I am planning to take my first solo RV trip this fall in a class C rental. I am debating whether or not to take a tow. What does one do with the trailer at the camp site? Leave it hitched to the RV? (The RV company said I can tow my car but must provide the tow equipment). Not sure I really want to tow at all on my first solo adventure.
GENECOP said
10:27 AM Sep 7, 2011
Not really sure what you mean by TAKE A TOW, I definately would not Tow anything except maybe a car.
earlybirdie said
10:54 AM Sep 7, 2011
Yes, how simpleton of me. I should have specifically said "tow a car".
GENECOP said
11:04 AM Sep 7, 2011
There are several ways to Tow, some do not require a trailer, it is called 4 down. If you use a trailer, yes, just put it on the side at your campsite. The real question is TO CAR OR NOT TO CAR ? How long will your trip be? If it is only a short trip you probably do not need the car....
NorCal Dan said
11:07 AM Sep 7, 2011
A toad comes in handy if you want to explore the area. It's difficult to do day trips with the coach, so having a car is the better choice. Depending on length of stay the car also comes in handy for grocery shopping. A tow dolly would be the best choice if your vehicle can be towed on 2 wheels. You would unload the vehicle once reaching your destination, and if space permits, unhook the dolly and store it underneath the rear of the coach.
earlybirdie said
03:33 PM Sep 7, 2011
What resources are available to determine if my car can be 4 down or if it has to be towed? If one does 4-down towing, do you have to disconnect the odometer?
I hate being so ignorant on a subject and I really appreciate everyone's help.
GENECOP said
03:59 PM Sep 7, 2011
Google FOUR WHEEL DOWN TOWING, Also check out RV.NET and IRV2, they are good forums also, use the search function on all these available forums and start reading, here is one quick link
Another source of information is at the following site. At the home page, look under the big "Motorhome" word and there is a button entitled, "Dinghy Towing" which will take you to a couple of different resources. One is the "2011 Dinghy Towing Guide" and the other is "Dinghy Towing Basics." The 2011 Dinghy Towing Guide will list a number of vehicles by brand and model, and give you the information needed as to whether your vehicle is towable.
The biggest drawback for towing 4-Down would be the need for having a base plate for your vehicle, the tow bar, and the braking system. It might be easier to see if there is somewhere in your vacation area where you could rent a vehicle.
Terry
NorCal Dan said
06:49 PM Sep 7, 2011
The best source is your vehicle manual. Look for the "Recreational Towing" section or similar and it should tell you everything you need to know about towing your vehicle. A tow dolly is probably the only choice for use with a rental class C (weight restrictions). A flatbed trailer and vehicle would probably be too much weight to be pulled with a class C rental.
RVRon said
08:15 PM Sep 7, 2011
earlybirdie wrote:
I am planning to take my first solo RV trip this fall in a class C rental. I am debating whether or not to take a tow. What does one do with the trailer at the camp site? Leave it hitched to the RV? (The RV company said I can tow my car but must provide the tow equipment). Not sure I really want to tow at all on my first solo adventure.
When we had our Class C motorhome we frequently took trips without the toad (towed vehicle). The motorhome was 26 ft. and would fit in car parking spots if there was room to back in and let the rear of the RV overhang the parking space so the front wasn't out in traffic. Only downside is that you have to break camp every time you go somewhere. Terry is right... if you don't already have a base plate (the part the tow bar hooks to on your car) along with the tow bar, light hookup, safety chains, etc. you'll be spending about $2000.00 on that stuff alone. It would be way cheaper to rent a car if you plan to stay put for a while.
earlybirdie said
06:03 AM Sep 8, 2011
Thank you, everyone! This is exactly the information I needed. I will forego towing the car until I am more experiencing or perhaps if I decide to buy a class C.
I am planning to take my first solo RV trip this fall in a class C rental. I am debating whether or not to take a tow. What does one do with the trailer at the camp site? Leave it hitched to the RV? (The RV company said I can tow my car but must provide the tow equipment). Not sure I really want to tow at all on my first solo adventure.
Yes, how simpleton of me. I should have specifically said "tow a car".
How long will your trip be? If it is only a short trip you probably do not need the car....
What resources are available to determine if my car can be 4 down or if it has to be towed? If one does 4-down towing, do you have to disconnect the odometer?
I hate being so ignorant on a subject and I really appreciate everyone's help.
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2009/FourWheelDown.pdf
Earlybirdie,
Another source of information is at the following site. At the home page, look under the big "Motorhome" word and there is a button entitled, "Dinghy Towing" which will take you to a couple of different resources. One is the "2011 Dinghy Towing Guide" and the other is "Dinghy Towing Basics." The 2011 Dinghy Towing Guide will list a number of vehicles by brand and model, and give you the information needed as to whether your vehicle is towable.
Motorhome Magazine
The biggest drawback for towing 4-Down would be the need for having a base plate for your vehicle, the tow bar, and the braking system. It might be easier to see if there is somewhere in your vacation area where you could rent a vehicle.
Terry
When we had our Class C motorhome we frequently took trips without the toad (towed vehicle). The motorhome was 26 ft. and would fit in car parking spots if there was room to back in and let the rear of the RV overhang the parking space so the front wasn't out in traffic. Only downside is that you have to break camp every time you go somewhere. Terry is right... if you don't already have a base plate (the part the tow bar hooks to on your car) along with the tow bar, light hookup, safety chains, etc. you'll be spending about $2000.00 on that stuff alone. It would be way cheaper to rent a car if you plan to stay put for a while.
Thank you, everyone! This is exactly the information I needed. I will forego towing the car until I am more experiencing or perhaps if I decide to buy a class C.
I appreciate all the very helpful responses.