# Towing with an ECO



## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

I tow a boat with my Cruze :lol: but all flaming aside...I'm sure towing a small trailer would be fine. I wouldn't tow anything over 500lbs tho


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## Toyotiac (Apr 10, 2012)

I have the Curt hitch on my '12 Eco, but I think all Cruzes would accept a hitch. I'm using for a bike rack for now, but will eventually add the wiring harness so I can tow a 4' X 6' utility trailer. (about 275# empty)


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The Eco "might" be able to tow the trailer itself based on its payload of ~980 lbs. Don't expect to tow the trailer, 3 other people, and a full load of camping gear. The Eco likely could safely carry 1500 lbs, including the trailer, people, other cargo, and a tank of gas. That would translate to 2 people, a full tank, and a weekend's supplies. Just don't expect any kind of engine/transmission warranty with a trailer hitch and wiring harness installed. 

In short, go for it, at your own risk.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Towing is about more than the engine having the horsepower to pull the trailer. There is also the issue of being able to keep it under control if, for instance, you have To suddenly swerve. And then there are the brakes. And the standard transmission could possibly be damaged by towing.

The Cruze with the auto transmission is rated to tow up to a thousand pound load. Not a thousand pound trailer, but the total weight of the trailer and what is in it. Take a 950 pound camper trailer, put stuff in it, and you are overweight. Then put stuff and people in the car. Are you now over the GCVW rating?

If a vehicle is not rated for towing, then it is unsafe and a bit foolish to do so. That's taking a chance with yours and everybody else's lives on the road. And I think towing can void the warranty. They'll see the hitch.


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## parish8 (Mar 11, 2012)

975lbs seemed high for that little guy so i looked it up. the one behind the bike is only listed at 450lbs with a 50lb tung weight and the one behind the smart looks like the same model. 

i wouldn't be afraid to tow 1000lbs behind my eco stick. something like a dirtbike trailer, 2 bikes and gear would be getting pretty close to 1000lbs and i could see doing that.


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## Okie_Pilot (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks for the input and opinions guys.

I'm still thinking and debating on it. I just got the car 2 months ago and got the 6 year warranty. I'd hate to get out 1,500 miles from home in the Grand Canyon or somewhere in Colorado and something happen to the car. Now I'm stuck on vacation 1,500 miles from home with a broke car and most likely a voided warranty.

I visited the Ford Focus forum to research on possibly taking the girlfriend's car. It's dumb. You can tow with the 2000-2007 models but nothing newer than that. WTF changed from 2007 to the newer models where you can't tow? That's retarded.

Anyways, I have a '97 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 sitting in the yard with 171,000 miles, bald tires, a dead battery and Flowmasters on it that are too loud. I'm debating on whether to get tires and battery and different exhaust for the Jeep and risk breaking it down in Colorado with 3,000 miles being put on it in a week or not.

Decisions decisions. I'd love to take the Eco. It'd be a much, much, MUCH nicer ride than the Jeep. Quiter and better gas mileage and a smoother ride. I'm just worried about it being able to tow the 970 pound trailer up the hills and mountains in Colorado and New Mexico. Me and the girlfriend combined weigh 250 pounds. Add 75 pounds of clothes, camping stuff, and a cooler chest.


Keep the opinions coming. I sure do appreciate them.

Okie


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Is it just me, or does that trailer above look bigger than the car towing it?

I think you'd be just fine towing with the Cruze in general, but I think the trailer you're looking at may be a bit big. That's just my opinion. Keep in mind that 1000lbs is a lot of weight. Do these things have their own brakes?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Keep in mind the total capacity of people+cargo in an Eco is right under 1000 lbs, IIRC. So, towing is, "in theory", possible when keeping the total weight of people+cargo+trailer+gasoline (in the gas tank) under 1000 lbs. 

The engine definitely has enough muscle for the job. The brakes can haul these cars down from speed very quickly. I'd say with a light enough trailer and sense in loading, it's doable. 

Using the OP's weight limits of 250 lbs for people and ~100 lbs for stuff, the OP can tow a 500 lb trailer and still come in 150 lbs under the total carrying capacity of the Eco. 

I would recommend air helper springs in the rear coil springs, as they seem pretty weak when anybody sits back there, or the trunk is full of stuff. I can't imagine what a trailer would do to them.


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## Okie_Pilot (Feb 28, 2012)

sciphi said:


> Keep in mind the total capacity of people+cargo in an Eco is right under 1000 lbs, IIRC. So, towing is, "in theory", possible when keeping the total weight of people+cargo+trailer+gasoline (in the gas tank) under 1000 lbs.
> 
> The engine definitely has enough muscle for the job. The brakes can haul these cars down from speed very quickly. I'd say with a light enough trailer and sense in loading, it's doable.
> 
> ...


You know, I'm thinking that it's totally doable and fine now.

I work at a postal facility and just hand pulled a cart full of mail that weighed 837 pounds with one hand. And it had small worn out casters. Not nice new big rubber tires. I can't see a car having a problem doing this...? Maybe I'm missing something though.


The weight that would be on the back of the vehicle (tongue weight) is 85 pounds. Not much at all. Heck, I usually carry that much weight in textbooks and random things in the back of the trunk anyways.... Lol.




After thinking about it. I think maybe what Chevy is worried about is someone attaching a 18 foot flat-bed trailer loaded down with drywall and attempting to tow it with the majority of the weight on the tongue. With this camper, only 85 pounds is on the tongue and the entire "towing" weight is only 970lbs.


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## Okie_Pilot (Feb 28, 2012)

I guess my main worry is wondering if the 1.4l Turbo has enough "umph" to make the hills and turns through Colorado and New Mexico? We're coming from Oklahoma and planning to visit the Grand Canyon and Great Sand Dunes. We by no means plan to get off the beaten path, but I just wondered if the Eco would have any problems pulling the trailer up the hills in the mountains or not. 

What do you say?


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Isn't the Eco the same as the 2LT in this respect? Manual states the maximum gross trailer weight it 1,000 pounds and hitches are available. But even with this small weight would insist on having trailer brakes as well, either electric or surge brakes. In pulling a trailer for a long time, people love to pull out in front of you if they see you coming. Even if you are driving 55 and they only want to do 35.

Yeah I got this problem now with a 3,000 pound boat to pull. Wife put pressure on me to get rid of my 92 DeVille with a class II hitch on it. My Supra sure has the power, but only rated at 2,200 pounds. 

Ha, my dealer said he would sell my Caddy at an auction, but saw it on the lot for 3,000 bucks. Thinking about selling my Supra and getting a truck. Saw a nice 2003 Sonoma with only 58K on it, but when I got to that dealer yesterday, it was just sold. The rest I looked at was junk and way overpriced at that.

If I get a truck, my Surpa has to go, not like Jay Leno, can only park three vehicles. Ha, talked to my wife about moving back to the country, she doesn't like that idea. Did look at a new stripped down Canyon with AC and cruise for $17,500, but will only pull 2,200 pounds, to pull my boat, suddenly the price jumps up to $26,000.

Ha, at least I have a son that will let me borrow his SUV with a 5,000 pound capacity, but like being independent. Problems, always problems, thought with the high price of gas, these pickups would come way down. Again, I am dead wrong. 

I could use my Cruze to pull my little red wagon, the one I got as a kid.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Gearing plays a big role in towing capability. From a towing standpoint, the ECO MT's gearing is basically torqueless in 4, 5, and 6. Thus you will do almost all your towing in 3rd, especially through Colorado. This includes downhills as well as uphills because 4 5 and 6 don't engine brake very well either. Having driven my ECO MT up I-70 west of Denver, I already know you cannot maintain the posted 65 unless you downshift to 5th. On two lane mountian roads in Colorado where the speed limit is 55 or lower, expect to be in 4th or 3rd when going uphill. 5 and 6 may make it, but don't count on it. I discovered this last Saturday driving the Foothills highway from Golden to Estes Park. There were a lot of uphill stretches where I had to downshift to maintain the posted speed limit. I also had to downshift on the way back to increase engine braking to avoid excessive speed. By the way, the ECO MT is a joy to drive on mountain roads - just don't expect to be in 6th all the time.

Another factor against towing with the ECO trim, rear drum brakes. Almost all tow vehicles have four wheel disc brakes for a reason - they don't overheat as easily and stop quicker. I have never overheated my Montana's brakes even when pushing or slightly exceeding it's 3500 lb tow limits, but my Transport, which had rear drums, would always overheat when I was coming out of Jarre canyon south of Denver. When you're towing, the trailer tongue weight forces more of the braking to occur on the rear wheels, thus the need for disc brakes in the rear.

Don't even get me started on the electrical. I blew more 20 amp fuses in my Montana while I getting the wiring harness configured correctly. I have no idea if the Cruze ECO even has a 20 amp circuit going to the back of the vehicle. Because of the ECOs rear drums, a trailer would have to have brakes, which in turn requires a 20 amp circuit.

Basically, having towed trailers ranging from 500 to 3500 lbs, I would be very very uncomfortable towing with a Cruze ECO (AT or MT). The car is simply not equipped to tow safely.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Take that Jeep. It's unstoppable with either engine in that year, and much better suited for towing ANYTHING - if you still even need to.

_*Replace radiator hoses*_, etc before you leave and change the oil (and possibly transmission fluid).

I'm using my dad's Liberty this weekend to plan a big move. With an empty 900-lb U-haul trailer behind you, you can't even tell it's there. Loaded down with 3000 lbs of stuff, though, it REALLY struggles on the hills - and this is a huge V6.

I toyed with the idea of towing the trailer instead with my old Volvo sedan (rated at 3000 lbs), but I know the car just doesn't have the brakes for it - and it would probably kill the transmission.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

As pointed out in another post, there is also the suspension to consider when towing. There are SAFETY reasons that the ECO is not factory rated for towing.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> As pointed out in another post, there is also the suspension to consider when towing. There are SAFETY reasons that the ECO is not factory rated for towing.


My personal opinion is that towing safety is relative to the weight being towed. 

Can the Cruze allow the car to come to a screeching halt with 4 200lb people inside it and a 150lb person in the center rear? That's 950lbs, and the answer would be most likely yes. You're not adding a whole lot of weight on top of that with a trailer, and if you can install a wiring harness to allow it to have its own brakes, I don't see any issues with towing. 

Now, if you were towing a 2000lbs trailer and it had its own brakes, not only would the Cruze not have enough power to pull it, but it would be unstable and unsafe. I agree with you there, but take the other end of the spectrum and consider a 500lb trailer. That's less weight than you can potentially have in people sitting in your back seat, only now it's being pulled from the back of the car with a small amount of tongue weight. 

My personal opinion is that ~1000lbs is on the heavy side of what I'd feel safe towing with the Cruze, but I would only do it if the trailer had its own brakes.


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## MikeW (Nov 29, 2010)

After reading all the "con" posts about towing with the Eco, and taking a look at the type of camper you want to tow, you may just be better off in either a tent or a Motel 6. Either one would probably as much or more comfortable than that little box anyway, and you won't run the risk of damaging the car.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

The Auto Cruze's are rated at 1000 lbs of extra GVW.. it says 4100 or something in the manual. I'd avoid it with the Eco it lacks the gearing for it.

I'd go the safe route and rent an SUV for the weekend or something


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. 

Think about this. Say you have right at 1000lbs you're towing (trailer + gear). That's approximately 1/3 of the weight of your car that you're adding. 

Do yourself a favor. Go find 4 of your biggest friends, and gather another couple hundred pounds of stuff to put in the trunk. Take a drive around and feel the difference in performance. Unless your friends are all under 100 pounds, you'll notice a negative affect on acceleration, braking, handling, etc. Keep in mind here that you're still within design tolerances, all that weight is still inside the car. Now, with 1000lbs of trailer your acceleration will be similar, but all of the other handling differences you previously experienced will be magnified because the weight/mass is no longer inside the car, it's now hanging way out back trying to push you around. On top of that, you're adding a whole lot more wind resistance. Not only strait on, but side winds are going to try to push the you around much more.

The single biggest thing IMO is the unknown factor. How is the car/trailer going to react to possible evasive maneuvers?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
> 
> Think about this. Say you have right at 1000lbs you're towing (trailer + gear). That's approximately 1/3 of the weight of your car that you're adding.
> 
> ...


That can be said of most vehicles. I pulled a 5000 pound camper trailer with my dad's old 2001 Dodge Dakota V8. Granted, it's a truck, but its not a Dodge Ram, and the trailer did weigh significantly more than the truck. In this case, the camper weighs significantly less than the Cruze. If you want to talk about a trailer throwing a truck around, we don't even need to look any further. 

I get what you're saying, but if the Cruze Auto is rated for a 1000lbs towing capacity, you can't use the "how is the car going to react to possible evasive maneuvers" argument to say it's a bad idea on the Cruze Eco. What's the difference? The transmission, a few aero features, and no spare tire? Isn't this why we keep our speed to 55mph or under when towing? Sure, it will try to push you around if you have to swerve, but it's still within the design specification of the car's handling ability. The only real question is whether or not the gearing will have a negative influence on it. 

My personal opinion is it won't. If someone cares to bring up the exact gear ratios, I can demonstrate why. You probably won't get very far in 6th gear, but that doesn't mean you can't treat it like a 5-speed transmission and run it down to 4th or 5th gear and still be in the same boat as you would with with the non-Eco MT or an Auto with regard to your final drive ratio. At the end of the day, if you need power, it comes down to the final drive ratio regardless of you get there. Having to rev a bit higher between shifts isn't going to make or break your ability to tow.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Actually, I wasn't specifically talking about the Eco. I wouldn't pull anything more than a bicycle with a Cruze. IMO, it's like using the correct tool for the job. A crescent wrench will work, but a properly sized hand wrench or socket will do it better with less chance that you're going to slip off and bash your knuckles.

For towing, I'll use a vehicle that was designed with towing in mind. That also excludes unibody suv's. I've been in too many bad situations pulling a trailer to leave to luck that I won't have any problems.

My question about evasive maneuvers is relevant. If the OP is going through Colorado and New Mexico, it's highly likely that they will be dealing with cross winds, and possibly wild life on the roads.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

While I appreciate the insight, I still have to question why GM thought it would be appropriate to rate the Cruze for a 1000 towing capacity.

I have driven those stretches of roads countless times and know exactly what you're talking about. I had questioned earlier the need for such a large trailer, perhaps indirectly.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> Actually, I wasn't specifically talking about the Eco. I wouldn't pull anything more than a bicycle with a Cruze. IMO, it's like using the correct tool for the job. A crescent wrench will work, but a properly sized hand wrench or socket will do it better with less chance that you're going to slip off and bash your knuckles.
> 
> For towing, I'll use a vehicle that was designed with towing in mind. That also excludes unibody suv's. I've been in too many bad situations pulling a trailer to leave to luck that I won't have any problems.
> 
> My question about evasive maneuvers is relevant. If the OP is going through Colorado and New Mexico, it's highly likely that they will be dealing with cross winds, and possibly wild life on the roads.


I'd rather put my Cruze on a trailer and tow it with my Montana than tow anything with my Cruze.

As for evasive maneuvers, wildlife, though a constant possiblity, isn't the real issue. Wind and other drivers are the real problems in Colorado. Having driven all over the US I have come to the conclusion that Colorado drivers are among the most unpredictable and least considerate drivers in the US. Other regions have inconsiderate drivers, but they all follow the "same set of driving rules", even though those rules are different from region to region. Colorado drivers are simply unpredictable. I haven't driven enough in New Mexico to make a comment on drivers there, but I suspect the wind is an issue there as well.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

> Having driven all over the US I have come to the conclusion that Colorado drivers are among the most unpredictable and least considerate drivers in the US.


Wait, have you driven in DC and/or New Jersey?


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

obermd said:


> I'd rather put my Cruze on a trailer and tow it with my Montana than tow anything with my Cruze.
> 
> As for evasive maneuvers, wildlife, though a constant possiblity, isn't the real issue. Wind and other drivers are the real problems in Colorado.


Hehehe.... Driven in Utah lately? I can agree about other drivers. It's kind of like driving on icy roads, they don't bother me a bit. It's the soccer mom driving that same icy road while talking on her cell phone that scares the crap out of me.

Back on topic, the OP is kind of stuck in a bad place. The Jeep would be a much better choice for the trip with the trailer, and also allow them to get off the beaten path to enjoy the sites. However, if it isn't reliable......


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Wait, have you driven in DC and/or New Jersey?


I lived in Dale City, VA while stationed at the Pentagon for four years and my parents live in New Hampshire. Yes, I'm a "slug" and proud of it, spending many hours both as a driver and passenger on the 20 mile long parking lot called I-95/395. I made the drive between the DC and New Hampshire two or three times a year. I have also driven in Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Atlanta, New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley (but not actually San Francisco), Seattle, Kansas City, Indianapolis, etc. My absolute favorite place to drive is actually Boston - everyone drives the same crazy there so it's very predictable. Denver is at the bottom with so many different driving styles in both Denver and the rest of Colorado to predict what the other drivers will do, which is what makes driving here so dangerous. 

By the way, as far as I could tell, the 55 speed limit on the DC beltway was a "minimum", not "maximum".

Virginia and Maryland have the absolute worst laws I'm aware of governing lane usage on the interstates. Not only do you not have to get out of the left lane but it's illegal to flash your lights or use your turn signal to request the idiot doing 10 under the speed limit and 20 under the rest of traffic in front of you to move out of the left lane. 

Georgia was interesting for two reasons. Around Atlanta the speed is "floor it to 70, lock the brakes to 0 and repeat". On Rural interstates the right lane of the interstate moves at 95 and the left at 100, with less than a car length between each car. Everyone in Georgia must think they're practicing for Nascar.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> Hehehe.... Driven in Utah lately? I can agree about other drivers. It's kind of like driving on icy roads, they don't bother me a bit. It's the soccer mom driving that same icy road while talking on her cell phone that scares the crap out of me.
> 
> Back on topic, the OP is kind of stuck in a bad place. The Jeep would be a much better choice for the trip with the trailer, and also allow them to get off the beaten path to enjoy the sites. However, if it isn't reliable......


I drove through Utah once back in the 80s, but haven't been back lately. Don't forget the soccor mom is also putting her makeup on while drinking coffee. I have actually seen people doing this as well as brushing their teeth while driving.


Back to OP - don't tow with your Cruze. It's simply not equipped to safely handle the load.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I'd tow a little utility trailer loaded with a few hundred pounds of gravel on back roads from the quarry home, but not a 1000 lb camper on the interstate on a multi-state trip. Moderation is key, and 1000 lbs of trailer on a Cruze is far in excess of moderation.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sciphi said:


> I'd tow a little utility trailer loaded with a few hundred pounds of gravel on back roads from the quarry home, but not a 1000 lb camper on the interstate on a multi-state trip. Moderation is key, and 1000 lbs of trailer on a Cruze is far in excess of moderation.


So why does GM recommend up to a 1000lbs tow weight? Why don't they just say "not suitable for towing" on all of the Cruzes?

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/10-engine-technical-discussion/1796-cruze-towing-3.html



limited360 said:


> Part of GM development is TOWING a tow DYNO behind these cars.
> 
> They give a tow spec cause it can tow!!


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

They say it can tow up to 1000 lbs when taken _as one part_ of the _total weight_ being carried by the car. They don't mean put 1000 lbs of people/stuff into the car and hook a 1000 lb trailer onto it, they mean it can tow 1000 lbs with nothing else in the car. Once people start getting into the car, start subtracting their weight off the trailer. 

The car doesn't care if the weight it's lugging around are people or a trailer. It only has so much weight it is rated to transport, period. Balance that weight whatever way wanted. :tempted:

Xtreme, I'm not trying to be a jerk, just trying to offer a direct explanation. ccasion14:


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sciphi said:


> They say it can tow up to 1000 lbs when taken _as one part_ of the _total weight_ being carried by the car. They don't mean put 1000 lbs of people/stuff into the car and hook a 1000 lb trailer onto it, they mean it can tow 1000 lbs with nothing else in the car. Once people start getting into the car, start subtracting their weight off the trailer.
> 
> The car doesn't care if the weight it's lugging around are people or a trailer. It only has so much weight it is rated to transport, period. Balance that weight whatever way wanted. :tempted:
> 
> Xtreme, I'm not trying to be a jerk, just trying to offer a direct explanation. ccasion14:


Not seeing you as a jerk at all. I prefer the direct explanation anyway, lol. I figure if I'm not understanding something, chances are there are other people who are wondering the same things. 

I was pointing out that GM rated if for a 1000lb towing rating to indicate that it was safe to tow 1000lbs with regard to the car's stability and safety - that is, having 1000lbs behind you hooked up through a hitch. 

One thing I wasn't sure of is how GVWR was related to towing capacity.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

sciphi said:


> The car doesn't care if the weight it's lugging around are people or a trailer. It only has so much weight it is rated to transport, period. Balance that weight whatever way wanted.


Actually, there is quite of bit of difference between having the load in the vehicle vs. having it behind the vehicle. The handling characteristics of your vehicle change dramatically when you put a hinge in the middle. Remember, a trailer becomes part of the vehicle, but it does a lot more to handling than just decrease your ability to accelerate and decelerate. Turns have to be wider, wind and road bumps can throw one part of the vehicle sideways but not the other. The tow vehicle's handling always cares if the weight is inside its normal wheelbase or hanging on behind the normal wheelbase.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Ober, I wasn't addressing handling, only how much weight the trailer could take. 

Handling with a trailer will be different than without. Basically, with a trailer, drive very carefully!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Gross Vehicle Weight includes the tongue weight. You always want the tongue to be 100-150 lbs to ensure the trailer doesn't flip back and try to come up off the hitch.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Key reason for us buying a Cruze was to offset more than four bucks a gallon of gas. Maybe about 98-99% of our driving is done without pulling a trailer. At most, may put a hidden trailer hitch on it to carry a couple of bicycles.

Ha, looking for a good used truck for that trailer pulling, wish me good luck with that. Getting extremely difficult for me to tell the difference between a used car lot and a wrecking yard. One thing they both have in common, is outrageous prices.


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## newcruzer17 (Feb 8, 2012)

NickD said:


> Key reason for us buying a Cruze was to offset more than four bucks a gallon of gas. Maybe about 98-99% of our driving is done without pulling a trailer. At most, may put a hidden trailer hitch on it to carry a couple of bicycles.
> 
> Ha, looking for a good used truck for that trailer pulling, wish me good luck with that. Getting extremely difficult for me to tell the difference between a used car lot and a wrecking yard. One thing they both have in common, is outrageous prices.


Ditto on the outrageous prices!! A year ago I purchased a USED GMC 4x4 Sierra to pull a trailer and haul trash, etc. The dealer said it had been through their 26 point (whatever the number was) inspection and was in good shape. It has some body damage and the tailgate had been replaced. I asked if it had been wrecked, they said no. The holes in the bed were unmistakably where a 5th wheel hitch had been mounted, and the damage was, even to an untrained eye, from the trailer coming loose and taking out the tailgate. I really needed the truck, and the 'book' was $21k at the time, I paid $17k. Took it home and began to find little things wrong with it. Broken front shock, radio did not work intermittantly, passenger side door (extended cab) did not close without extra effort. Other stuff. I took it back to the dealer and they basically said 'buyer beware'. I kept it a year and traded it back to the same dealer on my Eco. They gave me $12k trade, plus some $500 GM vehicle trade 'bonus'. I got screwed on the truck deal, they got back a defective vehicle to sell to some other fool like me. 

I will never buy another used vehicle. Someone didn't want it for a reason, or was too rich to care about the ripoff on the trade value. Either way, you are right about the exhorbitant prices on the used lots.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

Not sure why GM would spec towing capacity on an economy car.

I get the feeling that the engineers involved have never actually pulled a trailer. I regularly pulled 2 atvs around with my 02 Blazer. That's about 2000lbs total (trailer + ATV). I wouldn't pull more than that with my Blazer, and it was rated at 5000lbs towing. IMO that much trailer is simply dangerous.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Beachernaut said:


> Not sure why GM would spec towing capacity on an economy car.


The eco is not equipped for towing... 

The automatic is only equipped for EXTREMELY LIGHT towing. 1000 GVW lb cutoff. Simple. That includes you the driver.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

sciphi said:


> Ober, I wasn't addressing handling, only how much weight the trailer could take.
> 
> Handling with a trailer will be different than without. Basically, with a trailer, drive very carefully!


As anyone driving any trailer with any vehicle should. You drive 55 *max *or under and you pay close attention to the road. You keep your distance from the car in front of you, you pull over if there's extremely bad wind, and you use common sense.



ErikBEggs said:


> The eco is not equipped for towing...
> 
> The automatic is only equipped for EXTREMELY LIGHT towing. 1000 GVW lb cutoff. Simple. That includes you the driver.


Bear with me here. What exactly makes the other Cruze trims suitable for towing that makes the Eco not suitable for towing?

Here's one thing I'm not sure of: does GVW include the weight of the trailer, or just the tongue weight of the trailer?

http://www.onlinetowingguide.com/guidelines/gvwr.html


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

newcruzer17 said:


> Ditto on the outrageous prices!! A year ago I purchased a USED GMC 4x4 Sierra to pull a trailer and haul trash, etc. The dealer said it had been through their 26 point (whatever the number was) inspection and was in good shape. It has some body damage and the tailgate had been replaced. I asked if it had been wrecked, they said no. The holes in the bed were unmistakably where a 5th wheel hitch had been mounted, and the damage was, even to an untrained eye, from the trailer coming loose and taking out the tailgate. I really needed the truck, and the 'book' was $21k at the time, I paid $17k. Took it home and began to find little things wrong with it. Broken front shock, radio did not work intermittantly, passenger side door (extended cab) did not close without extra effort. Other stuff. I took it back to the dealer and they basically said 'buyer beware'. I kept it a year and traded it back to the same dealer on my Eco. They gave me $12k trade, plus some $500 GM vehicle trade 'bonus'. I got screwed on the truck deal, they got back a defective vehicle to sell to some other fool like me.
> 
> I will never buy another used vehicle. Someone didn't want it for a reason, or was too rich to care about the ripoff on the trade value. Either way, you are right about the exhorbitant prices on the used lots.


Thought I was crazy for buying this thing:

View attachment 4974
View attachment 4975


But when I subtracted the price of the new tires and batteries in it, paid $1,500.00 for the rest of it. Was recently retired, namely because my job was moved to China so it gave me something to play with. And that it did, added another 1,200 bucks worth of parts, namely all brand new Borg Warner parts in the AT, charged up the AC system, redid all the electrical, new stereo system, and a windshield.

And a lot of little stuff like pulling out the entire interior and running that through the washer and dryer. Found missing cruise control parts under the sofa, so rebuild that. But when it comes to camping, no longer a buck, can darn near get a motel room for the same price. Had 44K on it when we purchased it, six years later, has 51K on it. Paying about 150 bucks per year for liability insurance and license plates.

Is a 27 footer with the 454 in it, with a super tune up and driving at 55 mph with summer gas, can get 15 mpg out of it. Using the same chassis and engine for up to a 42 foot model, they don't do as well. Does have a huge hitch on it with a 5,000 pound load, guess I could use that for pulling my boat. Learned the trick is to mount a trailer hitch on the front bumper for launching and unloading the boat. Have a spare hitch, thinking about that.

Wife said we should sell it, but reminded her, she likes to go down to the Milwaukee Music Festival, parking is cheap and have a clean rest room to use. Also a blast to take it down to that Sparta Elroy trail for a weekend. Doubles as a moving van for my stepdaughter, recall when I went to college just had my slide rule and an extra pair of socks. She has three rooms of furniture to move. It also has a 4KW generator, that sure came in handy during a major thunderstorm we had here with a power outage. Ran a hundred foot extension cord to my sump pump that kept our basement from getting flooded.

Did build my own utility trailer out of a boat trailer capable of loading 4,000 pounds, wife wants to haul more rock, no way in heck could I back up that motorhome into my backyard to get it where she wants it. Pay a fortune to get it delivered and dump it in the driveway. Too much work for me to hand shovel it into a wheel barrow and haul it back. So she says, buy a truck, LOL, so I am looking.

Helping my kid build a deck, on previous projects like this, used my trailer to bring all that lumber here, have a nice woodworking shop and precut all the pieces and even write a kit with some assembly required instructions. Now its doing everything there the hard old fashion way. No wonder why my back hurts.

Yeah, saw a lot of pickups with holes drilled for a 5th wheeler, just kept on walking.


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## rbtec (Feb 3, 2012)

In my opinion, if you want to tow, buy a vehicle meant for it, not a Cruze.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

rbtec said:


> In my opinion, if you want to tow, buy a vehicle meant for it, not a Cruze.
> 
> 
> Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


What if I just want to tow a 600lb cargo trailer for a camping trip with a couple of friends?


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## rbtec (Feb 3, 2012)

newcruzer17 said:


> Ditto on the outrageous prices!! A year ago I purchased a USED GMC 4x4 Sierra to pull a trailer and haul trash, etc. The dealer said it had been through their 26 point (whatever the number was) inspection and was in good shape. It has some body damage and the tailgate had been replaced. I asked if it had been wrecked, they said no. The holes in the bed were unmistakably where a 5th wheel hitch had been mounted, and the damage was, even to an untrained eye, from the trailer coming loose and taking out the tailgate. I really needed the truck, and the 'book' was $21k at the time, I paid $17k. Took it home and began to find little things wrong with it. Broken front shock, radio did not work intermittantly, passenger side door (extended cab) did not close without extra effort. Other stuff. I took it back to the dealer and they basically said 'buyer beware'. I kept it a year and traded it back to the same dealer on my Eco. They gave me $12k trade, plus some $500 GM vehicle trade 'bonus'. I got screwed on the truck deal, they got back a defective vehicle to sell to some other fool like me.
> 
> I will never buy another used vehicle. Someone didn't want it for a reason, or was too rich to care about the ripoff on the trade value. Either way, you are right about the exhorbitant prices on the used lots.


Ditto on the used vehicle thing. Never again. Bought a 1996 Jimmy for my son for $3900 and then put over $2000 in repairs over the next year. Remember, there's a reason people are selling their cars.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

rbtec said:


> Ditto on the used vehicle thing. Never again. Bought a 1996 Jimmy for my son for $3900 and then put over $2000 in repairs over the next year. Remember, there's a reason people are selling their cars.
> 
> 
> Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


I wouldn't necessarily agree with the reason people selling their cars because they're broken or problematic. My 95 Regal (first car) was purchased used with 61k miles because the grandma who drove it had died and her son was selling it. My wife's 2000 Regal GSE was sold with 151k miles because the owner needed a truck. The car has been running well for 12k miles now with a few basic repairs needed on the suspension (tie rods, ball joints). My in-laws are selling a 1997 Accord simply because they already have two cars and don't need it anymore. It needs new brakes from sitting for so long and new tires because they're low on tread, but otherwise the car runs very well.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

GVW includes the tongue weight.

My Montana has the trailering package and I had the GM/Pontiac weight distributing hitch installed when I purchased it. As a result, it is a 3,500 lb rated tow vehicle. I have towed very light trailers that I wouldn't touch again because they were unstable behind you as well as trailers pushing the 3,500 lb limt that were an absolute joy to pull. The tow vehicle always knows there is a trailer behind it, regardless of the trailer weight. There are small shoves, yanks, and twists all the time as you drive that you as the driver can feel through the steering and pedals. Your passengers can't always fell this. These forces are being transmitted via the transmission and vehicle frame to the driver. The tow vehicle can't help but be impacted by these forces.

Max safe speed with a trailer depends on a number of things, among them wind, road surface, weather, number of lanes, twists in the road, and driver experience. I have been on roads towing that I wouldn't take even close to the posted 30 or 35 mph speed limit while on other roads 65 or 70 was safe at the time. A lot of rental trailers have a 45mph "limit" because people pulling them don't have a lot of experience with trailering.

Towing puts a heavy load on the rear suspension, transmission, brakes, and engine cooling system. The Cruze ECO simply doesn't have the rear suspension, transmission or brakes to safely tow. Since the cooling system is the same for all Cruzen I think the ECO has sufficient cooling to tow as long as you keep the speed low enough that the aero shutters don't close. The rear suspension is too "light" to hold up to the stresses a trailer impacts and the ECO's transmission is geared for low torque at speed. Rear drum brakes don't have enough stopping power to help in a hard stop when towing. You need disc brakes on the rear as well. Remember, when you stop, the tongue weight increases as the trailer pushes forward just like you car does during a stop. This pushes the rear of the tow vehicle down, increasing the amount of braking force required from the rear brakes. Tow vehicles also have beefed up suspensions and relatively high torque in all gears. Yes, GM uses a light weight trailer when testing, but they also don't expect their test cars to last.

Another difference between the ECO and other Cruzen - GM shortened the frame welds to reduce frame weight. How much weaker is the frame as a result?


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

As near as I can tell, the real differences between an LT and the ECO manual is the transmission and the tires. Most likely the manual transmission is not robust enough for towing, and if the tires are low rolling resistance they may not be sticky enough for safe handling. BTW, when towing the with auto transmission the owners manual states that manual mode must be used. A major factor with towing is where the weight is located, which is behind the car. That changes the dynamics of how the vehicle handles in many ways. Being able to maintain control is key. Any vehicle can two a load, but they all can't control it safely.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd, good information. 

One thing I'd like to mention though. I believe the suspension on the Eco uses the same springs as the RS models. Am I correct?

I can almost see the brakes being an issue, although I've driven over a dozen trucks with rear drum brakes that were rated for massive towing service. Sure, they overheat on repeated severe stops, but if you have to perform repeated severe stops, you have a problem bigger than your brakes or you're going too fast. Downhill might be the only exception to this. Would you still say this is a problem if the trailer has its own brakes? I know on my dad's truck, we were able to adjust the amount of braking the trailer did. You could technically hit the brakes and have the trailer slow the truck down. 

I believe the shutters only stay closed if temperatures are ideal. The moment temperatures start to rise, I'm fairly certain that the shutters open even at highway speeds. I don't think they're programmed based only on speed. 

I've heard gearing mentioned a couple of times. Is this really an issue? Yes, the Cruze Eco does have taller gears, especially 6th gear, but I argue that this isn't much of an issue. Here's why. 

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-1-4l-turbo/5888-manual-transmission-specs.html

Let's compare the two manual transmissions for simplicity. 

I believe the Eco is the MF3, while the non-Eco is the MZ0. 


Transmission TypeM32-6 Production LocationGMPT Europe Transmission DriveTransverse mounted– Front Wheel Drive Maximum Engine Torque320 N·m (236.01 lbs.ft) Transmission ContentFully synchronized with final drive gear and differential Transmission RPO CodesMZ0MF3Engine RPO CodesLUW (U18XFR)LUJ (U14NET)1st Gear Ratio3.8184.2732nd Gear Ratio2.1582.1583rd Gear Ratio1.4751.3024th Gear Ratio1.0670.9595th Gear Ratio0.8750.7446th Gear Ratio0.7440.614Reverse Gear Ratio3.5453.818Final Drive RPO CodesFX1FP9Final Drive Ratio3.9413.55
In 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th gears on the MZ0, you have a total drive ratio of 5.81, *4.21*, *3.45*, and *2.93*. 
In 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th gears on the MF3, you have a total drive ratio of *4.62*, *3.40*, *2.64*, and 2.17. 

In a non-Eco, I would easily see you holding 5th gear instead of 6th when going up a slight grade. In this case, the difference between 4th on the Eco and 5th on the non-eco is insignificant. I've color coded the similarities in the gear ratios. For all intents and purposes, why couldn't one just forget about using 6th gear entirely while towing and just use 3rd through 5th as very close replacements of 4th through 6th on the non-eco transmission? Your power delivery would be practically identical. I agree it's certainly not as suitable as the non-Eco ratios are, but the only real difference that I can see is that you'll be revving higher between shifts.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> As near as I can tell, the real differences between an LT and the ECO manual is the transmission and the tires. Most likely the manual transmission is not robust enough for towing, and if the tires are low rolling resistance they may not be sticky enough for safe handling. BTW, when towing the with auto transmission the owners manual states that manual mode must be used. A major factor with towing is where the weight is located, which is behind the car. That changes the dynamics of how the vehicle handles in many ways. Being able to maintain control is key. Any vehicle can two a load, but they all can't control it safely.


If anything, I'd feel much better driving the manual instead of the Auto. It will heat up *much *less, and the manual will put more power to the ground than the auto will. The manual also weighs 80lbs less than the Auto. 

Historically, GM's manual transmissions have also been able to take significantly more abuse and power than their Autos. I don't think the tires will be a significant factor. We're not racing autocross tracks.


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## jrharden (Mar 17, 2011)

I pulled a 4x6 or so trailer with a kdx 220r dirtbike on it in a 2009 Pontiac G5 (4cy). It had no problems. I believe the car was rated to tow at 1000 lbs.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> obermd, good information.
> 
> One thing I'd like to mention though. I believe the suspension on the Eco uses the same springs as the RS models. Am I correct?
> 
> ...


I don't know if the ECO uses the same springs as the RS packages. When I had my tires rotated today I took a look at the rear suspension. I've seen 18 speed mountain bikes with a beefier suspension.

Now for braking. Any time the trailer has it's own brakes you reduce the load on the tow vehicle's brakes. However, very few light trailers have their own brakes. Also, you would probably want to add a circuit just for the trailer brakes. My Montana has a 6 wire harness on a 20 amp circuit shared between the rear load leveling air shock compressor and the the trailering harness. Also, trailer brakes don't address the issue of increased tongue weight while braking - they just reduce the amount of braking power needed by the tow vehicle. OP said the will be driving through the Rocky Mountains and although Colorado is abnormally high when compared to the rest of the continent, OP will need good brakes. XtremeRevolution's comment about drums overheating will definitely come into play in this case. My old Transport would overheat it's brakes when coming down CO 67 through Jarre Canyon south of Denver, even when I kept the transmission in 1st and 2nd. I never had any brakes for about the first quarter mile after leaving the canyon and I never towed with the Transport. My Montana brakes have never overheated even when pushing GVWR plus a 3000+ lb trailer, even on the same road.

Putting an automatic transmission into manual mode make sense assuming manual mode engages a direct link between the transmission and the drive wheel(s) and reduces the amount of shifting. This is a change in transmission technology from 2002 as my Montana's owners' manual states to take the transmission out of D and put it into 3 when towing to reduce the amount of gear shifting in hills. I never did unless I was having problems maintaining speed going up and down hills or there was excessive amounts of automatic shifting occuring. The Montana has a tach so you can easily tell what gear it's in by comparing the RPM to the MPH. There are sections on both I-25 and I-70 as well as US highways 24, 40, 50, 160, 285, and 550 in Colorado where anything with a trailer (and many vehicles without trailers) creeps up the road. The grades are that steep. These are the primary north/south and east/west routes through the western two thirds of the state. Forget State, County, and local roads as they can make these roads appear flat by comparison.

I seem to remember seeing somewhere that the aero shutters will open if the engine starts going above it's normal operating temperature, so you may be correct on the aero shutters.

Looking at the gearing chart you provided and based on my experience last Saturday on the Foothills Highway from Golden to Estes Park, CO, I think you're optimistic on being able to use 5th. I would be surprised if the ECO could go up any moderatly steep hill in Colorado at any speed with a 500-600 lb trailer in any gear above 4th. I had to downshift to 3rd several times to maintain speed and the entire "cargo" was myself and my wife. Forget about 6th entirely. I didn't have enough torque and horsepower in 4, 5, or 6 to maintain speed. You'll be in 3rd and 4th except on flat ground. On flat ground you'd probably be in 5th if you're doing 55 or higher. 6th probably won't work at highway speeds because a trailer can easily double your aerodynamic drag. I don't think there's enough torque in the ECO MT's 6th to overcome that much wind resistance. Going downhill you'll need to be in a lower gear to avoid overheating your breaks. Fortunately 3rd doesn't rev out until well over any safe towing speed.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd said:


> I don't know if the ECO uses the same springs as the RS packages. When I had my tires rotated today I took a look at the rear suspension. I've seen 18 speed mountain bikes with a beefier suspension.
> 
> Now for braking. Any time the trailer has it's own brakes you reduce the load on the tow vehicle's brakes. However, very few light trailers have their own brakes. Also, you would probably want to add a circuit just for the trailer brakes. My Montana has a 6 wire harness on a 20 amp circuit shared between the rear load leveling air shock compressor and the the trailering harness. Also, trailer brakes don't address the issue of increased tongue weight while braking - they just reduce the amount of braking power needed by the tow vehicle. OP said the will be driving through the Rocky Mountains and although Colorado is abnormally high when compared to the rest of the continent, OP will need good brakes. XtremeRevolution's comment about drums overheating will definitely come into play in this case. My old Transport would overheat it's brakes when coming down CO 67 through Jarre Canyon south of Denver, even when I kept the transmission in 1st and 2nd. I never had any brakes for about the first quarter mile after leaving the canyon and I never towed with the Transport. My Montana brakes have never overheated even when pushing GVWR plus a 3000+ lb trailer, even on the same road.
> 
> ...


I personally wouldn't tow anything 1000lbs with a Cruze without it having its own brakes. I would agree in this instance that the Cruze is not suitable for mountain towing in that regard. No argument there. It's not so much as stopping once, but having to stay on the brakes while going downhill for long, long periods of time. That's enough to tax even the better braking cars out there. 

Manual mode doesn't engage a direct link, it only holds a certain gear instead of upshifting. In the case of towing, it increases the longevity of the transmission as it would otherwise be doing constant up and down shifting while trying to maintain speed and fuel economy. In manual mode, you're still going through the torque converter and therefore still creating significant amounts of heat. This is one instance where a manual transmission would be preferred and one reason why aftermarket transmission coolers are recommended for automatics that plan on doing any towing. 

I used to drive from Chicago to California and back and had to go through those mountains. I wouldn't recommend it for towing 1000lbs behind the Cruze. 700lbs is about as far as I'd go and feel safe in Colorado's mountains, and even then I'd be as careful as one can be. 

The springs may not look like much, but they'll hold. I've had two full grown men in the back of my Cruze and there's still plenty of suspension available. I don't know how much weight would be placed on the back of a Cruze by a trailer in the event of a hard brake, but I think the Cruze could handle it. That's just my opinion as I haven't actually tried it to verify. 

The gearing chart I posted was intended not to indicate which specific gear you could use, but rather that the difference between the non-eco's gearing and the eco's gearing with regard to the manual transmission will only be a matter of shifting one gear up to maintain the same speed at the same power level. If towing with an Eco, you'd essentially have to treat it like it was a 5 speed transmission. I agree that 3rd and 4th will be the most common gears, and the Cruze should have enough torque in the power band to stay in those gears. 

To me, this would come down to exactly which roads will be driven on and how steep the grades are expected to be. If I was traveling to California again this year and needed a trailer, I wouldn't have any problem with a 1000lb trailer, but I wouldn't be taking the Colorado mountain pass. I'd head south through New Mexico instead.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

My biggest concern (other than evasive maneuvers) would be overheating the brakes. Regardless of whether the trailer has it's own brakes or not, the Cruze doesn't provide much engine braking and you'd be using your brakes a lot on the down hills.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> My biggest concern (other than evasive maneuvers) would be overheating the brakes. Regardless of whether the trailer has it's own brakes or not, the Cruze doesn't provide much engine braking and you'd be using your brakes a lot on the down hills.


Would you be equally concerned if you had 3 full grown men alongside yourself in your car and a trunk full of camping gear?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Would you be equally concerned if you had 3 full grown men alongside yourself in your car and a trunk full of camping gear?


No, because of the handling differences betwen the weight between the axles and the weight behind the axles.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Looked at both so-called hidden hitches and those without that hidden word, be darn if I can tell the difference. Prices are all over the place, can pay a couple hundred bucks for the hitch only, ball, pin, and holder are all extra.

Practically all are rated at 2,000 pounds with a 200 pound tongue limit. Certainly a contradiction with the owner manual specifications. But a lot has to do with the speed you are pulling this trailer at, quite a difference between pulling at 10 mph or 80 mph. Somehow they don't mention speed in ratings.

Rockauto.com seems to have the best deal at 127 bucks with a choice of a 1 7/8" or a 2" ball.









Crawled under my Cruze, holes in the frame are already there!

Feel my Cruze will do just fine poking around town at 15-20 mph in second gear pulling my utility trailer, hauling a load of leaves to the city dump, picking up a new washer and dryer, a couple of sheets of drywall, or even a half a yard of red rock. But if planning on pulling a 20 foot camping trailer going to Yellowstone on US 30 west up that 15,000 foot mountain, may need something a bit larger.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

In regards to the tongue load on the hitch, I think the rating listed in the owner's manual is 100 or 150 pounds maximum.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd said:


> No, because of the handling differences betwen the weight between the axles and the weight behind the axles.


I know this, but his biggest concern was for the brakes overheating. I was responding to that specific concern.



NickD said:


> Looked at both so-called hidden hitches and those without that hidden word, be darn if I can tell the difference. Prices are all over the place, can pay a couple hundred bucks for the hitch only, ball, pin, and holder are all extra.
> 
> Practically all are rated at 2,000 pounds with a 200 pound tongue limit. Certainly a contradiction with the owner manual specifications. But a lot has to do with the speed you are pulling this trailer at, quite a difference between pulling at 10 mph or 80 mph. Somehow they don't mention speed in ratings.
> 
> ...


I wonder if the Eco also has the holes ready for mounting the hitch. If so, I might just pick one of those up. I've been carrying a lot of materials for building subwoofer boxes lately, and a small trailer would come in handy.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Would you be equally concerned if you had 3 full grown men alongside yourself in your car and a trunk full of camping gear?


Good point. My biggest concern in that situation would be why in the heck I'm in the Cruze and not my Cadillac.... Or my truck.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Beachernaut said:


> Good point. My biggest concern in that situation would be why in the heck I'm in the Cruze and not my Cadillac.... Or my truck.


LOL. Truth. 

Here's how I see it. If I have to make an extended trip to California with 3 people in my car total and not enough room for baggage, I'd get one of those small cargo trailers and carry it. Sure, I could put it in a truck, but I'd probably still manage at least high 30s for fuel economy with the Cruze on all but the most mountainous terrains. When you're going 2,200 miles, the difference between taking a truck and taking a Cruze with a small trailer is a hundred bucks at least.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I know this, but his biggest concern was for the brakes overheating. I was responding to that specific concern.
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if the Eco also has the holes ready for mounting the hitch. If so, I might just pick one of those up. I've been carrying a lot of materials for building subwoofer boxes lately, and a small trailer would come in handy.


If you will lay down a piece of clean plastic, will be more than happy to lie down on it and look up to see if you have those predrilled holes. Maybe a cup of coffee afterwards, but that is optional.

One little problem is the trailer lamp wiring as the Cruze is using independent brake and directional signal lamps. So the typical four pin common yellow, green, brown, and ground wire wiring is out. They do sell an electronic device that combines the brake and directional signals in the vehicle for one yellow or green output wire. I always get screwed up as to which the yellow or the green is for left or right so have to look.

I never had luck with these, so I mounted these inexpensive trailer lamps, around three bucks each at the rear of my trailer. Two side by side on each side of the trailer. Outers are for brake lamps only, that is the two amp filament in the bulb, that can be wired to the center brake lamp circuit. Inners with that same large filament go to their respective left and right turn signal bulbs. All four parking lamp filaments are connected in parallel to any of the parking lamp wires, adds about two amp load to the circuit. So I generally increase the directional signal and brake fuses by 5 amps. I use a six pin rather than a four pin connector, parking lamps is one, brakes add up to two, left directional to three, right directional to four, and ground is number 5. 6 is a spare. 

Yet another option is to pay around 15 bucks per trailer lamp and get LED's, probably would have done that if I pulled a trailer 24/7. Fleet Farm store is handy for me, they sell all that stuff


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Small trailer in-town at low speeds for short distances would probably be safe. As for the hitch rating, I think 2,000 lbs is the lowest rating you can find.


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## Beachernaut (Mar 27, 2012)

No doubt that it'll cost significantly less to drive the Cruze. However, if I'm driving more than a couple hundred miles, I'm taking which ever of my vehicles best fits the circumstances. If I'm camping, I have to take the truck, because I'm most likely hauling several dirt bikes and a couple ATVs, or a camper trailer. If it's 2 or 3 other people and luggage, I'm taking my Caddy. Either way, the extra expenses are split between everyone.

Now that we've got almost completely off topic.

I completely agree with the difference between toting around a trailer in town, and hitting the interstate for a multi hour trip.


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## d12c (Jun 15, 2012)

I had to join just to tell you guys that you are all a bunch of dweebs. Talk about filling the stereo type of a hybrid owner. I've been towing a seadoo and trailer behind my zx3 focus with NO problems.... on the highway and it has rear drum brakes.

Im getting a cruze eco now and will be towing my seadoo with that. For all of you guys who have "opinions" on these things, why dont you try it yourself before giving advice.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I suspect you will void the drivetrain warranty if you tow with the Cruze ECO. The owner's manual specifically states not to tow with the ECO trims. As for towing experience, read the entire thread. Several of us, including myself, have towed quite a bit and in hard terrain.


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## cruze2011white (Feb 2, 2011)

I tow a seadoo with my Cruze 2011 LTZ and have no issues. And regarding the cruze eco can't tow because of drum brakes makes no sense. The Silverado's have rear drum brakes yes larger but still work the same. Besides a 1lt has drum brakes and can tow. The biggest issue with the Eco is the cooling. Since the openings are smaller in the front bumper and the vents close at the bottom you may not have enough cooling on very hot days. So the transmission and or engine could over heat. Also the manual states i believe that you should not tow with the manual transmission anyway. They also recommend that if you tow with the Auto you keep it in manual. Good idea when on a boat ramp since when you put your foot on the brake the transmission goes in neutral unless its in manual mode. With the extra weight it will roll back quickly.


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## d12c (Jun 15, 2012)

If anything it is better to be towing with the manual transmission....


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Keep in mind, that's static tongue weight. When you brake, all of the weight shifts toward the front, and down on the rear of the car. I'll leave it to someone else to determine how much dynamic weight is actually shifted. I suspect it would be significant, though probably not prohibitively so. 

You always have to think of things in a worst case scenario. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. 

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem trotting around a small trailer in-town. In the mountains though, I've thought it over since this thread first came about and decided I'd find something more suitable.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

*ECO* has *drum* rear brakes, not *disc* rears, so it needs help with the braking load transfer from a towed trailer.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

70AARCUDA said:


> *ECO* has *drum* rear brakes, not *disc* rears, so it needs help with the braking load transfer from a towed trailer.


Ah, yes, but they are some pretty massive (comparatively speaking) drums.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

d12c said:


> I had to join just to tell you guys that you are all a bunch of dweebs.


If you have spent any time at all hear reading through the forum, then you should realize that everyone here is very respectful of each other. Sure, we disagree of some things, but that's part of the purpose of a discussion forum. But name calling is out of line. You owe us an apology.

Do what you like with your car, and let us know how that works for you.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

Which sized Littleguy trailer is it? That trailer comes in 3 sizes, 4-wide, 5-wide, and 6-wide (Full, Queen, and King).


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## dfwtxpatrick (Apr 22, 2012)

I had a 08 Suzuki SX4 w/ 2.0 4cyl and 4 speed Automatic.

I put a hitch on it and towed a 16 foot long, 7 foot wide trailer that weighed 1,000 lbs (empty). 

I then used it to move all of our belongings in 8 different trips. My total trip was 6 miles each way, but included a fairly large hill to go up w/ each load.

The car actually pulled the fully loaded trailer with no problems and it actually was quite impressive.

The funny thing is, the car was only rated for 750 lbs w/ a 50 lb tongue weight.

I know for a fact that when I hauled the bedroom furniture, that alone was over 600 lbs PLUS other furniture AND the weight of the trailer.
Probably close to or over 2,000 lbs.

I am sure the Cruze can handle that trailer with no problem.


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## Ned23 (Jun 16, 2012)

I tow the 6-wide platform (1,060 lbs as equipped) with a passenger and bunch of gear with my 2.4L Pontiac Vibe all the time. I can go 80 mph and the car doesn't even break a sweat (however this is NOT recommended, I usually go about 60). The littleguys are really designed well and handle well. 

The stopping distance is a little longer but not bad, just need to take it easy on the side roads. The Vibe has a bigger engine, obviously, and I usually drive in 4th with the 5-spd auto. It's rated at 1500 lbs but I feel like I could easily pull 2000 with it if my life depended on it (I'm not planning on it though).


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## Ned23 (Jun 16, 2012)

One thing I would recommend with that trailer is that you get a canopy if you're going to say anywhere for more than a night. They don't vent that well when it's raining and you seal them up so it's good to have a rain fly over them. I got a paha que shelter from Amazon. [h=3][/h]


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

All of this comparing the Cruze to other cars is kind of pointless. The people who designed, engineered, and tested the Cruze Eco say not to tow with the standard transmission version. Best bet would be to find out why that decision was made and go forward from there.


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## Ned23 (Jun 16, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> All of this comparing the Cruze to other cars is kind of pointless. The people who designed, engineered, and tested the Cruze Eco say not to tow with the standard transmission version. Best bet would be to find out why that decision was made and go forward from there.


I was just remarking on the tow-ability of the trailers. Easy-peasy.


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## Eugene_C (Mar 15, 2012)

If I was going to tow with a smaller car I would always opt for the automatic transmission (and a tranny cooler). It's just better all the way around for towing in that situation. No clutch can multiply torque under load like a torque converter in an automatic.

Also your car should be able to stop anything under 1200 lbs with its own breaks, but it will extend the stopping distance, so be careful! I would definitely suggest some aftermarket, high-performance brake shoes like these Akebono:

http://www.akebonobrakes.com/aftermarket/akebono_performance/index.html

I use these and they really reduce fade and they stop great! (also made in USA)


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

GoldenCruze said:


> All of this comparing the Cruze to other cars is kind of pointless. The people who designed, engineered, and tested the Cruze Eco say not to tow with the standard transmission version. Best bet would be to find out why that decision was made and go forward from there.




GoldenCruze,
I am using my internal resources to try to get this answer for you. I will get back with everyone as soon as I receive an answer. If you have any questions in the mean time please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## litesong (Oct 14, 2011)

GoldenCruze said:


> Towing is about more than the engine having the horsepower to pull the trailer. There is also the issue of being able to keep it under control if, for instance, you have To suddenly swerve. And then there are the brakes.
> 
> If a vehicle is not rated for towing, then it is unsafe and a bit foolish to do so. That's taking a chance with yours and everybody else's lives on the road. And I think towing can void the warranty. They'll see the hitch.


You got more sense than most people posting on this thread. Twenty five years ago, 1.3 liter engines powered sub-ton vehicles. Such vehicles have reached lifetime mileages of 600,000 miles. Now people want 1.4 liter engines to drag 3100-3300 pound cars around AND drag a thousand pounds more dead weight. 

I assume people aren't trying to get 600,000 miles out of their vehicles any longer.


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## McEco (Sep 26, 2013)

overheatiing might be another concern with the eco' s grill shutters. I am wanting to have the capacity to pull an ultralight boat trailer with a 35 lb. ROWING SHELL, combined weight <300 lb. But I don't want to risk voiding my warranty for the occasional convenience. Have considered drilling and fitting the hitch, block off the holes, and mount it only when needed. Any thoughts? BTW, I am new to this forum, leaving the TDI COMMUNITY after 11 years.


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