Trailer noob | GTAMotorcycle.com

Trailer noob

moarmoto

moarmoto

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In trying to help me buy a bike from afar, and to use a bicycle rack, I decided to install a hitch on my car (2013 ford focus). Heaviest I'd use it for trailering will be for motorcycle trailering once in a while with Uhaul motorcycle trailer.

North American focus manual says not to tow but Aussie and euro versions say yes up to a weight rating that'll be greater than what I'd use. But that's another story.

I got a class 1 drawtite one from Amazon around 160 that I'll try to install myself (200lb tongue weight/2000 towing capacity)

When it comes to trailering, I understand that I need:

A) wiring for trailer lights
B) hitch ball mount
C) hitch ball

So questions:

1) Am I missing anything?

2) I'm supposed to install the hitch, get the ball mount the right height to match the trailer coupler. Are trailer coupler heights similar for small trailers in general?

3) Where's the best place to buy the above accessories? I'm trying to keep the cost down. There's a lot more components involved than I originally thought lol.

4) what are liabilities like for borrowing a trailer from someone? For low price of Uhaul motorcycle trailer, I'm thinking I'll just rent it from there.


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It's pretty important to start with the weight of the bike which I'm guessing could be anywhere between 200 and 600 pounds.
Transporting through Quebec? You will want an enclosed trailer if the bike you are hauling has no license plates.

U-haul places are sometimes the cheapest and easiest place to buy a trailer hitch and have it installed. As trailers go U-haul rental trailers are not light, they have nice big diameter wheels most of the time but are generally heavy to pull. The other end of the scale is a little fold up, square frame utility trailer that you can buy from somewhere like CT for just under a grand by the time you install it. The tires will be made in China and you will be hard pressed to keep air in them, the tongue will be so short you will have difficulty backing it up and it will bounce and sway on the back of the car pretty good, but it will haul a motorcycle half decent.

Trailer license plate is a good deal, unless they go and change the rules you buy it once for not much coin and it's good for life.
 
Should be able to find a 4 pin trailer harness that plugs into one of the rear tail lights or something like that.

YouTube or one of the hitch manufacturers will have a quick install vid.

The weak link for vehicles typically is the transmission for heat. Folks drive with trailers the same way as without and it’s a mistake.

Go slow and take it easy. The car will be fine.

I’ve towed a pop trailer with an 05 Toyota Matrix with auto trans.

You want the trailer to be horizontally even so, the ball height will depend on the trailer and tongue location.

Not sure about receivers for 1”?

That’s all I got from the work chair this morning.


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BTW: 200 pound tongue weight limit sounds crazy low, that means a large adult could stand on your trailer hitch or trailer tongue and possibly bend it :| That's a scary concept.
 
What does your tongue look like? I have way too many 1.25x1.25". You can have one or more for free if you pick them up. Lmk if you are interested and I will see if i can find them some may even have balls. For a golf i use one tongue for trailers (~4" rise) and another tongue permanently attached to bike rack. Sure, some trailers would like a different ball height, but it is close enough to get the job done.

To add to your list, there are different size balls. Find out what uhaul uses, my suspicion is it will be one size up from consumer utility trailers.

To avoid having to buy/install a vehicle specific harness, I made a manual trailer light control that plugs in to 12v outlet. It works well but afaik, you cant buy them.

If the trailer has a problem, it's you auto insurance that will pay the bill. No matter where you get the trailer, inspect it for obvious scary deficiencies (cracks, heavy rust, wobbly bearings, loose/missing bolts, bald/cracked tires, etc).
 
Trials said:
BTW: 200 pound tongue weight limit sounds crazy low, that means a large adult could stand on your trailer hitch or trailer tongue and possibly bend it :| That's a scary concept.
Click to expand...
Some.class 1 hitches use a flat bar tongue (something like 0.5 x 2.5"). I've never trusted, bought or installed one of those.
 
Trials said:
It's pretty important to start with the weight of the bike which I'm guessing could be anywhere between 200 and 600 pounds....
Click to expand...

The drz is supposed to be around 320 lbs.

Amazon, surprisingly had the lowest cost for my model. Same ones cost more at Uhaul and several other places.

Currently not looking to buy a trailer as I have no space.

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nakkers said:
Should be able to find a 4 pin trailer harness that plugs into one of the rear tail lights or something like that.

YouTube or one of the hitch manufacturers will have a quick install vid.

The weak link for vehicles typically is the transmission for heat. Folks drive with trailers the same way as without and it’s a mistake.

Go slow and take it easy. The car will be fine.

I’ve towed a pop trailer with an 05 Toyota Matrix with auto trans.

You want the trailer to be horizontally even so, the ball height will depend on the trailer and tongue location.

Not sure about receivers for 1”?

That’s all I got from the work chair this morning.


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Click to expand...

Did some more research and ordered harness kit specific to my car.

Mines a manual transmission and I'm good at granny driving. Might even finish an audiobook travelling to and from Ottawa.

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GreyGhost said:
What does your tongue look like? I have way too many 1.25x1.25". You can have one or more for free if you pick them up. Lmk if you are interested and I will see if i can find them some may even have balls. For a golf i use one tongue for trailers (~4" rise) and another tongue permanently attached to bike rack. Sure, some trailers would like a different ball height, but it is close enough to get the job done.

To add to your list, there are different size balls. Find out what uhaul uses, my suspicion is it will be one size up from consumer utility trailers.

To avoid having to buy/install a vehicle specific harness, I made a manual trailer light control that plugs in to 12v outlet. It works well but afaik, you cant buy them.

If the trailer has a problem, it's you auto insurance that will pay the bill. No matter where you get the trailer, inspect it for obvious scary deficiencies (cracks, heavy rust, wobbly bearings, loose/missing bolts, bald/cracked tires, etc).
Click to expand...

I might take up your generosity. This one has 1.25"x1.25" square receiver.

I need to install it first to see what I have for the height.

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(y) The bike is light, invest in a decent hitch receiver for your car and try to borrow a trailer when you need one,
as you notice lots of ol guys have lots of little ol trailers kicking around.
 
Check this out
You need a 2” ball

oioioi said:
You are free to use my trailer.
It's 4X8 and pretty low off the ground.
I am in Milton

The ramps in the picture are not mine but I can see with my neighbor if I can borrow them again..

It has a 2" hitch ball mount

Let me know

View attachment 41487
Click to expand...


www.gtamotorcycle.com

Loan me a loading ramp for a 12 pack?

Just need one for two days. Beer as payment?
www.gtamotorcycle.com www.gtamotorcycle.com

I now have loading ramps to go with it.
 
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There's a protest going on in Ottawa now. Some roads are closed. Be aware.
 
A) wiring for trailer lights
got mine from amazon.. you can also buy a tester for the harness

B) hitch ball mount
C) hitch ball
You need to figure out if you need a drop or raise . probably a raise and find out how much of a raise.
uhaul sells them but make you what you need and call to see if its in stock.

if you go uhual, remember to get something to chock the trailer. They are heavy and can easily get rolling away





btw I got my hitch at www.partsengine.ca
 
Trials said:
Transporting through Quebec? You will want an enclosed trailer if the bike you are hauling has no license plates.
Click to expand...
I've heard this before, but can't find any more details on the law or reasons. A few years ago, I towed a bike from Montreal to Toronto on an open trailer with no plates and luckily didn't get stopped.
 
What if you were to put a tarp over the bike?

What that be enough to disguise the item you are transporting?

I am guessing is has something to do registered/unregistered vehicles.
 
Has something to do with absolutely anything motorized in Quebec that can be ridden needing a plate is my understanding, enclosed vehicle or crate it would work, makes sense if you consider the popularity of enclosed trailers and minivans at a typical PQ event :| I have seen lawn tractors in Gatineau with a full size plate on it being hauled around on an open trailer, that is their way, and I really don't want to take it up with a gendarme at the side of the highway.
 
Holy... Just finished installing the hitch. Took way longer than I thought, about 2 hrs. All the crusted salt stuff falling on my face wasn't fun.

Frigging thing was heavy and didn't occur to me to use a floor jack to help lift and balance until like 5 tries.

The hitch height is around 10 something inches off the ground. Couldn't find the damn tape measure, so I'll do that tomorrow.

Wiring harness is ordered from partsengine.

It does feel accomplished though.

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moarmoto said:
The hitch height is around 10 something inches off the ground. Couldn't find the damn tape measure, so I'll do that tomorrow.

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Click to expand...

That height will be good enough for the type of trailer you need to tow and the weight of the bike.

The wiring hardness should be more plug and play type of thing.

Probably little more pricey than a splice in type but much easier and faster to do.

Yes, either a floor jack or axle stands work very well. You will know for next time.
 
I rented a u haul trailer and towed a ZX6R ninja for a couple of hours in an automatic honda civic. it was fine. I wouldn't overthink it. I also towed a sea doo with that set up as well.
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