5x8 Open trailer - Grand Prix Hauling it

mvanlone

Registered
I have 2 Hayabusas and don't have a truck. I am going to use my 2004 Grand Prix to tow these on a 5x8 trailer. The total weight with trailer and bikes = 1360+ pounds. I have did good maintenance on car and am adding a transmission cooler to the car as well. What are your thoughts of me hauling the 2 bikes to black bike week from columbus, ohio? Has anyone done this before?
 
stopping will be hard. I promise. I would atleast make sure you keep the bikes as close to center of axle as you can. Brake very early and take off slow. Rayabusa hauled a busa and and a 750 in a 5x8 enclosed trailer with a minivan.
 
I would say no problem...I haul my Busa and GSXR750 around with this...

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stopping will be hard. I promise. I would atleast make sure you keep the bikes as close to center of axle as you can. Brake very early and take off slow. Rayabusa hauled a busa and and a 750 in a 5x8 enclosed trailer with a minivan.
My trailer is actually 7 X 10...

My trailer has surge brakes and they are very re-assuring. I had to make a couple of quick stops on the way home from the Bash. I do not like trailers that do not have brakes
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I don't know, you probably could do it, but...

http://autos.msn.com/researc....%20Prix

Payload & Towing
                                     GT1     GT2     GTP
Passenger Volume (cu. ft.)    98.00   98.00   98.00
Cargo Volume (cu. ft.)         16.00   16.00   16.00
Standard Towing (lb.)        1000    1000    1000
Maximum Towing (lb.)         1000    1000    1000
 
here's my
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, i really dont think the grand prix is made for hauling trailors & motorcyles but if you have to do it i would not run it in overdrive and i damn sure wouldnt be in a big hurry, good luck
 
stopping will be hard. I promise. I would atleast make sure you keep the bikes as close to center of axle as you can. Brake very early and take off slow. Rayabusa hauled a busa and and a 750 in a 5x8 enclosed trailer with a minivan.
My trailer is actually 7 X 10...

My trailer has surge brakes and they are very re-assuring.  I had to make a couple of quick stops on the way home from the Bash. I do not like trailers that do not have brakes
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thats right. you have brakes on yours. I still think stopping is going to be the biggest chore.
 
I haul my Busa on a 6x10 open trailer with a 07 malibu and it's just fine, But I would not haul 2 Busa's.
 
I'd probably rent a small SUV from Enterprise, one with a hitch.
Trust me I did that. They were asking like $478.00 for a week I needed it for. I think it was too high. I figured that I could put money in my car for that amount instead. I am planning to follow another guy there and he is towing 3 bikes with a blazer. I am not going to go fast and planning to take my time. The hardest part of this trip is going over the West Virgina mountains, after that part is over I think it will be fine.
 
Do not let the car go into overdrive. The grand prixs have very terriable transmissions, almost as bad as the mid 90's dodge rams have. what year of a gp is it? Remember becareful stop eairly and accel slow.
 
Now that you mention mountains, its a completely different story, you run a high risk of destroying your tranny trying to pull all that weight with a car thru those mountains. I would spend the extra doh on a light truck? Trash their tranny not yours.
 
You can do it. Just make sure you have a class II hitch=3500 lbs max with a 300lb tongue minimum. I pull 5x8's and 5x10's with my Charger R/T all the time. Load is my Gixxer, tool boxes, generators, all the trackday stuff, etc.

Make sure you inflate your car tires to proper towing pressures. Take it easy with the tranny by not flooring it, stopping distances, speed, and you should be ok.

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Now that you mention mountains, its a completely different story, you run a high risk of destroying your tranny trying to pull all that weight with a car thru those mountains.  I would spend the extra doh on a light truck?  Trash their tranny not yours.
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I just now read the part about mountains too. That will be a different story.
 
Yeah man, what's a new tranny cost $2500?

The specs towing specs for your car is 1000 lbs. You've already said the bikes + trailer is exceeding that by 300+ lbs. Then you've got to consider the terrain you'll be pulling it up and down.

Like others have said...you could do it but...
 
Yeah man, what's a new tranny cost $2500?

The specs towing specs for your car is 1000 lbs.  You've already said the bikes + trailer is exceeding that by 300+ lbs.  Then you've got to consider the terrain you'll be pulling it up and down.

Like others have said...you could do it but...
That depends like many other things. The tranny I just put in my GTP ended up costing me almost 4k, not including labor.

I recomend renting a small truck, and remember to get the insurance on it. My friend desided not to get it to save 25 dollars. Well long story short he hit a deer, 25 dollars turned into 3500 dollars.
 
so a few things on rentals from someone that rents LOTS of them each year (at least one a week, every week)

To get better rates: Join the company's loyalty program (emerald club w/national gives 10% off online rentals), do NOT rent from the airport location (every airport charges extra fees that you dont get renting in town), check larger cities within an hour or so drive and look for pickup dates on mondays or fridays if possible. mid week rentals usually are more $ and if you are only going for m-f, you'll find m-m is cheaper most of the time.

HTH
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BTW, Columbus OH National has a Chevy Uplander for 7 days no discount 450, getchu some discounts, coupons, etc, shop it, I'm sure you can get it under 400 quickly.
 
I'd probably rent a small SUV from Enterprise, one with a hitch.
Trust me I did that. They were asking like $478.00 for a week I needed it for. I think it was too high. I figured that I could put money in my car for that amount instead. I am planning to follow another guy there and he is towing 3 bikes with a blazer. I am not going to go fast and planning to take my time. The hardest part of this trip is going over the West Virgina mountains, after that part is over I think it will be fine.
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mountains? I would put some money in my brakes. Taking off shouldn't be that big of a prob. with a good V6 and staying in lower gears. Brakes would be my concern.
 
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