How do you tow a Mini on a trailer? Where do you put the straps at to keep them from falling off? I tried to tow my mini once and it didn't go well. We put the straps over the wheels and the front straps stayed on but the back ones kept falling off. Any suggestions?

 

I used a U-haul flat bed, and just used the wheel webs that came with the trailer - they clamp down around the front tires and its very secure. Additional chains go through the front and rear axles, just in case. I like the flatbeds because they get all 4 wheels off the road, and have no chance to scrape the tail pipe - just lengthen the ramps with a few 2X4s if ground clearance is an issue. I've towed both my MINI and my Mini on the same trailer and both went smooth as silk.

 

Ditto what ImagoX posted - we towed our MINI from VA to CA when we moved - not one problem along the way...

Donna

 

You don't have to have the back wheels strapped down?

 

Nope, at least the full flatbed I used didn't even HAVE rears... I've never used a 'bed that did. The one I used had safety chains that wrapped through the axles, but they were just there in case a strap snapped - the holding is done by thick canvas-strap webs that wrap about 50% around the tops of the front wheels. You ratchet them down tight and they encase the entire front wheels.

Also note that at least with U-haul, the price for a ONE WAY trip is actually less than a return to the same location for some weird reason. We paid about $20 a day when we did the Dragon, and picked the trailer up at one U-haul across town, drove it to NC and back, and then returned it at a drop-off facility closer to our house. We would have paid like double if we'd dropped it off at the pickup location (??). So, be sure to get the "one way daily rate". U-haul trailers also have pneumatic brakes that come on when you brake for safety - very nice trailers.

Here's the 2006 cabrio up on the 'bed on the way to MOTD last year:

 

I use a 6x12 landscapers trailer, which has more than enough weight capacity for the mini. I bolt two 4x4 boards to the floor and block the front wheels with these, and then put a ratchet tie down over the wheels to keep them from jumping over the boards.




If your car sits real low it may scrape at the top of the ramp, even with the u-haul setup. I use the trailer jack to lower the back end of the trailer while it's still attached to the tow vehicle.

 

put strap through the rear wheels, make sure you use a rag for support so that any rough edges don't cut through the strap.

 

or just run the strap thru the front and rear subframe (the frame itself and not the suspension) and it won't move on you. i have done this on several occasions on a flat trailer and never had a problem

 

Last time I towed the mini we wrapped the straps around the wheels front and back because the straps wouldn't go through the subframes. The front straps stayed on fine but the back ones both fell off multiple times going down the highway

 

the ratchet type should stay on.

 

Getting my Mini back to Vegas, the last part of the trip the car was in the back of a 14' U-Haul truck. No muss, no fuss, except for trying to drive the car up the steel ramps in the rain. Mmmm...slippery!

 

That's what we used...

 

Here is the setup that I use. Has pulled great going to and from MMW 2005, AMVIV 2005 &2006, & MMW 2007.





http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r%20June%2007/

 

i used a uhaul trailer to tow mine around here some pics:

 

I think I figured out what the problem was when we towed it. The strap was getting caught on some of the undercoating on the shocks in the back and it wasn't letting the strap get tight

 

i would steer clear of any tow dollys. these are the trailers that only lift 2 wheels off the ground. use an auto transport, this is a trailer that has all four wheels lifted off the ground. i know uhaul sells out their old auto trailers at pretty good prices. just a thought!

 

A proper dolly works just fine. Many classic owners use them. In fact, one owner builds custom ones up in OHIO.

An alternative is a tow bar. The one from Harbor Freight works fine with a couple adaptations. No issues dragging a Mini other than you can't reverse.

You can even homemake one:

 

A MINI can tow a Mini?

 

some one has responded to every "towing a Mini" thread ... reviving some dead for 3 years.......

 

I noticed that...

 

Another resurrection.

Has anyone ever towed a classic mini with a 5x9 or 5x10 trailer? I just picked one up from Uhaul and am beginning to have reservations on this plan.... Worst case, I'll decide not to load the car up and just come back later, better prepared.

 

Yes, I towed my Classic Mini to Denver in 1989 for the East Meets West Mini Meet with a 5X8 flat bed trailer. Sorry, no pics.

 

I decided the trailer itself seemed a bit much for my 239,000 mile Impreza so I returned the trailer en route. But I did buy the car and made arrangements with the seller to deliver it tomorrow.

This is my first Mini, BTW. For a long time, I could not decide to buy the new or the classic first. But now i have my classic cooper and will enjoy it.

 

Nah ... never happens

 

Well, I don't yet have a MINI, but I do have an MX-5 with a hitch, and I'd love to read some information on the tow bar setups two of you have posted. That looks absolutely wonderful.