Toads

Topic: Toads (Read 2991 times) previous topic - next topic

Toads

September 13, 2018, 01:22:04 pm

Long story (more details to follow) but I'm looking at new toads.
Question:
1) is there a web site or spread sheet that tells which new/used vehicles can be towed (either flat or on a dolly)
2) Advantages for BOTH flat and dolly tow.

Out shopping for a new car now, will check in later.
WE HATE NEW CAR SHOPPING.

Re: Toads

Reply #1 – September 13, 2018, 01:27:08 pm

Here you go:

Downloadable Dinghy Towing Guides | MotorHome Magazine

Change 2018 in link for other years.

Keith

Re: Toads

Reply #2 – September 13, 2018, 01:38:58 pm

Remco is another excellent resource. Enter the vehicle info - find out IF it can be towed 4 down, and if so what equipment is required.

Store : Remco

Re: Toads

Reply #3 – September 13, 2018, 02:08:13 pm

From my perspective of living full time on the road for 11 years and having a motorhome since 1999, 4 wheels flat towing is the best and easiest way to go. No need to store a trailer or tow dolly or lock them up so no one steals them, etc. With a good towing system you can hook up, check, and be on the road in 10 minutes ( taking time for second walk around, senior moments you know).

We are towing a 2013 Subaru Outback Premium with 6 speed manual transmission ( must be manual due to full time all wheel drive). Only other way to take a Subaru is 4 wheels up on a trailer.

We chose our toad because it is our only car so we wanted comfort, higher ground clearance, ease of getting in and out, 30+ mpg, full time all wheel drive.

Pick your toad based on your needs and wants and figure out a towing system that works for you.

Good luck with your shopping-

Re: Toads

Reply #4 – September 13, 2018, 02:28:47 pm

Blue Ox appears to be the most popular for equipment.
DW CAN NOT assist in hooking up road, so can I hook up a bar alone? She can guide but not lift.

Re: Toads

Reply #5 – September 13, 2018, 02:37:10 pm

Have not used Blue Ox, only Roadmaster.

But, if any of the newer generation hitches, they are an easy one person job.

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Reply #6 – September 13, 2018, 02:37:46 pm

We have a ReadyBrute tow bar with Blue Ox base plates on the Cherokee. The braking system in integrated into the towbar. Very easy to connect, simple and no brakeing stuff inside the Cherokee and no modification to the coach. Towing flat os how we have done it since the 1970s. We can connect or disconnect in five minutes or so. We double check each other every time and the lighting too. Easy enough to do for one.

ReadyBrute™ Elite RV Tow Bar

We had a Jeep Wrangler, these are very popular tow vehicles. We sold ours and got a Cherokee as a toad and daily driver. Almost as capable, much more comfortable and quieter, better fuel economy - better for us.

Re: Toads

Reply #7 – September 13, 2018, 02:39:15 pm

That should not be a problem

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Reply #8 – September 13, 2018, 02:43:17 pm

Quote from: Keith and Joyce – September 13, 2018, 01:27:08 pm

Here you go:

Downloadable Dinghy Towing Guides | MotorHome Magazine

Change 2018 in link for other years.

Keith

Exactly what I needed
Thanks

Re: Toads

Reply #9 – September 13, 2018, 04:25:50 pm

For a number of years we towed a Suzuki Grand Vitara, excellent car, but they are getting old now. We now have a '06 Jeep Liberty 4x4 which tows great but isn't good for fuel mileage. A friend tried towing his 2010 Ford Escape, only to have the transmission burn up (according to the owner's manual, it was towable).

As for braking, many states require an auxiliary braking system. We recently added the Air Force 1 system; expensive, but only requires an air hose to hook up. We were never stopped previously, and could continue to get away with out it, but if we were ever involved in a fender bender (or worse) where we ran into someone, the insurance would likely not cover us.

Re: Toads

Reply #10 – September 13, 2018, 06:02:14 pm

Jo Ann drives the car up to the coach. I direct her into position as needed, then I hook up the car. When the two Blue Ox bars are attached I signal her and she does what is necessary to get the car set for towing. I finish up the rest of the hooking up.

When it is time to unhook I usually do everything myself while Jo Ann registers. RARELY takes more than a couple minutes either way.

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Reply #11 – September 13, 2018, 09:01:58 pm

I have a dolly, dont recommend it. It doesn't save any time. You can unhook it to back up but that's a pain. It's two more tires and bearings and brakes to go wrong (they have).

We have to drive the toad when at home and that 90% of the use and we pack the miles on at home. I couldn't buy a vehicle I didn't love just because I could level tow it. However level tow looks way easier and to back up you just unhook and drive the toad out of the way.

I see a trailer in my future better for me and what vehicle I have won't matter.

Re: Toads

Reply #12 – September 13, 2018, 09:14:30 pm

Quote from: Moby – September 13, 2018, 02:28:47 pm

Blue Ox appears to be the most popular for equipment.
DW CAN NOT assist in hooking up road, so can I hook up a bar alone? She can guide but not lift.

I've used a Blue Ox for 5+ years now. Since I travel alone (neither dog nor cat offers any help) I do all the hooking/unhooking alone. Very little problem unless you get the MH and towed at really extreme angles in a curve.

Re: Toads

Reply #13 – September 13, 2018, 09:15:12 pm

I purchased my Jeep Grand Cherokee just.in case we purchased a coach 3 years ago. Great toad but a learning curve for sure. I would not want to tow on a dolly. When we got stuck in a parking lot and had to back up, it took minutes to unhook it. I like having a 4X4 for occasional excursions into the back country. So people get by without a toad, but not something I would want to do.

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Reply #14 – September 13, 2018, 09:24:55 pm

Welp, I promised more details later, and it's later, so here we go.
In a word or less, this Summer sucked, to wit:
Mom passes in February. We're in Austin, she's in New York. Ditch the GW (still known as Alice) and high tail back to the North Country. Arrive home, and there's (SHUDDER) freakin snow on the ground. Take care of the final arrangements and then. . . .
( Da Da Da )
Lawyers. My lawyer, her lawyer, and cops, and court. Did I mention how much I HATE upstate New York in the winter time?
Spring comes. Flowers, green grass and trees, buzzing bees, motorcycle rides and kids and grandkids. Awww, hell. Might as well spend some time, right? Right!
Lovely day for a ride, and my love and I go out for a ride. I mean, what can happen? Wanna know what can happen? Well, I don't care. I'm gonna tell you what happened! I. FELL. OVER. Knocked myself out and did something to my right wrist. For those of you who dont know, the right side of a bike makes it go faster or slower. The advantage is that DW knew when I was slowing down or speeding up by my yelling "Ow Ow Ow!. @#$%$@@" To which she asks "are you ok?" to my predictable response of "Hell NO!". All. The. Way. Home.
Then there's the brain bleed.
Never, EVER head butt a horse! Thats all I have to say about that!
Then, we move on to the serious shit. For some ungodly reason my heart has decided to stop going "Thump Thump" all the time and goes "Thumpythumpythumpthumpthumpthumpy" every once in a while. Its all good. Medication and perhaps day surgery to electrocute part of my heart so it dont happen on the road.
Which brings us to last Friday night. I'm going 30, other car comes in from the right to cross over two lanes and stops.
Dead.
In my lane. Lots of crashing, lots of glass, lots of "are you ok?" (Pretty much yes, bumps and bruses and black and blue). God, I hate the smell of antifreeze in the evening. All of which brings us to my search for another toad.
And the use of Tow bars.
DW, as I said before, can guide me in, but can not lift. You all seem to agrees that viable.
Whats a good resource to find out HOW to use them? You know, stupid stuff like:
Do I unlock the steering? If so, how does the battery keep from going flat? What about brakes? I keep hearing about needing some kind of brake set up for the toad. Is installing the hitch plates to the car something a half way decent shade tree machanic can do, or am I better off having someone else do it? What am I not thinking of?
Did I mention how much I hate New York in the summer time when its' 100F outside?

Re: Toads

Reply #15 – September 13, 2018, 09:27:09 pm

Quote from: BillO – September 13, 2018, 09:14:30 pm

I've used a Blue Ox for 5+ years now. Since I travel alone (neither dog nor cat offers any help) I do all the hooking/unhooking alone. Very little problem unless you get the MH and towed at really extreme angles in a curve.

The cats dont help?
Slackers!

Re: Toads

Reply #16 – September 13, 2018, 09:44:19 pm

The details of how to set a car's transmission, etc. for towing vary. On the Jeep, the drill was to get it hooked up, then:
1. Vehicle in park, engine OFF, key ON
2. Push tiny button on console until light changed color.
3. Start car, put in either D or R and see if it tries to move. If not, shut down, put in park. If it does, repeat above steps.

On the Lincoln, put car in neutral, ignition in ACC.

Re: Toads

Reply #17 – September 13, 2018, 10:01:13 pm

Moby: you've had a rough year! There are good YouTube videos on 4 down towing. Try rvgeeks and " towing" or "tow Bar".

Re: Toads

Reply #18 – September 13, 2018, 10:21:43 pm

Quote from: kb0zke – September 13, 2018, 09:44:19 pm

The details of how to set a car's transmission, etc. for towing vary. On the Jeep, the drill was to get it hooked up, then:
1. Vehicle in park, engine OFF, key ON
2. Push tiny button on console until light changed color.
3. Start car, put in either D or R and see if it tries to move. If not, shut down, put in park. If it does, repeat above steps.

On the Lincoln, put car in neutral, ignition in ACC.

What is this mysterious "little button on the dash"? Is it a factory thing or was it installed by the "little button fairy"?
What does this button do? Anything or does it energize the corbonite device?
Inquiring minds.
P.S.
Don't let my sick humor turn you off, imma having fun. No harm. No foul.

Re: Toads

Reply #19 – September 13, 2018, 10:50:41 pm

Moby,

You and Brian (Mr B3) should get together and compare notes. Same kind of humor, and he also occasionally falls off his bike...

But he don't pull a towd.

http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=3322

Re: Toads

Reply #20 – September 14, 2018, 12:20:49 am

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – September 13, 2018, 10:50:41 pm

Moby,

You and Brian (Mr B3) should get together and compare notes. Same kind of humor, and he also occasionally falls off his bike...

But he don't pull a towd.

http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=profile;u=3322

Ah.
But the question remains, does he head butt horses?
Won't go into the full story now. I will say I did go to the nearest metro hospital for the brain bleed.
Triage nurse said nice story but NOT the strangest of the night.
I soooooo want to know THAT story!

Re: Toads

Reply #21 – September 14, 2018, 03:24:02 am

I think you'll find each towed is different on how you prepare it for towing and how you have to care for the battery. Some based on the towed and some based on the brake system you chose. Each owners manual should give the details for that car.

On ours, you use the secret factory button, put it in Park and take out the key. I put in an Optima HD dual use battery and can tow for about 3 days without having to worry about the Jeep battery needing to be recharged. The original battery was good for about two.

Rich

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Reply #22 – September 14, 2018, 06:32:02 am

Follow this link fow tow bar comparisons:

RV Tow Bar Comparison Guide

Note the Demco unit has supported tow bar arms which should be a benefit while hooking up.

Whether or not you need a non-binding tow bar release should be considered.

In my research I found no good reason not to use the ready brake system. Inexpensive, easy to install, and no issues towing our Suburban.

I did my own installation and rating me as a shade tree mechanic would be a stretch.

Lots of information on YouTube and forums.

Hope this helps.

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Reply #23 – September 14, 2018, 08:02:18 am

To get an idea of how difficult it will be to install the baseplates on whatever toad you buy look at this Demco site. They have instructions on most toads. I've done 2 Jeep Libertys, 1 Chevy Z71, and 1 Tahoe. Both Jeeps and Tahoe involved taking the front bumper fascia off but wasn't that hard, the Tahoe did need 1 hole drilled through the frame. The 2004 Z71 was the easiest, just bolt the plates from underneath.
Baseplate Fit List

Re: Toads

Reply #24 – September 14, 2018, 08:39:29 am

Moby, the little button is on the console, just forward of the shift lever. If you didn't know it was there you wouldn't see it. You push it with the point of a pen or pencil. Once you know where it is it is easy to do.

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