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Old 11-18-2012, 11:34 AM   #1
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bonaire oxigen towing question

Hi, I just acquired a Bonaire Oxigen trailer. I have a small suv with a classe 1 hitch. (rated for 2000lbs towing capacity and 200lbs for the tongue. Can I pull the oxigen (which has a weight of approx. 1900 lbs)?

THanks..
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Old 11-18-2012, 11:50 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson View Post
This is a spreadsheet of all of the weigh-in results that I have from the past several years.

Sorted 1st by TOTAL, 2nd by TONGUE, and 3rd by Length
ITEM_LENGTH_MAKE_______MODEL________AXLE__TONGUE__ __TOTAL
41___19_____Bonaire____Oxygen_______2420_____320__ __2740
I weighed an Oxygen at the Oregon Gathering. It was loaded for travel.
I believe your 1900 pound figure is DRY weight only, which is not a useful number for figuring out if you can tow it safely.
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Old 11-18-2012, 12:25 PM   #3
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I think the Oxygen is too heavy for a tug with a 2,000 pound limit.

I have a 2,000 pound limit, too, and I think a good rule of thumb is to assume that one need add 4-500 pounds to dry weight numbers to arrive at the likely as-used weight.

Frederick's numbers above seem to bear that out.
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Old 11-18-2012, 12:54 PM   #4
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Welcome Sylvia. An Oxygen! Lucky you. We have a few folks in my area with them and I love seeing them.

As others have already pointed out your trailer is sadly well over your hitch class I specifications. But there is an even *more* important specification that you need to take a look at - what does the manual in your SUV say it is capable of towing? and at what max tongue rating?

The hitch specification and the tow vehicle specifications are two very different things. It is very common for people to have a hitch put on a tow vehicle that has a much higher & in some cases lower rating than the tow vehicles towing capacity. That doesn't mean you can or should tow up to the hitch specifications. It simple means that the hitch can handle it assuming the vehicle is capable of the same.

What small SUV where/are you hoping to tow your new trailer with?
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Old 11-18-2012, 05:11 PM   #5
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added inof

Wow, thanks for all the responses. Here is added info: the trailer has a towing brake that I can use in conjunction with my brakes, how would that info alter towing specs?

My vehicle is 2012 kia sportage, awd.

THanks.
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Old 11-18-2012, 05:20 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvain View Post
My vehicle is 2012 kia sportage, awd.
THanks.
Well that explains why it only has a class I hitch on it. Check your manual but suspect the towing capacity on the car is only 2000lbs about 7/800lbs less than what your trailer weighs loaded with your gear.
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Old 11-18-2012, 06:12 PM   #7
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Francesca called it. Trailer brakes don't raise the max tow capacity of your vehicle, but the manufacturer might actually lower it without them.
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Old 11-18-2012, 07:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvain View Post
Wow, thanks for all the responses. Here is added info: the trailer has a towing brake that I can use in conjunction with my brakes, how would that info alter towing specs?

My vehicle is 2012 kia sportage, awd.

THanks.
SISTAH!!!

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I've been towing (under 2,000 pounds) with a '97 Sportage for years!

But I'm flabbergasted that the tow limit is STILL only 2,000 pounds- the new Sportage looks so much bigger than mine! I looked for the Specs on the 2012, and it does say "2000 pounds with base trim"...is there any chance yours is a different, perhaps beefier model?

Francesca

P.s.

Per trailer brakes:
You're likely limited to only 1,000 pounds without trailer brakes...2,000 is the upper limit with brakes.

F.
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Old 11-19-2012, 07:56 AM   #9
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The Oxigen I acquired is a gift from my dad, and when I bought my Sportage, I wasn't expecting to tow much. Planned uses for the Oxigen are small week long trips, camping ground with water hook ups, and I will be travelling alone and very light most of the time. The tongue weight was measured recently at 125 lbs (below my 200lbs limit). My understanding from all the postings are clear, I can't tow the Oxigen, unless it's empty of any additional load, at 1900 lbs, I don't have much room for a few cases of beer...does that make sense?

Ps: I'm a guy (My name is Sylvain, not Sylvia...
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Old 11-19-2012, 09:40 AM   #10
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Sylvain your tongue weight seems *really* low. When you weighed it was the trailer on level ground and the tongue sitting at the same height it would be when hooked up to your car? Was the propane tank full and battery on the trailer? Normally I would have expected the tongue on that size trailer to weight in anywhere from 240 to 340lbs. If you where to try and tow that trailer with a tongue weight of only 125lbs I would not be at all surprised if you had sway issues. Not something you want to experience regardless of how short a trip you are taking.

The thing with manufactures stated dry weights is it doesn't include any extra's on the trailer - no fridge, stove, propane tank, battery, awnings, water tanks etc. So the trailer right from the factory probable weighed far more than the dry weight stated on the paper work. A good rule of thumb that people have found that works well at determining what a trailer may weigh once finished and your personal items added to it is to add 500/600lbs to the dry weight.
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Old 11-19-2012, 09:47 AM   #11
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Also, you usually have to subtract the tongue weight from what your vehicle can carry, so it doesn't necessarily help to throw stuff in the tow vehicle.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:16 AM   #12
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Interesting, I'll have to make some verifications...the trailer is 1400 km away in New Brunswick, so verifications will have to wait until the spring... if I have bad news, I might have to post a sales ad for the oxigen...
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:30 PM   #13
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If were me I would upgrade the car and keep the trailer. The Oxygen is a cool rare find and to have one given to you ..... well that's just a dream come true!
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Old 11-19-2012, 01:58 PM   #14
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If were me I would upgrade the car and keep the trailer. The Oxygen is a cool rare find and to have one given to you ..... well that's just a dream come true!
Shhhhh! I was gonna try to buy it from him.
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Old 11-19-2012, 02:26 PM   #15
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Shhhhh! I was gonna try to buy it from him.
Take a number!!! For all we know his PM box may already contain more than one firm offer just for mentioning that he might sell it!
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Old 11-19-2012, 02:46 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvain View Post

Ps: I'm a guy (My name is Sylvain, not Sylvia...
Oops.... sorry, "BRO"!

I'm still surprised at the 2,000 pound number for that 6-cyl. Sportage.

Have you spoken with the dealer that's responsible for your warranty coverage about this?

The "depending on trim" language is a bit obscure in the specs I've found, and it may be that your particular model is capable of a little more than that.

Francesca, rootin' for ya

P.S.

It actually might be worthwhile selling the Bonair- bet you could buy a really nice, lighter weight first generation Trillium 4500 in your neck of the woods for what you'd get for the Bonair, and have camping money left besides!

And since we both know that even a 15 year old 4 cyl version of the Sportage can tow a first-gen 4500, you'd be in like Flynn!

F.
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Old 11-19-2012, 08:08 PM   #17
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If this is the trailer of your dreams... go for it. Many of us go through multiple tugs and hang on to the original trailer. A Bonaire Oxygen is so very cool. You can buy a tug on nearly any street corner, but a Bonaire Oxygen (especially for sale) are few and far between.

YMMV
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Old 11-19-2012, 08:23 PM   #18
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This is all very hale-fellow-well-met, but do let's remember that the O.P. has a nearly new 2012 vehicle on which he'd probably take a major beating if he got rid of it after what can't be more than a year.

Not everyone would- or should- be prepared to make such a questionable financial decision solely due to having been "gifted" a (however cool/"rare") trailer.

There's also the small matter of the opinion of any spouses/partners that may have a say in the matter...

Francesca
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Old 11-19-2012, 09:07 PM   #19
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ROFL I dont know Francesca - its starting to sound like you might be in the market for an Oxygen

Sadly a Trillium 4500 you are dangling out as incentive to the OP isnt all that easy to find either - not even in the area the OP is.... check out past sales in Canada... how many do you see? Not to mention it might also be pushing their tow limit as well.

The Oxygen's have been selling recently in the $11,000 to over $12,000 range - although there was one on the market for $8500 in the past year - not sure why that one was so low. So if one got a trailer that rare and of that value given to them as a gift it wouldn't seem to out of line to take a minor hit on a trade in for a vehicle that could tow it..... just saying.
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Old 11-19-2012, 09:37 PM   #20
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Shoot, I'd buy a vehicle JUST to tow the Oxygen.... just sayin'!
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