Towing my tear with a small car ??

[dano]

HI all,
Just like to get some experience if I can. Has anyone towed with a Toyota Corolla ?
I have a full size truck that gets terrible gas mileage. Its also got a lot of miles and is starting to be less than dependable.
We have a 2012 Toyota Corolla. I can put a hitch on it but can I tow my tear with it?
Im thinking that for longer trips we could use the Corolla.
Tear is a 5x8 800.00 pound trailer.

Thanks
Dano

[Daniel Bernoulli]

Dano,
In a word, the answer to your question is "Yes."

For the past three years I have towed my 6-wide Little Guy, 1000-pound teardrop with a 2009 4-cylinder Corolla. I installed the Hidden Hitch receiver and wiring kit myself. The four necessary holes for the hitch are already in the frame. Be sure to use the proper isolating wiring kit for your lights. Older (splice into existing wiring) kits will upset your car's computer. I received about 30 miles per gallon with the teardrop hooked up. As long as you do not exceed the 1500 pound tow rating you will be fine.

[wingnut]

Dano,
I used to tow our popup with an 83 Toyota Tercel, then with an 89 Corolla. The popup weight was about what our TD is, which we tow it with a VW Passat TDI. All of those tow rigs did just fine with weights of around 1400lbs.

[Shadow Catcher]

Make sure you have brakes! Tow rating is usually dependent on having them. You might also want to consider a transmission cooler.

[S. Heisley]

HI all,
Just like to get some experience if I can. Has anyone towed with a Toyota Corolla ?
I have a full size truck that gets terrible gas mileage. Its also got a lot of miles and is starting to be less than dependable.
We have a 2012 Toyota Corolla. I can put a hitch on it but can I tow my tear with it?
Im thinking that for longer trips we could use the Corolla.
Tear is a 5x8 800.00 pound trailer.

Thanks
Dano

A 2012 Toyota is pretty new! That means you should have the owner's manual or be able to get hold of one. When you look at that, look in both the Towing section and the Brakes section. If those manuals are still written the way they used to be, the Towing section will tell you the maximum that your car can tow safely and the Braking section will tell you how much your car can stop safely. Since a 2012 is probably still under warranty, please recognize that disobeying the limits laid down in the manual will most likely negate that warranty, should you have a problem. ...Hope this helps.

[dano]

Thanks everyone. I will look in the owners manual tomorrow . I dont want to put brakes on it. I built the tear for the easy towing hassle free type of towing. Its great to know others have towed with a corolla.
Thank for the info.

Dano

[Roly Nelson]

Hi Dano, well, Slocowboy almost has it right, my cross-country hauler was a 2002 Camry with the 4 banger engine. However, I now haul with my new Chevy Cruze, which even has a smaller engine (1.4 liters) and does even better with it's supercharger. I have never even thought about adding brakes, since my tears weigh 550 lb, 245 lb and 85 lb, respectively. Good luck on your venture.
Roly, the li'l ol' So Calif TD designer, builder and user, (as often as I can)

[Ron Dickey]

Yes we do it is a 2001 carolla 4 cyl


we have pulled it to New Mexico and back, through out California, since 2008.

My trailer is a little heavy in the front and pulls the back down some. the muffler will scrape as enter steep drive ways or speed bumps. I am looking for a taller unit to pull with but the gas is so good that it is hard to find one that will get around 30mpg on the road.

the new ones are alittle higher

Our trailer was built on a boat trailer and we could not move the axel forward to compensate, you will probably not have this problem.
My wife wants me to get a pickup so if we camp in the rain we can keep the wet stuff in the bed. We went camping once where if rained a lot and the in tire trailer was soaked inside when we go home. Hence the rack on top of the car that you can see in the picture.

I think you will be find. With it. I am now looking more at a wagon which has better rear stiffer springs. but most get the same gas milage as at small pickup.

this is basically a carolla wagon
The old ones looked like this
rear foot room is tight.
The CRV has the hight and gets good gas milage. and has the hight.

But the cost of a new Tacoma 2004 in California is more then we can afford.
our dream puller is 4 cyl 4 doors, automatic.

............................

[Lgboro]

I have towed for years and thousands with a 93 Celica and then an 05 Corolla with much heavier weights than your tear. I have always driven straight drive cars so as to lessen the chances of tranny problems and have never had any problems towing with either vehicle. As for your warranty by law the car company has to prove that something you did or altered caused the questioned failure so I don't see that as a major problem. My 4 banger Toyota's did a reasonably good job towing but were a bit more difficult in the mountains. I recently bought an 11 Volkswagen Jetta TDI and can't tell that my tear is behind me. The turbo diesel VW added 100 lbs. more torque which solves the need to gear down anywhere I have been. You should find your Corolla a capable tow vehicle.

[canned o minimum]

"I" jus couldn't resist.... I (had) a 2005 Little Guy,4 wide. It weighed in at 820lbs ( Camp Ready ) and I towed it fer YEARS with my 1965 VW Beetle ! No brakes on the trailer and vintage /stock drum brakes on the car. That Camry oughta do jus FINE !

[Todah Tear]

Roly,

From what material were the 245 lb and 85 lb tears made?

Todah

[canned o minimum]

TOUCHE ' thar Slow !! I believe his roof is made of luan.. as is the walls and galley hatch, but I'll let him tell us all zactly what they are made of.

[dano]

O.K. Had a lot of stuff going on and just got around to ordering my hitch from etrailer. I didnt order the wiring harness yet because I gotta see how to install it. The wire going to the battery kinda gets me nervious. I will get the hitch, put it on and tow the tear around the block to see how it pulls. Then worry about the wiring.
Dano

[JohnnyG]

I'm ready to tow my teardrop with my 07 Kia Rio. Haven't taken it on a trip yet but pulls very nicely around town. Even drove into some hilly neighborhoods with no problem. Planning to be up in Grand Marais, Minn for our annual 4th of July trip there. I bought the cheapest hitch I could find on the internet since they all looked the same and got the wiring kit from etrailer.

[dano]

Johnny, did you have to send a wire to the battery? If so how did ya do it and how hard was it to do.
Thanks
Dan