JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

For those of you who have trailers:

Anyone ever pull a 5x8 enclosed traler with a Honda Accord? I think they are under a thousand pounds. I'd like to avoid buying a new car just for my big airplanes since I don't need one right now. The trailer would be about $1700 brand new and I could pull it with my car. Anyone pull one of these with their car?

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Pulled one for years with my thunderbird. Pulling with a Honda is another thing. I'd be sure to check with dealer before trying it. Probably have to add transmission and oil coolers to be on the safe side at the very minimum.

Dr1Driver

Check with the dealer. That's a lot of trailer for that little puddle-jumper car. You'll be looking at ground clearance problems with the hitch, too. OTOH, my new Toyota Sienna is rated for 350 GTW and 3500#.

Dr.1

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Look at the sticker on the door for the gross vehicle weight. It may also give max towing weight or at least the owners manual for the car will say that.

Anyway, if you do not have the manual, take the car to a weigh station, usually a good truck stop will do nicely and weigh it fully fueled, it may cost you a couple of bucks. Then subtract that weight from the gross weight limit on the sticker and there is what you can safely pull

Now the age comes into mind, mileage wise. I'm capable of pulling 1700lbs with my Ranger, but the thing has 210,000 miles on it and a high bed cap on it and pulling a 1200lb 6x10 can be a struggle in wind

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Max towing weight on my Honda Accord is 1000 pounds. The trailer is 850 pounds. So I could put 100 pounds of gear in it and still be fine. I intend to only pull to the RC field and back. That's about 8 miles and is level, no hills. It's about 50 mph speed limit for a few miles so I should be good. No interstate. I found an enclosed 5x8 near me for $1450. Not bad.

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

That is a pretty good price. There is one for 1600 close to me as well

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Once you get that trailer you'll never go back to cramming your planes in a car. It's the only way to go as far as I'm concerned.

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Yeah I found one even cheaper for $1300 but it's 4 hours from here. Too far to tow for me. Those are good prices.

fancman

My Feedback: (16)

Find a friend with a truck. Should be worth the trip to save a few hundred dollars.

Richard D Bahmann aka/Wrongway

My Feedback: (42)

Hey Joe, that is a nice looking trailer. Can you say what the outside dimensions are? I am waiting on a tax rebate check and will need a trailer. I want bigger but realize that I may need to go 5x8 size. I have to worry if it will fit where I intend to park it. Outside LxWxH would be great.

Also, any tips on how you are shopping used. I have been watching the paper and the Pennysaver (local shoppers paper) in my area. I don't want to drive very far unless the price is good.

Thanks,

Richard

Absolut Yak

My Feedback: (4)

Might try to find a V-nose 5 x 8. It's actually 10 feet long through the nose and splits the air a bit more easily.

Doug

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Richard, here's the site if you'd like to call them. The inside dim's are 5x8 so the outside it prolly 4-6 inches all around. Just a guess.

http://www.tbetrailers.com/

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

Hmmm that's an idea. I didn't know they came in V nose in the 5x8 size.

Got a pic?

Richard D Bahmann aka/Wrongway

My Feedback: (42)

Thanks guys!

I too like the v-nose idea.

Richard

ncrego

My Feedback: (40)

I have a friend who tows a 5x8 behind a tiny little mid 90s 4 cylinder Saturn. Your Accord would be fine.

AEROSHELDON

My Feedback: (99)

I towed a 5 x 8 behind a 98 VW Jetta diesel with no problems at all. Another thing to consider is frontal area, the smaller (lower) the trailer, the less force is needed to pull it through the wind. The 10 foot v-nose will also help this alot. Don't fool yourself, you will want to go to a fly in eventually and it won't be 10 min from home. Mobility rules!

JoeAirPort

My Feedback: (41)

There was a 10x4x4 foot one that is supposed to be easier on the wind drag but me being 6'2" would hate to walk around in there. Sore back. A 5 footer is much better. And yeah dragging it to fun flies a half hour to an hour away was already thought about. That would be nice. Maybe I need that V nose.

tkg

My Feedback: (1)

I pulled my 5x8 to Flyins all around here with a 79 VW Rabbit 5sp. Just stayed in 4th most of the time.

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

Considering where you're at I'm surprised you didn't use a two team hitch of horses

rmh

I hav 10 foot model and hit won't fit in a 8 ft trailer
so next best
( we don' need no steenkin trailers )
actually it is very easy to load and rides like a Lexus -an old Lexus

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Dick,

I'll bet you get some strange looks on that one. I have a short be Ranger with a cap/topper on it. My 33% planes need to stick out the back with the tailgate down. Being the windows are dark tinted on the cap/topper, all you can see is the tail section. When someone is passing me I can sometimes see in the left rear view mirror that they are looking and have that "what the heck is that" look on their face.

then there are the ones that know exactly what they are looking at and honk and give me a thumbs up as the pass me. I even had a pretty cool older gentlemen follow me to the field a couple of years ago and spent the day with us just watching and having a blast. He's a pretty regular visitor now and we kinda made him an unofficial honorary member. He does not fly, he just shows up and tells jokes, his war stories when he flew in WWII and is just a great guy. We've offered him stick time but he's not interested, he just loves to watch

rmh

I also get the question--
what if it rains?
answer
I don't fly in the rain
question
what if someone runs into you ?
answer
they get to buy a Subaru and a 42% Radiocraft
In Utah , the guy who runs into you from behind is at fault - no matter what .
Seriously- the little Subaru is easier to load up than my full sized Chev van.
and 31 mpg is not to be sneezed at anymore --
Oh yeh - that dern Radiocraft will not fit in a big minivan like the one parked next to the Surbaru.
I have a 2002 Fjord Windstar (a POS) and it won't fit in it either .
Actually -the Windstar is our In Town Car --we would never consider driving it further than 20 miles from a repair facility.
Son's Ford Ranger and Explorer are very good but this thing - whew!

CAPtain232

My Feedback: (40)

Oh Dick gets some strange looks alright, but it is not because of his airplane hauling methods

deckerv

My Feedback: (21)

I tow a 5x9 Car Mate trailer behind my 1996 chevy lumina sedan. Just has a 3.1 v6 in it. I would recommend taking it to your dealer and having them put a thermostat in there that will open up sooner and help keep the motor cooled, and also would HIGHLY recommend getting a transmission cooler installed.

I towed the same trailer with a 1991 Chevy lumina sedan before, and one day coming back from an airshow everything got hot enough for me to lose most of my brake pressure (had to pump it). After that happened, I had the dealer put a transmission cooler on it and never had a problem since.

My trailer is unfortunatly shaped like a box.. with no real round edges except on the roof It's like driving with a snowplow on the nose Great downwind, but man going uphill into the wind stinks!!

LSF2298

My Feedback: (4)

I bet opposite rudder on the turns will help keep the rear axel on the ground!!! (:-)))))))