Page 13 of 28 FirstFirst ... 3111213141523 ... LastLast
Results 121 to 130 of 271

Thread: Why Cant i tow with a mirage

  1. #121
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Olympia, WA
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    3,126
    Thanks
    1,197
    Thanked 1,848 Times in 1,101 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Littlestan View Post
    To clarify then; it's the general consensus that it is unsafe for me to use an 'upgraded' Mirage 5MT
    with higher rated springs than stock and rear torsion bar for towing a 1400 lbs single axle 6x10 trailer
    equipped with electric brakes capable of at least stopping it's own weight, and having a tongue weight
    of around 140lbs which is 60lbs short of the 200lb hitch tongue weight limit?
    No offense, but it sounds like you are just waiting for someone to tell you what you want to hear. The car's manual says not to tow with it. In truth, the Mirage does not have a "maximum tongue weight"...there is only a tongue weight estimated by common rule-of-thumb. The weight limits for the hitch aren't nearly as important as what the car was designed to handle. Which is nothing. With all the problems with misaligned rear ends, tiny brakes, sloppy suspension, 74 hp motor, etc, why would anyone want to tow with this car??

    My biggest concern would be that you are towing a trailer which is nearly the mass of the car. If you have to turn sharply, there just isn't enough mass or tire contact patch in the rear to keep the trailer from continuing to go straight. Trying to tow 3/4 of a ton with a 74 hp, 1950 pound car just doesn't make sense.

    Jackknife city!



  2. #122
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    10,150
    Thanks
    4,038
    Thanked 2,785 Times in 2,104 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    No offense, but it sounds like you are just waiting for someone to tell you what you want to hear. The car's manual says not to tow with it.
    I think towing that large of a trailer is an unnecessary risk to yourself and others. I am curious to know if a U-Haul facility will rent to you, as I was told years ago they would not rent a trailer to me to tow with my CJ7.

    Consider who would be liable in an accident, and if your insurance would pay.

    And please let me know if and when you try this.

    Regards.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  3. #123
    Carmageddon m4v3r1ck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    The Hague
    Country
    Netherlands
    Posts
    1,347
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 103 Times in 79 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    No offense, but it sounds like you are just waiting for someone to tell you what you want to hear. The car's manual says not to tow with it. In truth, the Mirage does not have a "maximum tongue weight"...there is only a tongue weight estimated by common rule-of-thumb. The weight limits for the hitch aren't nearly as important as what the car was designed to handle. Which is nothing. With all the problems with misaligned rear ends, tiny brakes, sloppy suspension, 74 hp motor, etc, why would anyone want to tow with this car??

    My biggest concern would be that you are towing a trailer which is nearly the mass of the car. If you have to turn sharply, there just isn't enough mass or tire contact patch in the rear to keep the trailer from continuing to go straight. Trying to tow 3/4 of a ton with a 74 hp, 1950 pound car just doesn't make sense.

    Jackknife city!
    Not to mention you will put a lot of load to the engine which doesn't engineerd to tow, resulting a lower life expectancy of the engine. If you want to replace your engine shortly, just do that.

    Gosh, if you want to tow something, get a large diesel engined car as diesel engine has loads of torque. you don't see any gasoline trucks right?

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.0 manual: 47.5 mpg (US) ... 20.2 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 57.0 mpg (Imp)


  4. #124
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    10,150
    Thanks
    4,038
    Thanked 2,785 Times in 2,104 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by m4v3r1ck View Post
    Gosh, if you want to tow something, get a large diesel engined car as diesel engine has loads of torque. you don't see any gasoline trucks right?
    Lots of gas powered trucks here, whose chassis & drive trains are purpose-built for the task.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  5. #125
    Carmageddon m4v3r1ck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    The Hague
    Country
    Netherlands
    Posts
    1,347
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 103 Times in 79 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    Lots of gas powered trucks here, whose chassis & drive trains are purpose-built for the task.
    Seriously? Ah .... gasoline is cheap there .... it's damn expensive here in Europe .......
    Oh and what I meant by trucks are 18 wheelers. We don't quite having "trucks" (4 to 6 wheeled ones) in Europe ...

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.0 manual: 47.5 mpg (US) ... 20.2 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 57.0 mpg (Imp)


  6. #126
    Mileage Miser
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Abbotsford
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    144
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked 44 Times in 29 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    No offense, but it sounds like you are just waiting for someone to tell you what you want to hear. The car's manual says not to tow with it. In truth, the Mirage does not have a "maximum tongue weight"...there is only a tongue weight estimated by common rule-of-thumb. The weight limits for the hitch aren't nearly as important as what the car was designed to handle. Which is nothing. With all the problems with misaligned rear ends, tiny brakes, sloppy suspension, 74 hp motor, etc, why would anyone want to tow with this car??

    My biggest concern would be that you are towing a trailer which is nearly the mass of the car. If you have to turn sharply, there just isn't enough mass or tire contact patch in the rear to keep the trailer from continuing to go straight. Trying to tow 3/4 of a ton with a 74 hp, 1950 pound car just doesn't make sense.

    Jackknife city!

    I'm attempting to mount a productive conversation about why we may be able to tow
    safely with the Mirage. I'm not attempting to lead or sway anyone's opinions towards my bias,
    but I am trying to provide as much evidence and information as I possibly can to lend credibility
    to my opinion...

    Which is, given the exacting conditions including changing the physical towing capabilities of the
    Mirage by upgrading the suspension and adding a torsion bar to lend rigidity and stability while
    utilizing electric trailer brakes, I, and two other driving professionals I've talked with directly, feel
    will be perfectly safe under all normal driving conditions.

    Having to suddenly turn sharply towing any considerable amount of weight will induce a jackknife
    condition with nearly anything, I think? This is where being an attentive skilled driver would help to minimize the possibility of having to emergency maneuver.

    We're not talking about several thousand pounds+, it's max 1400lbs. The 2100lb car, with me in
    it, weighs nearly 1000lbs more than what I expect to tow. Is this not sufficient weight for the
    towing conditions?

    What it seems like is rather than consider the information I'm putting forth as even potentially viable, it's brushed aside so as to err on the side of caution. And I'm fine with that, especially
    after reading about some of the experiences others have had towing with their Mirages. But until
    someone can show me WHY what I'm suggesting isn't safe, then I've no reason to think otherwise.

    I want to tow with this car because I have the will and energy to make it safe to do so. Can we
    move past that and get into the nitty gritty of it all?

  7. #127
    Carmageddon m4v3r1ck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    The Hague
    Country
    Netherlands
    Posts
    1,347
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 103 Times in 79 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Littlestan View Post
    I'm attempting to mount a productive conversation about why we may be able to tow
    safely with the Mirage. I'm not attempting to lead or sway anyone's opinions towards my bias,
    but I am trying to provide as much evidence and information as I possibly can to lend credibility
    to my opinion...

    Which is, given the exacting conditions including changing the physical towing capabilities of the
    Mirage by upgrading the suspension and adding a torsion bar to lend rigidity and stability while
    utilizing electric trailer brakes, I, and two other driving professionals I've talked with directly, feel
    will be perfectly safe under all normal driving conditions.

    Having to suddenly turn sharply towing any considerable amount of weight will induce a jackknife
    condition with nearly anything, I think? This is where being an attentive skilled driver would help to minimize the possibility of having to emergency maneuver.

    We're not talking about several thousand pounds+, it's max 1400lbs. The 2100lb car, with me in
    it, weighs nearly 1000lbs more than what I expect to tow. Is this not sufficient weight for the
    towing conditions?

    What it seems like is rather than consider the information I'm putting forth as even potentially viable, it's brushed aside so as to err on the side of caution. And I'm fine with that, especially
    after reading about some of the experiences others have had towing with their Mirages. But until
    someone can show me WHY what I'm suggesting isn't safe, then I've no reason to think otherwise.

    I want to tow with this car because I have the will and energy to make it safe to do so. Can we
    move past that and get into the nitty gritty of it all?
    I'm sure you can pull a couch safely with the mirage. It's just that since it's 3 cyl 1.0L engined, i just pity the engine

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.0 manual: 47.5 mpg (US) ... 20.2 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 57.0 mpg (Imp)


  8. #128
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Olympia, WA
    Country
    United States
    Posts
    3,126
    Thanks
    1,197
    Thanked 1,848 Times in 1,101 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by torrentperformance View Post
    I see there is a towing kit from curt for my mirage why is my manual stating not to tow anything.
    Curt wants to sell you a towing kit for your Mirage, Mitsubishi says you shouldn't tow with your Mirage!

  9. #129
    Mileage Miser
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Abbotsford
    Country
    Canada
    Posts
    144
    Thanks
    56
    Thanked 44 Times in 29 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    Curt wants to sell you a towing kit for your Mirage, Mitsubishi says you shouldn't tow with your Mirage!
    Back a few pages, it was shown that most compact cars (like the Yaris) have manuals that state you
    shouldn't tow with them... from the USA. This varies from country to country. The exact same car
    can tow safely in one country where it's forbidden in the other.

    Call me crazy, but I highly doubt a massive manufacturing company would sell a product
    specifically designed for towing when they know it would simply tear off the car or crumple under
    the slightest sign of duress. Do you think it's fair to assume they may have tested it first before
    mass producing?

  10. #130
    Carmageddon m4v3r1ck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    The Hague
    Country
    Netherlands
    Posts
    1,347
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 103 Times in 79 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    Curt wants to sell you a towing kit for your Mirage, Mitsubishi says you shouldn't tow with your Mirage!
    I sold my Mirage so I can't buy anything anyway. But I understand the Mitsubishi's opinion. Just like I explained, aside from whether you can or cannot do, this car is just NOT designed to tow anything.

    You can tie your tablet on your feet and use it as flipper to swim but it's not how it's designed to work.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.0 manual: 47.5 mpg (US) ... 20.2 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 57.0 mpg (Imp)


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •