Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Electric Tow Hitch opinions (Read 761 times) previous topic - next topic

Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Anyone have any thoughts, experiences or opinions on this Electric Tow Hitch?

Using the Electric Tow Hitch
Fiddler
1959 Parris Island grad
40' 2001 U320 Build 5875
1999 Suburban K1500 toad
1986 Corvette Pacecar
ssoftail@comcast.net

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #1 –
Electric Tow Hitch

Retail $2,400.00.  Great idea if you can't 4 wheel down tow and dislike car dolly.  Price includes installation.  FWIW
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #2 –
There have to be some healthy attachments to the front suspension, potentially using up ground clearance.  It can't be good for the ball joints to have to support the hanging wheel assemblies long term.  To compare to the coach hitch weight spec you'd have increase the car front axle load to account for the cantilever hitch arm.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #3 –
Looks like a lot of weight added to the rear of your coach.  This would be a negative to me.
Tks DAN
Dan & Shirley Stansel
2002 U295 4020 AGDS Build#6054
Towing Buick Enclave & M &  G Braking
Emerald Bay, Lake Palestine, Texas
MC# 16650

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #4 –
The Electric Tow Hitch only takes a few days to install — typically three for the car and one for the coach.  Feel free to get in touch so we can offer you a better estimate once we know the particulars


Sent them an email asking questions. Will post when I get an answer back.
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #5 –
Thought: My first reaction was that the hitch would put a LOT of weight on the back of the coach. That issue is addressed in the FAQ section on the company's web site. The RAV4 weights 2850#. The tongue weight is 450#. They adjust tongue weight by adjusting the length of the lever ("stinger"). The weight of the car has to be carried somewhere. In their example, 450# tongue weight leaves 2450# to be carried by the rear axle of the RAV4. I would be concerned about the weight that is shifted to the rear tires and axle.

I ran some comparison numbers on our Jeep. The Jeep weighs 4180#, fueled up, but unloaded (measured on Cat scales). The maximum rated capacity each tire is 2028#. If I put 450# on the tongue of the Electric Tow Hitch, that would leave 3730# on the rear axle. The load on each tire would be 1865#. That is within specifications, but almost twice the normal load on the tires.

Please correct my numbers and logic in case I have improperly analyzed the levers and weights.

Opinion: It would be nice to be able to back up with the towed vehicle in place. I think I'll stick with "four down" that is the choice of most folk who have successfully towed vehicles for a long time.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #6 –
Try going across a dip like when leaving a gas station, when towed car front wheels would hit the ground. Tow car wants to go one way and motorhome the other way. Tire, suspension shops endorse this device as it brings them new business.

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #7 –
                   The thing that got my attention is , the massive amount of coach behind the rear axle .Next thing , this is going to see saw weight off the steering axle and the rear is sagging with this set up , compared to no load . Nothing makes sense to me with this set up .My degree is in FFA and the 4H oh yea the PTA
Brad Metzger
2010 Phenix 45'

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #8 –
Received an answer from "Greg" ..."you can go to our updated website Electric Tow Hitch and look at the new video and Frequently Asked Questions for more information."

Personally, I wouldn't even think for a minute about using this system...Way to many negatives and nothing positive.
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #9 –
Tongue weight rating?
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #10 –
Guess I don't get the lack of tongue weight being transferred to the coach hitch.  Said to be only 450#.  But from years in boating, and trailering, and common math I don't see how those numbers can be correct.  If a car weighs 2850#, about half or so is on the front axle.  You have to pick up the front of the car, that is half the weight maybe.  Only by increasing the angle to nearly vertical would you be able to ever increase the rear axle's weight, onto the toad.  And the lifting hitch and rear axle has be be loading the coach's rear axle.  In the video, my first thoughts as the coach drove away was the rear axle sag, and in the long shot, the front of the coach looks raised.

Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Dave and Dolly Cobb –
Guess I don't get the lack of tongue weight being transferred to the coach hitch.  ...
It's the old "lever trick." To lift the car at the front axle, you would pick up half (or more) of the weight. It depends on the distribution of weight in the car under static conditions. If you attach a lever under the front of the car and lift from five feet in front of the front bumper, the end of the lever carries much less load than the "normal" load on the front axle. Load would be shifted to the rear wheels of the car, which serve as the fulcrum. The farther the lift point is from the fulcrum, the more the load is transferred to the fulcrum.

The lever action also works on the coach. If you add 450# of weight to the rear of the coach, it will add more than 450# to the load on the rear axle. It will remove load from the front axle. For the coach, the rear wheels are the fulcrum, the end of the "lever" is the hitch. Weight on the hitch removes load from the front wheels and adds load to the rear wheels.

The design of the Electric Tow Hitch shifts weight among the axles of the entire rig. The shifts in load should be considered before installing such a device. All of the axle weights should be measured before and after installation to verify that loads are within safe ranges.

Towing "four down" would cause a negligible change in axle loads for the coach or towed vehicle.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Electric Tow Hitch opinions

Reply #12 –
I agree about hitch weight - most vehicles have the engine/tranny up front.  So more than half the weight of the toad on the back of the coach - not ideal to say the least.  I can't imagine it just inserting into the receiver of the coach- seems like it would need more structure than that.
Looks like it would be real difficult to get the hitch over the ball - no side to side play like you have with a traditional two arm telescopic tow bar.  And the rear of the car looks like it might bottom out on dips as well.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho