The image above is an example of a compact vehicle towing a teardrop trailer. It is paramount that you be cautious when loading cargo into the trailer, distributing the load as evenly as possible. Too much tongue weight (downward force on the hitch) will compromise steering the vehicle, and cause loss of control. Too much weight on the back of the trailer will cause the hitch to raise, which will compromise rear traction, which may result in a fishtail--a scenario that can cause a major accident. Make sure you balanced your load; portable vehicle scales, or visiting a scale for a small fee will be well worth the peace of mind.
The image above is very standard in my personal experience. I have used this rig for over 90% of my travels with great success. Relatively speaking--such is to say that I wasn't very prudent in my younger years, when it came to weight consideration. Three things of note happened as a result of overloading my vehicle with this rig type.
- The shocks eventually went flat, and my car was a bumpy ride. It would have cost me roughly $400 to replace them all, so I rode it out until the end, so to speak.
- The brakes would routinely overheat, which caused warped rotors and a bounce brake pedal. Being handy with mechanics, I simply changed out the damaged parts after my trip. Braking wasn't necessarily compromised, I could slow down and stop, but at the cost of annoyance with each brake depression.
- Near the end of my car's life, I noticed the piston rings beginning to fail; and I suspected that it was because of how hard I pushed the engine with overloaded cargo. I also had to replace a transmission solenoid, which I also imagined was a result of the same.
Keep your heavy cargo close to the floor and near the middle of the vehicle. Light and/or bulky items may go into the roof carrier. There are weight ratings for them, as well as your vehicle's manufacturer. Educate yourself appropriately.
I found this to be noteworthy, because this option will remove the need for a roof carrier, which is much less fuel efficient. This trailer rides in the downdraft behind the vehicle, practically imparting a near zero cost to haul. Load it accordingly, of course.
I always thought this would be a clever fix, however you want to ensure that the carrier is firmly secured to the trailer. I would suggest using heavy duty ratchet straps. The other concern I have about this rig, is the speed rating for this trailer. Based on the frail design, I would presume it has a speed rating around 45MPH. I wouldn't feel comfortable sticking the odometer at 55 for thousands of miles with this in tow. It might be good for a back-roads, scenic road trip, where the road speeds are slow anyway.
This is a much nicer version of the roof carrier I have. Mine doesn't have the prop rods or hinges. This one even has a key and lock. I ratchet strapped mine to the roof, and "locked" it with screws in the lip all the way around. Worked like a charm--but I highly recommend getting something like this pictured above instead! They are generally the most cost effective storage option. You pay extra for it in the loss in fuel economy. It's not severe, but you will notice the fuel gauge taking a dive with the added weight, and the added wind resistance. My favorite trips were when I didn't have to use a cargo carrier, very leisurely, and cost effective. The bigger the rig, and the heavier the load you're hauling, the more stressful the drive. Trust me, I was a short-lived cross country trucker. Even if you love to travel, that still might not be the job for you--but that's a conversation for another time.