Towing my car with a trailer

[KeninAZ]

I want to take my little Miata roadster with me traveling.
It only weighs in at some 2400# so it's pretty light.
I see most trailers support 7000# with the tandem axles.
My rig hitch is rated for 500# of tongue weight and some 5000# of total weight so I should be able to tow without a problem. I see most of the trailers are under 2000#.
I assume that you determine your own tongue weight by balancing the car?
If you were going to do it would you have a solid deck either of wood of steel?

[thomas201]

Triple check as others have said, that the car will drive onto the trailer. I too have a beavertail, and like the wood deck for frost and snow in the great white north. (Lived in both Maine and Michigan), plus when you find the sweet spot, nail 2 small pieces of 2X4 and you can load right the first time every time by yourself. Do not make them too long, so you get the left and right correct too. Hitching up is harder.

[BarneyS]

tegu69 wrote:

So,if you put, say 400 lbs on the rear of your tt, do you re-weigh the tongue weight? (of tt}

I sure would!
Barney

[tegu69]

carringb wrote:
Your Miata would fit an an all-Aluminum UTV trailer. Polaris sells a nice one, as do many local trailer builders.

I've had all three materials for the decks. I like AL the best because it doesn't rust. I'd pick steel 2nd. I don't like wood because the point loading on the deck causes those spots to soften first, and eventually a wheel will break through. Plus wet wood has the worst traction, and the paint just doesn't last long.

For balancing, you could a 4x4 spanning between a block and a bathroom scale, with the tongue at the mid point. Then double the scale reading .

The Miata is a well balanced car, so loading it just barely forward of center (mid point of car vs axle center) should pretty much be perfect. You can go as low as 8% tongue weight with a car trailer, since the moment of inertia is less than a TT. Kinda like boats.

So,if you put, say 400 lbs on the rear of your tt, do you re-weigh the tongue weight? (of tt}

[Bird_Freak]

I always used my tilt bed steel tandum axle. No ramps and with tilt I could load anything with out dragging.

[Grit_dog]

Like bedlam said, your biggest issue would be getting it on and off a trailer. Otherwise it's no different than any other trailer load.

[Bedlam]

With the Miata, look at the loading angles so front, break over and rear clear the low clearance of the car. My enclosed trailer has dropped axles and a beaver tail to allow even low slung vehicles with air effects on the front and sides to clear.

[Sinbadman5024]

I prefer a wood deck over metal, mostly because of cost. Even after having to replace the planks once, it is still a good option. Wood deck trailers are usually less expensive for initial purchase also.

Load you car almost centered over the axles and then just a bit forward. You want some tongue weight or the trailer will sway at higher speeds and that gets dangerous. Tie down the front end and cross the straps on the rear is how I do it. Then you are all set to travel.

[carringb]

PS - I would recommend installing "E-Track" onto whatever trailer you end up with. You can order snap-in wheel chocks so you'll always park in the same spot, and then you can attach wheel straps directly to the e-track. This keeps the straps from touching body panels, which is easy to do on low cars. Also wheel straps are more secure. Body straps can come loose if the car bounces too much, and the bouncing can also damage the chassis when the hooks attach. When I was doing roadside assistance, we changed policy so all cars and SUVs got wheels straps. Body straps where only allowed on full-size body-on-frame trucks.

[JIMNLIN]

Yeah I wouldn't have a flatdeck trailer with a metal deck....for my use. However the OP may prefer a metal deck. Pros and cons to each.
Anyhow a car hauler with two 3500 lb axle may have a 7000 GVWR. My last 16' with a wood deck weighed 1740 lbs on the axles leaving about 5200 lb payload.

Tongue weight ?? This is where you may have to place the car at different locations on the trailer to see where the loaded trailer handles the best out on the highway. Once you find the spot be sure and mark it.

[boogie_4wheel]

I prefer wood to a metal deck. I can't keep paint on the plate, so it looks terrible after a year.
A 16' 7k trailer would be plenty for the Miata.
My current 16x 7k has the ramps that store under the rear right side. Can't get them out if you are parked next to another vehicle, or doing a recovery on the side of the freeway and there is a wall there. Rear storage or planning ahead is a good idea.

[KeninAZ]

Interesting.
I would prefer metal to wood which eventually would have to be replaced. I will have to look into the Polaris UTV trailer as I have a dealer not far from me here.
I did look at the UTV trailer online and it's only 510# but the loaded weight is at maximum with the Miata loaded. It's also only a single axle of course.
I might be better off with something like the
E-POCH8x16-A FULL DECK, 8' x 16' Open Economy Car Hauler
(Full Aluminum Deck)

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

KeninAZ wrote:
I want to take my little Miata roadster with me traveling.
It only weighs in at some 2400# so it's pretty light.
I see most trailers support 7000# with the tandem axles.
My rig hitch is rated for 500# of tongue weight and some 5000# of total weight so I should be able to tow without a problem. I see most of the trailers are under 2000#.
I assume that you determine your own tongue weight by balancing the car?
If you were going to do it would you have a solid deck either of wood of steel?

Are you talking about double towing? Or just towing a car trailer with your car on it?

[carringb]

Your Miata would fit an an all-Aluminum UTV trailer. Polaris sells a nice one, as do many local trailer builders.

I've had all three materials for the decks. I like AL the best because it doesn't rust. I'd pick steel 2nd. I don't like wood because the point loading on the deck causes those spots to soften first, and eventually a wheel will break through. Plus wet wood has the worst traction, and the paint just doesn't last long.

For balancing, you could a 4x4 spanning between a block and a bathroom scale, with the tongue at the mid point. Then double the scale reading .

The Miata is a well balanced car, so loading it just barely forward of center (mid point of car vs axle center) should pretty much be perfect. You can go as low as 8% tongue weight with a car trailer, since the moment of inertia is less than a TT. Kinda like boats.