Weekender Weight

[Zack]

Does anybody know how much the "original" plywood weekender weighs?

I'm hoping to pull with a honda civic...is this even reasonable?

[Frank]

Zack,
I haven't finished it yet, and at the moment can't move it as the body is not bolted to the frame yet. Mike maybe able to estimate it though. I will be taking it to be weighed around the second week in July I hope.

Frank

[asianflava]

An easy to estimate is to figure out how many sheets of wood were used. 3/4in ply weighs roughly 75lbs a sheet.

[mikeschn]

Let me look and see if I still have a cad model laying around. If so, I should be able to give you a rough weight...

Mike...

[Zack]

I guess the real question is if I build from plywood (the "quick" version) will I be able to tow it with my honda? (Small 4 cylinder).

[asianflava]

We have folks on the board who tow with CR-Vs and Beetles. Granted those are 2.0L whereas a Civic is 1.5L-1.7L depending on the year. Someone else (can't remember who) tows with a Sidekick which is a 1.6 (I think).

[Zack]

Found the answer right on the weekender page. D'oh!

Its 850 for the straight plywood version.

The hacks mentioned on the "Improvements" page take it down to 550.

[mikeschn]

Thanks for finding that Zack. I though I had done the weight analysis before.

Too many teardrops, too little time...

Mike...

[Zack]

I've been surfing the web on this topic. I've seen several people say that up to 800 lbs is OK for ANY car.

Just to say on the safe side, if I build in plywood, I will do the lightening tricks.

[swizz]

Play it safe - its the weight of the car that counts more than the engine power.

A braked trailer should weigh no more than 85% of the car.
For an unbraked trailer - 50%.

Swizz...

[Zack]

OK, the 1990 civic has a curb weight of 2374 lbs. So I should be good to go, right?

[swizz]

Yeah, well within.
Swizz...

[xe1ufo]

Hey Guys:

While the 85% rule may apply pretty much with all pickup trucks, I think we are playing guessing games, which can be potentially very dangerous. There are a couple of new small cars on the market (the new Hybrids, even Honda's) that have "0" listed as their towing capacity.

Find the car's owner's manual. It is a little booklet that usually comes in the glove compartment of a car, and is rarely read by the owner. It will always tell you specifically what the car can tow. On an older car that has lost the manual, check a junkyard for the manual, or the manufacturer's website. Or just get on the phone and call the local Honda (or other brand) dealer.

My 1994 VW Bug (air-cooled, 1600 cc. fuel-injected) can tow 885 pounds, with 55-82 pounds tongue weight. For this weight I have to get a hitch that attatches to the bumper and the transaxle of the Bug!

My wife's 2005 Chevrolet Corsa (1800 cc, 5-speed) can tow 1980 pounds if the trailer has no brakes, and a whopping 900 pounds more if the trailer has brakes! I was amazed! (Most Americans have never seen a Corsa, but it is a clone of the VW Jetta, made in Argentina.)

The real authorised manufacturer-recomended towing capacity also depends on manual or automatic transmision, suspension, body style (hatchback, coupe, sedan, station wagon), engine size, tires, etc.

Most insurance companies will NOT cover you in an accident, if you have exceeded the manufacturer's weight limitations. So the proper, safe thing to do is to play safe, and check the manual for your specific vehicle.

[angib]

Oops, didn't notice this thread first time around.

Swizz, you want to watch out repeating UK towing recomendations to the US - you will be way over US norms. Typically the same vehicle will only be rated to tow half the weight in the US compared to its tow rating in the UK.

I think there are two factors at work:

- US tow demands are higher. The weather and hills are bigger but I think the main difference appears to be that US drivers do not expect to slow down much when towing - am I right, guys, that you Merkans don't ususally have a lower speed limit when pulling a trailer?

- Most manufacturers have bigger vehicles available in the US, so there's no encouragement to give smaller ones a generous tow rating. For example, the CRV is the biggest vehicle Honda sell in the UK!

Andrew

[s4son]

One of my cars is a 2000, 3 llitre V-6 Honda Accord. According to the owners manual (pun intended) the maximum weight is 1000 lbs and 100 lb tongue weight.

Scott F.