Towing Qs

[Enkiel]

well, i know i posted that on "PT Performance " already, but not sure which discussion could really answer that question...

i know the limit on the PT is 1000 lbs to tow... but i wonder if 1250 lbs would really be dangerous or hard on the PT?

i have a DC2 , so my engine is turbo (just in case overheating turbo could be a problem).

[RubyRed]

Originally Posted by Enkiel

well, i know i posted that on "PT Performance " already, but not sure which discussion could really answer that question...

i know the limit on the PT is 1000 lbs to tow... but i wonder if 1250 lbs would really be dangerous or hard on the PT?

i have a DC2 , so my engine is turbo (just in case overheating turbo could be a problem).

Just an observation... OK, let's file this under "IMHO": the quickest way to ruin a nice motor vehicle is to force it to do something it wasn't designed for. This goes for all those folks trying to haul plywood with Corvettes, the guys who treat their pickups like sports cars, the hot hatchbacks with 7 people stuffed into them, the folks hauling 8000 lbs of horses and trailer in the mountains of central PA with a 6 cylinder F-150... you get my picture. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD.

You may get away with it at firstglance, but what damage will you cause to the unibody? How about drivetrain damage that won't manifest itself for a year or two. Those recommendations are there for a reason. If you love your car, follow them. Borrow or rent the appropriate vehicle for what you are trying to do and treat your Cruiser right.

[GOLDMEMBER]

I would love to be able to trailer my Cruiser however my Suzuki would be too scary to to pull a trailer the weights more than my Samurai.

[NSCR FAN]

It's not something I would do. Like RubyRed said, just because it will, doesn't mean it should.

[Enkiel]

Originally Posted by NSCR FAN

It's not something I would do. Like RubyRed said, just because it will, doesn't mean it should.

yeah but i'm thinking...

lets say me and my gf weight 300 lbs together.
the thing i wanna tow is 1250 lbs.

so basically, that's 1550 lbs...

lets say a familly of 3 fatty get into another pt... they weight 550 lbs together...
and they tow the limit, 1000 lbs.

that would also mean they have 1550 lbs more weight, right?

so what would be the difference (if any)? or is the 1000 lbs supposed to count also what's inside the PT?

[JOEM]

He's been told on another forum he should not tow with a turbo.

Here's an old "Car Talk" column on that subject:

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1988 Dodge Caravan with a four cylinder turbocharged engine. I read in the owner's manual that the warranty is void if you tow using a turbocharged engine. Why is the warranty voided?
--John

Ray: Because it is a virtual certainty, John, that you would fry the turbo if you were towing something. The reason is that a turbo is meant to be used only occasionally. When you need a little extra power, you stomp on the gas, and the turbo kicks in. Then after you've caught up to the garbage truck that passed you and you let off the gas a bit, the turbo shuts off and cools down until you need it again.

Tom: But if you were towing a trailer, the extra weight would require that you be stomping on the gas all the time. So that means the turbo would be running, when? Right. All the time!

Ray: And turbos just aren't designed to run all the time. When you run them all the time, they fry.

Tom: That's why the warranty is voided, John. And by the way, the only reason they don't void the warranty for the non-turbocharged four cylinder engine is because they know you won't be ABLE to tow anything with it. You hook the trailer on the back and the thing just sits there, so there was no need for a towing disclaimer.

[Enkiel]

Originally Posted by JOEM

He's been told on another forum he should not tow with a turbo.

Here's an old "Car Talk" column on that subject:

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a 1988 Dodge Caravan with a four cylinder turbocharged engine. I read in the owner's manual that the warranty is void if you tow using a turbocharged engine. Why is the warranty voided?
--John

Ray: Because it is a virtual certainty, John, that you would fry the turbo if you were towing something. The reason is that a turbo is meant to be used only occasionally. When you need a little extra power, you stomp on the gas, and the turbo kicks in. Then after you've caught up to the garbage truck that passed you and you let off the gas a bit, the turbo shuts off and cools down until you need it again.

Tom: But if you were towing a trailer, the extra weight would require that you be stomping on the gas all the time. So that means the turbo would be running, when? Right. All the time!

Ray: And turbos just aren't designed to run all the time. When you run them all the time, they fry.

Tom: That's why the warranty is voided, John. And by the way, the only reason they don't void the warranty for the non-turbocharged four cylinder engine is because they know you won't be ABLE to tow anything with it. You hook the trailer on the back and the thing just sits there, so there was no need for a towing disclaimer.

damn.. thanks for the info JOEM. kinda sad

[Scott P]

Originally Posted by JOEM

Tom: That's why the warranty is voided, John. And by the way, the only reason they don't void the warranty for the non-turbocharged four cylinder engine is because they know you won't be ABLE to tow anything with it. You hook the trailer on the back and the thing just sits there, so there was no need for a towing disclaimer.

Um, anything? I used to tow my waverunner with a Chevy Cavalier. Now, granted it was only 400 lbs plus 180 lb trailer, but it was a 2.2L engine with only 115HP and I had no problems pulling that thing all over the place, even down to West Virginia a couple times.

[JOEM]

Originally Posted by Scott P

Um, anything? I used to tow my waverunner with a Chevy Cavalier. Now, granted it was only 400 lbs plus 180 lb trailer, but it was a 2.2L engine with only 115HP and I had no problems pulling that thing all over the place, even down to West Virginia a couple times.

You wanna argue with Bob and Tom? Call 'em up. You can then maybe pitch CRC on the radio!

[RubyRed]

Originally Posted by Enkiel

yeah but i'm thinking...

lets say me and my gf weight 300 lbs together.
the thing i wanna tow is 1250 lbs.

so basically, that's 1550 lbs...

lets say a familly of 3 fatty get into another pt... they weight 550 lbs together...
and they tow the limit, 1000 lbs.

that would also mean they have 1550 lbs more weight, right?

so what would be the difference (if any)? or is the 1000 lbs supposed to count also what's inside the PT?

My 2001 Limited has a maximum PAYLOAD of 850 lbs. I don't know if the payload max is different for the GT (GT owners, feel free to jump in here if you know a different number).
Now take your 300 lbs (passenger weight) and subtract -you're left with 550lbs. So far, so good.
If you insist on hooking up your 1250 lb trailer, you have to subtract from the payload max your TONGUE WEIGHT, usually 10-20% of the trailer weight if the load is distributed properly. So let's say your tongue weight is 125 (on the low side, but do-able). That leaves you with only 425lbs of payload capacity left -standing still, your PT Cruiser is loaded to the halfway point of its maximum payload capacity.
Do you think it will have the reserve, at 1/2 payload capacity, to haul an overloaded trailer as well? IMHO, the answer is NO. If you lived where it's flat, acellerated slowly, NEVER changed your speed and coasted to all stops -yeah, you could get away with it and probably show no damage to your Cruiser. But no one drives in conditions that would permit that. At some point, you'd have to kick in the turbo to get around someone or something, you'd have to jamb on the brakes to avoid some idiot who thought he needed to pass you right before he needs to turn left. You get the point I'm trying to make?
Look, stuff happens on the road, and hauling an overloded trailer(for your vehicle) will only handicap your ability to avoid trouble. I tow a 9000 lb gooseneck horse trailer around the mountains of central PA with a 1996 heavy duty Ford F-250 (empty, this truck is just shy of 3 tons). Its maximum trailer weight is 12000 lbs, it has the biggest gas engine Ford offered in their light trucks at the time and the lowest gearing available from the factory, and there are times when I think my truck isn't big enough.
Those load recommendations are there for a reason. Don't be stupid and ignore them. Your Cruiser will thank you in the long run.