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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 3:43 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:34 am
Posts: 41
Location: Oahu
Aloha,

I ordered a trailer for my TI. $1300 which I can live with. Then I called Uhaul in Honolulu to get a quote on a ball and hitch with ball mount and wiring harness. $424!!!! :shock:

Anybody tow their TI/trailer with a medium sized sedan?

Thanks,

TC

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 4:06 pm 
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Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:40 am
Posts: 927
Location: Blacklick, Ohio
I have a buddy here that pulls his with a motorcycle or his wife's Chrysler Sebring. If you're handy hitches are not that hard to install. Check Autoanything.com, that's where I got the hitch for my wife's Nissan Murano. I don't remember how much it was, maybe $200ish. 4 bolts later and it was installed. You can pick up a wiring harness for $20 from autozone.

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 4:43 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:34 am
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Location: Oahu
Thanks.

Think I'll just keep it in the marina without the trailer. Got it in dry storage right near the water. I just move the hull half way into the water with the hobie wheels, then assemble it right in the water. Would be nice to move it around the island and sail various spots. Even just to Kailua a couple miles away, just so I can race Nohuhu :lol:

TC

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 5:34 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
Posts: 2893
Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
tcul wrote:
Aloha,

I ordered a trailer for my TI. $1300 which I can live with. Then I called Uhaul in Honolulu to get a quote on a ball and hitch with ball mount and wiring harness. $424!!!! :shock:

Anybody tow their TI/trailer with a medium sized sedan?

Thanks,

TC

This ridiculous cost is probably due to a current tendency for manufacturers requiring software changes at the time of fitting a tow bar. Theoretically, various engine settings get changed due to the vehicle then potentially towing a big load.

Of course this is totally absurd given the relatively tiny weight of a trailer and TI.

My friend ran into the same BS, and simply bypassed it by purchasing another brand.

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2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 6:42 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:34 am
Posts: 41
Location: Oahu
Tony,

Another brand of car?

TC

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 11:23 pm 
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
tcul wrote:
Tony,

Another brand of car?

TC

Phew!, just another brand of towbar! :D

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2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 4:50 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
Posts: 3058
Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
We have a pontiac solstice roadster we added a hitch reciever that we ordered on line from either Reese or Kurt, you just go to their web site type in your car make and model, they have kits for pretty much anything. Kit came with good instructions, the only tools needed was a socket set, it took less than an hr to install. I think the kit was around $140 bucks.
Some cars have wiring for trailers pre-ran, on our solstice I had to splice in the wires going to the tail light bulbs, and fish the wires down to the hitch. if your not handy with electrical, take it to a trailer place, actually if that $400 something you mention includes the reciever, mounting the reciever, and the electrics, that's a very fair price in my opinion, thats about what it would cost here on the mainland.
FE
Edit: now we have that hitch receiver we can use our receiver mounted bike rack on either vehicle , an added bonus. One thing about the solstice is the transmission is on the rear axle, meaning you only have room in the trunk for the convertible top , and maybe a purse and a few bottles of water that's it. We also have a luggage platform that we can now haul luggage on with either vehicle. So we can use that reciever for other things besides the boat, turned out to be money well spent. I don't think I would want to haul more than 1000 lbs though, our TI and trailer weighs a little over 400 lbs.
FE


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 7:35 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 8:29 am
Posts: 38
I tow my TI on a trailex with a VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI manual transmission (where's my money VW?). No problems, easy driving.


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PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 5:59 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 2:31 pm
Posts: 3068
Location: Kailua 96734
TC would really have to be super legal to haul the trailer on/off the Marine base. Also, trailer safety checks and registration get pretty tough around here, so shortcuts can catch up with you.

One reason the tow-package options on new cars are not cheap is because they can include heavy duty alternators, cooling systems, the receiver and all the wiring. (I could not locate a tow-equipped SUV at the time of purchase and later I looked into getting one).

The receiver and wiring kit can be had for only $200-300. The receiver is not to much of a bugger for 2 people to install. Putting it on a rack is the sane way to do it.

But the wiring is complete PIA, requiring you to gut the rear half of the vehicle and run power to the controller unit from the battery. That is a long, meticulous job, even on a rack. That's why the labor quotes are so high.

Too bad no one has devised a wireless link trailer signal kit with modules that could talk between the engine compartment and trailer. It would be a hot seller. :idea:


.

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 7:04 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2016 1:12 pm
Posts: 48
Location: Sapulpa, Oklahoma
We pull ours with a 2012 Fusion and it works great. Ordered the hitch from Amazon for about $130 with harness and all. I don't remember the brand, but it's a known brand and not a cheapie. Took about an hour to install, a little longer to route the wiring harness and make it neat and tidy and it works great! I built my own HF trailer and I can barely tell the TI is back there. I've got a picture somewhere but i'll have to hunt it down.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:50 pm 
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Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 7:56 pm
Posts: 28
i pull mine with a 1976mgb. receiver hitch installed for about $250, involved custom cutting and welding; nothing off the shelf, wonder why? did the wiring to the plug myself.


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