Yaris Towing 1000 lbs?

[tk1971]

Here's my harbor freight trailer. Just made a quick scaffold last night to keep the patio door upright. I picked up a patio door in the morning. The trailer has a 1000 lbs capacity. The sliding glass door with frame is probably a couple hundred pounds.

Drove at or under the speed limit on the streets for about 20 miles.

No problems.

[nemelek]

Originally Posted by tk1971

Here's my harbor freight trailer. Just made a quick scaffold last night to keep the patio door upright. I picked up a patio door in the morning. The trailer has a 1000 lbs capacity. The sliding glass door with frame is probably a couple hundred pounds.

Drove at or under the speed limit on the streets for about 20 miles.

No problems.

Great little set up.

[Woodsman]

Originally Posted by tk1971

Here's my harbor freight trailer. Just made a quick scaffold last night to keep the patio door upright. I picked up a patio door in the morning. The trailer has a 1000 lbs capacity. The sliding glass door with frame is probably a couple hundred pounds.

Drove at or under the speed limit on the streets for about 20 miles.

No problems.

At least you drove slowly for only a short distance with that set-up.
The overall weights are not a problem but with the window so far back on the trailer your tongue weight would not be enough based on total weight of trailer & load.
I also haul a trailer occasionally with my Yaris & if the weights stay reasonable with the proper tongue weight you hardly know it's there.

[tk1971]

Originally Posted by Woodsman

At least you drove slowly for only a short distance with that set-up.
The overall weights are not a problem but with the window so far back on the trailer your tongue weight would not be enough based on total weight of trailer & load.
I also haul a trailer occasionally with my Yaris & if the weights stay reasonable with the proper tongue weight you hardly know it's there.

A little common sense will go a long way to safely handling any motored vehicle, regardless of configuration.

I've seen people towing U-Haul trailers passing people on the freeway as if the trailer wasn't there (narrowly missing cars they are trying to pass).

Just be aware and drive within the limits of the load, vehicle and the driver.

Regarding my patio door, why would I want to go any faster and/or go on the freeway? The point is to get a new unbroken door with windows home to replace a broken one. The last thing I needed was to make another trip and spend another $400.

[Woodsman]

Originally Posted by tk1971

Regarding my patio door, why would I want to go any faster and/or go on the freeway? The point is to get a new unbroken door with windows home to replace a broken one. The last thing I needed was to make another trip and spend another $400.

It seems like you missed my point.
They way you loaded your patio door on the trailer created an unsafe situation by having more weight behind the wheels than in front of them. Your tongue weight would not be near 10% of your trailer & load weight.
This makes the trailer unstable even at legal road speeds.

[billfires]

When my Yaris is out of warranty I will put a trailer hitch on it and not look back. I had a 1983 Dodge Colt 4dr HB with a 1.4 litre engine and a 4 speed Twin Stick transmission (that gave it a 15 percent under drive) that had a hitch mounted to the bumper. I regularly towed a 15 foot fiberglass Sears boat with a 40 hp motor and also used it twice to tow a 6 x 9 trailer loaded with 2x6 by 8' lumber that was the lower level framing for a 28' x 50' modular house. I don't know the exact weight but would think it was at least 2000 pounds. The Yaris engine is definitely more powerful and I am pretty certain the brakes are stronger also. It is up to each individual to make (and live with) their own choice in this regard. Bill C

[tk1971]

Originally Posted by Woodsman

It seems like you missed my point.
They way you loaded your patio door on the trailer created an unsafe situation by having more weight behind the wheels than in front of them. Your tongue weight would not be near 10% of your trailer & load weight.
This makes the trailer unstable even at legal road speeds.

Not trying to argue here, but wow, you can tell all this from a single picture?

Looking at just the picture, I can't even tell if the middle of the patio door was right on top of the trailer's axle or 18" behind the axle. All I can see is a patio door extending out of the trailer.

If you don't want anyone to tow with a Yaris, just say that the owner's manual specifically says not to. No need to pull a CSI from a single picture when you weren't even there.

Unsafe situation? I'm glad I made it home alive...