Towing

[1000 PR]

I fiitted my MK1 a few years ago with a towbar and used it and a trailer to move house. The clutch strained a little to say the least when I loaded up my old MG in the trailer! I've seen other MR2's over the years with towbars fitted but never seen them towing anything. Has anyone any experience of towing with a MK2? I am planning on fitting a towbar to my MK2 Turbo as with its gutsy engine and strong clutch, it should cope quite well. Has anyone any experience of towing with MK2's? What is the maximum weight I can tow? How about a MK2 towing a Mk1?

[raptor95GTS]

How about a MK2 towing a Mk1?

providing you don't rip off the entire front of the mk1 yes it can be done. Wouldn't like to be the owner of the mk1 though

[Lauren]

Don't think you can fit a towbar to a MK2.

I could be wrong, anyone care to correct me?

[Kelvyn]

There was a thread somewhere a while ago and as I recall no one found a Mk2 towbar.
I think these days tow bars have to have some sort of type approval and it just doesn't exist for the Mk2. I'm sure if you were handy with a welder you could knock something up but I'm not sure if it would be legal.

[Ian Geary]

When towing with a car, it's important to consider the weight of the trailer as a propotion of the towing vehicle as much as the engine power of the towing vehicle on it's own.

The RAC guidelines on towing state that with an unbraked trailer, you're limited to 50% of the kerb weight of the car, or 750kg which ever is lower.

A tubby is around 1200 I recall, so a simple trailer would be limited to about 600kg.

A trailer with brakes would let you tow more - the rule of thumb is the max weight goes up to 85% of the vehicles kurb weight.

I've had a quick look at a couple of towbar supplier, and neither have anything listed for a MR2, so you'd probably have to find a supplier who can make a custom bar to fit.

Towing with a Mk2 tubby would be interesting - an advantage is having a lot of weight over the driving wheels, but the front would get very light!

Generally I don't like towing heavy loads in any car - it puts loads of stress on the engine/ clutch/ suspension, as well as causing unpredictable handling.

I recently had to tow my tubby to my Dad's house - I hired a 2.8 TD Fiat van and a proper car trailer for the day - £90 well spent IMO. If you want to tow regulalry however, then you'd probably want a different solution...

[BenF]

There used to be a towbar you could fit ot the Mk2, which used the rear exhaust hanger mounts.

TBH though, the MK2 isn't designed to Tow - the original handbook makes this clear witha pic of a MR2 towing a caravan with a big X thropugh the pic!

[Speedy]

the original handbook makes this clear witha pic of a MR2 towing a caravan with a big X thropugh the pic!

Thats probably just a quick comment about caravans

[dai21t]

My brother had a towbar fitted to his MR2 when he bought it, think it was a genuine Toyota part. He cut it off and binned it.

[Lauren]

I fiitted my MK1 a few years ago with a towbar and used it and a trailer to move house. The clutch strained a little to say the least when I loaded up my old MG in the trailer! I've seen other MR2's over the years with towbars fitted but never seen them towing anything. Has anyone any experience of towing with a MK2? I am planning on fitting a towbar to my MK2 Turbo as with its gutsy engine and strong clutch, it should cope quite well. Has anyone any experience of towing with MK2's? What is the maximum weight I can tow? How about a MK2 towing a Mk1?

A MK1 is not a light car and when you have it on say a double axled trailer you get a combined weight somewhere approaching 1500kgs!

I have towed MK1s around a lot but I use a Hilux Surf which is a great towbarge. I really wouldn't like to tow a MK1 with a car in all honesty because when you get a wiggle on (happenned at 75 downhill in the hilux) it is not a nice experience. If you want to tow a MK1 get something that is up to the job like we did. Towing at the best of times is something of a PITA.

One other thing worth mentioning. Don't ever consider towing a car on a single axled trailer as it is a recipe for disaster should you have a blow out.

[JohnnyC]

Toyota sold a towbar for the mk2, and according to the rev3 brochure it has a towing capacity of 1000kg.

[stevel]

Guess what I spotted on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 45408&rd=1

Steve

[Lauren]

Toyota sold a towbar for the mk2, and according to the rev3 brochure it has a towing capacity of 1000kg.

Thats not enough to tow a MK1 though, by a long way. Reckon a Caterham would about be your limit.

[1000 PR]

Well I've already bought a towbar the same as the one now for sale on ebay although I didn't have to drive to Swansea to get it at least. Looking in the boot floor of my car, amazingly Toyota appear to have thoughtfully put a hole in to run the electric cable through. My manual says simply to allow the engine to run for a while after towing to allow the turbo to cool. The towbar says it has a maximum tow weight of 800kg so how about using a towing dolly? These obviously offer a substantial weight saving compared to a twin-axle trailer.

[Lauren]

Well I've already bought a towbar the same as the one now for sale on ebay although I didn't have to drive to Swansea to get it at least. Looking in the boot floor of my car, amazingly Toyota appear to have thoughtfully put a hole in to run the electric cable through. My manual says simply to allow the engine to run for a while after towing to allow the turbo to cool. The towbar says it has a maximum tow weight of 800kg so how about using a towing dolly? These obviously offer a substantial weight saving compared to a twin-axle trailer.

even with a dolly you'd still be well over 800kgs if you towed a MK1.

I've never used a dolly so i can't comment on what they are like.