Towing Vehicle on trailer

[suenmike]

I would appreciate any advice on towing a vehicle on a trailer. I have a 2013 Kia that cannot be towed four down. We are considering an aluminum trailer to pull with our 2016 Miramar V-10. Any performance advice handling Braking etc. would be appreciated thank you

[Techn0]

I have been researching this topic myself and trying to come to a final decision but this my top choice so far. The hydraulic disc brakes are a big selling point for me.

Hydraulic Disc Brake Car Dolly - Car Tow Dolly

[srolfe]

Why a trailer? It just adds weight to your load, you have to store it at home and at your camp site and they tend to be cumbersome when moving by hand. I am going with an acme ez tow with surge breaks for our Kia Optima.

[suenmike]

I will research the ez tow, thank you

[JamieGeek]

We have the Acme Tow Dolly (ez tow). If you have any questions ask:

[suenmike]

The problem with our vehicle is it is All Wheel Drive and cannot be towed, that is the reason we were considering a trailer.

[JamieGeek]

I was originally considering a trailer as the vehicle I had at the time wasn't supposed to be towable (Focus Electric). After looking around I decided it was easier to go with a dolly and not bring the Focus with us (saving $$ and 800+ lbs in the process--The Focus sitting on an aluminum trailer would have been very close to max weight).

In the end: The Focus could be towed (I tried it with the dolly and it worked fine even though the owner's manual forbade it) and the lease was up; so I got the C-Max (which can be flat towed). Of course in the picture above you see neither vehicle being towed: That is my wife's Escape FWD which is perfectly happy on the dolly (and as a bonus matches the Axis' color scheme!).

[RobbieH]

I tow on a trailer due to the nature of what I tow. I currently tow on a steel trailer. I had an aluminum trailer for a while. Aluminum trailers are great when it comes to weight but they tend to get stress cracks.

When you get to a campground, unless you have a really long drive-through, the trailer is a pain. My suggestion is to call ahead and see if they have room for you to park the trailer to the side. You'll need a trailer hitch on your Kia to move the trailer around, at least that's my suggestion. It's hard to maneuver a trailer with the RV, especially if it's in a tight spot.

[suenmike]

That's what I am I thought about being a pain to park. Don't want to purchase a new wrangler for 40K + If I do get an aluminum trailer it will be used for snow birding. Arrive at the destination, unload and not have to deal it with for 2 months.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by suenmike

That's what I am I thought about being a pain to park. Don't want to purchase a new wrangler for 40K + If I do get an aluminum trailer it will be used for snow birding. Arrive at the destination, unload and not have to deal it with for 2 months.

If you will rarely use the trailer, have you considered renting?

Local renting is fairly inexpensive; although I expect one-way drop-off charges "may" get expensive. And of course total weight has to be considered -- I'd feel better with an 8,000-pound receiver since 5,000-pound may not be enough.

Just food for thought .... particularly since I don't know your circumstances. Renting may also give you the opportunity to evaluate whether a trailer is really what you want or expect it to be.

[JamieGeek]

I would think 2 months of renting would get rather expensive.

Edit: You mean renting the trailer. Probably a good idea: Rent a 1-way U-haul as long as the unit has the 8,000 lb hitch (and can safely tow that much) that would be a good option.

[RobbieH]

Originally Posted by suenmike

That's what I am I thought about being a pain to park. Don't want to purchase a new wrangler for 40K + If I do get an aluminum trailer it will be used for snow birding. Arrive at the destination, unload and not have to deal it with for 2 months.

Buy an XJ Cherokee 4x4 used. I bought one for $1900 and one for $3500 (yes, I own two XJs and the TJ you see on the trailer). Admittedly, they've gone up since then, but you can find bargains. They flat tow great. Nobody NEEDS a $40k JK Wrangler, just some WANT them. If you go down that route, stick to 1997-2001. 98-99 are the best years, IMO.

A trailer is going to cost more than that.

There are some bargains to be had on Grand Cherokees too, particularly the WJ platform. 1999-2004. I'm just a fan of the XJ style and reliability.

Sometimes you can even find them already set up for towing. They were/are very popular toads.