[Ethain]

Hello, new to the forums.

I am considering buying a 2013 chevy trax but i cant find any information about towing capacity. I know towing is not recommended in North America but hitches are available through online stores. Is there a place to bolt a hitch on the Trax or does the underbody have to be modified possibly harming the structure of the vehicle?

I have a small 500 pound camping trailer I was planning to tow with the Trax. Will I have an issue pulling a trailer of this weight? Also will I be fine pulling this small trailer with cargo across long distances without damaging the turbo or possibly harming the engine or structure of the vehicle?

Thank you for any advance you can give me.

 

[Traxy]

Mine came with a dealer installed hitch. I've seen Traxs pulling trailers heavier than 500lbs. From what I heard from being around GM shops it's not the pulling capacity that's the problem it's the stopping ability. Reason why GM doesn't recommend. I pull a small utility trailer to the dump once in a while, it hasn't caused any problems yet. I've 60000kms on the odometer.


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[Brian Buckley]

Mine came with a dealer installed hitch. I've seen Traxs pulling trailers heavier than 500lbs. From what I heard from being around GM shops it's not the pulling capacity that's the problem it's the stopping ability. Reason why GM doesn't recommend. I pull a small utility trailer to the dump once in a while, it hasn't caused any problems yet. I've 60000kms on the odometer.


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Not to mention that transmission is problematic, and tends to overheat a bit, i would not push it any more than hauling my fat butt around lol.

 

[Flyinfool]

You would probably be safe as long as you keep the combined weight of the trailer + car + occupants + cargo + fuel under the GVW listed in the door frame. Once you pass that weight you are stressing things more than they were designed for. If you were to get in a wreck and you are loaded beyond the weight limits of your car, the lawyers will have a field day.

IF you were to add electric brakes to the trailer to help with the stopping, you may be able to take a little bit more weight.

The hitches that GM sells for the Trax are for mounting a bike rack or similar, they are listed as NOT FOR TOWING. The one I saw was built very wimpy looking.

With all of that said, there is no motorcycle made that is rated for towing, but there are an awful lot that are doing it successfully and with no issues. It sounds like you little camper is one that was made for MC use?
As long as you remember that it will significantly increase your stopping distance. This can be done in normal driving by keeping a bigger following distance, but is no help at all when someone cuts into that bigger space and you need to stop fast. or that kid runs out from behind a parked car.

 

[chief ten bears]

I've found that towing ratings/ability has nothing to do with size, or brakes, or anything technical really. It's simply a liability issue, especially for US vehicles and their sue happy owners. US vehicle owners towing anything is a major liability and headache for the manufacturers, so it's just easier for them print "towing not recommended". My Yaris, the manual states exactly:

Towing capacity (except for Canada):

Toyota does not recommend towing

a trailer with your vehicle. Your ve-
hicle is not designed for trailer towing.

Towing capacity (for Canada):

318 kg (700 lb.)

Figure that one out... same exact vehicle, but 2 different countries... Toyota doesn't want the headaches of US owners trying to sue them when they inevitably screw something up and blame the manufacturer. The Yaris towing capacity is even higher in the UK owners manual, for the same exact car.

Chevrolet's UK website states the following for the 2014 Trax with a 1.4L Turbo:

Towing capacity braked 1200 kg
Towing capacity unbraked 500 kg

Once again, exact same vehicle, exact same engine, but Chevrolet doesn't want to deal with sue happy Americans blaming them for the owners own mistakes when it comes to towing improperly... Holden states the 2014 Trax LTZ (1.4 Turbo) towing capacity is the same as the UK model, 1200kg braked.

 

[Traxy]

That is great info: Me likes....

 

[BigAnnie]

Gonna do it Anyway

I hate that the owner manuals are so vague, and I agree that it is probably some liability issues.

I just bought my Trax. I test drove a bunch of cars and even though my Honda Fit was the best car ever, I didn't want to tow with a CVT. I settled on the Trax because it was one of two non-CV transmission vehicles I drove that I liked, and the insurance was less than on the other. I don't want a big engine, because normally I do not need that. I refuse to buy a big engine just because tow a light load a few times a year.

My Trax is brand new 2019 with under 200 miles. I am planning to tow two vintage Vespas with a 4x8 cargo trailer, same as I did with my 2010 Honda Fit. I have a 2k max uhaul hitch. I am actually rehabbing the trailer at the moment-paint, new wiring, new deck-and may actually need to borrow a 700lb motorcycle trailer from a friend. It will be interesting to note the difference in towing with the cycle trailer, which carries the bikes low, and the cargo trailer, which obviously carries them higher and toward the front of the trailer. Actually, I guess I can position the bikes differently on the cargo trailer depending on where I want the chock and how towing "feels" with this particular vehicle.

I will post updates as the summer progresses and I tow a couple of times.

 

[BigAnnie]

Towing Capacity

There is some info here: mattlafontainechevybuickgmc.com/research-trax-review