Towing Car on a Trailer

[john_d_dobbs]

Looking for some input from more experienced RV'ers. We have a 24' class C Winnebago (diesel). We considering towing our Mazda Miata and at the moment I'm leaning toward a trailer.

Any recommendations on a trailer/brand for towing a car behind a class C?

Thanks,
John

[Gonzo42]

You didn't say whether your Miata has a manual transmission, in which case you might tow 4-down. If an auto trans, no, you would need a trailer for sure.

Towing 4-down will require a tow bar setup of some kind and a braking system. My Rocky came with a tow bar already installed and I have a Brake Buddy to go along with it.

I hope these answers can resolve all your questions. Happy Trails.

[DrewE]

Check what your RV's hitch can handle for tongue weight before getting too far. Some class C's have rather limited tongue weight limits due to the length of the RV and hitch.

I would think a Miata would be perfectly capable of poking a fairly light car hauler trailer around a campground. The owner's manual (as with most cars in the USA) will say never, ever think of towing anything anyplace, but it's actually not a terrible tow vehicle for modest trailers—the biggest limitation is the weight capacity of the rear suspension, apparently. At any rate, moving a trailer a fraction of a mile through a campground at campground speeds is entirely different from trying to haul it across the country on an interstate.

A tow bar is lighter, has a much lower tongue weight, and is a lot quicker and easier to hook and unhook and store than a trailer. It does require more initial work to set up in the car.

A dolly is lighter than a trailer, a little heavier than a tow bar setup typically, also has a low tongue weight. Like a trailer, it works with a wide variety of unmodified vehicles, many of which cannot be towed with a tow bar. (A dolly will tow virtually any front-wheel-drive vehicle. The Miata, of course, is not front wheel drive, but would be towable with a dolly if and only if it is also towable flat—which I think is doable at least for manual transmission models. Consult the owner's manual under "recreational towing" for the official lowdown. Many AWD vehicles cannot be towed with a dolly, even if they can be flat towed.) A dolly is rather more annoyance to hook and unhook than a tow bar, maybe ever so slightly easier than a trailer, and is certainly more easily stored at a campsite due to its smaller size.

[shawdowboss]

You should be able to fit a miata on a single heavy duty ALUMA brand trailer, 3000lb axle and 77x170" bed. These only weigh in at 600-700lbs, you'd want to get one with brakes. A single axle you could have a better chance moving it by hand if needed.

Tow dolly is lighter, but you have to watch tail ground clearances and front ramp clearance. Used one for years and liked, but had to plan routes to not backup. Thats the downside of 4down and dolly-no backing attached.

Yes, you have to do the same with any trailer on ramp clearances but trailers you can use longer ramps if needed.

Appears you can get a hitch for a miata, as long as you were not towing a loaded trailer, it could move a trailer around a campground.

[john_d_dobbs]

Thanks for all the good input. Our Winnebago View is a 2008 with 3500 lb towing capacity. With a 2400 lb Miata, that leaves 1000 lb for the trailer. We seem to be right at the edge of capacity.

Good points about parking with a trailer.

Can anyone recommend a brand/model of lightweight trailer?

Is there an obvious advantage to a tow dolley or tow bar? Reduced weight? Easier/harder to set up?

Thanks,
John

[Gonzo42]

Ours only has a 3500 lb tow weight limit. Later models have more, I believe.

[hhornig]

You are limited to pull through campsites as the Miata probably can't move the trailer around.

After 1 year of pulling a trailer and having the hassle of finding a parking space for a trailer and the time it took to tie it down, I gave up and went to 4 wheels down.

[Lumpty]

Even the heaviest Miata is 2500 lbs. A lighter weight 2 axle car hauler is 1500lbs, and a 2 axle aluminum Trailex is 800 lbs. I have a good friend who does just fine with a variety of small, under 2500 lb. cars on a small trailer towed behind a Sprinter chassis 24' Class C.

[j-d]

Healeyman should be along soon, and he has experience towing Miatas. He's helped a number of OP's tow them four-down. The Miata has to be manual transmission if I recall, and not all manuals were towable. Trailer is an option, of course. As noted ^^^ the weight may become an issue. Tow rigs for four-down aren't cheap so you may not save much over a trailer. But you may need the weight savings. Tow bar, base plate, braking system, all together add maybe 200-pounds to your total. I'd guess a small aluminum trailer would weigh 1,000-pounds minimum. The one I just found had an 18-ft bed and two 3,500-pound torsion axles for a carrying capacity around 5,000-pounds. Weight showed as 1,400-pounds.

EDIT: $5,600 new, plus delivery.

[Marine_By_Choic]

Although they are more expensive I prefer aluminum trailers, as they are much lighter weight.

If one prefers an enclosed trailer make sure it is possible to get out of the car when loaded! I have known several people buy a trailer, get it home, drive the car inside and not be able to get out!

Good luck with your search.

[Triker33]

Class C may have only a 5,000 lb tow limit.
Car and a trailer may be over that.