-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:02:02 PM
bjoyce said
05:03 PM Mar 23, 2013
Genecop listed one of motorhomemagazine.com's Dinghy Towing Guides, there is one for each year. Weight of vehicle is probably the most important piece for behind a Class C, two choices are Honda Fit and Suzuki Grand Vitara off the top of my head. You have to decide 2WD, 4WD, number of passengers, automatic or manual. (I am not in front of my computer right now so I can't do give you webpage links.)
Edit: Back at my computer instead of tablet. http://www.motorhome.com/ is the main webpage. Under the Resources menu is "Dinghy Guides" and these days it costs $1.99 to get prior year guides, but the current year is free and will have good info on choosing vehicles, tow bars, etc., so grab it. If you are a member of FMCA then they also have guides on the members only part of their website, those are free. We used to tow a 2002 4WD automatic Honda CRV, it was around 3500 lbs and we started towing it with a gas Class A with a 4000 lb towing limit. Now we tow a 2012 4WD automatic Chevrolet Equinox and it also weighs around 3500 lbs.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:13:37 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:15:19 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 24th of March 2013 08:54:13 AM
Missy said
11:42 PM Mar 23, 2013
Suggestions for a used car to tow behind a Class C? 4 on the ground?
Terry and Jo said
01:07 AM Mar 24, 2013
I moved it, Bill, and notified Kathy that I did.
Terry
Missy said
04:14 AM Mar 24, 2013
Y'all are the BEST!!!! I'll print it out and we can study it before we do anything. We have 5 weeks to get out of our sold home and into our Motorhome.
Delaine and Lindy said
02:45 PM Mar 24, 2013
Chevy HHR, can be towed 4 down and only have to remove the #8 fuse. Excellent room in the HHR, excellent fuel mileage. Happy Trails...
Missy said
04:44 PM Mar 24, 2013
Delaine and Lindy wrote:
Chevy HHR, can be towed 4 down and only have to remove the #8 fuse. Excellent room in the HHR, excellent fuel mileage. Happy Trails...
This sounds like a great car to tow. What does the #8 fuse turn off?
bjoyce said
05:07 PM Mar 24, 2013
Many vehicles need a fuse pulled to not run down the battery while towing. Often it is the one that runs stuff when the key is in accessory instead of off. With our Chevrolet Equinox it turns off the 12 volt (cigarette) plugs and stops the car from beeping when the door is open. If we don't pull the fuse, the battery is dead in 100 miles.
RVRon said
02:52 PM Mar 25, 2013
Missy wrote:
Delaine and Lindy wrote:
Chevy HHR, can be towed 4 down and only have to remove the #8 fuse. Excellent room in the HHR, excellent fuel mileage. Happy Trails...
This sounds like a great car to tow. What does the #8 fuse turn off?
To continue Bill's answer, you need to be sure the front wheels can "steer" as the motorhome makes a turn. That means the ignition needs to be in a position that will unlock the steering wheel. If that position is "On" then the battery will have a continuous drain on it and could be dead by the time you get to where you're going. I'd second the idea of a Honda Fit. We towed one for a couple of years and you could hardly tell it was there - only about 2500 lbs. No fuses to pull - just run the transmission through a 3-4 minute prep cycle to insure proper oiling and you're good to go.
Missy said
03:54 PM Mar 25, 2013
Thanks, I'll look for a used Honda Fit and see what I can find. I did find a good price on a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. Not sure of the weight, but I can look for that. I certainly appreciate all of the great help here!!! LUV this site.
PIEERE said
09:36 AM Mar 28, 2013
That Jeep is made by Chrysler Corp. If it is Automatic; they have had numerous transmission troubles; ask any transmission shop. Look at Craigslist; that will give you an idea of what I am saying. Check the Toyota Rav; Honda; Suzuki; and the like. Check the classified on these RV forums and RV trader.com; some times you can buy one with the towbar hookups already installed; saves $$$$'s from getting one installed.
-- Edited by PIEERE on Thursday 28th of March 2013 09:41:11 AM
Missy said
12:48 PM Mar 28, 2013
Thanks, Bill and Pieere. We are about to pull the trigger on buying a Jayco 3240 FL Designer Class C and a 2001 Honda CR-V Automatic as a Toad. We need to recalculate everything before we make the final decision. Anyone see an issue with this pair? I so appreciate all of your wisdom!!
Thanks, Missy
-- Edited by Missy on Thursday 28th of March 2013 12:51:22 PM
Clay L said
01:53 PM Mar 28, 2013
Although newer Honda CR-Vs can be flat towed, back in 2002 I got the following letter from Honda:
There is a specific procedure that has to be performed to tow 2005 and earlier Honda's.
"02/22/02 (all models except CR-V)
Dear customer: Regarding your inquiry on towing your Honda or Acura automobile behind a motorhome: For your vehicle, the Owner's Manual advises against towing at more than 35 m.p.h or for more than 50 miles. However, this recommendation exists primarily because Honda has not conducted formal tests at higher speeds and for greater distances. We are not aware of any particular problems being caused by motorhome towing of Honda/Acura automobiles with either manual or automatic transmission, so long as proper pre-towing preparations are made and the vehicle is towed at legal highway speeds.
Manual Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission is full of fluid. Do not overfill. • Release the parking brake. • Shift the transmission to Neutral. • Turn the ignition key to the ACCESSORY (1) position to release the steering wheel lock. Make sure that the radio and all accessories are turned off.
Automatic Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission fluid level is full. Do not overfill. If Honda/Acura automobile with an automatic transmission is towed with the front or all four wheels on the ground, you must do the following every day immediately before towing: • Start the engine. • Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1). • Shift to D, then to N. Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine. • Release the parking brake. • Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off so you do not run down the battery. If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures. NOTICE: The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle. CAUTION: Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
NOTICE:
Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flat bed truck or trailer.
If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and powertrain are capable of being "motorhome towed", America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator. If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009."
-- Edited by Clay L on Thursday 28th of March 2013 01:53:51 PM
bjoyce said
04:03 PM Mar 28, 2013
You have to install a Blue Ox baseplate on the CRV, which requires taking parts of the front off the car, some metal hole drilling and reassembly. You also need to add a wiring kit so you can have the tail lights on the CRV controlled by the motorhome. And since the Class C is not built to stop the weight of a CRV, and it is required in many states and Canadian provinces, you need some kind of auxiliary braking system. More money to spend.
Edit: Dealers do not count a car being set up with a baseplate and tow wiring as worth any more or less than without, so people often look through RV classified ads to find such vehicles. Saves big bucks. You can get adapters to tow a car set up with a Roadmaster or Demco baseplate to tow with a Blue Ox towbar. The baseplate must be rigidly attached to the car's frame and it needs a place to hook up the required safety cables or chains.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 28th of March 2013 04:14:26 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Friday 29th of March 2013 10:20:36 AM
bjoyce said
05:58 PM Mar 28, 2013
You have so far only mentioned it was a Class C. Somewhere in it is a weight sticker that gives you two important numbers that are legally required, your GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and your GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). The GVWR is the maximum weight your Class C can weigh and be safe, the GCWR is the maximum weight of your Class C plus anything you tow with it. Subtract the GVWR from the GCWR and you get the maximum weight of your toad. Since it is a legal requirement the toads will also have GVWR numbers, use those to know if you can safely tow it. Most Class C's can only tow 3,000 to 4000 lbs and I don't remember seeing a tow bar with ratings under 5,000 lbs, but also check those numbers just in case. Our gas Class A had a 4,000lb difference between its GCWR (26,000 lbs) and its GVWR (22,000 lbs). It also had a 5,000 lb hitch receiver and our tow bar was rated at 6,000 lbs. When we weighed the Class A it was 21,850 lbs, just barely legal and we were actually 200 lbs overloaded on one axle.
bjoyce said
09:38 PM Mar 28, 2013
We towed a 2002 CRV for 10 years and we followed the towing procedure. We sold it with 164,000 miles on the odometer and it was still running fine. CRVs have been popular toads since the late 1990s and many buy them again when they upgrade.
Missy said
09:44 PM Mar 28, 2013
There is a Blueox two bar that is coming with the RV, what will we need to hook to the CR-V, or should those parts come with the Blueox?
Lucky Mike said
11:02 PM Mar 28, 2013
you might need a Baseplate....
Trabuco said
04:36 AM Mar 29, 2013
Missy,
We have a 2012 CRV as a toad and it requires pulling a fuse for long tows. I got tired of that and purchased a product called a toad charge. No more fuse pulling. About an hour or so installing yourself and just under $100. The toad battery charges off the motorhome as you're rolling down the road. Best price I found was at rvupgrades.com.
bjoyce said
05:21 PM Mar 29, 2013
The older CRVs did not require a fuse pull.
Missy said
06:02 AM Mar 30, 2013
You have all been so very helpful. Thanks again for all of your great advice. We have looked and read and just can't seem to find what we are looking for. We have a couple of weeks before we pick up our Motor Home, so we are waiting for the right thing.
I would love to not pull anything, but not sure how practical that is. My hubby would like to put a small motorcycle onto the back and only use it if we have to.
Question: Do any of you who have a small Motor Home, like the Jayco 32' that we are getting, get along without a toad? We do have a couple of bikes. We are going to be traveling to visit family and friends for 4 - 8 months until we decide if we are going to find a lake home or where we are going to end up. We should be close to shopping and not really too "out of the way" for picking up supplies before we stop for each night.
Thoughts?
Lucky Mike said
01:19 PM Mar 30, 2013
Some do it.........I have set out this year without a toad , so far I have'nt needed it and found other resources to get about.......depending on your travels your exslporing during the day could be limited...going into town with a 32 foot vehicle has limited parking......
think about a rental car or scooters?
a second vehicle makes for a better all around experience ,
jholderbaum said
01:33 PM Mar 30, 2013
My Ex and I had a 32' Gasser, and when we origionaly traveled with it, we found it a realy pain to make/break camp all the time. not just outside, but inside, putting things away, etc. We were fortunate to already have a Honda CRV, so w got the appropiate towbar and baseplate (id mounted it by myself with a few ratchets and a small sheet-rock saw). The Brake system was easy, as it was wireless. With the brake lights, we just used the magnetic ones (later I wired in diodes and ran the toad lights strait form the motor home). It was well worth it, we were already sucking down gas, so pulling the toad did not make much of a difference, except on the steep hills. Incidentially, the previous owner of that motor home had a motorcycle lift on it (he kept the lift for his newer coach). The mounting hardware was still back there, and might be a nice option. Maybe a larger scooter instead of a motorcycle could work, some of them have storage? We thought about it back then, but as we already had the CRV, it was a natural choice for us.
Jess
Terry and Jo said
03:43 PM Mar 30, 2013
Missy,
Sorry if I'm sadly uninformed here, but I don't recall you ever saying "where" you would be staying. I have no experience with RV parks, other than living right next to one, but do any of them offer a shuttle service or a loaner car? The RV park next to us has both a mini-van and a l-o-n-g (3-door, I think) sedan for use for its inhabitants. I am so ignorant of RV parks, I don't know if that is a common amenity for them.
Terry
bjoyce said
04:00 PM Mar 30, 2013
Terry: Not common at all. Very few RV parks have alternate transportation and few are on bus lines.
Many have ventured out in a motorhome without a toad, but after a while most get one. You have to be on the move all the time without a toad, like Tioga Goorge, http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net/.
Terry and Jo said
05:33 PM Mar 30, 2013
Thanks, Bill.
I couldn't recall seeing any "mentions" on RV park websites as to whether they had courtesy vehicles or not. It would be nice if one was staying in towns/cities large enough to have rental car facilities. That could suffice to allow one to have a smaller vehicle for errands and sightseeing, but I imagine rental places are more scarce than courtesy vehicles.
Terry
Gpndavid said
03:07 AM Apr 19, 2013
A good cheap tow vehicle is a 1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee 4X4 (NOT GRAND CHEROKEE). These are the old style boxy ones with a straight 6 cyl engine and AW4 automatic transmission. Very reliable to 250,000 miles. They are getting harder to find, but there are still a few out there with
Missy said
03:55 AM Apr 19, 2013
Thanks, thanks, thanks!! You all have really helped us to make these decisions:
1998 Jayco 3240 FL Came with a Blue Ox tow bar
Toad = 2002 Honda CRV automatic
We are looking for the tow plate for the Honda and we'll probably install them ourselves. Anyone have a used one?
Need to find the wiring package, too.
Also need a Brake Buddy - used one?
We also purchased the Rand McNally GPS it's the RVND 7720LM and we may get a camera to see out back. Not sure how easy it is to switch to the camera view and if you can have it on while going forward.
Things are coming together. We pick up the RV on Sat morning. Load it here at the house. Move to a local state park on April 23 for a week. We close on our house on April 26th and my hubby retires the same day. We plan to actually hit the road for Moab, Utah on May 1st if we can pull of the loose ends together.
Missy, this article is very complete
http://www.blueox.com/Uploads/Docs/DinghyGuide2011.pdf
Edit by moderator: Activated link. Terry
-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:02:02 PM
Genecop listed one of motorhomemagazine.com's Dinghy Towing Guides, there is one for each year. Weight of vehicle is probably the most important piece for behind a Class C, two choices are Honda Fit and Suzuki Grand Vitara off the top of my head. You have to decide 2WD, 4WD, number of passengers, automatic or manual. (I am not in front of my computer right now so I can't do give you webpage links.)
Edit: Back at my computer instead of tablet. http://www.motorhome.com/ is the main webpage. Under the Resources menu is "Dinghy Guides" and these days it costs $1.99 to get prior year guides, but the current year is free and will have good info on choosing vehicles, tow bars, etc., so grab it. If you are a member of FMCA then they also have guides on the members only part of their website, those are free. We used to tow a 2002 4WD automatic Honda CRV, it was around 3500 lbs and we started towing it with a gas Class A with a 4000 lb towing limit. Now we tow a 2012 4WD automatic Chevrolet Equinox and it also weighs around 3500 lbs.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:13:37 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 23rd of March 2013 06:15:19 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 24th of March 2013 08:54:13 AM
Suggestions for a used car to tow behind a Class C? 4 on the ground?
I moved it, Bill, and notified Kathy that I did.
Terry
This sounds like a great car to tow. What does the #8 fuse turn off?
To continue Bill's answer, you need to be sure the front wheels can "steer" as the motorhome makes a turn. That means the ignition needs to be in a position that will unlock the steering wheel. If that position is "On" then the battery will have a continuous drain on it and could be dead by the time you get to where you're going. I'd second the idea of a Honda Fit. We towed one for a couple of years and you could hardly tell it was there - only about 2500 lbs. No fuses to pull - just run the transmission through a 3-4 minute prep cycle to insure proper oiling and you're good to go.
That Jeep is made by Chrysler Corp. If it is Automatic; they have had numerous transmission troubles; ask any transmission shop. Look at Craigslist; that will give you an idea of what I am saying. Check the Toyota Rav; Honda; Suzuki; and the like. Check the classified on these RV forums and RV trader.com; some times you can buy one with the towbar hookups already installed; saves $$$$'s from getting one installed.
-- Edited by PIEERE on Thursday 28th of March 2013 09:41:11 AM
Thanks, Bill and Pieere. We are about to pull the trigger on buying a Jayco 3240 FL Designer Class C and a 2001 Honda CR-V Automatic as a Toad. We need to recalculate everything before we make the final decision. Anyone see an issue with this pair? I so appreciate all of your wisdom!!
Thanks,
Missy
-- Edited by Missy on Thursday 28th of March 2013 12:51:22 PM
Although newer Honda CR-Vs can be flat towed, back in 2002 I got the following letter from Honda:
There is a specific procedure that has to be performed to tow 2005 and earlier Honda's.
"02/22/02
(all models except CR-V)
Dear customer:
Regarding your inquiry on towing your Honda or Acura automobile behind a motorhome:
For your vehicle, the Owner's Manual advises against towing at more than 35 m.p.h or for more than 50 miles. However, this recommendation exists primarily because Honda has not conducted formal tests at higher speeds and for greater distances.
We are not aware of any particular problems being caused by motorhome towing of Honda/Acura automobiles with either manual or automatic transmission, so long as proper pre-towing preparations are made and the vehicle is towed at legal highway speeds.
Manual Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission is full of fluid. Do not overfill.
• Release the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission to Neutral.
• Turn the ignition key to the ACCESSORY (1) position to release the steering wheel lock. Make sure that the radio and all accessories are turned off.
Automatic Transmission
When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission fluid level is full. Do not overfill.
If Honda/Acura automobile with an automatic transmission is towed with the front or all four wheels on the ground, you must do the following every day immediately before towing:
• Start the engine.
• Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1).
• Shift to D, then to N. Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine.
• Release the parking brake.
• Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off so you do not run down the battery.
If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures.
NOTICE:
The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle.
CAUTION:
Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.
NOTICE:
Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flat bed truck or trailer.
If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and powertrain are capable of being "motorhome towed", America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator.
If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009."
-- Edited by Clay L on Thursday 28th of March 2013 01:53:51 PM
You have to install a Blue Ox baseplate on the CRV, which requires taking parts of the front off the car, some metal hole drilling and reassembly. You also need to add a wiring kit so you can have the tail lights on the CRV controlled by the motorhome. And since the Class C is not built to stop the weight of a CRV, and it is required in many states and Canadian provinces, you need some kind of auxiliary braking system. More money to spend.
Looking at http://blueox.com/baseplates.aspx?template=r, you need a BX2221 baseplate and they have three choices of wiring kits. I did not have good experience with Blue Ox's auxilary braking system and we ended up with a Brake Buddy. A good source for a new Brake Buddy is http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/towing/braking-system/hopkins/brake-buddy/bb-vantage-select.htm. The breakaway is if the towbar and car come unhooked, which does happen with human error, which puts the brakes on the toad hard.
Edit: Dealers do not count a car being set up with a baseplate and tow wiring as worth any more or less than without, so people often look through RV classified ads to find such vehicles. Saves big bucks. You can get adapters to tow a car set up with a Roadmaster or Demco baseplate to tow with a Blue Ox towbar. The baseplate must be rigidly attached to the car's frame and it needs a place to hook up the required safety cables or chains.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 28th of March 2013 04:14:26 PM
-- Edited by bjoyce on Friday 29th of March 2013 10:20:36 AM
We have a 2012 CRV as a toad and it requires pulling a fuse for long tows. I got tired of that and purchased a product called a toad charge. No more fuse pulling. About an hour or so installing yourself and just under $100. The toad battery charges off the motorhome as you're rolling down the road. Best price I found was at rvupgrades.com.
I would love to not pull anything, but not sure how practical that is. My hubby would like to put a small motorcycle onto the back and only use it if we have to.
Question: Do any of you who have a small Motor Home, like the Jayco 32' that we are getting, get along without a toad? We do have a couple of bikes. We are going to be traveling to visit family and friends for 4 - 8 months until we decide if we are going to find a lake home or where we are going to end up. We should be close to shopping and not really too "out of the way" for picking up supplies before we stop for each night.
Thoughts?
think about a rental car or scooters?
a second vehicle makes for a better all around experience ,
Incidentially, the previous owner of that motor home had a motorcycle lift on it (he kept the lift for his newer coach). The mounting hardware was still back there, and might be a nice option. Maybe a larger scooter instead of a motorcycle could work, some of them have storage? We thought about it back then, but as we already had the CRV, it was a natural choice for us.
Jess
Missy,
Sorry if I'm sadly uninformed here, but I don't recall you ever saying "where" you would be staying. I have no experience with RV parks, other than living right next to one, but do any of them offer a shuttle service or a loaner car? The RV park next to us has both a mini-van and a l-o-n-g (3-door, I think) sedan for use for its inhabitants. I am so ignorant of RV parks, I don't know if that is a common amenity for them.
Terry
Terry: Not common at all. Very few RV parks have alternate transportation and few are on bus lines.
Many have ventured out in a motorhome without a toad, but after a while most get one. You have to be on the move all the time without a toad, like Tioga Goorge, http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net/.
Thanks, Bill.
I couldn't recall seeing any "mentions" on RV park websites as to whether they had courtesy vehicles or not. It would be nice if one was staying in towns/cities large enough to have rental car facilities. That could suffice to allow one to have a smaller vehicle for errands and sightseeing, but I imagine rental places are more scarce than courtesy vehicles.
Terry
1998 Jayco 3240 FL
Came with a Blue Ox tow bar
Toad = 2002 Honda CRV automatic
We are looking for the tow plate for the Honda and we'll probably install them ourselves. Anyone have a used one?
Need to find the wiring package, too.
Also need a Brake Buddy - used one?
We also purchased the Rand McNally GPS it's the RVND 7720LM and we may get a camera to see out back. Not sure how easy it is to switch to the camera view and if you can have it on while going forward.
Things are coming together. We pick up the RV on Sat morning. Load it here at the house. Move to a local state park on April 23 for a week. We close on our house on April 26th and my hubby retires the same day. We plan to actually hit the road for Moab, Utah on May 1st if we can pull of the loose ends together.