Tow hitch?

[turtlegirl]

I saw somewhere in the owner's manual that the Mazda5 is not meant to tow anything, and that's all they say about it. I'm not looking to tow, rather to put a hitch on it to put on a bike rack. We have the potential to want to carry five bikes at a time. Can roof racks carry that many? I've found a few Class I hitches available that say they fit the Mazda5, but I'm looking for input. Anyone hitch their 5? Good, bad, ugly stories to share?

BTW, Fuji is SPUNKY! Geared down (LOVE mt!) and smoked traffic up a steep hill with 5 people inside (granted, three of the five are kinda small, but there was plenty of torque).

 

[J.P.]

For the roof, it depends on how heavy the bikes are. 5 road bikes would be ok if you have wider load bars mounted (the factory load bars are too narrow). 5 Mountain bikes would be a lot of weight up there (nevermind long travel DH or Freeride).

For the hitch, I have only seen 1 1/4" receiver hitches (I have the 'Hidden Hitch' brand on mine), which are really not strong enough for much more than two bikes on the back (3 if they are lightweight). The tongue weight rating is for force straight down, and pullling strength. A bike rack puts a 3-foot lever on the ball area, and bounces the weight of the bikes over its length as you drive down the road. If there was a 2" receiver available, that would change things, but I have not seen one.

I use my hitch for a small, light, utility trailer. I mostly haul leaves, brush, and the occasional small load of gravel, dirt, patio stones, etc. Loading the bikes for the family into the trailer would be my preference. Otherwise I have no troubles with the 48" Thule load bars handling 4 bikes on the roof of my 5. or any of my other cars.

 

[LeMoeCND]

I'm getting a Draw-Tite hitch put on my M5 GT with MT next week Tuesday. I have always placed a hitch on all of my previous cars. 2002 Honda Civic LX Coupe manual, 2004 Honda Civic LX Sedan auto. The hitch is designed for 200 lbs at hitch, tongue weight, with a maximum load of 2000 lbs. Most utility trailers fall in this category. I don't think that I have ever approached 2000 lbs but I think I have come close. Had to take my concrete front steps to the dump. Needed three trips.
As a general comment when towing a trailer, the automatic trany do not work as well as a manual especially if you live in a city with many hills due to premature wear.
If all you are transporting are bikes then no worries. Most of the load will be on the axel of the trailer. Also you can use the trailer for more than just bikes, such as trips to Home Depot...etc...
Avoid loading your car to the max and also adding a trailer. Note the load capacity specs that came with your car found on the inner door and manual.

Enjoy.

LeMoeCND
2010 M5 GT MT

 

[skiph]

Many previous discussions on hitches and roof racks, lots of pictures also.

I have Yakima cross bars on #11 Landing Pads/Control towers mounts, not the 'recommended' Yakima mounting method, but the preferred one by M5 users who have worked it out. Lots of users have done it this way.

Here's some links to older threads about roof racks:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123637424-Yakima-finally-worked-out-the-roof-rack

Be sure to read it ALL.

Here's another even longer thread:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123734815-Roof-Rack-For-The-Mazda5-Thread

I'll leave looking for hitch threads up to you...try the search function.

 

[hurschel]

Installed a hitch to the 5 today, haven't got the wiring kit on yet. I posted some pictures here.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-with-your-Mazda5-today&p=5639030#post5639030

 

[Tracy01]

If you have a tow hitch then you can tow any vehicle and Mazda is a great car with higher efficiency and power compared to other vehicles. So, I suggest you to opt for a trailer hitch from a reputed seller as that may help you in the long run by avoiding any sort of damages arising due to towing hitch.

 

[othercarasaab]

Only class 1 hitch available - factor of mounting

Only class 1 hitches available from MFR, specifically because they don't want to put that much weight on the back.
Ditto on the lever-arm with a bike rack. I wanted a 2" receiver just so that attachments I have for the mazda could also work on the truck, but ended up getting a rack built with a 1 1/4" receiver and adapter to be used in 2"

The 1 1/4" tube is only good for 2 bike-racks, and not 4 or 5 unfortunately (weight limitation).

The two major hitch companies I've seen in the US have different mounting points under the car, but the majority of the weight is being held by bolts that attach to the bumper itself behind the bumper cover... one of the brands has the 3rd mounting point on the tow hook point back by the exhaust, while the other has 4 mounting points (including out wider) all on the bumper reinforcements. Unfortunately I don't remember which is which, but the one that mounted out wider now has disclaimer that with racks they require using secondary straps to support the weight specifically due to this lever-arm issue (like old trunk-mounted bike racks).
I haven't used for a bike rack yet, but our hitch has been used for one of those metal racks to hold coolers and suitcases on a 1k mile trip, and was great... only 100 lbs out back, and 3 adults/2 kids in car not everything fit inside, but we didn't have any total weight capacity issues.

 

[johnnydee]

I had a hidden hitch class 1 hitch mounted last year and have used it to successfully haul a smaller utility trailer to move messy garden supplies and bulkier items, as well as luggage for road trips when I have 5 passengers on board. The trick will be next week when I'm moving my motorcycle. I've ordered one of those hitch-tow bars that you strap the front wheel of the bike to and use the rear wheel of the bike as the "trailer". It claims to place 60% of the weight of the bike on the tow bar. The hitch rates tongue weight at 350lb., so it's OK (the bike weighs about 500 lb.), but I noted that the frame to which the installer attached the hitch itself is only folded steel, so I'm somewhat wary about bouncing 300lb. of twist on that rear rail, particularly when Mazda doesn't support towing with this vehicle at all. However, the bike needs to be moved and I only have the one vehicle, so I'm going to give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[SuperJETT]

I wouldn't recommend putting that much weight on the hitch at all. The hitch may have that rating for it's construction, but based on how the hitches mount to the car it's more like 100lbs max.

 

[Wishmaster]

Mazda does support towing with this vehicle... not in NA, but in the UK they do!! In the United Kingdom, the 5 can be had with any of four different 4-cylinder engines. According to Mazda's UK website, the weights they can tow are rated as follows:

Trailer without brakes
For all engines: 600 kg, or 1322 lbs.

Trailer with brakes (12% gradient)
~110 hp 1.8 gas: 1300 kg, or 2866 lbs
~145 hp 2.0 gas: 1400 kg, or 3086 lbs
~110 hp 2.0 diesel: 1400 kg, or 3086 lbs
~143 hp 2.0 diesel: 1400 kg, or 3086 lbs

But, I'd double check your max tongue weight, I just installed a hidden hitch a few weeks ago on my 5 and it's max tongue weight is only 200 lbs, so sounds like you still be ok... just be carefull! - http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Mazda/5/2007/60841.html?vehicleid=20077475

 

[SuperJETT]

I'd have to see what the hitch attachment setup looks like for Europe because the way mine is attached doesn't give me a feeling the car's body can handle that kind of load. My Accord's hitch mounts to much beefier locations than the 5, so did my Element and even my old Saturn back in the mid 90's. (not going to mention my truck's class 3, it's bolted to the frame rails directly)

 

[SuperJETT]

Max tongue weight for a European spec towbar on a Mazda5 is 165lbs. If the .pdf I downloaded is the correct one, then it is a dramatically stronger hitch than the class 1 models we have here in the US.

 

[ljmattox]

I've had my "bicycle rack receiver" mounted for a while, but with my 5 now exiting factory warranty, it'll be time to begin utilizing it as a Class I trailer hitch (and giving my long-suffering Miata a break from all its Uhaul duties!).

Good to see factory recommendations from other parts of the globe where Mazda has specified towing guidelines for this vehicle.

"Class I" hitches have an industry-standard spec of 200 lbs. tongue weight, 2000 lbs. trailer weight, so that should be the max. If Mazda is recommending less...well...I'll pay attention to that as well.

Moot to me anyhow, I don't plan on anything drastic and would be well within those limits. The occasional run to big-box home improvement for some long lumber, cabinets, burlap-balled trees/bushes. Trailering a motorcycle to the shop if needed.

Pallets of paving stones? Um...yeah, go ahead and deliver that please. (nailbyt)

 

[LeMoeCND]

What I have always done, if i'm not too sure about the load distributed in the trailer, is load the trailer when not attached. I especially do this if I have a load of sand, dirt or other loose materials. If I cannot pick up the tongue, I redistribute the weight until it's possible. I'm sure that most people are not able to lift the max weights of 165 or 200 lbs mentioned. Short of having a scale, I find this method to be quite reliable. If I blow my back apart, that's my fault.

 

[shoredad]

Here is a pic of my M5 carrying 4 bikes.
The 1 1/4 hitch receiver is not rated to carry 4 or 5 bikes.
And, even if it was, the 5 does not handle well that much weight on the back.

In your case, I would put 3 on the hitch, 2 on the roof.

 

[Peanuts]

Thule Helium 3-bike hitch no problem

I've got a Curt 1-1/4" hitch on my 2010 Mazda 5 GT - we use it with a Thule Helium 3-bike rack, and it's been working great. Did a 2-week road trip with 2 other folks and 3 all-mountain bikes (about 30 lbs. each) on the back and a rooftop cargo box from Vancouver, BC to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons last summer, hitting Portland on the way back. Not a single "hitch" on the trip, pardon the pun - suspension and handling was fine, and fuel mileage was still decent even when fully loaded with all our bike and camping gear: high 20s to low 30s consistently.

 

[jeffismrmom]

Do any of you guys ever run a basket carrier using the 1 1/4" hitch? I'm not looking to carry a of lot gear, weight wise, but it would be a nice addition for stuff like a cooler, tent, boogie boards and stuff that gets really dirty. I was thinking of buying the Curt hitch (eTrailer/C11127) and then a Draw-Tite or similar carrier.

 

[hurschel]

Rather than get the 5 all smelly inside, I use one to carry my diesel cans to the station to get tractor and mower fuel. Seems that I always manage to drip fuel on the can somehow and this keeps the smell out of the car. I get a 5 gal. and two 2 1/2 gal. at a time don't trust the racks for a lot of weight.

 

[punter7768]

Hi Guys,

So I'm driving my '07 Mazda 5 sport cross country next week. Texas to DC. I want to tow my motorycle; a Honda CBR1100xx Blackbird. Has anyone successfully towed a motorcycle with their Mazda 5? otherwise I may have to rent a U-haul with a car carrier attachment....cheers!

I had a hidden hitch class 1 hitch mounted last year and have used it to successfully haul a smaller utility trailer to move messy garden supplies and bulkier items, as well as luggage for road trips when I have 5 passengers on board. The trick will be next week when I'm moving my motorcycle. I've ordered one of those hitch-tow bars that you strap the front wheel of the bike to and use the rear wheel of the bike as the "trailer". It claims to place 60% of the weight of the bike on the tow bar. The hitch rates tongue weight at 350lb., so it's OK (the bike weighs about 500 lb.), but I noted that the frame to which the installer attached the hitch itself is only folded steel, so I'm somewhat wary about bouncing 300lb. of twist on that rear rail, particularly when Mazda doesn't support towing with this vehicle at all. However, the bike needs to be moved and I only have the one vehicle, so I'm going to give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.