Can I safely tow with my vehicle?

Posted by DoctorCumfart@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 22 comments

Hi y’all, I have a question about towing with my vehicle. I own a ‘21 Encore GX with the 1.3L engine and FWD drive type. I plan to drive to Phoenix from here in Dallas in the next few months for college (Go Sun Devils!) and plan to bring an enduro motorcycle along with me in a 4x8 enclosed trailer. AFAIK, the towing capacity of the GX is 1,000lbs; the total weight of the trailer and motorcycle together would bring it to 983 pounds exactly. I haven’t towed before, though my vehicle is equipped with a Class 3 hitch receiver. Of course, this setup can accommodate a weight distribution hitch and sway control bar if needed. Overall, with safety and longevity in mind, can this be done?

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M1RR0R@reddit

Keep it under 60 and double your following distance. Your acceleration time will be "it'll get there when it gets there"

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KingWolfsburg@reddit

I have a car that goes 0 to 60 eventually

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PandaKing1888@reddit

No, it's not if you can tow, but how can you brake.

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9BALL22@reddit

Your Encore is 2wd right? Rent a truck with a tow dolly, put your bike and stuff in the truck and tow the Buick behind it.

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jibaro1953@reddit

Take your time.

Make sure tires are in good condition, properly inflated, all fluid levels are good, etc.

Expect to go up hills slowly. Shift to a lower gear.

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DoctorCumfart@reddit (OP)

Very well, thank you for your reply!

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jibaro1953@reddit

Pay attention to the weight limits.

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ThePartyLeader@reddit

You, the driver, and everything in the car besides what it came with from the factory counts towards that tow number.

So if your bike and trailer weighs 983lbs you and your close should weigh less than 17lbs.

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AwarenessGreat282@reddit

That's completely wrong. The passengers and cargo only count against the total payload, not the max towing.

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ThePartyLeader@reddit

Chevy disagrees

Maximum Trailer Weight Rating This rating is determined by subtracting the tow vehicle’s weight (curb weight) from the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). Base vehicle (curb) weight plus 150 lbs. each for the driver and a front passenger is used, so additional passengers, equipment and cargo weight reduce this rating. This rating can be found on the Trailering Information Label located on the doorframe for Silverado 1500, Silverado HD, Suburban and Tahoe. Axle Ratio In general, a higher axle ratio offers higher traile

All weight is counted but they buffer it by 300lbs so while my example isn't perfect it's easier to point out that tow includes all weight not just tow weight

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congteddymix@reddit

I don’t know that Encore is a pretty small vehicle, if it has a class 3 hitch on it it was only mostly for use with a bike rack or something. If it was like 50 miles then I would do it because you can take your time and such, but with the trip you’re taking that’s a several hundred mile trip. Can it be done safely, yeah if your willing to drive very carefully and make sure that trailer and the rest of your stuff is very evenly distributed that you only have 100lbs tongue weight. Reality is that you may want to look at different avenues for transport of these items like a U-Haul truck.

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DoctorCumfart@reddit (OP)

I see, thank you

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AwarenessGreat282@reddit

It's a weight game. The max payload of the Encore is 1018lbs. That means the tongue weight of the trailer, you, any passengers, and all the cargo cannot exceed 1018. If your trailer weighs 1000lbs, the tongue weight should be 100-150 lbs. (10-15%) So now weigh yourself and the car's cargo and add it all up. Keep it under 1000 and you will be safe. You can weigh the tongue when it is fully loaded with a bathroom scale. If it is more than 15% of your trailer and its cargo, your trailer load needs to be adjusted. Same if it is below 10%. Look, you learned something, and you haven't even arrived at college yet!

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DoctorCumfart@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the input!

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Equivalent-Carry-419@reddit

To be fair, he’s going to ASU. 😊

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doctrsnoop@reddit

its gonna be pretty stressful for sure.

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Mike__O@reddit

I wouldn't. The "max towing weight" in the owner's manual is about the least useful way to evaluate whether or not it's safe to tow a load.

You'd probably be fine towing something like that for a quick trip across town, but a long road trip like that is going to put the hurts on your transmission, brakes, and engine.

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