Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

Toad Dilemma

July 05, 2012, 04:09:24 pm

I'm about to pull the trigger on a toad for my 92 U240.  I'd like input from anyone who has or used to have this era of coach.  My dilemma is that at 250 horsepower I really don't want to be pulling a heavy vehicle.  Plus I don't think this is good for the old Roloks (so far they torque out ok).  I'd really like to avoid the supplemental braking also.  I'm about to buy the base plate and tow bars from someone who used to have a mid 90's Tracker for $200 and there are a few Trackers in the $2000 range locally that I'm looking at.  My other option is to sell our XL-7 2WD and buy one a little newer with 4WD (or similar VUE or something else).  They wife insists on SUV but won't trade down to the Tracker as her primary transportation (I have a company truck).  I already have the XL-7, the daughter's car, the coach and my classic Falcon to insure and maintain and the idea of another vehicle isn't all that appealing.  Having said that, the idea of a toad that I can get into on the cheap and then someday be able to sell both together as a unit and increase the combined value of each by a little bit is appealing.  Anyone "been there...done that" who would like to offer their $.02, I'd like to hear it.

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #1 – July 05, 2012, 05:32:56 pm

When we bought the 225 we towed our Toyota Avalon on a dolly, 1,200 miles or so. That was about 4,000 pounds. Didn't really notice it being back there. We ended up towing a Subaru Legacy (AWD wagon) four down. It weighed 3,400 pounds. No prob. Didn't have braking on either toad. Just an exhaust brake on the coach. Used to tow a Samarai on a Class C. Loved that little car. You've got a lot better setup with your Cat engine so I don't see where you'll have any problem. I'd love to see that Falcon behind your 225!
jor

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #2 – July 05, 2012, 06:46:42 pm

Funny you say that as Remco has a special order set-up for their drive shaft disconnect for a 65 Mustang automatic (C4) whereas my 63 Falcon is essentially the same car except with different sheet metal and the Fordomatic 2 speed.  It would probably work.  But I don't think I want to subject this car to that.  I really like the idea of the little Tracker so I'm leaning in that direction but just replacing our primary transportation makes more sense.

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #3 – July 05, 2012, 06:48:52 pm

Besides there would be a color clash..

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #4 – July 05, 2012, 06:53:16 pm

Gosh that is one ugly color, perhaps I can take it so you would not have to look at it.  ;-)


Really cute!

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #5 – July 05, 2012, 06:59:21 pm

We do tow an HHR by Chev.  Great tow vehicle.  Tks DAN

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #6 – July 05, 2012, 07:33:22 pm

?Futura with 260 V8?

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #7 – July 05, 2012, 07:44:40 pm

I'm faced with the same dilemma, in my case a F350 diesel dually 4x4 which I have to have to pull boats with and my wife's pristine 2000 model BMW Z3 roadster with 20K miles on it.  One I can't pull, the other I wouldn't as I can see it being a hard life being dragged down the road.  In addition, if we take my wife's toy I want one too....a bike or an atv. 

The solution is looking like an aluminum framed, covered, tilt bed lightweight torsion axle trailer, to fit the beemer like a glove.  The bike/atv will possibly go on top, over where the hood of the car is, possibly behind the car in the trailer. The goal here is lightest weight,  lowest profile, shortest trailer possible with backupability.  Some design challenges here but a 14' trailer will work. I'd like to do it with single axle, outboard wheels and with shocks. 

Another project but aluminum is easy stuff.  It'd be a conversation piece for sure.  I don't want to own another car and the more I hear about tow bars the less I like em.  Plus this will make a garage for the little speedster.

EDIT

I'm been known to fall in love with a concept such as the one detailed above, and overlook a very important, hard learned rule.  In this case, it's "don't discount the consensus of many Foretravelers more experienced than myself."  The trailer would be great except when we pull into one of the smaller campsites that we favor above commercial spots.  If we're towing a car it would be easy enough to unhook, drive around, find a site and park it out of the way.  Unloading a car from a trailer, unhitching the trailer to back in, not so much.  I'm now looking for a Tracker, Sidekick, Toyota 4x4 truck. 

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #8 – July 05, 2012, 09:49:04 pm

Towed a Subaru Sidekick then changed to what we pull now a chev Tracker 2001. Fine for what a toad is for to go shopping and see sights. Would never pull a truck or new car I think that is  a waste of a lot of money for what? IMHO
John h

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #9 – July 05, 2012, 10:52:07 pm

 Hi Dwayne, here's my 2 cents worth.
I have the same basic 250 H.P coach. I have towed  3 Diffrent Vehicles behind me in the last year. All on a dolly which has electric brakes, and have never had an Issue with having enough power to do it. I pulled my daughters 2011 F-150 4 door pickup from Albuquerque to Austin about 700 Miles with no problem. On the return trip home we pulled a 2007 Ford Escort for a friend. My wife and I just finished a 500 plus mile trip through the  southern Colorado mountins with no problems pulling our 89 Jeep Cherokee.

Respectfully, Mitch Sayer

Quote Selected

Re: Toad Dilemma

Reply #10 – July 05, 2012, 11:33:26 pm

Brett, You're very close...it is a Sprint with the standard 260 V8, which was the same as the Futura with the optional V8 except for different badges and chrome air cleaner cover, oil fill cap, valve covers and PS pump top.  Either car is essentially the same as the first Mustang except for the sheet metal and transmission.  I love telling the Mustang guys that the Falcon Sprint was the first pony...pony car.  Always goes over well.  This car was Lee Iacocca's conversion of Ford's economy car into something sportier until he could revamp it into the Mustang after taking over at Ford.  The sporty V8 Falcon with convertible option in the original body style was only available for one model year: 63 1/2 so it is kind of rare (though it really isn't valued as such).  The Mustang was introduced as a 64 1/2 and was the most successful American car ever introduced...so there are a million of them.  IMO, Ford also made the biggest blunder in automotive history but it wasn't the Edsel.  It was failing to stick with the original Thunderbird and competing with the Corvette from 55 through the present.  As for the toad...going with the little Tracker and just keeping it paired with the coach seems to be the right choice for me. 

Quote Selected