Towing with a Sentra?

[JohnKiniston]

I'm looking at getting a Sentra with a CD17 in it, Would it be able to tow a small motorcycle trailer? two or three rails with a couple light bikes on it?

[rlaggren]

Sounds like a doubtful combo. If you ride bikes you want to get somewhere today, not tomorrow... Two bikes plus misc + a trailer is 1000# or more.

I'm sure you can do it - the Aussies all tow cattle cars w/a tricycle from what I hear. But they're not trying for freeway speeds on a tight schedule. Gotta be willing to crawl; need to decide if that'd work for you.

Rufus

[davehoos]

3/4 ton Box trailer/bike trailer is easy work for most small cars.
cant expect up hill speed acceleration.if you lighten the load in the centra you may get fishtail as you slow up if you cant get the wieght distrobution of the ball.

but a sencible tow vehicle speed of less than 50MPH should be expected.
these trailers with good tryres should loose little power once you are up to speed rolling and like most diesels as long as you can maintain speed to pull ok.

Aussies tow much more around suburbs than what your expecting with small 1 liter cars.most older family 2 liter plus cars are low geared for this purpose...trailer sailor,lawn mower etc.
most family cars here will easy tow a ton-1250Kg is the local legal limit before you need trailer brakes and a yearly inspection.
my ford falcon has 4 or 5 ton factory rating but the local state wont let me use the station wagon for more than 2300Kg same as my 2 and 3 liter nissan skyline..i have to use my landrover disco to tow my 4 ton capacity trailer [1 ton empty] but the ford does it better.

I was often frightened by my city cousins overtaking on the highway.these small tyre trailers may have hi-speed written them but i dont think 80 MPH was what was intended.

[davehoos]

i think a motor bike can tow 750 Kg

[rlaggren]

See, told ya!

Them aussies wear big pants to cover the hitch growing outa their tail bone. <G>

Cheers, Rufus

[asavage]

I'm looking at getting a Sentra with a CD17 in it, Would it be able to tow a small motorcycle trailer? two or three rails with a couple light bikes on it?

I don't think I'd tow more than a single light motorcycle behind a Sentra. It's not the power (though with the CD17, it's not going to pull very well), but the car is just too small to tow safely. I'd tow maybe 600-900 lbs, but that would be as much as I'd feel comfy towing. The car is too short, the brakes too small, car too light to tow much. If you had to brake hard while going downhill, the back end would come round, it's just too light back there.

[JohnKiniston]

Thanks folks.

I'm flying out to pickup my car this weekend, Should be interesting getting to know it on the drive home