[phaphaphooey]

This weekend I am picking up a new 13 Evora that I have purchased. Have a trailer on order but became impatient and ended up renting a uhaul car hauler to pull it back as it will be a very long distance and the uhaul is cheaper than the extra gas for the Uhaul. Anyway, I found where plenty of Eliges have been loaded on Uhauls but no Evoras. Anyone ever done this? If so any words of wisdom? I should be fine as long as I use wood boards to lift the car up to clear the ramps and to clear the lip on the front of the trailer.

Also, not just for Uhaul trailers, but on any trailer, should I drive or reverse onto the trailer? The conventional wisdom is the have the engine as near to the front of the hitch as possible and the Evora's weight distribution is definitely rear biased.

 

[Julian73]

I trailer my car nose first but bed is long enough to get cg forward of trailer axle centerlines

 

[carbuff]

Congrats on your purchase! :nanner:


My only caution about reversing the car on the trailer is, you HAVE to be sure all the panels are securly latched. (Trunk on the Evora) (<<<----- dosn't apply if you use an enclosed trailer, of course)

One fellow that trailered his Esprit "in reverse" had a panel pop open due to the backwards airflow. :facepalm

++++++++++

Trailered Esprits can be moved far enough forward to provide an adequate tongue weight and proper stability, an Evora should be easy as well. Remember a Lotus is probably smaller than the maximum length vehicle a trailer is designed for. So you can easily "play" with the car's position on the trailer.

PS Try and obtain the hold down straps that go OVER the wheels and tires. Less chance of scratching! :up:

 

[XHILR8N!]

If you back onto the trailer that will be an impressive bit of driving

How far? I guess you've explored this but how much more to have pros deliver it, with their insurance and all?

 

[Viggen]

never trailed anything besides fwd cars but personally I wouldn't mess with backing it on the trailer

Backing it on the trailer would throw the weight on the trailer like when I would put a car on there and it usually seems to put way more tongue weight then needed when pulling to far forward. I would stop the car a few feet short of all the way forward to minimize tongue weight.

With the evora, just drive it up normally and leave the engine between the tire axels on the trailer, anywhere in that area and you will be good to go. You should be able to see when you put it up on the trailer how the tow vehicle and trailer look, possibly move the car forward or back a bit to help balance the weight out.

For me the hardest thing was getting out of the car. Being a hatch I would crawl through the rollbar and out the hatch due to not enough room to squeeze my arse out the door of the car. Obviously not a option for you

 

[MTLDean]

Guys while we're discussing this any info on how to tow an IPS evora? Car in and in neutral? Will it go into neutral if the battery is dead and you can't even get power to light up the dash?

 

[Allan Gibbs]

I'd be concerned of rocks being thrown up by the towing vehicle.

 

[Julian73]

let’s be clear by towing on a U-haul trailer, I do sincerely hope that you are talking of full flat bed not those two wheeled dolly things, right. I wouldn’t let any of my cars go near one of those things. As to fwd/rwd mention above only issue on a flat bed is weight distribution. I forget what ours is but something like 45/55% 40/60 max or so this equates to is IF cars wheel base positioned mid way between trailer wheels, trailer is tongue light. right position for about 10% tongue weight is with rear of door about between trailer wheels... As to auto or stick, in gear out I tow with wheel straps, parking brake on .. Never towed an automatic but if I did I would leave it in neutral so natural racking motion during tow did not stress the GB parking pin. Rock / debris can be an issue as it can driving, and while I have not owned open trailer without wind screen for 25 yrs now, in don’t think it is really than major an issue unless your tow vehicle is some dually jacked truck with no mud flaps, between typical SUV aft overhang and trailer tongue bed I would expect most stones to take the path under the trailer not over the top.

Got home and looked up my weights: My actual distribution of 39/61% is stated below,

 

[invictusmaneo]

Julian it's almost exactly the same as the elise, 37/63 give or take. Driver in the seat doesn't change front/back balance much but does change L/R (as measured, give or take maybe 1% due to reductions on my car compared to stock)


I think for the weight balance issue, if you can get the engine as close to the axle as possible (which shouldn't be too hard, it is a relatively short car) you will be fine.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Ok ok you guys convinced me. I was a little bit worried about backing the thing onto the trailer anyway.

It is the full trailer instead of the two wheeled dolly thing. I cringe every time I see one of those on the road even if it is an econobox being towed.

We have a Gallardo and AM Vantage in the family in addition to the incoming Evora so we ordered a custom trailer to haul everything around but it is taking too long and the Evora is calling.

I am probably only saving $500 to $1000 grabbing it myself as opposed to shipping but it is more of a time issue. I have a free weekend and the weather should be nice enough by the weekend to grab it. Don't particularly want to wait for shipping as I live pretty far away from a major metropolitan area so I am not on the normal routes.

Didn't think about the trunk being blown backwards. Yikes.

Have the tow straps ready to go over the tires and everything. The trailers that only use chains to anchor the car are majorly sketchy.

 

[Julian73]

Julian it's almost exactly the same as the elise, 37/63 give or take. Driver in the seat doesn't change front/back balance much but does change L/R (as measured, give or take maybe 1% due to reductions on my car compared to stock)


I think for the weight balance issue, if you can get the engine as close to the axle as possible (which shouldn't be too hard, it is a relatively short car) you will be fine.

You are right that is very close.

My car came out 39/61% on the scales. 1913 on rear axial 1217 lbs on front w/o driver and almost full tank. This gives a CG 39.4 inch's forward of the rear axle. or 101.3 inch's behind the nose.

 

[Julian73]

Welcome to the Evora family, though you car may feel like the runt in your family garage.

Ok ok you guys convinced me. I was a little bit worried about backing the thing onto the trailer anyway.

It is the full trailer instead of the two wheeled dolly thing. I cringe every time I see one of those on the road even if it is an econobox being towed.

We have a Gallardo and AM Vantage in the family in addition to the incoming Evora so we ordered a custom trailer to haul everything around but it is taking too long and the Evora is calling.

I am probably only saving $500 to $1000 grabbing it myself as opposed to shipping but it is more of a time issue. I have a free weekend and the weather should be nice enough by the weekend to grab it. Don't particularly want to wait for shipping as I live pretty far away from a major metropolitan area so I am not on the normal routes.



Didn't think about the trunk being blown backwards. Yikes.

Have the tow straps ready to go over the tires and everything. The trailers that only use chains to anchor the car are majorly sketchy.

 

[Bobsy Racer]

Ok ok you guys convinced me. I was a little bit worried about backing the thing onto the trailer anyway.

It is the full trailer instead of the two wheeled dolly thing. I cringe every time I see one of those on the road even if it is an econobox being towed.

We have a Gallardo and AM Vantage in the family in addition to the incoming Evora so we ordered a custom trailer to haul everything around but it is taking too long and the Evora is calling.

I am probably only saving $500 to $1000 grabbing it myself as opposed to shipping but it is more of a time issue. I have a free weekend and the weather should be nice enough by the weekend to grab it. Don't particularly want to wait for shipping as I live pretty far away from a major metropolitan area so I am not on the normal routes.

Didn't think about the trunk being blown backwards. Yikes.

Have the tow straps ready to go over the tires and everything. The trailers that only use chains to anchor the car are majorly sketchy.

Question, Why don't you just drive it home ?

When trailering, weight distribution is important to always have 100-500 pounds tongue weight. You NEVER want negative tongue weight, or it will fish tail the whole trip ! Depending on where the trailer axle is located, and the car's weight distribution, will determine if forwards or backwards is better. I once had a trailer with a forward positioned axle that required always backing my Porsche race car onto it. If the trailer has tandem axles, it is less critical, but always have positive tongue weight. If the tongue weight exceeds 500 lbs, you should use load leveler bars, to re-distribute the weight.

 

[Kubera]

Drive it home, get to know the car and enjoy the drive

 

[phaphaphooey]

Don't want to put the miles on it and we are already taking a good tow vehicle to pick it up (Cayenne Diesel) so why not slap a trailer on the pepper and bring it home?

 

[phaphaphooey]

You guys talked me into it. Driving the car home.

 

[Julian73]

Good for you, it's a good bonding experience. I flew in drove home, done for some service work too. Least stressful for time.

 

[invictusmaneo]

It'll be well worth it. Having driven mine across country, to Charleston and back and to Key West and back, it is a great long road trip car.

 

[tbd_Evora]

You guys talked me into it. Driving the car home.

That is what it is made for. Enjoy the drive (I'm sure you will).

 

[CPA4S]

Guys while we're discussing this any info on how to tow an IPS evora? Car in and in neutral? Will it go into neutral if the battery is dead and you can't even get power to light up the dash?

did you get a new battery for the car before you picked it up? if not, i would swap in the spring and then start the beast.