Most liked posts in thread: Info needed on Towing Capacity

  1. lotsie

    lotsie Club Coordinator

    May 5, 2009
    3,922
    401
    83
    stagehand/part time detailer
    Right here
    Ratings:
    +401 / 0 / -0
    #6 lotsie, Feb 10, 2011
    Wheels are smaller, tires are bigger.

    Mark
     
  2. Motoring Magic

    Motoring Magic New Member
    Motoring Alliance Sponsor

    Dec 13, 2009
    397
    266
    0
    Motoring Magic Owner, Ventura County's ONLY MINI s
    Thousand Oaks, Vta cty, socal
    Ratings:
    +266 / 0 / -0
    #2 Motoring Magic, Feb 9, 2011
    gvwr allows 1030 extra lbs over the cars weight-

    this setup was 800 lbs, I weigh 190, under gvrw drug it all over the southwest and no issues ever.:D
    1minitrailerb.jpg 1minitrailerd.jpg
     
  3. lotsie

    lotsie Club Coordinator

    May 5, 2009
    3,922
    401
    83
    stagehand/part time detailer
    Right here
    Ratings:
    +401 / 0 / -0
    #3 lotsie, Feb 10, 2011
  4. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    Jan 5, 2010
    6,134
    1,588
    0
    Physician Assitant (retired)
    Sherman,Tx
    Ratings:
    +1,588 / 0 / -0
    #4 Jason Montague, Feb 10, 2011
    :cornut:That's pretty cool. It almost looks as though the bike should/could have been towing the MINI.:Thumbsup:
    Jason
     
  5. Justa Jim

    Justa Jim Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    May 6, 2009
    7,422
    1,685
    113
    Ratings:
    +1,685 / 0 / -0
    #5 Justa Jim, Feb 10, 2011
  6. ssigmon

    ssigmon New Member

    Jan 31, 2011
    17
    7
    0
    Ratings:
    +7 / 0 / -0
    #7 ssigmon, Feb 10, 2011
    I had a Mini Cooper Salesman tell me he found 1400 pounds towing capacity and then I heard 1100 towing capacity max. Does anyone know?
     
  7. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
    Lifetime Supporter

    Dec 22, 2009
    5,639
    4,592
    113
    Male
    Overland Park, Ks
    Ratings:
    +5,184 / 1 / -0
    #8 Minidave, Feb 10, 2011
    There's no "official" towing capacity for your car, the general concensus is about 1400-1500lbs with no more than 150 tongue weight.

    That does not mean you can tow a 1000 lb teardrop and fill it with 1000 lbs of stuff tho, 1400-1500 total, max.....


    There are several people who flat tow a Mini with their MINI too...
     
  8. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

    Mar 30, 2009
    25,144
    10,052
    113
    Writer
    Short North
    Ratings:
    +10,069 / 0 / -0
    #9 Nathan, Feb 10, 2011
    MINI only has towing capacity listed for the Countryman and those are for Euro Spec vehicles only. For some reason, probably having to do with legal things and the DOT/NHSTA there is no US listing.

    Countryman Allowable Towing capacity: braked (12%) / unbraked 1650 / 1100 (pounds)

    I'd extrapolate from there and mix with the anecdotal information others have provided from actual experience.
     
  9. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
    Supporting Member

    Apr 22, 2009
    2,189
    1,486
    113
    Project Manager
    Charlotte, NC
    Ratings:
    +1,866 / 2 / -0
    #10 agranger, Feb 10, 2011
    I've got a little trailer for my R53 as well.

    I started out on the assumption of 1400lbs total (including gear in the car) and 140 lbs hitch weight (direct downforce on the hitch ball). My trailer is 550 lbs dry... Probably 800+ lbs with gear... And 150 lbs at the hitch. I don't have any handling issues at all with this load, but it does cause some rubbing over hard bumps in the rear tire wells (lowered with tsw lowering springs on stock shocks).

    I've thought about having the trailer axel moved a bit forward to reduce the hitch weight, but I've got new coil-overs on the way, so I think I'll wait for that before breaking welds on the trailer.

    My MCS (engine lightly modded) handled the weight with ease. The front bbk helps with braking, but I have never noticed any issues with braking.

    My mpg goes from 29 on the highway to 24, towing a big box behind a box of a car.
     
  10. timbuk1

    timbuk1 New Member

    May 21, 2009
    1
    0
    0
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    #11 timbuk1, Feb 20, 2011
    Towing capacity

    I now use my wife's Clubman S, but I used to tow my '75 Mini Clubman Estate (about 1500 lbs) with my '04 Cooper S on a 200 lb. tow dolly made for a classic Mini. No Problems, as long as I'm careful. And I've been careful...
    I fabricated the hitch and dolly myself.
    Tim