Insight Trailers?

[Fred Kaluza]

Has anyone come across a trailer or trailer-kit that could be used to pull a canoe behind an Insight? Does Harbor Freight or any place like that sell something I could get registered and put a plate on?

[james]

I don't know about registration - it varies state to state, and I think here very light trailers don't need to be registered at all - but I've seen kayak trailers designed to be pulled behind bicycles, here for instance:

http://www.tonystrailers.com/kayak/

[ikhoudvanu199]

while on the topic, does anyone know if it would be possible to tow a motorcycle with our lovely little car? (hope im not thread-jacking)

[b1shmu63]

This topic should answer most of your questions.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... ht=trailer

If you can find a place that will build it out of aluminum that would be ideal. Stainless bolts would be better than regular steel too.

[Lee]

I ran across a link for a single canoe trailer a while back. It seams to combine the features you where asking about. It looks like the type of trailer that Harbor Freight carries with an extended tongue and some bolsters for the boat. If you are at all handy I bet it is not too hard of a modification.

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/trailer/canoe-bt2.html

[jsanford]

With my roof rack I only lose about 5-7mpg with the CVT.

Unless you have a wooden canoe, might want to consider the roof rack option. It took some arm-twisting (the local Saris dealer had to track down the guy at Saris who knew they made the roof rack model I'd identified from an old fitting guide) but I'm actually pretty impressed by the Saris, even as a devout Thule user.

[Insightful Trekker]

Well,

I guess you already know that there is no "easy" point under the car for a hitch. Nor it there one manufactured, it will be a custom job. And that the Insight is NOT designed to "tow" anything. The addidtional load (depends on how much and how far) will unbalance the IMA control algorythms and you'll likely and unaviodably depleate its SoC. Running down the road the pattern of forced charge SoC depletion would continously repeat. Not good for the IMA batteries. If yours is a CVT _rapid_ damage to the belt (compression link chain) will result _if_ the loads cause too much additional "slippage". Read, total transmission failure.

With that in mind there are a couple of Insighters that have sucessfully added hitches (mainly for hitch type bike racks) and mini trailers. i.e. the motorcycle variety, without incident.

I'd suspect that the canoe trailer would be quite heavy and be pushing the envelope. For me, my 19' Winnona is also an aerodynamic nightmare when roof racked on our Civic Hx. I can't imagine any long distance travels with it on an Insight.

HTH!

[james]

As far as IMA and so on go, I don't see how pulling a trailer (particularly a very light one) would be any different than extended hill climbing. I regularly climb 5-6% grades of several thousand feet in my 5 spd. The stock IMA algorithms don't really handle this well (gviving too much assist & rapid SOC depletion), but I manage by going to a lower gear at part throttle, so assist doesn't come on. I don't know about CVT, maybe "sport" mode?

You also have to consider the draw weight of the trailer. A very light one, like the bike/kayak one I linked to, shouldn't add much load at all. I wouldn't want to take use it for long drives at freeway speeds, but for local roads I'd think it would be fine.

[Insightful Trekker]

Originally Posted by james

As far as IMA and so on go, I don't see how pulling a trailer (particularly a very light one) would be any different than extended hill climbing.

Precisely my point. But as long as the trailer is attached its analogous to driving up hill both ways (continously). Yes, SoC depleats and or the charge / discharge cycle causes thermal management to kick in. Try driving around with the extra load and no assist. Yes, on downhill slopes SoC would recharge, only to be rapidly sucked down again.

Its _official_ the Insight is _not_ ment for trailering anything. Nor have all the safety and wear / tear consequences been discussed. But with a car that can _easily_ be overloaded with a passenger and related cargo the next step up of a trailer needs to be carefully considered.

[Calpod]

James,

You should install a clutch switch, this will disable IMA on hill climbs, I go up a 7% grade every day, and I disable assist on the way up, I only use it when it's needed.

See the thread "How to disable Regen/Assist"