Fewer cars these days are rated to tow a load
It wasn’t really that long ago that just about anything on four wheels could be outfitted with a trailer hitch and put into weekend warrior or gardening or errand duty without any trouble at all. Even subcompacts from many auto manufacturers were rated to haul up to 2,000 pounds (905 kilograms) up until about 10 years ago. But today you are well into mid-size sedans or coupe configurations or SUV/CUV before your owner’s manual will list the OK to tow. But why can’t you trailer a small utility unit for a few bags of topsoil or some light cargo?
Most of the reasons from automakers involve vehicle weight reduction for stiffer fuel economy standards. And those diets that engineers and designers put their wheeled creations on go much farther than aluminum body panels and lighter bumper covers. Engines, drivetrains and much of their associated gear have been lightened and downsized along with everything else.
Pop your ride’s hood and take a look at the engine radiator for example, specifically its thickness. While rads of the past were constructed of two or three complete layers of cooling tubes and fitted with brass tanks, today’s are micro-thin and shelled with plastic tanks only. Engines and transmissions have undergone similar evolutions.
The most critical change in engine design and construction when it comes to adding some extra weight on the end of a trailer hitch is the extensive use of aluminum in cylinder heads and other critical components. This versatile element just can’t take the heat like its cast-iron predecessor, especially when you factor in narrower oil and coolant passages.
So if you don’t want to trade in your subcompact, and you still need to tow, what can you do?
For just about every make and model of vehicle on the road today, you can find a custom-built, no modifications required, trailer hitch. Major, credible makers such as DrawTite, Reese and Hidden Hitch can cover pretty much every application. But before you head out to your favourite parts store with credit card in hand, check your carmaker’s warranty policy.
If your vehicle isn’t rated for any towing whatsoever, and you mount a hitch, you may be in for headaches if you need a powertrain warranty repair. Dealerships and auto companies can and have denied coverage just because a hitch is bolted to a no-tow-rated vehicle (unless the drivers were able to convince them the hitches were only used for bike or ski racks). You may want to wait until that warranty has expired until you hook up your trailer.
Check your vehicle’s ability to carry the tongue weight of a trailer. The tongue weight is a representation of the vertical force downward on the hitch supplied by the trailer. For a controlled ride, most trailers are designed to apply about 10 per cent of their gross weight downward on the hitch point. So if you’re towing a utility trailer with cargo weighing 2,000 lbs., your vehicle should be able to handle 200 lbs. (90 kg) of weight on the hitch. To see how your vehicle might fare, simply open the trunk or liftgate and get a 200-lb. person to take a seat on the rear bumper to see how much sag you’re dealing with.
If your ride has a manual transmission, reconsider your option to install a hitch. It takes an especially skilled driver to be able to tow even the lightest trailer without excessive wear on the clutch.