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Topic: Towing a car trailer or flat towing (Read 547 times) previous topic - next topic

Towing a car trailer or flat towing

I read the current thread that asks about flat towing a TOAD and the subject of using a car trailer instead was raised by Scott (DSD), this got me thinking ( smoke has almost cleared from the house).
I bought a brand new 20', 10,000# capacity trailer a few years ago along with a tractor. I never ended up using the trailer so it just sits.
I have thought of selling it but Scotts comment in the other thread got me thinking about using it towing behind the Foretravel in lieu of flat towing.

I would like to hear opinions pro and con from people who have done both.
Advantages/disadvantages ?
1995 U320C SE 40'
Jeep 4x4 Commander - Limited - Hemi
"The Pack"  Yogi and Diesel our Airedales -  Charlie our Boxer/Akita mix. Gone but NEVER forgotten Jake our yellow Lab.
NRA Law Enforcement Firearms instructor - Handgun/shotgun
Regional Firearms instructor for national Armored Transp. Co.

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #1 –
Trailer is a problem when you arrive in many of the smaller or upmarket campgrounds, trailers may not be permitted on your site and if they have a storage area, it will be at an additional cost.
Have flat towed since the early 90's, it's easy and one less piece of equipment you don't have to worry about.
Get your choice of towing and breaking systems, a vehicle with a transmission that disconnects  like a 4WD or a REMCO disconnect which allows most cars to be towable. A tire pressure monitoring system, or add 4 more tires to one you have on your coach.
The only draw back is that you cannon go back, no backing up with a car on all fours.
Towing the trailer to a storage place is one more thing you have to do after arriving at a campground, when all you want to do is relax with a cool beverage.
David & Emma Roche
Dino (Golden Doodle)
1999 U270 WTFE 36' Build # 5534
Xtreme "Lights, Stripes & Roof"
Motorcade# 18321
Dayton, Ohio
Towd: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Two Townie Electra Bikes

Life is made to enjoy, the Foretravel helps!

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #2 –
Highly suggest not using a trailer to "load tow" a vehicle, unless it's just a one time thing. Like previously mentioned camping sites typically don't have a place for it, and depending on your vehicle how are you going to move it easily. Besides the typical CRV, Jeep, Saturn etc... an overlooked vehicle that can be flat towed is a GX470/LX470 and Land Cruiser..... I know because I FT a 2000 LX470. Super easy to tow, and with a Bluetooth brake light setup NO need to hack into the cars wire loom.
2001 36' U320 Build 5901
2001 LX470

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #3 –
You just need to pick your campsites to fit the whole setup. I've been in many that have spots long enough for the coach and a trailer. I would also suggest adding a hitch to the vehicle you are bringing so that you can use it to move the empty trailer if needed. I can hook my dolly to the escape we tow to move it around and it has been very handy.
1991 U300 Side Aisle 6V92 Silver #3897
2004 U320 40' #6246

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #4 –
20' trailer is HUGE to fit into "most" campgrounds -- in addition to your rig, and then car/truck once unloaded.
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #5 –
Quote from: AC7880 –
20' trailer is HUGE to fit into "most" campgrounds...
Pulling a 20' trailer isn't much different from flat towing a full size pickup truck, at least as far as dealing with the length.  But you are right - once you unload the car or truck from the trailer, then you have TWO big things taking up space in your parking spot, plus the coach.

Our Kar Kaddy SS tow dolly is sort of a compromise kinda half way between flat towing and a full size trailer.  It has a folding tongue and ramps, making it much easier to stow when not in use.  We've never had any problem finding parking spaces in RV parks.  We always TRY to get pull through spots to minimize the hassle of dealing with our towd.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #6 –
 Sell the trailer and buy yourself a little Honda crv. You'll still have a bunch of money left over so you can buy your wife flowers the next morning after parking the rig  ;)
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #7 –
I know a couple people who traveled with Suzuki Samurais in their trailers and used the trailers for man caves once the cars were backed out but they were mainly boondockers.
My way of thinking is it I can't fit it in my coach or flat towed vehicle I don't need it.
1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #8 –
Yep the trailer is not park Freindly. I always get spots that accommodate the trailer and generally boondock regardless. Backing up is a skill. My bronco has hitches front and rear to accommodate moving the trailer if needed.

Bronco also can be flat towed behind coach and or behind the trailer, but wouldn't be my first choice for a TOAD. Going across the states with a trailer is so much less stressful for me.

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #9 –
I have a Jeep that I bought years ago to flat tow along with the braking system and tow bar, I never pulled the trigger to get the base plate installed on the Jeep to flat tow it.
The discussion on using a trailer prompted me to post this topic.
 I can run different scenarios in my mind that use both methods and the plus and minus of each, nothing beats "been there, done that" from actual users, I appreciate all the input.
I used to have a Suzuki Samurai that I towed behind an old motorhome I owned, It was a dream to tow.
No need for a braking system or a complicated tow bar, I could easily pull or push it with my body strength to get it aligned for towing. Even the Old  34' motorhome with a gas engine was able to effortlessly tow that vehicle without effort.
Simplicity and the KISS approach is what I'm after. I'm tired of so many things ending up to be far too complicated or troublesome.
I guess what I need is another Suzuki.

1995 U320C SE 40'
Jeep 4x4 Commander - Limited - Hemi
"The Pack"  Yogi and Diesel our Airedales -  Charlie our Boxer/Akita mix. Gone but NEVER forgotten Jake our yellow Lab.
NRA Law Enforcement Firearms instructor - Handgun/shotgun
Regional Firearms instructor for national Armored Transp. Co.

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #10 –
When I was (much ) younger, I bought a 96  U320 (that I still have) that had been caught between 2 Semi's, thus a salvage title. I fixed it us and got a little obsessed, Barry (of Barry and Cindy) was a fall guy for advise.  anyway, I went from a Honda 110 trail to a Suzuki Samari to a 2001 Jeep Liberty, to a 2006 Jeep Liberty diesel for my toads.  Along the way I put in an additional 44 gallon Fuel tank in the Foretravel, with a transfer pump.  This is nice for when I am dry camping and the fuel level gets too low for the generator, I just pump the 44 gallons into the main tank and the generator is set to go.  With the Jeep Diesel I can also fill it up from the extra tank.  when driving a 32,000 pound motorhome, towing a 4,000 pound toad, you cannot even feel the toad and I have never felt that I needed the toads additional brakes.  One thing I found with my M11 diesel was Foretravels engineers missed the boat on the air intake, I actually called and talked to them, and they were not very helpful and had a stick up their ass when I asked them about it.  So, I built my own ram air system using 6" exhaust fittings, cut a hole in the roof and connected it to the 6" intake pipe to the left of the cameras air intake in the back of the Motorhome.  The M11 was starving for air, My H.P. increased dramatically, before going over the Grapevine in Ca,, I was at 45 to 50 mph, now I can go over it at 65 plus and my MPG increased by .5 mpg.  PLUS all the road dirt wraps around the M.H. and gets sucked in through the camera vent intake, now it is getting clean air and the air filter stays clean much longer.  A big mistake I made, was going with Lithium batteries without putting a directional  isolator between the start and the house batteries.  this burned out my alternator and fried one of my lithium batteries.  (live and learn). OH and the 3 way light switches they put in our motorhomes are a Volkswagen headlight dimmer relay  $17 from an auto parts store, Foretravel wants $100 for the same switch.

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #11 –
Any picture of the roof with your set-up?
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #12 –
I prefer to trailer.  I would rather put the wear and tear on the trailer instead of my vehicle.  Jeep moves the trailer when I get to my destination and I've not had a problem with campsites having space for trailers.  No complicated flat tow and braking systems and i have had to back out of a few dead ends before.
George Mann
2002 U320 #5934
2017 Rubicon
2013 BMW GS
Waterford MI

Re: Towing a car trailer or flat towing

Reply #13 –
I have access to both modes with flat tow or both enclosed and flatbed trailers. We mostly boondock but have stayed in a few parks that can't accommodate the coach with my longest trailer 22' 65' total. Had to disconnect and park trailer next to. I much prefer to tow with trailer, just makes me feel better all around. Newer parks seem to have longer pull through's nowadays. Jim.
Jim and Dona
2002 U295 36'
Lily, blue healer. Our fury person
Manx mid travel Ecotec turbo
2022 Bronco badlands Sasquatch
Trail 90 and 110cc