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To illustrate what you are saying, and I agree with you about hitch mounted bike racks, here is a photo from Mini Fini edited by me which shows the downward force F from a bike rack (or anything else mounted on the hitch) acting at a perpendicular radius r from where the hitch is attached. This creates a moment or torque on the mounting bolts. Now when you are driving the force will vary as the car and bikes bounce up and down on the road, and can exceed the tongue weight rated limit even if nominally it is below it. Actually you can exceed the tongue weight right off the bat because the rated tongue weight is given at the receiver, so all the force is assumed to be applied right there. Soon as you extend it and hang something off the back you could exceed it. After a while this can cause cracking and metal fatigue and eventual failure of the hitch/car frame.
So I purchased two additional struts from MiniFini that attach from the bottom of the hitch to the car frame underneath the muffler mounting bracket, using self-tapping sheet metal screws (see illustrated pictures below taken from underneath the car). This gives two additional mounting points for the hitch, for a total of four points - two vertical, and two horizontal. So then I was going to have it welded to the hitch, but then I realized that the struts aren't doing much of anything when it comes to carrying bikes. For pulling a trailer, yes, it helps, but for increasing tongue weight limit, it does not. It may help stiffen things up a bit, but only marginally. Best thing to do is decrease r by shortening the bike rack, which I did by cutting about 6" off of the receiver tube. Oh, and don't carry four bikes.
If I had to do it all over again I would have Russell @ MiniFini make me a more traditional heavier gauge hitch design, perhaps using round bar stock.
Originally Posted by FiremanMike
I think you guys are working the issue thru correctly, the concern is the torque applied to the hitch mounting point, the car. The more you extend the ball mount the more the same weight increases the torque. The problem will be increased flex of the vehicles metal where the bolts are and cracking/fatigue of the metal will occur. 4 bikes on a rack will be too much, I would be very carefull about the grill shown on the Ford. I suspect the Ford has a tube type, frame mounted class 2 or 3 hitch. This is most likely using 6 bolts and is spreading the contact surface both up and forward. I believe the pictures I have seen of the products for the MINI use a flat plate mounted to the frame ends with no forward support. This is fine as long as you keep the tongue weight down under the 100/150 limit. Most trailers, loaded properly, will not torque load the same as a rack of the same tongue weight. I have seen travel trailers with the bumpers pulled from the frame weld points due to bike rack induced metal fatique. A 4 bike rack moves alot on a 1500 mile trip, a grill or carry-all will also.
I am not saying to not do this, just be aware of the potential issues and be smart about it. I am working on a tear drop size camper to tow, balanced properly I foresee no issues.
Mike
Last edited by sirbikes; Dec 29, 2011 at 10:11 AM.
Jesus that's a pretty complicated looking tow bar set up, the official MINI part is much simpler and neater, any idea why MINI don't sell the official setup in the US?
I can't, for the life of me, find the towing capacity for a 2015 Countryman S... also, any other towing/trailer hitch info that can be provided will be appreciated.
I tow a 4x8 trailer like the lawn guys use. I have hauled a 2004 Harley Road Glide. The main thing to do is load it right. Fini Mini hide away hitch is rates at a class 2. But the Countryman may be able to pull that but I stay with in the class 1 range. Just make sure the extra heavy stuff is over the axle if possible. It is very stable, no side wind problems and you just need to be aware of the load your pulling. I will post a picture tomorrow since we are going to load the trailer and Countryman up to take some stuff to our new house in Clinton Ct. This from alexandria Va.
For what its' worth, I've been towing a 2013 Sea-Doo GTX iS 260 Limited for four years with zero problems. My wife and I are considering selling the Sea-Doo and getting a small camper trailer. I'll be reading this thread carefully to see what I can learn.
I read thru this thread awhile ago, so good to see it float back to current.
I've considered the Mini Mania hitch for it's simplicity and functionality, but am concerned with the lack of attachment points for the safety chains. I want to pulll a small camping trailer such as a Sylvan Sport Go.
I haven't seen any hook points on any of the trailers in this thread. Is that not an issue with small trailers?
2013 Mini Countryman All4, Any info on Towing a Small Camper???
I've briefly scanned through this thread on towing, and I really dont see any hard facts on towing capacities, pros/cons....and nothing up-to-date for 2018.
I have a 2013 mini countryman, all4 manual speed. I'm wanting to get a small camper, the one I really want is about 1800 lbs.
It's hard to get a definite YES or NO on whether one can tow a trailer of those sizes. My mini dealership is non-committal and states that mini's are not built to tow anything.
then there's this showing in major advertisement- this camper is 1100 lb dry weight :
And I've seen videos of minis towing boats, trailers etc.....
I'm a woman who will be traveling most times on my own, so I'm trying to get as much info as possible, and I have not purchased a towing package/hitch as of yet. So I want my facts straight before I move in this direction.
Does anyone have ANY facts on whether I can/should/should not tow a SMALL travel trailer? I have not purchased a towing package
I have been pulling my snowmobile around in a little 5x8 trailer all winter with my 2016 Countryman S All4. I installed the M7 hitch that bolts up in about 10 minutes.
The main issue I try to be aware of is the tongue weight, meaning the weight on the part that you attach to your car. My sled and trailer is close to 700-800 pounds but the tongue you can lift with a finger when I have the snowmobile balanced properly over the axle.
I was worried towing would be miserable but honestly, it is pretty good! Nothing like my older F150 that I sold recently but not that far off.
I hooked up the lights too, so it is all legal. Now, time to look forward to summer and the Mini towing around my little boat!
To touch base on the previous post about an 1800 lb trailer, I would be VERY careful with that kind of weight, I have really only pushed mine to about 1k so far. At 75 on the highway, I know can feel the trailer back there but it is just fine. Pretty sure that towing 2k would be tough for the car and not sure how the hitch would perform.
Well that's encouraging. I think I've decided on a camper that weighs between 1100 - 1300 lbs... like you mentioned below, 1800 lbs seems a bit heavy. I'm hoping up to 1300 lbs wont be an issue. I will make sure I get a good hitch and check out the one you mentioned.
I sure appreciate the feedback!
Originally Posted by Digitys
To touch base on the previous post about an 1800 lb trailer, I would be VERY careful with that kind of weight, I have really only pushed mine to about 1k so far. At 75 on the highway, I know can feel the trailer back there but it is just fine. Pretty sure that towing 2k would be tough for the car and not sure how the hitch would perform.
Hi! Just curious about how your last year has been towing with your Mini Cooper Countryman? Any issues with your 1200 lb trailer or if you have any advice or things you've learned over the past year as far as towing with the mini, that would be great!
I'm also trying to do my due diligence before getting in over my head or getting into a tight spot.
I bought the Cooper Crap Hitch for my 2014 model.... easy to install and works good for my boat...
