Towing The Elio / Towing With The Elio

[RUCRAYZE]

You-all forget it's an "&", ya leave the "&", take the other car/truck and go touring -people travel the world with a backpack! It's similar to the blind bus driver syndrome, Visually impaired kids grow up thinking they can be/do anything, until someone "smacks them with reality that it can't/won't happen". Here too the same principal, and don't use the milage as the justification, we (touring bikers) NEVER let the mpg influence our trips. So take the 15-25mpg beast, let her take whatever, she"needs", the pooch and go, take the harley w/wo trailer and go, there is no doubt that whatever the vehicle, pulling a trailer increases risk.Stop trying to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Then again.........................

 

[goofyone]

True. I agree. They are expensive and for as much as I'd use it, impractical. I just don't think I'd like one of the junky looking topper on a trailer solutions... I'd rather pay more and have something I was proud of. But, I can be cheap, too. I mean, I made a lot of furniture...

Thule and Yamaha both make narrow rooftop carriers that would look more streamlined than that big box offered by Harbor Freight. Buy the trailer without the box and modify the trailer if necessary.

This one is not as nice as some I have seen however imagine something along these lines nicely painted to match or contrast the Elio. That would not look too bad at all.

 

[tazairforce]

Another nice upgrade would be to ditch the 8" tires and wheels and go with a set of 12 inchers...they ride much better and last a lot longer...and they slow down the rotation speed of the wheel bearings, which makes them last longer too....

Grampi,
I would like to upgrade from 8" to 12", but with some trailers you can't. I have a cargo trailer with 8", tow with a HD Dyna/Wing, and a Time Out Pop-Up with 8", towed with the Wing, both do not have enought clearance to up grade. SO, I just feel of the hubs, when I off at a gas stop. If the hubs are cooler than the handle bars, I feel like all is Good, then gas and Go.lol
Towed to the Grand Cayon, Key West, DC, NM. Not a problem. Just watch your equiptment.

 

[tazairforce]

You-all forget it's an "&", ya leave the "&", take the other car/truck and go touring -people travel the world with a backpack! It's similar to the blind bus driver syndrome, Visually impaired kids grow up thinking they can be/do anything, until someone "smacks them with reality that it can't/won't happen". Here too the same principal, and don't use the milage as the justification, we (touring bikers) NEVER let the mpg influence our trips. So take the 15-25mpg beast, let her take whatever, she"needs", the pooch and go, take the harley w/wo trailer and go, there is no doubt that whatever the vehicle, pulling a trailer increases risk.Stop trying to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Then again.........................

RUC, What is the differance between hauling a 250# Big A++'ed person, in the back seat and towing a 250# trailer, besides having Better company/less verbal feed-back, and shorter gas stops??lol If you don't tow, you don't know.

 

[cortsdad2]

If you look around you can easily find narrow and relatively light utility trailers which would be perfect for Elio towing. My plan is to build or buy something like this:

View attachment 5043 View attachment 5044


Both of these trailers are relatively light and inexpensive as they both came from harbor freight. The first one is built on a harbor freight chassis and uses a standard roof carrier bolted to it and the second one is a complete harbor freight unit.

Base trailer without storage unit - http://www.harborfreight.com/870-lb...ailer-with-8-inch-wheels-and-tires-42708.html
Complete Trailer - http://www.harborfreight.com/600-lb-capacity-78-inch-tag-along-trailer-66771.html

There are a few inexpensive upgrades which should be done to these inexpensive trailers to make them ride better and lost longer. It helps greatly to upgrade the wheel bearings and pack them in good quality grease as this will make them last a long time without giving you much trouble along the way. Isolating the leaf springs using some thick rubber pads will make the trailer handle much nicer. Also upgrading the wheels and tires plus purchasing a spare at the same time will make everything ride nicer and save you hassles down the road.

I have that very Harbor Freight trailer that I have pulled behind my Harley Electra Glide Classic. It pulls very well. I added a small Harley luggage rack to the back of it. The luggage rack has LED tail and brake lights built in. Hey, maybe I'll put one on the Elio, yeah I know, it would cost some mpgs...

 

[RUCRAYZE]

RUC, What is the differance between hauling a 250# Big A++'ed person, in the back seat and towing a 250# trailer, besides having Better company/less verbal feed-back, and shorter gas stops??lol If you don't tow, you don't know.

True I never towed, but having 250lbs in the backseat in-between the wheels seems like it would be safer than pulling along 250 behind, have no idea of the physics, but i do know as per other posts when you were to put 250 on the rear seat of a rice burner(rear seat up in the air) that too would have a detrimental effect (raise center of gravity), perhaps one of our fellow members ( engineers) could describe it better than I-- hey I know whatever I post won't change minds, but just wanted to put it out there, I wish us all the luck in driving our Elios, which will require as much diligence as bike riding- especially gawkers for the first year at least. Enjoy!!

 

[goofyone]

I have that very trailer that I have pulled behind my Harley Electra Glide Classic. It pulls very well. I added a small Harley luggage rack to the back of it. The luggage rack has LED tail and brake lights built in. Hey, maybe I'll put one on the Elio, yeah I know, it would cost some mpgs...

Glad to hear the trailer has worked out well for you as it looks like a number of us will end up with this type of trailer for our Elios!

I am sure it will affect the MPG some however being narrow I am betting it won't be too terrible as it should draft the main car body pretty well. Either way an Elio with a trailer will allow for hauling two people and a good amount of gear while still beating just about every other car in mileage.

 

[Truett Collins]

Grampi,
I would like to upgrade from 8" to 12", but with some trailers you can't. I have a cargo trailer with 8", tow with a HD Dyna/Wing, and a Time Out Pop-Up with 8", towed with the Wing, both do not have enought clearance to up grade. SO, I just feel of the hubs, when I off at a gas stop. If the hubs are cooler than the handle bars, I feel like all is Good, then gas and Go.lol
Towed to the Grand Cayon, Key West, DC, NM. Not a problem. Just watch your equiptment.

http://www.piggybacker.com/Piggybacker/PiggyBacker_Cargo_Trailer.html

 

[goofyone]

http://www.piggybacker.com/Piggybacker/PiggyBacker_Cargo_Trailer.html

Nice find! This one appears to be reasonably priced and looks like it could be a good option for those who can not, or would rather not, build one themselves.

I would likely still build my own as I could do it up exactly how I wanted it and still likely save some money however that is personal preference.

 

[NSTG8R]

How about a 5th-wheel style trailer (hey...it's early, I'm not thinking clearly! ). Pop off the rear hatch, slide in a bucket-like insert to keep the weather out of the vehicle, or perhaps, a replacement hatch with a rubber boot where the receiver drops down through. Sure, there'd have to be a custom miniture 5th-wheel hitch mounted to the frame above the rear wheel, but if the trailer matched the contours of the Elio, it might pull pretty nice.

Okay, time to down some coffee and wake up.