Towing an Acura January 06, 2013, 01:05:50 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136019I have loved my 1991 Acura Legend LS automatic for nearly two decades, and now want to tow it four wheels down behind my 1997 Class C 26.5 Lazy Daze. I've read through the forums and it does look possible, of course following the "pre-towing preparations" to idle through the gears to neutral and so on. But my mechanic son is skeptical that I can tow this car without ruining the transmission. Please, is there anybody out there who does tow an Acura sedan with an automatic transmission? I need some reassurance before I take off on a road trip! I apologize if everyone is tired of this topic, but it's pretty important to me! Any information?
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #1 – January 06, 2013, 01:23:03 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136020You might try contacting Remco Towing ( www.remcotowing.com ). Their vehicle search on the left-hand side of the page doesn't go back as far as 1991, but perhaps they have the information available. However, I have Motorhome Magazine's Dinghy Towing Guides back to 2002, and none of the Acura's appear in them, so I wouldn't hold out much hope. But, perhaps it can be towed using a tow dolly. Of course, any car can be towed on a flatbed trailer.Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #2 – January 06, 2013, 01:49:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136021Quote I have loved my 1991 Acura Legend LS automatic for nearly two decades, and now want to tow it four wheels down behind my 1997 Class C 26.5 Lazy Daze. I've read through the forums and it does look possible, of course following the "pre-towing preparations" to idle through the gears to neutral and so on. But my mechanic son is skeptical that I can tow this car without ruining the transmission. Please, is there anybody out there who does tow an Acura sedan with an automatic transmission? I need some reassurance before I take off on a road trip! I apologize if everyone is tired of this topic, but it's pretty important to me! Any information? If you have the owners manual, I'd look there for the manufacturers position. Look for something like "recreational towing". If they specify a particular shift sequence, follow it exactly. This is designed to leave the transmission components in the least vulnerable configuration.Art
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #3 – January 06, 2013, 06:20:47 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136025"Kristin" wrote: I have loved my 1991 Acura Legend LS automatic for nearly two decades, and now want to tow it four wheels down behind my 1997 Class C 26.5 Lazy Daze. I've read through the forums and it does look possible, of course following the "pre-towing preparations" to idle through the gears to neutral and so on. But my mechanic son is skeptical that I can tow this car without ruining the transmission. --- I don't tow, and I can't say if the weight of the car is an issue here, but, AFAIK, the specs on this vehicle say that the curb weight is 3455 pounds. And, I recall quite a few posts on the desirability, if not the necessity, of beefing up the factory-installed hitch before towing. Hopefully, experienced, tow-savvy message board members will continue to respond.Joan
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #4 – January 06, 2013, 09:12:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136030I found info on the 1991 Acura Legend indicating that towing 4 wheels down is Ok so long as you follow their procedure. See the following URL: http://owners.acura.com/Model/Features.aspx?feat=Towing_Vehicle&modelid=KA815M>Dale 2005 FL & 2000 CherokeeOne finger typed on my iPad, which is responsible for all typos ;-)
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #5 – January 06, 2013, 09:40:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136033Quote "I have...Acura Legend LS automatic...and now want to tow it four wheels down..." Pardon me if I'm wrong but isn't Acura made by Honda??? The pre-towing instructions are exactly the same. I've towed two Hondas (2002 Civic and 2008 CRV) for many thousands of miles. Just be sure to perform the pre-towing shift procedures at the start of the day.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #6 – January 07, 2013, 10:35:21 am Yahoo Message Number: 136042Just a word of caution: before planning to tow a 3,500-pound car with a rig that old, I'd have the Lazy Daze's hitch looked at, and probably beefed up. You do NOT want that sucker breaking loose while you're driving down the road!Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #7 – January 07, 2013, 04:23:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136050Thanks, Andy! I am coming to the same conclusion. The hitch is apparently good to 5000#, but could probably use some beefing up just in case. By the way, I did talk to Acura today and they say that the myacura website is correct about the towing procedures (running through the gears etc) for this car as a 4-wheels-down toad. Fingers crossed! I sure don't want to find out the hard way! Thanks for everyone's input...Kristin
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #8 – January 08, 2013, 01:03:56 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136067As always Andy very good advice, "caution: before planning to tow a 3,500-pound car with a rig that old, I'd have the Lazy Daze's hitch looked at, and probably beefed up. You do NOT want that sucker breaking loose while you're driving down the road" For a few $$$ you can have a welder construct and reinforce the factory hitch. I have posted inspirational photos of my 91mb hitch upgrade if your interested! I was shocked to find most of the tow weight is carried by the wood structure of the rear wall. 22 year old plywood structure pulling 5000 lbs looked scary to me!Sent by wireless
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #9 – January 08, 2013, 10:36:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136074Kristin, Please verify the number before trying to tow. IIRC the factory hitch on a '99 (what we had) was rated for 3500 lbs. Out of curiosity, where are you getting the 5000 pound number?Michelle
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #10 – January 08, 2013, 11:02:38 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136076Could you send a link to your pictures, Don? I can't seem to find them in the forum files or photos! I'd love to know how you did it. I ordered the mounting brackets to be made by Roadmaster, with adapters for the tow bar, but don't think more will be done by the end of this month. I'm thinking I might need to drive my motor home with the car over to Quartzsite from Nevada so I can get the reinforcement and other work done. there. I hope this is all worth the trouble!Thanks, Kristin
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #11 – January 08, 2013, 11:44:28 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136077"I was shocked to find most of the tow weight is carried by the wood structure of the rear wall. 22 year old plywood structure pulling 5000 lbs looked scary to me!" The rear bumper should see minimal downward loading when towing a car, just the weight of the tow bar. The toad's weight is carried by the toad's own wheels, not by the rear wall of the LD. The tow-bar and rear bumper primary loads are mostly pushing and pulling, with most the stress transferred into the frame, not the coach. The steel supports, from the bumper to frame, are what can use reinforcing when pulling heavy vehicles. The connection of the frame extensions and the rear bumper can also benefit from upgraded locking-hardware. BTW, the owner's manual will show either a 3500 or 4000-lb towing limit, not 5000. Towing a trailer is a different animal, where the bumper should carry about 10% of the total trailer's weight. With a 4000-lb towing limit, the bumper should not see more than 400-lbs, if the trailer is balanced properly. If the rear of the LD is structurally intact (rot free), it can easily handle 400-lbs. Several decades ago, when LD originally designed the rear structure, most towed vehicles were trailers, not cars, and the bumper and rear wall were designed to handle the vertical loads. They still use the same basic design today.Larry
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #12 – January 09, 2013, 09:08:47 am Yahoo Message Number: 136082Where are you in Nevada? You might want to look for some place in Henderson or Las Vegas, instead. In Quartzsite, you'll pay close to 11% sales tax. I assume you already have the name of someone in Q that will do this type of work?Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #13 – January 09, 2013, 01:12:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136092I think 5000 lbs is just a number thrown around because it is a common capacity or limit for class 2 towing equipment. Most towable cars are below this limit, most LD owners will exceed their GCWR if they tow all 5000 lbs. however I believe it's better to be safe rather than sorry! I have 2 good friends who lost a tow vehicle at hwy speeds, both were lucky. Minimal damage to the tow car and no loss of life or property! This is not something i feel can be taken lightly! I am not suggesting LD is building their hitch systems poorly, I just don't feel the factory hitch is something most people would feel comfortable towing more than 2500 lbs with after the wood structure has years of exposure to water heat etc. regardless of the rating LD claims it can handle this number what ever it is, is only good the day it's put into service! It's our responsibility to be proactive as our coaches age! I had a SOB class c with a similar hitch design (Bolted to wood structure) and the rear siding separated from downward pressure while towing my jeep through a dip on a dirt road. Is this extreme? maybe. But I don't want to worry. A few pieces of stronger steel won't hurt, use your own judgement, each model and year may differ, LD may change their hitch support, however the few older LD hitches I looked at don't appear to exhibit the over board quality and design the rest of the coach follows! Sent by wireless
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #14 – January 09, 2013, 01:20:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136093I agree, you are completely correct, tow capacity and tongue weight are very different. However if your tow vehicle is tall or low and your hitch isn't perfectly level with the coach, of course within the height variance allowance, upward or downward force will exist during starts and stops that could we exceed 400 lbs, especially in an emergency.
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #15 – January 09, 2013, 02:15:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136095"However if your tow vehicle is tall or low and your hitch isn't perfectly level with the coach, of course within the height variance allowance, upward or downward force will exist during starts and stops that could we exceed 400 lbs, especially in an emergency." You will find that all tow bar manufacturers require the tow bar to be fairly level for safe towing. Can't say I have seen much, if any damage, to the rear wall of a LD that was caused by tongue weight of a trailer or toad (and I have seen some excessive loads). I have seen bumpers damaged from towing heavy vehicles on rough roads but never the rear wall. Most of the loading is carried by the frame and extension and what little downward weight is exerted on the rear wall is easily carried by its strong construction. LD has had 40+ years to get it right. I know of many 4000-lbs+ Jeeps being towed on stock bumpers for 100,000+ miles without problems. LD's typically over-engineered approach is to blame. Towing weights over the Factory rating or on the older G-30 chassis, frame reinforcement is a good idea. Older LDs that may have coach damage or rot are a different matter. If you have doubts, professional assessment is recommended and perhaps not towing at all would be best. The coach adds tremendous strength to the overall vehicle, especially to the flexible Chevy G-30s. A coach with significant damage can flex in ways a structurally intact coach cannot. Many old LDs have rot in the rear corners, especially the TW/Ks and MBs.Larry
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #16 – January 09, 2013, 04:33:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136096Thanks so much for your wisdom, Larry... I went ahead and bit the bullet yesterday, and ordered the mounting brackets and adapters from Roadmaster for the Acura. I also ordered a ReadyBrake system from NSA RV. My son The Mechanic should be able to install them. I will definitely have the hitch looked at too. The 5000 lb receiver hitch quote was listed on the specs given to me by the seller when I bought the LD, along with the tow bar. I'm quite sure the previous owner had a toad. I was assured by NSA that the ReadyBrake would have plenty of room to fit in my car, and in fact that the only vehicles they know it won't fit are the 2013 Jeep Cherokee or something like that. I'm hoping that whatever else I need can be added along the way, and reading Andy's Eureka pages the list keeps getting longer. I already got the Wave 3 catalytic heater, and the Oxygenic shower kit, among other things, but definitely want to get solar panels soon (of course with battery monitor and controller). It's all expensive, but safety first and then comfort. Having spent eight years living outside Fairbanks in a cabin without running water or electricity, with minus 60+ temps and while raising three young children, I can probably survive with less than many folks.Happy trails! Kristin
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #17 – January 09, 2013, 10:31:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136106Kristin, I would exercise caution and verify this number. 5000 lbs is NOT standard for a LD and would require some modification to the hitch. It *IS* common for a tow bar to be rated at 5000 lbs, but it is extremely rare (and unlikely) for a LD to have been modified to tow that much. Towing capacity will be dictated by the weakest link.Michelle
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #18 – January 10, 2013, 08:52:10 am Yahoo Message Number: 136108Our 2004 TK Lazy Daze came from the factory rated to tow 5,000# with a hitch weight of 500#. We ordered it with the 2" hitch, not the ball hitch which, as I recall, only had a 3,000#/300# tow rating/hitch weight. Of course, we didn't tow any thing nearly that heavy.Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Re: Towing an Acura Reply #19 – January 10, 2013, 12:56:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136123I am sure a newer e450 has a better hitch than my 91 mb, i haven't looked. The e450 is a monster built to tow so it would make sense. I took pictures of my 91 LD e350 hitch and showed them to the structural engineers in my office and well.... the response was first laughter your kidding followed with OMG that's nuts! My advice is directed at pre-1997 e350 coaches which are more likely to be structurally compromised with age. Lazy daze will do what Lazydaze does! 40+ years don't lie! But it has been and evolutionary process for LD too! Owning a newer E450 would be nice, but for the rest of us 2nd, 3rd owners like me living with LD's sins of the past i suggest taking a close look at your hitch and decide for yourself! No offense but I think it is crazy to rely on a bumper hanging on bolts off the back wall attached with staples and glue to a wooden frame and then reinforced with two 1 1/2" pieces of strap steel routed in a hodgepodge manner around holding tanks as adequate for towing! The steel may help keep the hitch from ripping out of the wood or rotating under the coach but it sure doesn't or shouldn't carry all of the load. Staples pull. Glue fails, wood rots! Sure it can tow under normal circumstances, Obviously it can, but what if? ? ? ? Is it ok if your side wall starts to develop wrinkles, or the wood frame begins to droop after a surprise dip in the road? towing can cause or amplify these issues over time and with other factors it can ruin the coach! It's just not the best idea IMHO to partially rely on a wood structure for towing! My 1983 SOB was an example of everything bad that can happen with this design. This isn't the first time someone has questioned hitch designs used by LD, and other Class C products in the past, I'm sure it wont be the last. For those who are questioning i hope my solution helps them sleep at night, for those blissfully content with LD's design i respect that decision. Adding $50 in metal and 2 hours of labor to finish the hitch with stronger steel makes sense to me.
Topic: Towing an Acura (Read 7 times)
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Topic: Towing an Acura (Read 7 times)
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