Towing The Elio / Towing With The Elio

[outsydthebox]

There is a lot we will be discovering about trailer towing with the Elio so we will all just have to work together to see what works and what doesn't. We will definitely had to tread carefully and always remember that overloading trailers and vehicles and/or improperly securing and balancing the load on a trailer will cause problems in any vehicle. These issues will likely be magnified in a very lightweight vehicle with three wheels so anyone who decides to use a trailer of any type will have to be very cautious of what they do.

I happen to run a business which builds trailer mounted solar power systems and maintaining proper weight distribution and tongue weight is something we are constantly aware of when designing and building our systems. Try properly distributing the weight of 1000+ lbs of lead acid batteries and several hundred pounds of solar panels in a trailer some time as shifting those batteries just a few inches can make a huge difference in the overall balance of the trailer and in tongue weight.

You bring up some very good points...proper loading, weight distribution, securing the load, weather, road conditions...ALL of these factors also revolve around proper education of the owner/operator. Even then, there is no guarantee that the driver is adequately trained, or capable of effectively using that training in a panic situation. I can only imagine, in your position, being responsible (accountable?) for the actions of the drivers / loaders. I am sure that good insurance is also a necessary part of what you do...As it should be for all of us. We don't have to be "at fault" to be sued!

 

[JEBar]

there is no guarantee that the driver is adequately trained, or capable of effectively using that training in a panic situation.

once again, in the real world, UHaul and other such companies rent hundreds, if not thousands, of trailers every day .... over time I've rented both trailers and box trucks and have never been given a lesson on anything that I didn't specifically ask about .... I did have to sign a form saying UHaul wasn't liable for anything that I assumed all liability for everything bad that could happen anywhere on the planet ....

Jim

 

[goofyone]

understood on 8" tires .... we spend the summer in South Dakota, and a few weeks ago we left on the weekend that Sturgis was breaking up .... we drop down on I29 to KC and then take I70 to St Louis .... we never cease to be amazed at the number of bikes we see .... this year we saw two different rigs on the side of the road, one with 2 bikes and one with 4 bikes on single axle trailers that had blown what looked to be an 8 - 12" tire (its hard to tell exactly at 60+ mph ) .... both the boat and GEM car trailers that we tow have 15" Maxxis 8008 tires, I have no desire to spend time changing a tire on the shoulder of an interstate

as to Dodge, , that ain't gonna happen

Jim

Increasing the tire diameter definitely helps reduce stress on the wheel bearings however even more important than the wheel size is properly packing those bearings in high quality grease.

I never trust the grease that comes with trailer kits and when buying an already built trailer one of the first things I do is remove and repack the wheel bearings in quality grease. In my opinion proper maintenance and care of the wheel bearings is the key to making trailers last.

 

[ElioDigger]

one thing is for sure, anything too heavy will most likely smoke the clutch or beaks. I pull a small trailer with my smart from time to time. it has a similar setup the elio will have. The Europe version smart is rated for 800 pounds with a tong weight of 100. the usA version is not rated to pull a trailer for liability reasons even though it is bigger than the Europe version .

 

[Michael Beltrone]

This would be great for my trips to the Smoky Mountains TN

 

[JEBar]

I never trust the grease that comes with trailer kits and when buying an already built trailer one of the first things I do is remove and repack the wheel bearings in quality grease. In my opinion proper maintenance and care of the wheel bearings is the key making trailers last.

agree completely .... in addition, very few trailer tires come balanced and most trailers spend much more time sitting than they do in motion .... the longer they sit the faster the sidewalls harden .... the more they harden, the more failures occur when they are later put in use .... one product I've found to help with both issues is KTB Liquid Tire Balancer http://ktbproducts.com/id3.html .... I've been using it for over 10 years .... right now its in the 22.5's on our Sportchassis, 17's on our Chevy truck, 16's on our 5th wheel, 10" on a boat trailer in South Dakota, 15's on my wife's car and so on .... the fluid does a great job balancing the tires and in addition, it coats the inside of the tires and helps prevent dry rot

Jim

 

[AriLea]

I was going to ask what was the lightest and smallest trailers that were freeway ready.. But I guess I found it..The ScooterBug

 

[JEBar]

I was going to ask what was the lightest and smallest trailers that were freeway ready.. But I guess I found it..The ScooterBug
View attachment 2480

very nice finds .... it was interesting to see how they attached the hitch frame to the bike in the picture of the zm1800rtrailer

Jim

 

[Kent]

Would like to see a quick release for the removal of back seat, so if someone wants to go on a trip by themselves they will have more room for storage and will not have the weight of an unused seat.

Brilliant! Love that idea. Major increase in versatility with minimal design adjustment.

 

[Elvisthird]

I was thiwheelsg it might be cool if someone made a trailer like they do for motorcylces so you could actually take the Elio on trips. What do you all think?

What I have read you can pull the Elio on all three wheels, as I plan to pull one behind an RV.