Towbar for MX-5

[Nuddy]

May be a silly question.
Can i get a towbar for a MX-5.
I don't want to tow a caravan, just a small trailer with a dirt bike, or maybe a box trailer with 4 wheels, some tools and a jack and stands.

[plohl]

You can find them, not super common though. Hayman and Reese or something did one that was all legal.

Flying miata in the states also make a nice light one... Although it's not cheap once it's shipped over

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[93_Clubman]

Yeah, think there was a Hayman & Reese towbar, as well as a towbar made by a place in the ACT.

[Mr Morlock]

It has been covered a number of times. Mazda say don't tow with an MX-5( i.e. no rating at all) and no one makes a tow bar with certification for it in Au. It's a bad idea- not good for the car and in an accident Insurance can be rejected. There are lots of cheap cars around which can do this job safely and legally. Tow bars have Au certification so whats legal here is not the same as for other places.

[93_Clubman]

Hayman Reece definitely made towbars for the MX5 & the other source for MX5s I'm aware of was Towbars of Woden: http://www.canberratowbarfitters.com.au/

[aka_juffa]

My second NA had a Hayman Reese tow bar already fitted when I bought the car. I ended up selling the towbar to another forum member.

Boyracer sold one for an NA back in 2015.

viewtopic.php?style=3&t=68826

I'm pretty sure that the ones built in the ACT was made specifically to cater for a bicycle rack.

J

[aka_juffa]

Another post from the past, with more info.

http://www.aus-cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39376

Also various tow bars from the US of A, via ebay.

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw ... r&_sacat=0

Just from looking at the design of these USA tow bars you can understand why their rated towing capacity is very low.

I've just fitted a heavy duty OEM tow bar to our 2015 Subaru Outback. That has 12mm thick plates that go inside two of the chassis rails, and well has heavy duty connections directly behind the rear bumper for a towing capacity of 1800 Kg.

J

[bruce]

The owner of MXHOOD (blue NA with the huge custom trailer) has an un-natural obsession regards towbars.

[JZP]

I have one on my na8.

[paul_bfree]

I contacted Canberratowbarfitters yesterday. They replied that tow bars for the NA/NB are no longer available. Hayman Reece website no longer lists a model for MX-5. From what I am getting,re are no tow bars available anymore made in AuS.
If anyone has one, I am looking for an NB model to fit a bike rack and tow a light trailer with my gear to the track. many others are doing this.

[david_syd_au]

I saw MX-5 Mania had one for a sale a few weeks ago

[SS11]

There is one for sale on Facebook-- mx5 sales Australia ( no affiliation )


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[Mr Morlock]

Well its your risk- and you have seen the posts.

[Luke]

It has been covered a number of times. Mazda say don't tow with an MX-5( i.e. no rating at all) and no one makes a tow bar with certification for it in Au. It's a bad idea- not good for the car and in an accident Insurance can be rejected. There are lots of cheap cars around which can do this job safely and legally. Tow bars have Au certification so whats legal here is not the same as for other places.

Well its your risk- and you have seen the posts.

I think you have missed what Nuddy is trying to achieve.
You do realise that its not like people put these tow bars on to take a load of crap to the tip or tow a boat right?
His aim would be to avoid driving on bald track tyres to the track hence towing a small trailer with race tyres, tools etc.
I don't think people are really worried about legalities when parts in their track car would be considered illegal to begin with.
Not everyone has the room to store a car trailer, nor wants the vehicle to tow it either.

Looking through your posts you seem to have a history of being against tow bars on a MX-5 but once you said this just after questioning the legality of a Hayman and Reese bar.

Good work I would say - it was done by HR and maybe still available - if the local product is available it would presumably be accepted by Insurance cos as well.

May be a silly question.
Can I get a towbar for a MX-5.
I don't want to tow a caravan, just a small trailer with a dirt bike, or maybe a box trailer with 4 wheels, some tools and a jack and stands.

Not silly at all.
Just "risk" the tow bar if you really want one.
Keep an eye out for one in the for sale section of this forum as they do show up every now and then.
Like others have said I don't think you can get new Australian ones anymore so you will have to keep an eye out for a used one.

At MX-5 NSW Club track days and Supersprints they show up.
The trailers in use are tiny and purpose built. Ie not a box trailer. They generally carry a set of tyres, a tool box and 20-40L of fuel.
Have a look at one when you do a NSW club trackday as I'm sure you will do soon.
I don't know about towing a motorbike though. That would depend on the weight of the bike and trailer.
The Hayman and Reese one was rated for 400kg with a 40kg down weight.

I've considered the towbar myself for trackdays but have have just risked driving on R-specs instead.
I don't really want to store a trailer, but the thought has crossed my mind many times.

[Nuddy]

the bike weighs around 100kg. Years ago I had a trailer weighing about the same. I think the total using my current trailer would be less than 300 kg.
However it would be more for carrying the tyres and tools etc. I have a friend with a car trailer that he uses to tow his registered NA6 to the track. I can borrow it when he is not using it and when we are both going to the same event he could carry my rims and tools etc.
OTOH I might end up with a car trailer.