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Towing a pop up camper

66K views 54 replies 20 participants last post by  TechnoMage 
#1 ·
Anyone tow a pop up camper with your Soul? I know they are pretty light and should be within the ability of a Soul to tow, but just want to know if anyone has done this and their views of how well the Soul handles it.
 
#11 ·
Threads merged....
 
#15 ·
You can find Class 1 hitches online that can be installed in a no time without a mechanic needed.

Max is 2000 lbs total and 200-300 lbs tongue weight depending on the hitch if I remember right.

The US is retarded in its towing recommendations. All over Europe they tow some big travel trailers with VW's, Renault's, FIAT's, etc. In the US people are led to think you need a 1-ton, dual-axle, turbo-diesel truck to tow a riding lawnmower.
 
#22 ·
I love these conversations. You can, you cant, you can, you can't... I think, I think, I think... book says this, book says that.

Who has actually done it? WHAT were you towing and how much is the gross weight? Tongue weight? Did it strain your vehicle's motor? How was the stopping ability of the Soul with the attached trailer/boat/jetski etc? At highway speeds, how is the handling?

Edward, in your case, how easily did the Soul pull the ski's out of the water?
 
#25 ·
Your exactly right. The Soul is based on the Kia Rio platform. I don't think anyone would go into the showroom and say to themselves "Yep, I'm going to pull a 2000 pound trailer with it.

With the short wheel base and basic drive train, you would be very limited on what you can do.
 
#24 ·
Towing depends on a lot of factors.

Vehicle Weight
HP
Torque
Transmission Cooling

But by far the biggest factor is vehicle weight. For example, My wife has a 2006 Jeep Liberty that we use for tow vehicle for our sleds. According to Jeep's spec's, it has the potential of towing 5000 pounds.

The Liberty Weighs 4000 pounds ( I can't believe it either - but it does). The problem is if you take a trailer that outweighs your tow vehicle and your presented in a emergency situation where you need to avoid something or make a sudden lane change. The heavier trailer is going to overrule the adjustments made by the tow vehicle because it will be pushing on the hitch. And going back to simple physics, the object with the greater mass is going to win every time.

The pic of the Soul pulling the travel trailer is a perfect example of what not to do. Not only is the trailer to long, it weigh's the same or if not more than the Soul. This is very dangerous.
 
#37 ·
Let's agree that idiots are dangerous for us.

Towed small utility trailer with the Soul, about 800lb and a short trailer, absolutely no issues. You can feel the weight when braking, but simply applying more brake worked fine - again, experienced trailer driver here, and I've towed this particular trailer thousands of miles with the Mini, and thousands more with a minivan.

By the way, the "lever" concept for a longer trailer is actually BETTER for the tow vehicle, as the tow vehicle is at the end lf a longer lever to turn the weight. A boat trailer (wheels far from the hitch) is easier to tow than a shorter utility trailer (wheels closer to the hitch), all else equal (axles/weight/tongue weight) because the tow vehicle has better leverage. It's also easier to back up as it doesn't jack so far on turning - you can keep up with it while turning - something the Soul's really tight turning radius helps with. The only time alonger trailer is a disadvantage is in a Really Extreme situation when the trailer has completely lost it - a situation that non-idiots can avoid rather easily.
 
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