My husband wanted me to ask a question since the Freaks seem to be in the know...

What is the possible damage from hauling over the 850lb hauling capacity on the fit?

He was just wondering since neither he nor I are lightweights, neither is his Mom (figure 200lbs+ a piece on people alone for at least 650lbs) then adding full luggage, etc. especially around Christmas time, when we make the trek from S. Cal climbing over the Cajon Pass to Vegas to visit family members.

 

i thought it was 1000 pounds?...

 

The max load is 850 lbs

Just for fun-
the Civic, Accord, CR-V, are all 850 too. Odd yes, but the Element is even more odd at only 675???? (all from Consumer Reports '07 summer guide btw)

It has more to do with safety initially I believe than actual damage. The car will be far more sluggish when at max with acceleration and quick manuevering. And braking will take noticeably longer.

The struts might get worn out sooner if over loaded for long periods of time, and you may bottom out more which could possibly add to some slight body and undercarraige issues. And there are many more.

I have had two co-workers that have flattened their leaf springs in their trucks from continually over loading them.

 

Just use common sense and take proper precautions and you should be fine. Ok maybe a bit annoyed with the acceleration but who wants to haul butt with parents in the vehicle?

 

[quote=SmurFit;268084]My husband wanted me to ask a question since the Freaks seem to be in the know...

What is the possible damage from hauling over the 850lb hauling capacity on the fit?

The problem with increased weight in the rear is the instability it causes in handling. Remember that 850 lb is for both front and back seats total. Loading 500 pounds in the rear is changing the weight distribution drastically.

I routinely carry heavy loads, big people and heavy equipment, and the first time I did in my Fit nearly caused heart failure. Not only was handling royally degraded but the ride was terrible; felt like it was running on the bump stops with no shocks at all.
Cured the problem by exchanging rear shocks with Monroe AirLifts MA811 (meant for 92 Cavalier) to handle the extra weight Works great. The AirLifts fit virtually directly; the only issue was adding washers on the lower bushing bolt because the Fit yoke is wider than the Airlift bushing.
Oh, and make sure you put tire pressures at max.
Good luck.
PS the cost of MA811's is maybe $80 plus install.Refer to posts on 'new design for rear shocks '. Several have now done this easy conversion with equally good results. cheers.

 

850 lbs is a number relative to what your carrying inside of the fit.
the owners manual warns heavily against towing with the fit.
"Your vehicle is not designed to tow a trailer; Attempting to do so can void your warranties"

yeah. wouldn't do it with a prius either

 

Hi everybody. My first post here. I'm living and working in the UK, but will be coming back home in a few months. So, I need to buy a couple of new cars...one of which is likely to be a new (or newer) Honda Fit. Anyway, even though the title of this thread is hauling capacity, it seems to have adopted more of a "towing capacity" flavor. To that end....I've been researching Honda Fits quite a bit lately, and can tell you that people tow all sort of stuff with their Honda Jazz's here in the UK. In fact, it was one of the first things I noticed when I moved here....that being; people towed stuff with small cars. And I'm not just talking about a little utility trailers either...but actual campers (called caravans here). Anyway, according the the Honda brochure the Jazz, it is rated for the following towing capacities;

Max towing weight with trailer brakes = 1000kg (2204.6 lbs)
Max towing weight without trailer brakes = 450kg (992.08 lbs)
Max trailer nose (tongue) weight = 70kg (154.32 lbs)

So, while the owner's manual says that the Fit is not designed for it, the very same model (with a lesser motor mind you) here in the UK is indeed designed for it.

Regards, Toolman_Johnny

 

Welcome first poster!
Thanks for the info from across the pond. Looks like Honda is doing a bit of cya in the litigious USA.

 

In the U.S. manual it has towing capacities too. With the same poundage if I remember correctly.
The "without trailer brakes" number, 900 lbs, is what I remember reading about the Fit's capacity. The manual also says though that it will void your warranty if you do tow.

 

HEADS UP
The American Fit has a drastically different axle, suspension, and brake setup as we discovered while researching substituting Euro-Asian disc brakes so Johnny's information doesn't apply. Lawyers in the USA probably had something also to do with Honda not recommending towing, too.

 

The newbie stands corrected. Thanks. I do find it odd that they have a "drastically" different setup. And I suppose "different" doesn't necessarily mean better/stronger. Of course, Honda does so many different things in so many different countries that I can't say that it suprises me. Just seems like an expensive way to manufacture...by not reusing what works elsewhere.

As some of the comments suggest, I'd almost bet the farm that the differences are a result of different rules/regulations in the different markets. I'm sure Honda would love to be able to replicate successful products across all of their markets. As we all become more global in the ways that we behave, work, and consume products, I can't help but think that perhaps someday, rules and regualtions will become more global too. One can dream, right?

As an aside, I sure wish there were as many diesel options available in the US as there are here (UK). I'd say over 60% of the vehicles on the road here are diesel...and clean burning diesel...not the noisy black smoke huffing rigs our parents/grand parents had available to them. But I digress.

Cheers all, Johnny

 

I agree...it is insane that we don't have diesel options. But now diesel is a full $1 per gallon. Also, it is harder to find....we have maybe one pump per station. If a lot of people had diesels here, it might be tough to get to that single pump.

I think diesels have a bad connotation here because a lot of people remember the hunks of crap that came out of Detroit in the early to mid 80's. They took a gas V8 that wasn't a very good engine to begin with, and modified it make it a diesel. They were pretty much crap, and even people that didn't have a lot of trouble with them would be hard pressed to think that a 1982 Olds Cutlass Sedan was a very good car anyway.

All that aside, if I could get a Fit diesel, I probably would buy it. The new diesels are sweet, and the increase in mileage is well worth the $1 more per gallon.

 

Never intended to hi-jakc this thread and take it off topic like this. So couple last comments here, and I'll bow out.

Agree that infrastructure (number of pumps at stations) would need to change, but that's pretty minor stuff. And I guess it depends what are of the country you're in, as diesel is readily available back wher I'm from (midwest/Chicago region)

Just be glad you're not here in the UK where fuel is averaging £1.17/liter right now. That's almost $10/gallon. So, while you may think it's expensive in the US, rest assured that the US still enjoys some of the cheapest gasoline/diesel in the world.

 

Toolman: different backplates, different axle bolt sizes and patterns, different hubs, discs instead of drums,and of course different hydraulic and parking brake connections What do all those cost where you are?
Next week we install that on my car and a complete ordered 'kit' for customer (we thought the kit would be quicker).

 

It's hard to believe the FIT can tow anything at all being it has very limited power and being so light.
The brakes would scare me as well.....rear drums...dunno about that.
I am sure it is alot of strain on the lil' 1.5L single cam as well. It just seems more dangerous for yourself and other on the road. That's my 2.5 cents...lol

tonyd

 

My Samurai had a smaller engine than the US Fit and rear drum brakes. It came with a 2" receiver hitch and could tow light items.

 

Hey Rob-
I am certainly not saying that it cannot be done....by all means go right ahead....I just do not think it is the best option. My FIT is a dog going up freeway inclines and I have a header back exhaust with n cai and it still lacks alot....now I am going to lugg 900 extra pounds....not so sure. Again this is my 2.5 cents..lol

tonyd

 

Understand. I never actually used the Samurai to tow anything but the owner's manual gave all the particulars - total weight, tongue weight, guidelines for braking, max speed etc. It wasn't much, I think 500 lbs total weight or less.

 

The Samurai had a much beffier chassis than the Fit. Its chassis strength that has to be addressed as well as suspension, brakes, wheels and tires.
looking under ny Fit I can see where a loaded trailer could twist that sucker like a pretzel. I did tow my 200Lb yard trailer just to see what happens with a 200 lb load but thats all I would try again.