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I've got a 98 SC400... and recently bought a dirtbike. I could get an old beater truck to haul it around but I got to thinking, why wouldn't my V8 be able to? My plan: One of these (not necessarily from eBay just for example)
http://m.ebay.com/itm/New-Curt-Hitch-Rear-Powdercoated-black-Coupe-For-Lexus-SC300-SC400-2000-99-11233/121925678917
Plus a single/double dirtbike hauler. (Anywhere from 50-100lbs depending on double or single)
The method of hauling doesn't include an actual trailer, just something that will slip into the joint and be off the ground.
With my dirtbike(around 250-300lbs with gear) the setup would be no more than say 500lbs. Pros and cons of this setup? And would it kill my car to add my friends bike? Totaling maybe 700lbs? I see people asking about hauling 1800lb boats so it gives me hope that I might be able to haul well under 1k lbs without ruining my car. Please hold the "it's a sports car not a truck" comments. I'm a college kid on a budget that likes to go fast and go off road. Thanks in advance for any insight!
Isn't tongue weight like 10% of the total for a trailer? So, your 500-700 lbs would be the equivalent of 5-7,000 lbs, which is way too much for a SC. Then you also have to take into account whether the Class I receiver can take that tongue weight. I think you'll be 2-3x its capacity.
I may be off on the ratio, but it sounds like a very, very bad idea to me.
Isn't tongue weight like 10% of the total for a trailer? So, your 500-700 lbs would be the equivalent of 5-7,000 lbs, which is way too much for a SC. Then you also have to take into account whether the Class I receiver can take that tongue weight. I think you'll be 2-3x its capacity.
I may be off on the ratio, but it sounds like a very, very bad idea to me.
Thanks for info. I wasn't sure what tongue weight meant I guess. So with what you are saying, it would actually be more practical with a very leightweight trailer compared to hanging 500-700lbs off the back.. right? Either way probably going to continue borrowing my brother truck...
I had a chance to tow by bike (1989 Yamaha FJ1200) on a 3 rail dirt bike trailer, with a U-haul installed hitch, from Seattle to Houston.
Had good bearings and a aluminum ramp. Something like 2300 miles.
In January. Snow in up state Oregon.
I towed my fz6 in an enclosed uhaul trailer about 200 miles over mountains passes from Denver to Montrose and i hardly noticed it back there. This was with an sc300. You'll be fine to tow bikes but on a small trailer not just suspended by the hitch, like it was mentioned above too much tongue weight
I slapped a class 3 hitch on, just dont go over the recommended tow/tounge weight of the car its self
Man, your car looks crazy. Looks like a nice Mad Max cruiser lol. Does it have a lift kit, or is it just cause those big a** wheels? Either way, thanks for sharing something different
From what I remember the hitch weight was 200lbs, so I wouldn't go over 2,000lbs total. I have the curt hitch, and it works great. I have a harbor freight trailer that has turned out to be incredibly handy, and I've used it at least a dozen times for my motorcycles.
+1 to the jacked up SC hauling the uhual trailer with the shovel in the roof rack. Very cool.
06-24-17, 04:43 AM
1998 SC400 Hauling?
