I have a 2002 Pace Arrow 37ft motor home. I went to Camping World to get a bid on getting a towing packaging for a toad. The quote was $5,800 !!!
I do believe that the last owner had a toad because I see that there is a Prodigy Electronic Brake Control System mounted on the dash. If the last owner had a toad, is it safe to assume that they already had the Hydraulic brakes installed on the coach? How can I tell if they have already been installed? Are there any other components to look for that could have been installed already?
Of course I can just bring it over and have them lift it and find out what is there but I want to be intelligent before I do this so I do not get ripped off.
It would be nice to just have to get the towing pieces that are necessary for the car (toad ) that I will be pulling.
Lucky Mike said
04:46 PM Jan 15, 2016
they could have been towing a trailer..........I use a dolly.....less money and better resale without all the throw aways in the end
bjoyce said
05:17 PM Jan 15, 2016
The toad braking system will not use the brake controller, that was for a trailer. People pay $3500 to $5000 for everything, tow bar, baseplate (the permanent part on the toad), the wiring, the braking system and the labor. I don't trust Camping World to install a decal, so I would go somewhere else.
Where are you? If you are near Portland Oregon, go to Roadmaster in Vancouver WA (it is a suburb). If anywhere near eastern Nebraska, go to Blue Ox in Pender. Both will set you up correctly.
ticat900 said
05:49 PM Jan 15, 2016
Big Mike wrote:
I have a 2002 Pace Arrow 37ft motor home. I went to Camping World to get a bid on getting a towing packaging for a toad. The quote was $5,800 !!!
I do believe that the last owner had a toad because I see that there is a Prodigy Electronic Brake Control System mounted on the dash. If the last owner had a toad, is it safe to assume that they already had the Hydraulic brakes installed on the coach? How can I tell if they have already been installed? Are there any other components to look for that could have been installed already?
Of course I can just bring it over and have them lift it and find out what is there but I want to be intelligent before I do this so I do not get ripped off.
It would be nice to just have to get the towing pieces that are necessary for the car (toad ) that I will be pulling.
you can get a auxillary brake system(road master invisibrake),blue ox tow bar,bracket kit,wiring kit etc installed for like $3000K or less
-- Edited by ticat900 on Saturday 16th of January 2016 10:10:41 AM
Big Mike said
08:24 AM Jan 16, 2016
Well man....where...I have 3 bids and none of them are that cheap.
Big Mike said
08:26 AM Jan 16, 2016
Thanks for the info. I will investigate dolly's. Seems like a better option.
Big Mike said
08:28 AM Jan 16, 2016
Chicago area. There are some trailer and hitch installation companies so I think I will try them. There is also a small RV dealer with a good reputation and I can also try them.
Big Mike said
09:30 AM Jan 16, 2016
Thanks Mike I did investigate dolly's and they are much less $2800. Question, would the Prodigy brake system already installed be used with it? Or is it not required.
Lucky Mike said
09:52 AM Jan 16, 2016
If the dolly has electric brakes it would be used with it......I paid 950 for my dolly and have been thru 2 vehicles since I got it.......seeing it would cost big money for baseplates that are not interchangable and wiring , braking systems and such.....big savings and no downtime........not to mention I could sell the dolly for what I paid for it!!!
those that normally talk dollies down worry about convenience.........they are still trying to figure out why there A/C doesnt work well on solar and why it cost so much to get into an RV park !!!!.......you pay for convenience :)
ticat900 said
10:05 AM Jan 16, 2016
Big Mike wrote:
Well man....where...I have 3 bids and none of them are that cheap.
amazon 548.00 for the tow bar 881.00 for the RM aux brake system, brackets average 399.00, wiring 60.00
I did a estimate on labour at 10 hours at 100.00 ( I did this for a living) = $2900.00
kb0zke said
08:19 PM Feb 22, 2016
I think our tow package (Blue Ox towbar and baseplate, Invisibrake, all installed) came to somewhat over $3000 a couple of years ago. Work was done in central MO.
As Lucky Mike said, you pay for convenience. Each new vehicle requires and new baseplate (~$1500). For those of us with larger coaches (ours is 40') and like to camp in State and Federal campgrounds (many of which have smaller sites), not having to deal with a dolly is worth it. Other differences: you should NEVER back up while flat towing. The tow bar isn't designed for those stresses. A dolly can be backed up.
TRAILERKING said
10:43 PM Feb 22, 2016
kb0zke wrote:
.................. A dolly can be backed up.
NOT very far.......
legrandnormand said
08:14 AM Feb 23, 2016
IMO, neither a dolly or a toad can be backed up on long distance... a trailer can be backed up easy compared to the other two.
I have a 2002 Pace Arrow 37ft motor home. I went to Camping World to get a bid on getting a towing packaging for a toad. The quote was $5,800 !!!
I do believe that the last owner had a toad because I see that there is a Prodigy Electronic Brake Control System mounted on the dash. If the last owner had a toad, is it safe to assume that they already had the Hydraulic brakes installed on the coach? How can I tell if they have already been installed? Are there any other components to look for that could have been installed already?
Of course I can just bring it over and have them lift it and find out what is there but I want to be intelligent before I do this so I do not get ripped off.
It would be nice to just have to get the towing pieces that are necessary for the car (toad ) that I will be pulling.
Where are you? If you are near Portland Oregon, go to Roadmaster in Vancouver WA (it is a suburb). If anywhere near eastern Nebraska, go to Blue Ox in Pender. Both will set you up correctly.
you can get a auxillary brake system(road master invisibrake),blue ox tow bar,bracket kit,wiring kit etc installed for like $3000K or less
-- Edited by ticat900 on Saturday 16th of January 2016 10:10:41 AM
Well man....where...I have 3 bids and none of them are that cheap.
Thanks for the info. I will investigate dolly's. Seems like a better option.
Chicago area. There are some trailer and hitch installation companies so I think I will try them. There is also a small RV dealer with a good reputation and I can also try them.
Thanks Mike I did investigate dolly's and they are much less $2800. Question, would the Prodigy brake system already installed be used with it? Or is it not required.
those that normally talk dollies down worry about convenience.........they are still trying to figure out why there A/C doesnt work well on solar and why it cost so much to get into an RV park !!!!.......you pay for convenience :)
amazon 548.00 for the tow bar 881.00 for the RM aux brake system, brackets average 399.00, wiring 60.00
I did a estimate on labour at 10 hours at 100.00 ( I did this for a living) = $2900.00
As Lucky Mike said, you pay for convenience. Each new vehicle requires and new baseplate (~$1500). For those of us with larger coaches (ours is 40') and like to camp in State and Federal campgrounds (many of which have smaller sites), not having to deal with a dolly is worth it. Other differences: you should NEVER back up while flat towing. The tow bar isn't designed for those stresses. A dolly can be backed up.
NOT very far.......
IMO, neither a dolly or a toad can be backed up on long distance... a trailer can be backed up easy compared to the other two.