I plan on installing a hitch thats available from minimania, and then hopefully hook it up to the smallest U-haul trailer availalbe (http://www.uhaul.com/Reservations/Eq....aspx?model=UV). The weight limits are definitely a bit close, but i'm hoping I can get away with it.

What do you guys think, is this a bad idea and just too much weight for my poor countryman? (she is an S...)

Thanks!

 

Well, that hitch can only tow up to 1000lbs and the u-haul trailer is already 850lbs empty. So that means you can have only 150lbs load on the trailer, besides you don't want to reach the maximum limit on your countryman, do you?

 

Do you plan on using the hitch for more than that? I'd borrow someone else's suv or rent a truck if you don't plan on using it often

 

Or go with MiniDoMore hitch for the Countryman, it's rated at 2000lbs

http://www.minidomore.com/mini_coope...iler_hitch.php

 

Given that you have a Class I hitch with 2,000 lbs towing capacity, you'll likely be ok:



My long-suffering Miata...Class I hitch, towed UHaul trailers *far* too many times. 1.8l, 133hp.

 

here is a class II hitch for your R60

http://minifini.com/ShopDetail.aspx?id=68

"[FONT=Arial][FONT=Arial]The new Country-Link for the Mini Countryman is rated better than Class II (3,500 lbs towing / 300 lbs tongue weight)[/FONT][/FONT]"

scott

 

Off topic, but I love the Miata.

Our first gen is one of the cars I would keep in my "I wish I had never sold that car garage" as it was in great shape and was unbelievable fun. Tough little cookie too!

Back to regular MINI programming.

 

I've got the MiniDoMore hitch, picked it because it's rated higher. I've not tried to tow anything overly large, so I can't make any recommendations there.

 

I have been looking into this and it looks like the Minifini will hold the most at 300lbs tounge weight and 3500lbs towing. they all seem to have a class I hitch(1 1/4"), but you can get adaptors.

I just want to be able to trailer my motorcycle and possibly another with my MINI to the dragon and other twisties, better when there are more riders. trying to knock out 2 birds with 1 stone.

 

Just got my MINIFINI Country Link 2 hitch currently making arrangments to have it installed, I'll be sure to post pics of the installation !

 

Can't tell you how many times I've said that same thing. Even after I bought the second gen miata....

 

3500lbs is more than double the Countrymans maximum braked tow weight of 1650lbs.

 

If you have a manual trans, given the clutch issues with this car I would think the last thing you would want to try is towing a trailer.

 

I can only speak to my cabrio, but I towed quite a bit with it and used a cargo buddy with it. I have the minidomore hitch and experienced zero problems hauling the smallest open trailer Uhaul offers with about 500 pounds or so in it. Stayed well under the weight limit. I also have towed a few sport trailers, those are a piece of cake. So I would assume the Countryman being heavier would need a smaller load to still perform ok. It all depends on what you really plan to tow inside of the trailer.......

 

can you elaborate on the clutch issues?

 

i have towed a 15,000 pound gross weight trailer for 10 of thousands of miles behind my 1997 gmc sonoma 4.3 5-speed 4x4.

it is "rated" for 4,500 pounds

it now has 287,000 miles on the original clutch and throw-out bearing

if you know how to drive a manual transmission properly, towing will not stress the clutch ... i present my truck as evidense

i plan on a hitch for my countryman s all4 and have zero concerns for the clutch

scott

 

See the thread in the CM section entitled "Smelly Clutch"

 

Scott, I've done a lot of heavy towing myself with other trucks...what you are saying is impressive to say the least. What were you towing? What kind of hitch did you use, and what was the tongue weight?

 

towing a retired nascar sprint cup car and tools and all the support stuff that was raced in the midwest in gp2 "run what you brung" class

i would relocate the trailer for the owner/driver

only saw it race once

it was a 3 axel trailer, i have a load equalizing hitch, tongue weight was usually around 500 pounds on a scale before attaching the trailer to the hitch

first time i towed it the tongue weight was 750 pounds....my truck was not happy

amazingly, my gas mileage only took about a 20% hit, from 20 to 16 mpg

the trailer brakes failed once ... the stopping distance was about the same as a nimitz class aircraft carrier

scott

 

Here are some pic of my MINI FINI install very neat and almost un noticeable when not in use

 

how hard was the install? looks like you have to cut out some of rear plastic?

thanks

 

Yes some of the black plastic on the underside of the bumper cover had to be cut but it was very minimal and most people don't even see it.

I see you drive and ALL4 S, on yours even less cutting is required as the receiver lines up with the grill work on your lower bumper cover and only a hole the size of the receiver has to be cut and your receiver cover plugs the opening when not in use. See photo below.

 

Has anyone bought a hitch from these guys? Theirs look pretty slick too

http://coopercrap.com/countryman-hitch/

 

There are several like that that use the existing bike rack connectors,but there is just much going on to leave it on for a short disconnect unlike a conventional hitch where you just have to pull a pin and it's gone!

 

Not going to disagree entirely, but personally I like the idea of zero modification to the car. One of the things I loved about my MINIDOMORE hitch on non-CM's was the lack of needing to cut plastic. I am thinking I will do very little to physically modify my Countryman (famous last words).