Tow rig?

Pedro

Pedro

٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶
I can't remember if I posted the track day videos here earlier. But I am planning on running the Miata with COMSCC next year.

because I will most likely stuff it at some point, I want to trailer to the events. Thus a tow rig.

test drove a Lexus GX470 today. it might be the ticket. 6500lb towing capacity. It is a bit on the low side, but it will be used for sweep as well, and the miata is ~2000lbs and it will be on a light weight trailer.

oh it has a load leveling system that would help with the butt sag with the trailer.

what do you all think?

said lexus:

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I'm sure you'll love it. But for sweep you'll desire bigger knobbier tires eventually. Look into the traction control business and make sure it wont hinder your future plans. See if it can be fooled or turned off and not hurt the tranny over the ownership period.

SWEEP: Tow hooks front? Trailer hitch for the jerk strap on the rear? Skid plates?

OTTER DRAGGIN: I'm sure it will be just fine for pulling the Otter. And comfy, and reliable.

 
my father in law got one and i knwo its sure nice as hell and great ride. i dont know if you know this but its alos a huge tax right off. not sure if its federal of if it was a state right off for sc but loom into it. it falls into some old rule about a car weighing x amount is a totall tax right off. some old loop hole dealign with tractors and farmers so tthat aloen woul dmake it a good buy

 
forget the fatboy Lexus SUV, get a real truck. You'll just trash the lexus leather boudoir cargo area haulin spares and track tires anyway.

For approx 1/3 the $$$ of that $22k Lexus you can get an F-250 Xcab 4WD with a few years on it that will run reliable and you will have no qualms about towing hauling sweeping trashing and pullin stuck rally cars out of beaver bogs. Pickup with cap = great tow rig, great storage. SUV = limited sport, limited utility.

Hell, for the price difference bewteen that Lexus and a semi-beater F-250, you could pick up a nice built Group 2 Golf ya know!
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(or build a wicked stroker Miata motor or rebuild the Otter after you stuff it, etc)

 
F250 does not make the wimenz happy. this is going to end up being her DD. and occasionally towing the otter. Trackday spares will consist of one tote. tires will be mounted before loading on the trailer. and the Tax write off is gone now. too many H2 owners using it. plus I don't have a Biz that I can use it with.

 
Aha, the wimmenz part was not obvious from the OP. Thass a diffrent can o worms.

Have had several big Lexuses (Lexi?) to pedal around for winter courses at Team O. Incredibly capable vehicles...once drivers realize how effing heavy they are and learn to deal with all that inertia. Trac control is actually pretty good, once ppl learn how to drive in snow with a light foot and keep the trac control from kicking in all the time, they are getting to where they need to be skills-wise.

Until drivers become mindful of how the bigrigs do on snow, the Lexis tend to get stuffed a lot. They can be quite reluctant to slow down or turn on slippy surfaces. There';s LOTS of chiming/beeping from dashboard as the trac control tries to overcome clueless driving. Had one student put his Lex 470 up and over the bank and I was certain it was an extraction job for the tractor....but no, driver just locked up the diffs, floored that big V8 and sheesh! we almost went off on the OTHER snowbank clear on far side of the road!
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Aha, the wimmenz part was not obvious from the OP. Thass a diffrent can o worms.
Have had several big Lexuses (Lexi?) to pedal around for winter courses at Team O. Incredibly capable vehicles...once drivers realize how effing heavy they are and learn to deal with all that inertia. Trac control is actually pretty good, once ppl learn how to drive in snow with a light foot and keep the trac control from kicking in all the time, they are getting to where they need to be skills-wise.

Until drivers become mindful of how the bigrigs do on snow, the Lexis tend to get stuffed a lot. They can be quite reluctant to slow down or turn on slippy surfaces. There';s LOTS of chiming/beeping from dashboard as the trac control tries to overcome clueless driving. Had one student put his Lex 470 up and over the bank and I was certain it was an extraction job for the tractor....but no, driver just locked up the diffs, floored that big V8 and sheesh! we almost went off on the OTHER snowbank clear on far side of the road!
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Yes I neglected to state that it would be my wife's DD.

I am not too worried about her driving it as it will get a second set of wheels with Sweep/winter tires and probably a mild tweak of suspension height.

I believe there is a trac control diable mod somewhere on the web for these as I would be a little weirded out with the thing up at NEFR if it doesn't react how I expect it to.

My parents have a 99 Land Cruiser with the same/similar drivetrain and it is rock solid at 198k. This one would get a big honkin tranny cooler and maybe even a rear diff cooler if we start towing LONG distance with the otter.

The one pictured is not "The One" just one that was near my office and I could take it for a drive and give it a yay/nay

I did note that it has rear air suspension which would be nice to keep the thing level with a trailer. and it has active shocks which seemed to do something (not totally convinced)

but upon failure of the shocks they will be replaced with bilstein units or something similar and the rear air springs can be replaced with standard springs with air assist. (all documented on the interwebs)

I am not seeing too many downsides to this rig other than the TINY 3rd row seating. but I can fit there, just wouldn't want to go more than an hour or 3 back there.

 
+1, just read the thread. I don't like the looks, but the built offroad version posted on fourwheeler looks hot, not that you'd do that to your wife's DD
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.

 
I would have thought it was better
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. I thought diesels had better torque, or at least better low-end power. Why's it suck?

 
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