Guys, I am thinking about buying a 84 RX (I believe this year is the first with IRS and Limited Slip?) for track only.

Does anyone here know if there is a lightweight trailer strong enough to carry a race-preped RX long distance, but also light enough to be towed by a Isuzu Rodeo with a 4500 lb towing limit?

 

Sorry, but no IRS in any first gen. The 84 could have limited slip though. I believe that LSD was available on earlier years, along with disk brakes, they just didn't have the common bolt pattern that the 84-85 GSL-SE's had.

As far as trailers, sorry, I have not idea

 

yea no first gen had IRS, unless some one figured out how to put IRS in from a nother car. that would be a lot of fab work.

LSD came on all 1st gens that were GSL and GSL-SE.

GSLs were out from 81-85 (79-80 were the sa22. i dont remeber if they had a GSL model some one please correct me.)

GLS-SE came out in 84-85 and had a 4x 114 bolt pattern. (more common)

wile the rest of the 7s came with 4x110.

 

You can rent a trailer, first to see how the rodeo handles the load. 4500 lbs limit,,, car/ trailer around 2700-3000 lbs. i would say a tandom trailer (2 axles-
4 wheels with brakes ) is the best way to go for control ,for safety minded racers.

 

GSL-SE bolt pattern is also known as 4x4.5"

 

the trailor my dad and i used for his SRX7 is light enought that both of us can move it around just by pulling it. any open deck trailor should not weigh much. i would imagine that even if you find the lightest trailor in the world, the rodeo would still stuggle up hills. we tow with a 94 silverado with a 350 and thats about as low as we wanna go for power with towing.

however, i have seen a guy tow an SRX7 with a chevy blazer, but it struggled, but... he did it.

 

I see no problem, but it depends on what kind of trailer you're gonna use. When I towed mine, I used a U-haul dolly, which is pretty light, I was told around 1000lbs. With the weight of the car, trailer, extra engine, and some misc stuff, I was towing around 4000lbs. Now I'm thinking my 4.0 Ranger with a tow package would handle that better than a Rodeo. My truck's limit is 5500lbs, the hitch 5000lbs. It handled it well, but liek I said, I dunno what kind of power you're pushing out of a Rodeo.... The biggest thing to worry about is braking. If you got the power to do this, you need to make sure you have the braking to do it too....Brake early, I mean very early. The extra 4000lbs I was hauling sure put a lot of momentum behind my truck. So drive accordingly.

What kind of power does the Rodeo have, and are what kind of gears does it have...tranny cooler? These all must be taken into consideration when towing.

 

I got a 99 Isuzu Amigo v6 and towed my 81 racecar about 20 weekends so far. If you got a 98 and above V6 Rodeo you will be okay but will need a little mechanical help to make it safe and easier. The 205hp 214 torque V6 is a nice motor but it ain't no stump puller!

Need:
1. K&N cone air filter (more power)
2. Cat back exhaust (more power and better revving)
3. Better shocks. Stock isuzu shocks are crap. I use Monroe Sensa-Trac. Comfy road daily driving and stiffen up during lean.
4. Air-Lift rear air springs. Handle the tongue weight back there alright. But rear end still leans down.
5. Tranny cooler. Get the biggest one in there that will fit..... and change the trans fluid every 6 to 12 months towing.
Reccomended:
6. Eaz-Lift Weight Distributing Hitch with 750lb bars. You can control trailer height like that! And they absorb the big bumps in the road, but transmit more of the smaller hickups in the road to the tow vehicle
7. Better tires! Stock bridgestones are cheap with S rated soft sidewalls and flex like a ***** when towing. Drift..........I use H rated Yokohoma tires in stock size and I can pump them up to 44lbs compared to only 35
stock.
8. Take your time towing,,,,,,, don't rush it. 55 really does save lives!

Wish I had a longer wheel base like a rodeo. Wait a minute......... I'm restoring a74 repu that has 6" longer wheelbase then my Amigo...........MMMMmmmmmmmmm.........can't wait to get REPU registered and tow that trailer!!!!!1

And get the trailer brakes on the FRONT axel, it'll brake better than rear axel. Of course electric brakes. I use a AzTex open bed open trailer that registration says weighs 1300lbs.

Later,

 

OKAY,

I know people prefer to tow with an automatic. But I have a manual transmission. And as for torque, are we talking about torque for moving-out / accelerating from a stop? Or is the power somehow used for engine braking.

And if it is just for getting the mass moving, then shouldn't the low speed transfer case handle that duty?

 

The torque is needed to get moving. As far as 5-speed or manual, yeah, auto is better for it, it's hard on a clutch to pull out with a lot more wait than normal driving on it, especially on hills.

What do you mean exactly by low speed transfer case? If you mean 4x4 low range, I wouldn't reccomend that, for one, you shouldnt' use 4WD on pavement, and two, it's not good to switch between 4WD and 2WD while under acceleration or a load. It's hard on it either way.

 

i think your puttin too much thought into it. now i dont know about everyone else, but theres no way i would do all of that to a truck just to prepare to tow. thats a lot of money your talking about there.

and as for braking, you should have trailor brakes that you will have to set (usually with a bias box mounted in the truck), but you still need to brake early. if anyone have ever been to Watkins Glen, coming FROM the track heading toward town, theres a huge hill that comes to a stoplight. well, it turned yellow, and my dad turned braking into an art, making sure nothing locks up. we barely made the light, and when we finally stopped, smoke was pouring off the brake pads, they were actually burning for a little. BRAKE EARLY, DONT ACCELERATE TOWARD LIGHTS.

 

I'm towing mine with a Toyota Pick up truck 3.0 litre diesel engine, not available in US. It's manual and it's fine. Going up hill downshifting and down hill powerbraking fine. My race car weight in at 2150lbs, probably about 200lbs more with tools and equipment inside.

A 5 speed manual is ok but I would prefer auto for comfort and safety. Like SpecRX mentioned always have good tires when towing.

 

Assuming he has a trailer with this capability yes. But the dolly style trailers don't have brakes.....Remember, he is weight limited, and just the car and dolly trailer by itself will put him close to the limit. Using a trailer big enough to have brakes such as this, is more than he needs to tow this car, and the uneccessary wait of this trailer will put him close, if not over his towin capacity.....

 

Not really. I towed with the Amigo STOCK and it sucked, not enough power or revvs, suspension too soft, rear end leaned down 3-4". and the tow vehicle has evolved into what I posted PLUS Porterfield R4S front brake pads.

Shocks and Tires replaced and upgraded when they were worn, everything else done when time and $ permitted. Some of those mods make it more fun to drive around town too!