- #1 of 10
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Towing with a Honda Element
by tmeidi
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Nov 04, 2006 (2:05 pm)
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I have a 2004 Honda Element EX AWD and love it. I'd like to purchase a small trailer for it to separately transport a small 11-foot sailboat, a John Deere lawn tractor, or lumber, drywall, etc. My questions about towing with it are three-fold: 1) Is the 1,500 pound maximum noted in the owner's manual absolute?; 2) What has your experience been in towing with the Element?; and 3) What challenges, if any, have you experienced in purchasing a non-Honda towing kit and having it installed outside the Honda-dealer network? Thank you.
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- #2 of 10
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Re: Towing with a Honda Element [tmeidi]
by elementman
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Nov 21, 2006 (7:32 pm)
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Replying to: tmeidi (Nov 04, 2006 2:05 pm)
I have a 2006 EX-P AWD Automatic with a dealer installed hitch. I tow a utility trailer that weighs about 850# empty. I can load it with a Polaris quad and some camping gear and the car tows heavy but stable. I've made short hauls (30 miles) with 1 to 1.2 ton loads of river rock - totaling almost 3,000 pounds. Again, the car felt heavy, and I stopped carefully, but it got the job done. Regular trips to Home Depot with lumber and concrete are not a problem. I'm not making recommendations, only sharing personal experiences. My hitch, by the way, is the new (looks like) one inch square tube, not the traditional size. Looks puny, but seems to work OK.
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- #3 of 10
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Re: Towing with a Honda Element [tmeidi]
by bft4x4
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Feb 14, 2007 (10:16 am)
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Replying to: tmeidi (Nov 04, 2006 2:05 pm)
I have a 05 EX AWD. I have two Honda Rincon ATVs that weigh 600lb each. I have towed them so it probably exceeds the limit with the trailer. I had the factory hitch installed when I purchased the E. I laughed at the 'puny' size when I picked it up. I use an extension on the hitch to attach the 2" ball. Of course stopping and climbing steep grades is an issue. I do not feel comfortable doing this all the time so I may have to break down and buy a more suitable truck or SUV. I wish Honda made a bigger E with a V6 and that would solve all towing issues. A small trailer with a boat will be fine.
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- #7 of 10
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I need to tow a 19 ft boat with my element
by fred102
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Aug 07, 2009 (9:45 pm)
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I have an element and I need to tow my 19 ft boat. Do you think it is going to be an error? Let me know/
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- #8 of 10
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Re: Towing with a Honda Element [tmeidi]
by soloboss
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Aug 10, 2009 (3:51 pm)
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Replying to: tmeidi (Nov 04, 2006 2:05 pm)
2007 EX Manual, 4wd. I've towed my 5 x 10 aluminum trailer with a TroyBuilt 6.5 hp chipper shredder on it at 60 mph. I tow that 100 miles each way with no problems at all. I have towed my 670 pound motorcycle for short hauls easily and I loaded my Triumph Spitfire (1500lb sports car) on that trailer and hauled it 40 miles at interstate speeds. That was not a good idea. It handled the car well enough but there was clearly no reserve for stopping or handling in an emergency. As others have said, overloads seem to be OK with due care and low speeds. Notice that this same vehicle in Australia tows 3000lb. But in AU the law requires trailer brakes and that's a good idea at 3000 lb.
I'm looking for advice from someone concerning a long tow. I want to take my 670 lb motorcycle to Florida from NE Indiana. That's nearly 1100 pounds. I'll watch my tongue weight carefully even if I have to move my trailer axle a bit. The E turns about 3400 rpm at 70 mph and I can pull the grades in TN and KY in 4th if I have to. I need to weigh the entire gross package to ensure I am within the limits of the E.
comments are welcome. Soloboss
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- #9 of 10
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Towing a 1200 lb camper w/honda element
by elaine101
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Aug 29, 2009 (7:02 am)
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I would like to tow my 13' Scamp camper that weighs 1200 pounds with a 2004 Honda Element that only has two wheel drive. Can this work? Does it matter if a car has 2wd or 4wd as long as it has enough power to tow a vehicle? Thank you.
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- #10 of 10
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Re: Towing a 1200 lb camper w/honda element [elaine101]
by elementman
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Sep 02, 2009 (6:47 pm)
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Replying to: elaine101 (Aug 29, 2009 7:02 am)
Hello. I don't speak from a whole lot of knowledge, but I will offer an opinion. I've towed an 800 pound trailer with everything in it from Quads to canoes to camping gear to rocks and building supplies. I've towed from 40 miles to 400 miles, up hills and down. My gross towed weight has run anywhere from 900 pounds (nearly empty) to 3000 pounds (one ton of river rock). At 3000 pounds I feel real heavy. I drive slow, watch the road carefully and allow lots of room for stopping. I wouldn't want to be that heavy on long trips. But at, say, 1500 pounds I don't seem to have any issues. Other than climbing, which will obviously require lower gears depending on grade. I'd hook up the trailer and take it for a few spins. Try driving on the same type of roads you will be traveling on longer distances and see how it feels. If the car handles safely and pulls OK I'd guess you would be OK on a weekend outing. Just feel the car and don't exceed common sense. Don't stop fast, don't drive too fast, etc. Try a few hard stops in a short trip to get the feel. Like I said, just an opinion. As for 4WD and 2WD, the only difference I see would be traction for pulling. 4WD is safer on ice and rain, certainly on mud and sand. Avoid roads where you could get stuck, or take them with caution. Steve
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