Part of my upgrade projects is to get a toad that I can flat tow. Horsing around with a tow dolly is starting to get ridiculous.
So.....
What bar system are you using and what do you like (and just as important) and dislike about it?
How do you handle toad breaking? What system along with likes/dislikes.
TIA
I am using Blue Ox and have a Roadmaster that I will be switching to as it has a higher rating. They are the two most often used tow bars. I am the minority on brake systems as I use Brake Buddy. I have been using it since we first started towing and it doesn't require any modifications when switching vehicles. We are on our 5th towed now since 1997 and have had the Brake Buddy rebuilt twice. The customer service is great you get to talk to a tech when you call. The optional monitor showing what the brake system is doing is worth buying. Most others will chime in with the more popular devices.
Moby. Ready Brute tow bar with built-in Ready Brake for towed braking. Very robust all in one package. Tow car just needs a cable installed to the brake pedal. No intrusion to coach or car braking systems, simple.
I have this setup and I think it's a great bang for your buck. The one thing I don't like is the exposed cable along the towbar that does the braking. One of the carabiners on it once got twisted/jammed up and unbeknownst to me, started pulling the brake when it shouldn't, right as I was to ascend Wolf Creek pass. Had my TPMS not alerted me to the high temps I surely would have lost my Jeep to a fire as we climbed that pass.
So if you choose this system, make sure the cable properly adjusted before each trip and do a visual inspection for the proper amount of slack in the cable when you stop.
I keep my Ready Brake pretty slack. I just need a towed brake for any person questioning do I have a towed brake.
I use Blue Ox tow bar and an Air Force 1 air brake. Start to finish I can have the Tahoe ready to go in about 5 minutes or so.
I have a friend we travel with all the time and he is buying a new vehicle every few months. He get the base plate installed but uses the brake buddy since he changes so often. If we stop for just a quick side trip we take the Tahoe since I can be unhooked and rehooked up so quick.
With the U225, lighter toad is BETTER.
Be sure to check your GCWR and subtract the loaded weight of the coach to determine max toad weight.
I use Roadmaster tow bar and Airforce one brake system.
10,000 lb rated steel Blue Ox tow bar, blue ox tow bar brackets on toad, and an Air Force 1 air brake. Plus a charge line to ensure toad battery always up.
Just installed the Blue Ox tow bar and baseplate with Roadmaster BrakeMaster braking system in our Buick.
Using the BX88269 Clear LED Tail Light Wiring Kit made the toads taillights much brighter than the diode system used
in the Chevy.
Jeep Wrangler, towed with Road Master All Terrain tow bar and Invisi-Brake braking system. Very happy with the set up and pretty easy to hook up and unhook.
I have the AFOne brake system and really like it. Had had a Roadmaster tow bar on my first jeep. One that used a ball hitch and the tow bar stowed on the front of the Jeep. I now have a Blue Ox 7500# aluminum tow bar that stows on the back of the motorhome.
Roadmaster - very easy to hitch/unhitch. Stowing on the front of the Jeep, it did bounce some when we hit a bump while driving. Very heavy for removing and installing. Required locking carabiner links to install, which need a set of pliers to tighten. Hitch/unhitch in 3-5 minutes.
Blue Ox (only towed once with it so far) - Aluminum bar is lighter and easier to handle. Stows on the coach but must be removed to open the engine compartment. Seems to take a couple minutes longer to hitch. But we'll get better with practice.
Rich
Blue Ox tow bar and M&G air brake. Never any issues with braking on 3 different Jeep wranglers over 300k miles
Yep...Blue Ox tow bar and M&G air braking system. Easy and never had an issue. Tow a Jeep Cherokee.
Dont forget about the emergency secondary brakes to set the toad brakes in the case of a failure KISS
Amazon.com: RS-5000 Ready Stop Break Away Device, Universal Flat-Towed... (https://www.amazon.com/RS-5000-Vehicle-Activated-Emergency-Breakaway/dp/B0BNJ1ZH13/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1M5WG06YTFE1E&keywords=ready%2Bbrake%2Bbreak%2Baway&qid=1692245869&sprefix=Ready%2Bbrake%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-2&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&th=1)
Roadmaster and air force one
Tow with 10K blue ox--have both AFone and roadmaster braking system. I had read a lot about AFone and decided to put it on the 3/4 ton truck instead of the roadmaster that I have on the cherokee. personally after using both, if I do another system I'll probably use the roadmaster. it seems easier to install for me! but as always. do what is best for your situation
Chris
Demco excali-bar, Demco tabless base plate, Demco Air-Force 1 towing a Jeep Wrangler.
On a side note, I stopped by Demco in Borden, IA a few weeks ago to service my tow bar. A couple years ago, I dragged it down the highway and damaged it pretty good. These guys serviced/rebuilt my towbar and replaced all the damaged parts while I ran out for breakfast. When I stopped back to pick up my now new towbar, I was shocked when they told me there was no charge. Thank you again Demco!
Roadmaster and M&G air brake. Towing a Jeep Wrangler.
I tow a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. Funny thing was I bought it several years even before I considered buying an RV, but thought that if I did buy an RV that would be a good choice for a toad.
I use a Roadmaster 10,000 lb tow bar the Air Force One braking system and a Roadmaster base plate.AlI self installed. I'm not too happy with the tow bar it doesn't always release easily. I'll get it rebuilt again this year at quartzsite. They rebuild it for free lifetime warranty.
My biggest issue is the electric cable from the coach to the jeep. I've had it drag several times so yesterday I had to shorten it after it dragged and removed insulation from the middle of the cable. Usually I wrap it around something that keeps it from falling down but I had hit some rough roads and that did not to the trick this time.
I see people pulling cars on dollies and even trailers and I think I would not want to have to deal with that.
I'm using a dolly now, and I'm sick of it. Moving it around on the ground was hard for this old back.
I got a trailer dolly from harbor freight this week and even my 12 yo grandson can move it around.
We started out with a dolly since at the time we had a front wheel drive car. after 2 years of dealing with that situation DW was ready for a new car so I told her she could have whatever she wanted as long as it was a 4 wheel drive with neutral in transfer case
she found the jeep cherokee so that is what we got. We had the in console switch and under hood fuse installed (on chryslers nickel ) and haven't had nay problems.
WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO A DOLLY!!! IN MY OPINION THAT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
Chris
Ready Brute here too. Simple, easy to install and effective.
Ready Brute Elite II RV Tow Bar With Integrated Supplemental Brake – NSA RV... (http://nsarvproducts.com/products/rv-tow-bar-ready-brute-elite-ii)
They will service at no charge either at their facility in Iola Kansas or if you prepay shipping to their location. Fast turnaround.
Blue Ox and M & G Braking system.
Eric
I have a 2024 Chev 2500HD Truck. I have been waiting for Blue Ox to come out with their baseplate for this truck. Since there did not show one for this truck I called and they told me that on July 10th they were getting a truck in and was going to build one for that truck and would take 6-8 weeks. I checked back with their "Customer Care Specialist" Rebekah shorty after July 10th and she told me they were designing the base plate. I sent her an email today checking up on the baseplate. I got an answer that said, "Jack as I stated before it will be around 6-8 weeks before the part number is released. Once we have that number they will update the web site" I emailed her back and asked if she was having a bad day and maybe she needed to get another job. I have been told Blue Ox charges when they go through a tow bar and that if it so many years old they tell you to buy a new one. I was going to also buy a new tow bar since the one I have is getting old. I just checked and Demco has a baseplate for my truck already and I was going to get a new tow bar anyway so maybe this is the way to go. I watched the video and it did not seam any harder to hook up then the Blue Ox.
Blue Ox and M & G Braking system. Towing a 4dr, 4wd F150 and a 2014 Chevy equinox.
Nick
We also have the Ready Brake system using the Hercules tow bar. Can tow anything I want and the Ready Brake is dirt simple. You slow down and it pulls on your brake pedal in the tow vehicle. No air, no electronics, dirt simple. Just make sure your cables are lined out correctly, as Elliott mentioned.
I had an RVi electronic braking system before and it was horrible. Waste of money. Constantly had issues with it. Keep it simple.
Kevin
I like a Toad braking system that doesn't brake the Toad unless I'm using the brake. I don't want
the brakes coming on in the Toad when I'm using the Jake or the retarder and the Airforce One
does that and it's simple to hook up when towing. I'm sure there is other systems that do the
same. If I'm towing a trailer I have it set up that the trailer brakes only come on when the brakes
are applied.
Roadmaster tow bar, our second. Our Brake Buddy has been used on five towds, over about 25 years!
Thanks, all for your comments & suggestions.
They were all very helpful.