2016 CX5 towing question help, please?

[joecc]

I'm considering buying a new CX5 Touring.

My concern is that I need to tow an 18' aluminum boat to and from winter storage twice per year (have boat well), only about 5-6 miles on surface streets. If i need a boat repair, I will need to tow it 8 miles on surface street each way, hopefully not very often(hand).

Boat, motor, braked trailer, contents, gas, batteries etc is about 2300 lbs.

Do you think I will be okay, or is it stupid?


Thanks

 

[MikeM.]

The tow rating in the USA is 2000 pounds. While the CX-5 would be physically capable of towing this load without problem, I wouldn't be caught dead on a public road with a trailer over the official tow limits. If there was an accident, for any reason, you could be held accountable.

Don't do it, it's stupid.

 

[fdew]

I'm considering buying a new CX5 Touring.

My concern is that I need to tow an 18' aluminum boat to and from winter storage twice per year (have boat well), only about 5-6 miles on surface streets. If i need a boat repair, I will need to tow it 8 miles on surface street each way, hopefully not very often(hand).

Boat, motor, breaked trailer, contents, gas, batteries etc is about 2300 lbs.

Do you think I will be okay, or is it stupid?


Thanks

I would check with your insurance company. If it is alright with them, then I would tow it, keep it under 40.
If not, rent a pickup twice a year.

 

[Lbear]

US towing ratings in 2,000 LBS but the exact same CX5 in Europe is allowed to tow 3,500 LBS. The 2,000 LBS rating is a really conservative weight.

If your towing 2,300 LBS I wouldn't sweat it, especially since the trailer has it's own braking system. Just keep it under 55MPH and keep a longer distance between the vehicles.

 

[mazdadude]

If you do it, I would not post publicly whilst still under warranty.

Could you move some items from the boat to the cargo area of the vehicle?

 

[inlinev]

US towing ratings in 2,000 LBS but the exact same CX5 in Europe is allowed to tow 3,500 LBS. The 2,000 LBS rating is a really conservative weight.

If your towing 2,300 LBS I wouldn't sweat it, especially since the trailer has it's own braking system. Just keep it under 55MPH and keep a longer distance between the vehicles.

While the car may be able to to more than 2000lbs the LEGAL limit on this vehicle is that. Never going to pass muster in a court should you be involved in an accident. Second, where did you read the trailer has brakes?

From AAA

"Trailers not exceeding 3,000 lbs. need not have brakes on all wheels, provided that the total weight of the trailers does not exceed 40% of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer and the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with braking performance requirements."

 

[joecc]

While the car may be able to to more than 2000lbs the LEGAL limit on this vehicle is that. Never going to pass muster in a court should you be involved in an accident. Second, where did you read the trailer has brakes?

From AAA

"Trailers not exceeding 3,000 lbs. need not have brakes on all wheels, provided that the total weight of the trailers does not exceed 40% of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer and the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with braking performance requirements."

I own the boat. It's single axle with brakes

 

[CC58]

I've towed 2000# cross country in the CX-5 and almost felt like load wasn't even there. The CX-5 is rated to tow 3500# in europe, but towing 2300# in US is illegal and opens you to liability if you wreck. However, towing it 6 miles on 40mph back streets twice a year ... I'd take that chance. Its a very small chance. Life is full of risks, and each much choose their own risks.

I'd be concerned if you plan to launch boat off a ramp with CX-5. They tend to be steep and the CX-5's tiny torque converter could be damaged pulling 2300# from a stop, up a steep incline. The mini torque converter engages from 0-5mph, and that is where it is vulnerable to high loads.

If you decide to rent a u-haul pickup truck, read the fine print.
Sure its $20/day, but also $5/mile. Drive it 16 miles and you own them a hundred dollar bill. (boom01)

 

[Ride92]

The CX-5 in Europe and Australia are rated to tow 1800kg (braked) which comes out to 3968lbs. the 3500lbs is the max for all the class III CX-5 hitches I've seen. Now Europe has much different regulations on towing then here in the US. Over there, you can't pull a larger amount of weight without a different endorsement on your license and you need to follow different (slower) speed limits when towing. Also Europe weights their trailer tongues differently then ours, under 10% tongue weight.

I would say, you are close to the limit of the US rating of 2000lbs. As long as your tongue weight doesn't exceed the recommended tongue weight of 200lbs and the 3500lbs weight of the hitch you should be good to go a short distance under 50mph. The faster you go and the less tongue weight you have the more likely you will experience trailer sway that can be corrected. My father always pulled our 21 foot 1979 Viking deck boat with his Grand prix about 5 miles under 45mph twice a year to launch and then again to storage. Be smart use your flashers and slow speed and I think you'd be ok.

I wish the rating was a bit higher but the stupid lawyers say otherwise for us americans. I would love to get a small 18" boat to run about in with the family.

 

[fdew]

While the car may be able to to more than 2000lbs the LEGAL limit on this vehicle is that. Never going to pass muster in a court should you be involved in an accident. Second, where did you read the trailer has brakes?

From AAA

"Trailers not exceeding 3,000 lbs. need not have brakes on all wheels, provided that the total weight of the trailers does not exceed 40% of the gross weight of the towing vehicle when connected to the trailer and the combination of vehicles is capable of complying with braking performance requirements."

There is no LEGAL limit on towing based on the make and model of the car. It is not a matter of LAW. The manufacture recommends towing no more then 2000 lb in the US. This based on a number of things including US highway speeds and the weight of the people and cargo estimated to be in the car.

 

[banjos-n-beer]

The CX-5 in Europe and Australia are rated to tow 1800kg (braked) which comes out to 3968lbs. the 3500lbs is the max for all the class III CX-5 hitches I've seen. Now Europe has much different regulations on towing then here in the US. Over there, you can't pull a larger amount of weight without a different endorsement on your license and you need to follow different (slower) speed limits when towing. Also Europe weights their trailer tongues differently then ours, under 10% tongue weight.

I would say, you are close to the limit of the US rating of 2000lbs. As long as your tongue weight doesn't exceed the recommended tongue weight of 200lbs and the 3500lbs weight of the hitch you should be good to go a short distance under 50mph. The faster you go and the less tongue weight you have the more likely you will experience trailer sway that can be corrected. My father always pulled our 21 foot 1979 Viking deck boat with his Grand prix about 5 miles under 45mph twice a year to launch and then again to storage. Be smart use your flashers and slow speed and I think you'd be ok.

I wish the rating was a bit higher but the stupid lawyers say otherwise for us americans. I would love to get a small 18" boat to run about in with the family.

Man, you could even use it in your bath tub!

(drinks)

 

[bmninada]

This is the 1st. time I'll put a tow hitch (Curtis class-iii). Wiring harness: Mazda OEM: check.

The question is: I am royally confused with what to connect to the hitch. I'll either rent a towable RV (as an experiment this summer) ; maybe get something to tow some stuff back home from Ikea (for example), a Thule 3 bike rack and that's about it. I see these options like some XX drop and then YY length. Wondering, based on what I might be using it for what should I be getting.

 

[CC58]

The Curtis Class II hitch is more than adequate for anything you might tow. Some want the Class III just for the receiver size for bike rack, but the hitch weight nearly doubles.

Consider the Curtis wiring harness as its cheaper and plug-n-play. Only problem is cable is about two feet shorter than I liked so I extended it with a soldering iron and some wire.

You can get both on sale on Amazon with deep discounts if you wait long enough.

 

[fdew]

This is the 1st. time I'll put a tow hitch (Curtis class-iii). Wiring harness: Mazda OEM: check.

The question is: I am royally confused with what to connect to the hitch. I'll either rent a towable RV (as an experiment this summer) ; maybe get something to tow some stuff back home from Ikea (for example), a Thule 3 bike rack and that's about it. I see these options like some XX drop and then YY length. Wondering, based on what I might be using it for what should I be getting.

A couple of threads on the subject
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123852973-Curt-trailer-hitch-on-sale
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123852729-Trailer-Wiring-Harness