Towing with a lift kit.

Hey all, so I've been running a 3" lift kit for a while now, but recently had a friend of mine buy a miata and needed help towing it back to his place, im just wondering how the lift would affect the towing? car and trailer only weigh about 4,000lb.

 

That depends on a few key things.
The height of the trailer tongue, the trailer tongue weight, and the weight distribution of the trailer.

Take it slow, use a proper drop hitch mount.
You should be fine.

 

What lift are you running for the rear?

You're going to need a brake controller unless the trailer has surge brakes. For a 4,000lb trailer there should be 400-600lbs of tongue weight so you're going to want to use a weight distribution hitch.

I have a 2ish inch lift and tow a 5,500lb travel trailer with a 650lb tongue weight. I use a weight distribution hitch and it sits nice and level. The truck handles better than stock but I replaced the rear leaf springs and I'm running fox shocks.

 

I don’t think you’re talking about towing more than a 18’ fiberglass bay boat. I do it all the time, shouldn’t be a problem.

 

Also pay attention to the hitch ratings for the drop you plan to buy. Not the receiver ratings (which of course are important as well), but the hitch ratings, where the ball is mounted. They will be stamped into the metal. Watch your tongue weight especially. In many cases that's the rating people overlook and what gets them into big trouble. Oftentimes staying within or exceeding that rating (or even causing lift -- a very dangerous condition) is a function of where the load is sitting on the trailer.

 

Dragging that much weight behind you is seriously going to increase your stopping distances. Even with trailer brakes. I wouldn't tow that much weight without brakes on the trailer.

That being said, keeping the trailer level when hooked up to the truck is just as important imo.

For the sake of argument, you're rolling along on the highway and need to brake hard... Without trailer brakes, that weight is going to keep pushing forward and push down on the hitch as you're braking. Thereby taking weight off the front wheels and making it harder to steer should an evasive maneuver need to be made.

Edit: I really gotta proofread more. Lol

 

I got no idea, I got a 4 banger and we don't tow shit. But for some reason I got a directed advertisement recently about 'bulletproof' brand hitches that are made for lifted trucks, so they can lower the hitch mount point.
Maybe that is of interest to you.

as people have mentioned, a brake controller is very very very nice to have.