Cutlass vrs Zuk

[Terranaut]

Will I be able to tow a Zuk with 3.1L Cutlass?
When flat towing how is braking?

[Zukinator]

I wouldn't do it. that weight is out of the cars range, the brakes aren't strong enough to hold you and the Sami back if you need to stop quickly (I have had days with my truck flat towing when the roads are damp (not rain) and had to hit the brakes, and it pushed me along.. all 7000lbs plus Sami, I would have normally not had issue stopping). You would likely cause yourself tranny troubles / causeing premature damage. plus if the MTO saw you... well.. I can only imagine what they would do to you i.e. fines/ make you remove the vehicle and have it towed.. etc.

My $0.02
Tim

[Depot]

Any vehicle can tow another - how easily depends on the vehicle.... but let me put it to u this way....

If I ate my wheaties in the morning, Im sure i could flat tow my zuk with a tricycle. I may even get it upto 5 kph. the questions comes, what happens when I turn or better yet, when i stop? :bang:

Seriously though, when flat towing, u want a vehcile that weighs more than ur zuk. that way when u turn, ur zuk wont push the rear of ur tow vehicle out of control.

Similarily, when braking, u need a rig that has damn good braking ability. Since u have no trailer brakes on flat tow, ur tow is doing all the work and then some. its not the same as putting 2000 pounds of stuff in the back of ur truck and stopping since its on a tow bar.

example - my dually has a towing capacity of about 15,000 pounds. my trailer weights in at close to 10,000. When I brake hard from about 100 kph without trailer brakes, my dually brakes overheat and fail (brake fade). makes for a messy situation. the same thing happens on any vehicle and the effect is cumulative... it may take 2,3 or 4 hard stops to overheat ur brakes then ur in serious trouble.

If i were flat towing a zuk with a small vehicle, i'd seriously consider installing a surge braking system on the zuk. i dunno how to do this but know it can be done and tied into ur curent zuk hydrolic brakes. trailer shops would be a good place to research this.

gl

D

[Terranaut]

I will just take that as a NO.
Thanks guys.

[GearHead]

i flat tow with a grand caravan........braking is a bit of an issue. i would not tow with anything smaller.

I'm going to work on some sort of supplimental braking for the sammy this winter.
I had one close call on the 400 this year. panic stopped ok but it was not fun. It was one of those 110 to 5kph deals in a few seconds.
later
steve

[Terranaut]

I have been thinking about a trailer brake setup using the sammy brakes but I don't know how how could hookup/diconect it without getting air in the system.
I will post a diagram later for everyone to cut up.

[Depot]

u could use quick disconects between the surge brakes and ur zuk brakes... u may have to put quick disconects on ur master cylinder too to prevent fluid from flowing back up instead of to the brakes. Im told surge brake systems are around $150 for the starter kitt.

gl

D

[Terranaut]

Ya thats kinda what I was thinking but with linelocs at the master to keep the fluid from back flowing into the resevoir instead of the brakes...good for winching too.
We will see how much a saftey will cost and insurance...might be a better route for me.

[MuddMachine]

Just a heads up..... I flat towed for one summer with a 2001 Alero and destroyed the front end, cv's, gears and all the good stuff. It was no longer a good plan :roll:

[GoldMember]

Want to hear a good one another guy on the PT forum suggest that I buy his 38 foot trailer to haul my PT and tow and tow the thing with my Sammy

Gawd that would be scary . Sammy has a master cylinder from a 1ton chevy truck my brakes have lot of fluid. Geeze a 38 foot trailer you could almost get a herd of Sammys in that trailer

I think the MTO looks more at the weight of the vehicle doing the towing mind you I used to haul trailer plus 8000+ pounds of compressed air on a 3/4 ton 4x4 ford. A sammy doesn't weigh too much however its a cop magnet haiuling another small vehicle with a mid- sized vehicle

[Dxray]

Aiight flat towing with my sunfire is outa the question then. LOL