Enclosed car carriers?

[Ray Davis]

Ellen & I tow our Civic Hybrid four wheels down

I'm curious how that is working, at least from the Hybrid side of things. I also have a Hondy civic hybrid, and would like to tow it in the near future.

I can't really consider the trailer aspect, as it would be one more thing to store somewhere, and would cost on the order of $300/month in lovely southern CA.

Do you use any auxilliary brakes?
Where did you get the mounting panel for the civic?
Does it require a special tow arm?

I'm just starting at looking at towing, and don't know a whole lot about it yet.

-ray

[ken&ellen]

We have been towing the Civic since last April. We use a Blue Ox tow bar and base plate. For braking we use a Brake Buddy. We did have a problem on our trip to Polk City for the POG rally. In my opinion we had a rear wheel bearing seize and cause the tire to blow as well as tore up the wheel. Honda claims that the Civic should not be towed 4 wheels down, but even if we had used a tow dolly the rear wheels would be on the ground....the rear wheel would have still seized. Honda then claimed that my wife had left the emergency brake on causing the mishap? We had the car repaired and then towed it home from North Carolina without a problem. Ken

[lewpopp]

There is a Honda dealer in our park and he says that Honda has reconsidered telling people that their cars are towable because the owners are not following the process to the letter.

You must come out of drive prior to going to neutral. If the last gear you come out of is reverse, there is a key or something in the tranny that will lock up something and frig everything up.

My car is a saturn Vue with a Honda drivetrain and I must follow the directions to the letter or I'll frog it up also.

Do the tow manuals say that the hybrids are towable?

[Ray Davis]

I looked at the Honda site, and basically it said we think you can tow it, BUT, we've not tested in any amount, and therefore recommend limit distance and speed.

Then they do describe a complicated scenario of running the engine, shifting to all gears before towing, and then repeating the sequence if towing for over 8 hours.

There was a tow bar which came with this coach, but I don't even know what kind it is. I assume that various towbars have matching base plates and that they are not universal?

[Chris and Debbie Yates]

I recently bought a used Competitive trailer. I have not been able to locate a website for this company. Does anyone know if they are still arround and how to contact them?

Cheers,

Chris

[Coloradobus]

I have found this:

Competitive Trailers
8832 Ramona St
Bellflower, California
90706

562-634-2006

Good Luck

[Kevin Erion]

I to bought a 98 30' Competitive and Dan is the owner, good guy and will try to help.
Kevin

[Chris and Debbie Yates]

Thanks to Kevin and to Coloradobus for the info. It sure helped to make a noob feel welcome.

Cheers

[ken&ellen]

C&D, I see by your profile you race vintage cars and it would be safe to assume the enclosed carrier is for the cars. What types do you race? As a young man in Upstate New York I would watch as the cars would be going to Watskin Glen for the Grand Prix. Graham Hill and Sterling Moss were my driving favorites. Current racing is to clinical as well as commercial....although I still watch. Welcome to POG. Ken & Ellen

[Chris and Debbie Yates]

K&E, the enclosed trailer is for Debbie's mini convertible and my motorcycle (don't leave home without it) The race car travels with the support team, I just arrive and drive! The vintage car is a 1969 Merlyn Formula Ford. If you google CVAR you can find pics of the group we run with, there are some neat old cars from the same era as Graham Hill and Stirling Moss. I was glad to see that you were cheering for the Brits!

Cheers.