Gemini Towing

martin · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 900

What would you guys (and girls) rekon the best sized car to tow a car trailer with a gemini on it? i have to pick up two with no engines and i think its gonna cost me a fortune to get them towed so i was thinking car trailer.

If its a twin axle what would the minimum sized car you could safely use?

any help be great, cheers
martin

RedTG · tinkerer Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Posts: 136

stick wif the Holden and get a HQ or HJ sedan,

Regards

as for the tralier it should cost around $50

for four hours

zzz · petrol head Joined: 16 Jan 2002 Posts: 1298

i have towed a trailer with an rx4 on it with a sigma wagon
it was slow but felt safe just leave a bigger distance for braking at least 3 to 4 times your normal distance

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

This is my specialty.
First of all how far are you going to tow the cars? Do you want to be legal?
Since the towing regulation became uniform Australia wide recently, it makes things somewhat easier to give the correct advice. Now you're allowed, in ALL states, to tow a trailer that weighs up to 1.5 times the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or the vehicle manufacturers maximum recommendation, whichever is the lesser. This can also depend on the towbar attatched to the said tow vehicle. For example, genuine towbars for VB-VP Commodores and most later "H" series holdens had a rating of 900kg capacity. Aftermarket bars had 1500kg, and heavy duty "hitch receivers" (square bar style), up to 2100kg.
Geminis, unladen are about 850 - 950 kg, give or take a few for the motor, and an average car trailer around 500 - 600 kg. If you're careful you could tow with most "H" series holdens, Commodores, F**cons, and just about any commercial vehicle. For passenger cars, stick with something bigger than an LC/LJ torana and 6 or 8 cylinders. Keep a good 10% of the weight up front of the trailer will try to swap ends with you, trust me, I've had to run a downhill, red light left turn to save one! SCARY STUFF!!

Hope this helps,
Yonnee.

martin · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 900

Excellent thankyou for that. I think the furthest i would be towing would be about 30-50k's

I am gonna try and get my hands on a land cruiser or patrol or something one sunday and do it then. If the gemini dosnt have an engine in it which is the best way to put it on the trailer? still front on?

I would guess that a factory 4wd towbar would be rated high enough to tow a gemini right?

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

Yeah, 4WD should be spot on. You could drag it round OZ with one of them! Wouldn't matter which way round less motor, just pull it as far forward as she'll go.

Yonnee.