[PaPaSteve]

I never usually mind folks killing themselves or their loved ones. Guess it's their right to die.
Shouldn't one consider the others on the road?
Exactly how many deaths happen on the road?
Is one accident too much? Yes.
I'd think with that kind of skill they'd follow safety?

Absolutely follow safety protocols and as a shop manager have taken many first aid + life saving classes etc.
I know my limits and stay well within them.
Never crashed a car, truck, fork lift or trailer for that matter.
Consider this :
Three aftermarket companies make hitches for the BOLT . . . have they read the manual ?
Do they have any responsibility ?

 

[Factoryhack]

Well no . . . I'm not a licensed structural engineer nor designed the car.
Since the early 1980's I have installed trailer hitches on a succession of front wheel drive cars and pulled light weight trailers with them.
Without going back and looking at the original factory specs for each one I'd guess they could have easily all said not to tow yet I have done many local and cross country trips.
Thing is, being a lifetime experienced maker, machinist, welder, fabricator with a shop full of tools including a 2 post car lift I am known to successfully do things like this and not give it a second thought.
First mod I did to our BOLT was install a hitch.
So have many other BOLT owners.
Here's a valid question,
are there any examples of catastrophic failures of BOLT's towing trailers ?

Installing a hitch on the Bolt is perfectly fine. GM even makes one for it. I will likely put one on my Bolt for my bike carrier.

It’s the towing part that’s the issue, which is a completely different animal than 120 lbs. of hitch and a a couple of bikes.

I’ve installed hitches on a couple of occasions on my passenger cars as well. I could have used a hand from you on the install for my Cadillac ATS coupe. That one was a challenge.

The thing that concerns me about the surety that “it’s ok” to tow a camper with a Bolt, is GM specifically says it’s not ok. It wasn’t designed for it and you shouldn’t do it.

If it was safe, and not mechanically detrimental to tow with the a Bolt, they’d say so specifically by publishing a max trailer weight and tongue weight, just like they do on the rest of their smaller vehicles.

The Bolt platform, being a ground up BEV design, is not like the rest of their ICE cars.

 

[MikeZ]

I wonder, do any of you folk wringing your hands about danger and liability ever drive over the speed limit? Build or use anything that’s not 100% to code? Ignore or postpone a safety recall? Smoke, drink alcohol, use any type of drug?

I believe there might be instances of all of those things harming people. But I can’t recall an instance of that due to someone towing with a Bolt.

 

[SpicyBolt]

I wonder, do any of you folk wringing your hands about danger and liability ever drive over the speed limit? Build or use anything that’s not 100% to code? Ignore or postpone a safety recall? Smoke, drink alcohol, use any type of drug?

I believe there might be instances of all of those things harming people. But I can’t recall an instance of that due to someone towing with a Bolt.

Fair points. It's a cost/ benefit analysis that ultimately is up to the OP. None of us are the trailer Police.

 

[Factoryhack]

I wonder, do any of you folk wringing your hands about danger and liability ever drive over the speed limit? Build or use anything that’s not 100% to code? Ignore or postpone a safety recall? Smoke, drink alcohol, use any type of drug?

I believe there might be instances of all of those things harming people. But I can’t recall an instance of that due to someone towing with a Bolt.

We're discussing a mechanical thing where the designers of that thing are specific about not doing something with that thing, not bad habits or vices.

As for not recalling an "incident" while towing with a Bolt, I would suspect people generally use common sense and use a suitable vehicle for towing a camper.

I've never seen or heard of a catastrophic event from someone towing with a '63 split window Corvette either, for that matter.

 

[Charles' Bolt]

Absolutely follow safety protocols and as a shop manager have taken many first aid + life saving classes etc.
I know my limits and stay well within them.
Never crashed a car, truck, fork lift or trailer for that matter.
Consider this :
Three aftermarket companies make hitches for the BOLT . . . have they read the manual ?
Do they have any responsibility ?

I have installed hitches on my non-towing compatible cars such as the Toyota Prius for non-towing purposes. The tow kits always include legal disclaimers to use the tow kit within factory specification. They do not need to read the manual. The factory specification is in the official manual written by Toyota or GM.

 

[MikeZ]

We're discussing a mechanical thing where the designers of that thing are specific about not doing something with that thing, not bad habits or vices.

Such "habits and vices" can and do expose people (including "innocents") to significant dangers. It seems a bit interesting that people could actively participate in these demonstrably hazardous "habits and vices," all while loudly proclaiming against an activity that could potentially expose others to danger - but of which we're yet to see any actual damaging outcomes.

As for not recalling an "incident" while towing with a Bolt, I would suspect people generally use common sense and use a suitable vehicle for towing a camper.

Well, many others on this forum have used their Bolts to tow, including myself (though, in truth, only a light utility trailer, locally at low speeds).

I've never seen or heard of a catastrophic event from someone towing with a '63 split window Corvette either, for that matter.

Then by all means, let's all proclaim how dangerous it is...

EDIT: For what it's worth, I just wandered over to a Corvette forum ,and looked up towing. There are discussions there with exactly the same type of arguments. As well as pictures of people towing with their Vettes...

 

[LittleBlue2-2]

5th wheel might be a better option. Takes the weight off the back and moves it further forward. . . . . .

 

[jimmarako]

5th wheel might be a better option. Takes the weight off the back and moves it further forward. . . . . .

Not a bag idea. See if you can find one of these and revive a 50 year old concept.

 

[nancyanies]

We're looking at small camper trailers and are currently looking at a used 13' Scamp to pair with our 2017 Bolt Premier. I figured I'd write up a short post just to outline "what we've thought of so far" so that folks with more direct experience with towing / Scamps might be able to offer advice (saw references to @jmcbrew and @SpicyBolt having towed Scamps in the past).

• 2 adults, 2 kids, doing local in-state car camping trips
• We've got a 2" Torklift Ecohitch installed
• We're getting a 7-pin connector installed next week (figured I'd pay someone who's done it before vs. DIY mostly for the added fun of running the 12v from the front of the car)
• Installing Airlift 1000 airbags (60909) in the rear suspension tomorrow with my neighbor to help with suspension sag
• No trailer brake controller yet. The Scamp we're looking at has electric brakes but they are not connected at the moment; figure one trip being conservative is probably OK given it weighs 900ish dry and the Bolt starts around 3500lb...
• Yep, I know this will knock our efficiency down to the 2-3mi/kWh range depending on speed, elevation, and weather, and we'll have to carefully pick DCFC locations if we want to avoid disconnecting to plug in.

I haven't picked a ball mount yet, but that's an obvious "do not pass go do not collect $200" before we hook anything up. The Scamp isn't in the same city as our home, so I'm thinking that means I need to buy or borrow an adjustable ball hitch, or carefully try to measure my existing hitch height / ask for ball height measurements on the Scamp when level, to estimate the needed amount of rise. Is that about right?

Curious to hear what I may be missing, as this is our first foray into towing. Hitches have been great for bike rack usage the last few years, but towing is a next level endeavor.

I tow a MeerKat with my Bolt EUV. Easy. Yes, trailer hitch height is important. You seem entirely on the right track and thinking things through. My efficiency dropped to 2.3 mi/kw. Drive slowly and give yourself room for errors and braking, and you should be OK.

 

[jefro]

 

[ClarDold]

We're looking at small camper trailers and are currently looking at a used 13' Scamp to pair with our 2017 Bolt Premier.

Just get a real tow vehicle and put your EV on sideways, in front of the boat.

(Sorry about the taco truck in the background. I was having a hard time getting everything into the picture as he drove by.)

 

[MikeZ]

(Sorry about the taco truck in the background. I was having trucks getting everything into the picture as he drove by.)

Darn! I thought they were also towing a taco truck!

And you know what? Why not! I need a setup like that to tow behind my Bolt.

 

[jefro]

Those carnival people!

 

[PaPaSteve]

We're looking at small camper trailers and are currently looking at a used 13' Scamp to pair with our 2017 Bolt Premier. I figured I'd write up a short post just to outline "what we've thought of so far" so that folks with more direct experience with towing / Scamps might be able to offer advice (saw references to @jmcbrew and @SpicyBolt having towed Scamps in the past).

• 2 adults, 2 kids, doing local in-state car camping trips
• We've got a 2" Torklift Ecohitch installed
• We're getting a 7-pin connector installed next week (figured I'd pay someone who's done it before vs. DIY mostly for the added fun of running the 12v from the front of the car)
• Installing Airlift 1000 airbags (60909) in the rear suspension tomorrow with my neighbor to help with suspension sag
• No trailer brake controller yet. The Scamp we're looking at has electric brakes but they are not connected at the moment; figure one trip being conservative is probably OK given it weighs 900ish dry and the Bolt starts around 3500lb...
• Yep, I know this will knock our efficiency down to the 2-3mi/kWh range depending on speed, elevation, and weather, and we'll have to carefully pick DCFC locations if we want to avoid disconnecting to plug in.

I haven't picked a ball mount yet, but that's an obvious "do not pass go do not collect $200" before we hook anything up. The Scamp isn't in the same city as our home, so I'm thinking that means I need to buy or borrow an adjustable ball hitch, or carefully try to measure my existing hitch height / ask for ball height measurements on the Scamp when level, to estimate the needed amount of rise. Is that about right?

Curious to hear what I may be missing, as this is our first foray into towing. Hitches have been great for bike rack usage the last few years, but towing is a next level endeavor.

Something we’ve learned restoring vintage trailers is check the manufacturing date on the tires. Rule of thumb is 7 years but if the tire has been sitting flat for awhile the casing could be damaged. Tread might look fine but age and internal condition is not. Also before running lots of miles ~ pull the hubs and check, regrease the bearings.

 

[Factoryhack]

Such "habits and vices" can and do expose people (including "innocents") to significant dangers. It seems a bit interesting that people could actively participate in these demonstrably hazardous "habits and vices," all while loudly proclaiming against an activity that could potentially expose others to danger - but of which we're yet to see any actual damaging outcomes.


Well, many others on this forum have used their Bolts to tow, including myself (though, in truth, only a light utility trailer, locally at low speeds).


Then by all means, let's all proclaim how dangerous it is...

EDIT: For what it's worth, I just wandered over to a Corvette forum ,and looked up towing. There are discussions there with exactly the same type of arguments. As well as pictures of people towing with their Vettes...

Come to think of it, a '63 Corvette would be a much better row vehicle than the Bolt. Body on frame construction, stout 327 small block, Muncie 4-speed, 4 wheel disc brakes, sophisticated (for the time) independent rear suspension, etc. If you added an extra leaf or two to the mono spring, installed air shocks, and upgraded the radiator, you could probably pull a twin axle Airstream up Pike's Peak with no problem.

 

[MikeZ]

Come to think of it, a '63 Corvette would be a much better row vehicle than the Bolt. Body on frame construction, stout 327 small block, Muncie 4-speed, 4 wheel disc brakes, sophisticated (for the time) independent rear suspension, etc. If you added an extra leaf or two to the mono spring, installed air shocks, and upgraded the radiator, you could probably pull a twin axle Airstream up Pike's Peak with no problem.

And the tow rating?

 

[Factoryhack]

And the tow rating?

Dude, if you want to tow “a light utility trailer, locally at low speeds” nobody here is going to stop you. It isn’t that big of a deal.

The OP’s situation is different in that they want to pack up the family with all their gear and presumably travel some distance towing a 1,000 lb, camper with no trailer brakes in a car not designed at all for towing, as is expressly stated in the owner’s manual.

The guy needs an Equinox, or Impala, or virtually anything else that has a light tow rating.

I have absolutely no idea what GM’s technical reasons are for not allowing towing with the Bolt, but I fully expect they know what they’re doing since they designed and built the car.

Feel free to disagree with GM all you want.

I’m not sure what kind of answer the OP was expecting from the forum, but it’s a terrible idea on several levels and they should know that it exposes them to some serious risk, financially, legally, and safety wise, etc.

Full disclosure, in my prior life, I worked for a rival car manufacturer and spent a fair amount of time teaching dealership personnel how to educate customers to keep them from doing stupid things with towing or overloading their vehicles.

So, my perspective is going to be a lot different than the average Joe on the forum.

As for Corvettes and towing, well, that’s an interesting question. I’ve owned a couple Vettes over the years and wondered the same thing.

Some of them really are designed to tow. The C2’s followed the general GM edict of 1,000 lb. max trailer weight and 100 lbs. tongue weight, unless otherwise specified.

The C3, (‘68-‘81) which is essentially a reskinned C2, actually did have a factory tow package available, option code ZN1, available later in the series run (‘77-‘81).

Believe it or not, max trailer weight was 4,000 lbs. with a tongue weight of 500 lbs. It’s published in the 1977 Chevrolet trailering guide.

Crazy but true.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

5th wheel might be a better option. Takes the weight off the back and moves it further forward. . . . . .

A little bit of the tail wagging the dog there, but I thought about doing a hitch on my Bolt just to put a pintle hitch adapter on it and watch the expressions...............

 

[Pvillerob]

I wouldn't even CONSIDER towing a trailer like that!!! I tow a small utility trailer with a GO Kart on it, with the Bolt, no problem. But I tried towing a rental log splitter once (big one) and the car did NOT like it AT ALL going up the hills I have to travel. Want to tow a camping trailer? BUY A TOW VEHICLE!