Towing kit advice help

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pachink13

pachink13

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I'm looking to tow about a 5x8 uhaul style cargo trailer. I have a 3 piece band so not much equipment and maybe a few merch boxes. I'll be carrying 3 people, 4 total and our bags in the trunk for small weekend mini tours throughout SoCal. I've seen several pics of a-bodies towing other cars and boats so my tow demands should be fine right?

With all that being said, my 74 dart sport already has a hitch on it but it's small and it's not bolted to the frame at all. But I do have a mild 318-904-8,3/4 limited slip (3:55), and front discs..

What should I do to safely tow our equipment with peace of mind.. Lol anyone have pics of their setups I can see? I'd like to avoid welding. I don't plan on towing anything else either.
 
You need to post a picture of your hitch, to tow safely you need a really strong hitch.
Also 4 people gear 5x8 trailer, I would bet you are overloaded regardless.
 
Actually that sounds like a fairly heavy load. "People ain't light". Many older vehicles would be at their load limit with 3 adults and their luggage, never mind a trailer. That trailer EMPTY isn't all that light.

If I was "up to this" I'd want some beef in the suspension, GOOD tires, and probably air shocks for "some adjustability."

What does that trailer weigh? empty, and loaded?

It "ain't" just brakes, it's handling, as well.

And about trailer brakes........when you start to have a trailer that is a substantial percentage of the tow ing vehicles weight, you can quickly get into "bad deals" with no trailer brakes. A wet road, a curve, sandy / gravel spot on the road, anything that causes poor traction in a dangerous situation can quickly result in the trailer pushing you into a jackknife....and out of control. Electric brakes.........NOT surge........add some control to one of these situations because it keeps the damn thing behind you
 
Also 5x8 enclosed trailers have no brakes, I still have the one I bought new in 2000 and it pulls hard with my Jeep Wrangler, with my truck it is fine.
 
With a bolt on bumper hitch? What kind of shape are the 40 y/o frame rails in? Better look around carefullly under there before hanging 2k on the back of it, but it sounds like a bad idea all the way around. Just not much holding the bumpers on these cars and the rails basically sheet metal
 
Ok ok I see. we pulled a very full 6x10 trailer with a 6 people in a club wagon with a 350 I figure if I could set it up for it I could do it with a muscle car.

I have hotchkis rear springs, hotchkis sway in front (probably doesn't matter), brand new 0miles 245/60r14 bfgs on the rear and I'll have 235s in the front. Im very aware of and experienced with hauling and annoyingly was the only one who could back the damn thing up.

The 6x10 wasn't really heavy at all. I figure the 5x8 with 1 base rig, 1 guitar rig, and 1 drumset, maybe 1-2 merch boxes, loaded properly with the weight distributed correctly wouldn't even compare. I will make sure my brakes work and will only upgrade them cause I wanna build this car somewhat. And the 4 people in the car with backpacks would only be working against the car itself and not the hitch mounting point right? I mean my 02 Mitsubishi diamanté handles that plus my guitar rig, I'm sure a dart sport can. Lol haha

As soon as I get a pic I'll post it of the hitch. it's so weenie i don't even know what they could tow legally that was so small. Lol
 
A 4x4 Harbor freight trailer with their push mower on it? Lol

Had a 00 Diamonte, really nice road car. 105 seemed to be the sweetspot.

All you need is rear sway bar to go with the rest of the Hotchkis goodies and a roof rack and you're golden! Lol
 
I think you could do it, just "make it safe." I towed a Cuda on a trailer from San Diego to N Idaho when I got out of the Navy, but it had an equalizer / hitch receiver and trailer brakes. But it WAS loaded to the hilt. This was my 70 V code RR with "Trak Pac" or however it's spelled, so it had great suspension and brakes. It all "handled" like it was on rails, and I came up here part of the way on old highway 1 / 101 on the coast, so there was a LOT of hills, curves, and narrow 2 lange stuff. (1974)

ANY decent fab outfit can build you a cool hitch receiver. you don't have to use the "big" 2" one, use the smaller size. Load it carefully, test stuff, and get brakes on the trailer. I am NOT thrilled about U-haul.......not in the least. Nor do I like surge brakes.
 
I have a 5x8 open trailer with a diamond plate floor (not wood like the Lowes ones).

It's on the books at the tag agency at 600 pounds empty.

My Dakota only has a bumper mount ball and it does fine.

I load the hell out of that trailer sometimes, and I do plan on getting a frame mount hitch if I can find one that clears my exhaust.

Frame mount hitches are super tricky on uni-body cars, esp with fuel tanks in the way. At least you don't have valance panels to work around.


You might consider a hitch that clamps to the bumper. Not pretty but better than 4 bolts in a 6 to 8 inch line on the same plane.

Also I'd check your bumper to body mount areas real thoroughly. That can be a rust prone area IIRC.
 
pachink13 said:
I'm looking to tow about a 5x8 uhaul style cargo trailer. I have a 3 piece band.
What should I do to safely tow our equipment with peace of mind.. Lol anyone have pics of their setups I can see? I'd like to avoid welding. I don't plan on towing anything else either.
Click to expand...

In my my best Ringo......Think of the band man !
Driving around in the back seat of a Dodge Dart Sport would suck !!!

Get yourself a truck or a van, man.
 
Dont forget the aerodynamic forces that act on this thing moving, that alone will make it feel like it's heavier than it is...

and for sure get a trans cooler designed for towing...your trans temps will heat up drastically towing
 
I have a 74 sedan with the tow package it has coil over shocks in the rear and the hitch has 4 bolt, two to the rear bumper and two to the trunk pan into 3x3 plates welded into the tire depression, if it helps I have towed a 4x8 open trailer with two large bails of hay that maxed it out but it still towed it.
 
Kind of like this, cant find a pic.
 

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I would not tow a car with it but I know I had my trailer maxed out.
 
I towed a slam full 4x8 U-haul from OH to FL with my 67 Coronet and a clamp on hitch. The Coronet was also slam full.

Rode like a brand new car and had absolutely no problems.

Did have air shocks.
 
YY1 said:
Also I'd check your bumper to body mount areas real thoroughly. That can be a rust prone area IIRC.
Click to expand...

That's what I was getting at, and difficult to assess. Can look pretty good on the outside and be severely deteriorated on the inside, and I don't think it would be the heavyweight bumper or bolt on hitch itself that fails.
 
Nahhh, a van is too much right now and so they will have to just deal with it. Frankly the rear of a dartsport is actually roomy for a 2 door. just getting in and out is all. My bass player and drummer are small so they can deal. The roadie resembles nothing less than lumber jack so he's up front with me.

That's why I want a 5x8 for less of a building behind me. I would love the 6x10 for the ramp and being able to stand up and load. But that'll wait until I need a van for long tours. we're still establishing California. lol

that's what I was wondering if someone had a frame hitch setup that I could see and perhaps copy or improve on.

Lol love my 02 v6 diamanté. she's quick as hell and super comfy. Rides like a Mercedes. just broke 100kmiles for only an 02. Bitchin stereo too. Looks like a Beamer in the front and a grandma car in the back so the cops never think anything of me.
 
I got a 5x8 so it would track the same as my Dakota.

Pulling a 6' wide trailer gets kinda tedious, always being careful to not go over the center line or off the side of the road.

MUCH easier if the trailers tires are the same distance apart as the towing vehicles.
 
Another thing to consider is mirrors, that trailer is about the same as mine, and it is a pia to back up.
 
I used to use "clamp ons" and never thought a thing of it. If your paint is "extra special" that might e a concern. My old mirrors set in the felt on the outside of the window, with a padded clip went under the bottom of the door, and a spring / tension device. They worked just great.
 
if it helps.
 

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halifaxhops said:
Kind of like this, cant find a pic.
Click to expand...

My /6 Duster had something like this on it when I bought it. The holes in the trunk pan were rotted and attached to nothing...found a registration for a 16' fiberglass boat in the glove box. That thing has to weigh more than a 5x8 trailer.

Here's how I see it. My car has an efi 360 mag, 46RE, 8.8 rear, disc brakes all around and durango leaf mod...I'd tow a car dolly with it...IF I had a hitch that would handle it. Nothing that only bolts to the floor should ever be used unless you're looking to mangle your car and endanger the public, sorry, the metal on these old girls is really soft. ( thick but soft )


Aside from the hitch, I will say that towing with the dart should be no problem as long as a few things are considered.
Tires, brakes, frame, electrical at the bare minimum.
I tow a 33' camper on a regular basis with the truck and those are the things i check before every trip.
From there, we can talk about gearing and all kinds of things, but I digress.
 
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