Towing A Trailer - Honda 1996 Accord Wagon Owner's Manual

Towing a Trailer

Your Honda is designed primarily
to carry passengers and their
cargo. You can use it to tow a
trailer if you carefully observe
some general rules.
The total weight of the trailer
and everything loaded in it
must not exceed 1,000 Ib
(450 kg).
The "tongue load" should
never exceed 100 Ib (45 kg).
This is the amount of weight
the trailer puts on the hitch
when it is fully loaded. As a
rule of thumb, the tongue load
should be 10% of the total
trailer package.
For example, if the trailer and its
load weigh 500 Ib (225 kg), the
tongue load should be
50 Ib (22.5 kg). Adjust the
trailer's cargo to change the
tongue load. Start by putting
approximately 60% of the cargo
toward the front and 40% toward
the rear. Never load the trailer so
the back is heavier than the
front. This takes weight off your
car's rear axle and reduces
traction.
The combined weight of the
car, all passengers and their
luggage, and tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating. The GVWR is
printed on the Certification
Label attached to the driver's
doorjamb (see page 176).
The combined weight of the
car, all passengers and their
luggage, and tongue load also
must not exceed the Gross
Axle Weight Rating. The GAWR
is also shown on the
Certification label. It tells you
the maximum load for the
front and rear axles. It is
Towing a Trailer
possible that your towing
package does not exceed the
GVWR but does exceed the
GAWR. Improper trailer
loading, and/or too much
luggage in the trunk can
overload the rear axle.
Redistribute the load, and
check the axle weights again.
Improperly loading your car and
trailer can seriously affect its
steering and braking
performance, causing a crash
in which you can be seriously
injured.
Check the loading of your car
and trailer carefully before
starting to drive.
Driving
continued