Hello,

I am making a move from New York out to Arizona, so I'll be going across the country. I plan on packing up my rx8 to the brim. I was throwing around the idea of getting a 5' x 8' trailer (rated up to 1100 lbs) so I could still move some of my larger things - 33 gallon air compressor, 10 drawer tool box, 4 extra wheels/tires, etc etc. The trailer contents themself wouldn't exceed its weight limit, or come close. Now the worry comes in the form of this car being a sports car, low torque, length of travel, you name it.

Uhaul offers a tow hitch for the vehicle, that I could install for it. How realistic is this, do you think? My first thought was no way it was possible, but wanted any input from you guys, maybe some advice that people that have towed in the past?

So, what do you think? Do my larger things stay in NY or should they make the trip with me?

Thanks for reading,
Michael

shipping company

shipping company

+1! Never seen anybody towing with an rx8! It sounds weird and funny. Take some pictures if you decide to do it:sadwavey:

I actually was thining of doing something like that but i wawsnt sure as to how much it owuld cost and what kind of bumper modifications need to be done to make one of those hitches fit on the rx8

dont do it... its a long drive. god forbid something happens, it will be a pain in the ass. and from 05rx8mazda's comment, sounds to me like you have to mod something to get the hitch on so... up to you. =/

dude rent a uhaul truck with a car trailer and put ur 8 on a trailer and pack ur stuff in the uhaul that way u dont put miles on ur car and it doesn't get hit by all the crap on the freeway I drove my car from miami to saint louis at the end of the summer and it was just destroyed by the time i got there (by destroyed I mean small paint chips & bugs everywhere) granted I should have taped it up but was pressed for time, and I will for the return trip but If renting a uhaul is feasible for you I would HIGHLY recommend it.

Attached is the installation instructions for the only hitch I know exists for the 8. I wouldn't feel safe driving across country with this pulling over 1,100 lbs. A bike or tries for a track day yes, not what you want to do.

Also the towing rates for the RX-8 according to a British brochure (http://www.mazda.co.uk/upload/country/en-gb/pdf_downloads/approved_used_range/rx8_brochure.pdf) are

UN-braked Trailer: 695 KG
Braked trailer: 1200KG

Hello,
So, what do you think? Do my larger things stay in NY or should they make the trip with me?
Thanks for reading,
Michael

Rent a nice, big U-Haul or Penske truck and tow your 8 on a trailer or 2-wheel tow-cart.

-1.3L

I wouldn't do it...

Thanks guys. I had my doubts too. It is a really long trip and I'm not interested in having a tow hitch mod, fooling with wires for the trailer, and not even knowing if I'll make it there/damage that could done towing that much in the long run.

If I was to go the Uhaul and tow the rx8 route, I'd be looking at 2 grand after its all said and done. It's too much money. I can transport my tools, the box is the problem, and all the other stuff I guess I could do without too. I'll probably just buy another tool box or something when I get there.

PS do they sell tape to tape up the hood and bumper for long road trips? Any recommendations? So I don't have to wash off 1 million bugs when I make it there.

you can use blue painters tape thats what I usually do, never had a problem with it hurting my paint done it with a few cars havent tried it on the 8 yet

Like this.

http://www.rx8club.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=142766&stc=1&d=1248491382

lol exactly

^+1

wow - that is a lot of tape...

nope

Scary thought
Don't do it......

pay the 400 or 500 to ship your car there... and rent a uhaul, don't get yourself into something potentially dangerous and much more expensive.

The RX-8 manual says something specific about NOT towing a trailer.

This is another option for road protection:

http://www.soloperformance.com/Road-Wrap-Paint-Protection-Film_p_1519.html

This is another option for road protection:

http://www.soloperformance.com/Road-Wrap-Paint-Protection-Film_p_1519.html




Thats exactly the product I was thinking of but couldn't remember the name.

Thanks

i have a picture of rotaryresurrection towing an rx7 with his rx7, but i cant find it at the moment. of course, his rx7 is turbocharged with 466whp.

i think you should be able to tow up to 600lbs safely. which is what 3 passengers and some luggage would weigh. the rx8 is definitely used to lugging around that kind of extra weight, on top of the driver. so i think you're fine there.

the only real issue i see, is how are you going to attach the little trailer? the only tow things i've seen have been custom installs.

There was a hitch kit (USA) that was made for the car. If I remember correctly, it didn't bolt to the frame. It bolted to the trunk sheet metal and people have problems with the bolts wearing the holes larger. Above expo1 hinted at a proper hitch that was sold in the UK. If you can get a hold of that one, it should work properly.

any pictures of what this hitch looks like from the rear?

Thanks,

I see guys that autocross with hitches on the back of their 8s and a small trailer with their tires, tools, air pump, etc.. all the time. Key word there "small". I am talking 5x5 or something similar.

i have a picture of rotaryresurrection towing an rx7 with his rx7, but i cant find it at the moment. of course, his rx7 is turbocharged with 466whp.

i think you should be able to tow up to 600lbs safely. which is what 3 passengers and some luggage would weigh. the rx8 is definitely used to lugging around that kind of extra weight, on top of the driver. so i think you're fine there.

the only real issue i see, is how are you going to attach the little trailer? the only tow things i've seen have been custom installs.

lol

This was at least 2 years ago. I had spun a cam bearing in my denali's stock engine, so it was down and needed an engine. I found the 04 LS6 engine on craigslist in Nashville so I took my FC and a borrowed trailer and went to get the replacement for my truck. Needless to say when I posted a thread on LS1Tech entitled "irony" with these pictures, it didn't go over well. :lol:

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF3453.JPG
http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF3454.JPG
http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF3455.JPG

At the same time a customer engine shipment came in. By now I had to return the borrowed trailer, so I used my tow dolly and just strapped the pallet down on it.

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF3376.JPG

Well, damn my luck, while all this was going on my father in law's car broke down about 30 miles from (my) home and he needed me to go get it. It was a v6 maxima that weighed probably 3500lb. The truck was still down so I said f**k it, and went and picked up his car in the FC, and towed it back to my house to fix it.

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF3421.JPG

Now I'm not gonna lie...towing the first two things were no sweat at all and something I'd gladly repeat anytime without hesitation. Towing that car was a bit nerve racking, as it plus the dolly easily outweighed my FC. Taking off from a dead stop I had to slip the clutch a bit extra, but after I got to 10mph boost took over and it would pull almost as well as my truck. The brakes were acceptable but not stellar. It was fine to do it for a short distance at medium speeds (50 or so) but I would never want to do it for very long of a distance. But man, I was getting some funny looks at stop lights, especially when I would take off and still be keeping up with the surrounding traffic while towing another car.

Overall when towing the main considerations are pulling power, stopping power, and suspension loading/tongue weight.

These cars cannot handle any significant tongue weight over a couple hundred lb. Small trailers and tow dollies are fine for this.

Other than this limitation, people are overly paranoid about towing. It won't hurt your engine or your (manual) transmission. Many of us have upgraded brakes and clutches which not only increase performance but can help with towing. As long as you keep the tongue weight down then towing a small or medium trailer will not be a problem.

Back in about 99 when I first started into rx7s, I only had my own rx7 (not this one), no truck or trailer(s). Me and a buddy used to go car shopping each weekend and I would look for cheap rx's to buy and fix, and resell. That's how I got started working on these. When I'd find a non running rx7 and buy it, I'd whip out the tow chain, my buddy would ride in the non running car for steering and braking, and I would pull him with the chain. I pulled many an rx7 home with my own rx7 before I bought my first truck.

:SHOCKED:damn landers i was drinking a beer when i scrolled down to the pic of your 7 pulling that nissan and i almost choked for realz. you could have killed me! i have been lmfao for a while now.

i think it is important to note for unexperienced people out there that rotaryressurection is a professional, and you should take extreme caution when attempting to follow his lead. :bowdown:

:SHOCKED:damn landers i was drinking a beer when i scrolled down to the pic of your 7 pulling that nissan and i almost choked for realz. you could have killed me! i have been lmfao for a while now.

i think it is important to note for unexperienced people out there that rotaryressurection is a professional, and you should take extreme caution when attempting to follow his lead. :bowdown:

lol

The thing I've towed that required the most experience and driving effort was this beast a couple months ago.

f250 crew cab, 4x4, auto, diesel. We figure his truck weighed about 8500lb, under the green tarp in the back is another diesel longblock weighing about 900lb more, and my trailer another 1600. My Denali weighs about 5600-6000 I guess.

This SOB was so heavy that it BENT the loading ramps to my trailer, and it actually warped my trailer slightly (the back end is sagging). Yeah, my truck would pull and stop this thing fine, but the trailer didn't like it a bit...it wanted to sway at speeds over about 35mph so I had to take it slow.

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/7towing/DSCF1878.jpg

I see guys that autocross with hitches on the back of their 8s and a small trailer with their tires, tools, air pump, etc.. all the time. Key word there "small". I am talking 5x5 or something similar.

Like this? :)

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/Galen_Darkmoon/IMG_1162W.jpg

RR, really?
look at your trailer! its clearly bent my friend. next time do what i do..... call AAA and (after you pull a couple fuses) tell them your vehicle wont start. they'll tow it wherever you want! lol

and galen, i think that is what the OP was needing. i think a trip cross country with that setup would not be so hard.....did you build that trailer? and where did you get your hitch setup?

RR, really?
look at your trailer! its clearly bent my friend. next time do what i do..... call AAA and (after you pull a couple fuses) tell them your vehicle wont start. they'll tow it wherever you want! lol


It wasnt my truck. It was a friend's who was broke as a joke and had no AAA. I obviously do not as I own my own tow vehicle, lol. He spent his last dime on the replacement engine for the truck but he had no place to swap it in and no vehicle in the meantime. So I decided to help him out.

The trailer has gone for the most part back straight now that the truck is off of it.

The trailer I picked up at Harbor freight, they run around $250.00 but have them onsale occasionally for 200. It's 40"x48" just add plywood to the top. The one shown has 12" wheels and we roll 75-80 to the track. There is room for 4 tires as youve seen with 2 5gal cas cans inbetween the tires and the toolbox which has the jack and other tools for track days.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/Galen_Darkmoon/trailer.jpg

The hitch is made by curt and can be picked up on ebay for $130 to $190. They have added a plate at the front where it bolts to the floor of the trunk for added support over the original release., so far it works well for me.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/Galen_Darkmoon/hitch.jpg

may be a bit small for what the original poster wants, but i would think you wouldnt want more than that hanging on the back of the 8

I picked up a decent 4x8 at tractor supply company on sale for $450 a couple years ago. Good to haul wheels, engines, etc on.

Any car with 130lbs tq + can tow 1100 lbs easily. The trick is finding a hitch that attaches to the frame so it does'nt damage or pull out your bumper. It will also alter your handling characteristics that is why towing is never recommended for small passenger cars and sportscars. The rx8 is high reving and suseptable to heat. A tow load may increase overheating in hot weather maybe wear the clutch too. Probably is'nt the best car for towing but it is heavy and powerfull enough to handle a class1 hitch and load in a pinch. I would do it if I had to. But a proper hitch set up would probably cost $600+.

any pictures of what this hitch looks like from the rear?

Thanks,


Like this:

163251

1.3L

Like this:

163251

1.3L

So wait...a hitch makes the rx8 look like a chrysler crossfire?

Galen,

Picture of the rear of the car, w/o bar installed?

Any scraping issues?

Thanks,

Tow chains drag now and then curbs in and out of driveway, never the hitch.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/Galen_Darkmoon/Hitch1.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/Galen_Darkmoon/Hitch2.jpg

Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
Mazda RX-8 Owner's Manual, p.4-12

Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
Mazda RX-8 Owner's Manual, p.4-12

ALWAYS RUN 5-20 MOTOR OIL, IT'S THE BEST FOR YOUR MAZDA'S ENGINE. A LITTLE CONDENSATION IN TAIL LIGHT LENSES NEVER HURT ANYBODY, IT ADDS CHARACTER. THE CAR IS GOING TO MAKE 248HP, TRUST US. -mazda

Sorry, can't find those quotes in the manual. Page numbers, please.

Sorry, can't find those quotes in the manual. Page numbers, please.

You been living under a rock for the last 6 years?

http://www.rotaryresurrection.com/klinternetfiles/forum/bigughh3.gif