it stopped very well. I never went more than about 30 miles and just took it easy, no more that 60 mph. Note the RAV 4 is based on the Corolla platform so your Impala will easily pull this boat. I find auto trailer pull ratings to not make much sense. They rate the 4 cyl RAV at 1500, the 6 cyl at 3500. Brakes cannot be much different.

 

[Rapio]

Too much over thinking here. Just tow the damn thing and go fishing. 20 minutes at reasonable speeds and it will hardly get warm unless you are in the desert. I have never heard I have never heard of an insurance adjuster weighing a trailer on a private vehicle.

 

[jimmbo]

Pulling that load puts very little stress on the car. The applied stress comes from a heavy foot

I will agree hooking the trailer to the car places very little stress on the car, which by the way is totally inadequate for the job. The stress starts the moment it starts to move. That car is a tissue paper uni-body design, no frame to carry the additional load. The GM Transaxle is barely adequate to last the warranty period in those cars without adding too big of a trailer. Brakes, the important part, weren't engineered for towing.

 

[jimmbo]

I have never heard I have never heard of an insurance adjuster weighing a trailer on a private vehicle.

In the Litigation crazy US, that will soon be happening

 

[V153]

Friends, towing chit is why God invented pick-up trucks ...

 

[philipp10]

I will agree hooking the trailer to the car places very little stress on the car, which by the way is totally inadequate for the job. The stress starts the moment it starts to move. That car is a tissue paper uni-body design, no frame to carry the additional load. The GM Transaxle is barely adequate to last the warranty period in those cars without adding too big of a trailer. Brakes, the important part, weren't engineered for towing.

Really? Well that's funny because I have pull far more boat with my RAV 4 which is based on the Corolla platform. Where do you come up with this stuff.....

 

[Roberthill]

Now I recall "the good ole days" pulled a 15' boat w/15 horse Evinrude & trolling motor with a Vega , drove from Houston to Corpus . Then had a 4 cylinder GMC truck pulled a 16' v bottom w/85 Evinrude , but to pull it out of water had to go at an angle. Larger trucks are so much better.

 

[jimmbo]

deleted

 

[WIMUSKY]

Say fellas, the OP hasn't been active since June 8th...... He may not have seen any of your responses....