1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Trailer hitch?

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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:27 PM
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Trailer hitch?

Anybody have any leads on where I can get a trailer hitch for my FB?

Dan
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:33 PM
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Please no!

I was actually thinking about this today cuz i never get to ride my dirtbike where i live so it would be nice to pull it somewhere. But it would just look so stupid on the back of my little car.lol
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:35 PM
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well when my dad needed a hitch on his van he took it to a trailer place or something and they pretty much do custom fitting of like a standard hitch to make it work on your car. Cost him like $130 i think.
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:40 PM
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I could do so many things with a trailer hitch.

I could get a hitch-mount bike rack.

I could tow a tire trailer.

I could tow a utility trailer.

Well okay that's three things, but that's three more than I can do without one.
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:45 PM
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I had a guy make one (he had a business that made trailers). He did it from scratch and only took him a few hours. Let me know if you want pics or if you want to look at it some time.
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:46 PM
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Originally Posted by cosmicbang
I had a guy make one (he had a business that made trailers). He did it from scratch and only took him a few hours. Let me know if you want pics or if you want to look at it some time.
How much was it?
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:51 PM
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Sweet....

Yeah, the reason I want one is so that I don't have to stack my race tires and tool box in the trunk of the car anymore...

Dan
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:58 PM
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Essentially it was about 3 hours of welding and cutting, etc. Whatever the prevailing rates are in your area would determine how much, along with whether you have some kind of connection. IIRC it was about $200, and that was in the "sticks" and a long time ago. I'll take some pictures of it tomorrow, its not accessible right now.
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 09:59 PM
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Kickass, thanks!!!

Dan
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 10:12 PM
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I made my own receiver, which steathly fit under the bumper cover.





And this was the result:
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Blake
I made my own receiver, which steathly fit under the bumper cover.
And this was the result:
PICS REMOVED TO SAVE SPACE
That's ****** hot.
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 10:20 PM
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ha! that is awesome!
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 06:10 AM
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i found mine on a parts car at a 7 shop. 25$ it did the job but not the best... it onlt mounted to sheet metal and it bent it up good when i was done with the 2000 mile trip towing a 4x8 box trailer.... but i did hit 100+ and a cop saw me damit
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 06:19 AM
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Here is a DaLan hitch.

http://www.hitch-web.com/vhitch.asp?...PID=6&VID=5145

Also U-Haul has the same hitch.

Part # 217318

http://store.uhaul.com/(ldxvglizn1dc...d_hitches.aspx
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 09:07 AM
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Very nice blake!
I like your trailer, too
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 11:42 AM
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Would our 1st gen's be able to pull 1 jetski on a single trailer??
I have a 4 puck racing clutch and am not sure if that will have make a difference either.
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 12:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Florida 83 RX7
Would our 1st gen's be able to pull 1 jetski on a single trailer??
I have a 4 puck racing clutch and am not sure if that will have make a difference either.

Are you talking about a stand up style Kawasaki or a sit down waverunner/seadoo/? type?

How much does it weigh?

If the PWC itself only weighs 500 lbs and the trailer another 200 lbs then it will probably work.

If you get over 1000 lbs I think you will have some issues.
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 01:41 PM
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I agree not to tow more than 1000lbs with 1st gen.

Make sure you have good quality brake pads like Porterfield R4S or Hawk HPS/+

My 99 V6 Amigo did not like stopping a 1300lb trailer when the trailer brakes were not working.
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Florida 83 RX7
Would our 1st gen's be able to pull 1 jetski on a single trailer??
I have a 4 puck racing clutch and am not sure if that will have make a difference either.
My car was a peripheral port 13B with a 4-puck clutch and 4.875 rear end gears. The trailer was *at least* 600 lbs -- 4 race tires on alloy rims, 2 big drag slicks on steel rims, several large and small tool boxes, a big floor jack, jack stands, three 5 gallon fuel containers, a full fuel tank (yes, I had a dry break setup to transfer fuel from the trailer to the car!), a spare diff pumkin, and a complete stock rear end under the half-RX-7 bodywork. Stopping was a chore but driveability was fine. The biggest cause for concern was slowing down while driving down hill on a curve...the tail was wagging the dog, if you know what I mean. Still, I managed to drive it 8,000 miles round trip, from Portland, Oregon to Gainseville, Florida (via Las Vegas) and back in about a week and a half. I even averaged 15mpg (without it, I got 19mpg). So, if you can keep the weight down and you drive carefully, I don't see why you couldn't haul a jetski.
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 03:04 PM
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It is a sit down waverunner type. I will have to look up the weight online. I think upgrading my brakes would be a good idea as well. I can't seem to get this picture of my car sliding backwards down the ramp as the river swallows up my 7.

Thanks for the info. I will make sure the trailer and ski don't equal over 1000lbs.

BTW:
"IF NO ONE TOLD YOU TODAY, THIS IS THE BEST SITE" You guys rock!
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 05:04 PM
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Here is a pic. He used the existing "tie-down" hook on one side and two steel pieces to connect to the same bolts on the other side. When it was mounted on the car the licence plate was a very tight fit on top of the ball tongue, IIRC I even bent the plate up slightly. On a couple occasions it pulled a small trailer over 2000 lbs. and it also pulled another RX-7, on all 4 wheels.

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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 05:37 PM
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hauling trailors with sports cars lol this just seems wrong
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 05:45 PM
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it looks small where the brackets weld to the main bar . . . . . and the right bracket . . . .
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 06:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Fromslowtogo
hauling trailors with sports cars lol this just seems wrong
exactly what i thought. but you gotta do what you gotta do!

Its funny, about a month ago i saw a new corvette pulling a huge trailer
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Old Aug 17, 2004 | 10:54 PM
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haha thats would be funny i dunno these cars were not made to haul trailers i mean how can you drift with a trailor on your *** lol
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