Hi everyone- I’m a complete newbie to this site but am looking for towing advice. I am in Australia and have an automatic 2009 Honda jazz which I understand is the same as a Fit

i am about to take delivery of a home built teardrop- 350 kg (about 780 lb) and cannot get definitive advice on whether my jazz will be able to pull it- one dealer says yes, one says I could potentially twist the chassis of my car because of the “sail” effect of the teardrop when towing. All the weights/towfbar weights etc seem to be ok from the official Honda book

the question is academic at the moment as I have no tow bar yet but would love your thoughts on all of this- if ok- types of towbar/ need for sway bar/ need for brakes on teardrop etc etc etc. very many thanks

 

As you noted, 350 kg is well within the allowed towing weights, and therefore it is completely OK to pull it as is without need to any other modification than tow bar itself. Design margins are there to cover dynamic loads resulting from sailing or wobbling of the trailer up to maximum allowed trailer mass.

 

Don't forget that that is just the trailer weight empty. With the car and trailer fully loaded with gear and supplies you may be over the towing limit.

 

Thanks for your responses - it’s obviously a bit of a fine line!