Seeking Tow Equipment & Vehicle Model Recommendation

[ARD]

I'm with @flyboy013 on using Dan's Servicing Center aka Dan's Hitch in Elkhart, IN. I have the same system...Blue Ox and Air Force One and will use them again on my next coach. Whatever vehicle you get, I definitely agree that you want a vehicle that you can tow 4 wheels down.

 

[JRS]

Would lean towards staying away from any electronic steering assist vehicles because of severe front end wobbling. Electronic steering is utilized across different manufactureres. Love our Grand Cherokee but there are some owners who had issues with severe wobbling on slow sharp corners. Not an issue on Jeeps.

 

[flyboy013]

I believe the install by Dan’s Service Center took two days (might have left it there for three days). They provided us with a car to use while they were doing the install. When we went back to pickup the car, they did some coach wiring while they reviewed the toad system with us.

The coach wiring consisted of connecting the wires that are at the base of the steering column and installing a led light that shines at your feet which lights up when the toad brakes are applied.

All parts were purchased from Dan’s.

 

[Old-RV'er]

Tow Bar systems are like what kind of coffee you like, everyone has who they prefer. I like BlueOx, started with them, stayed with them. I like my Jeep Wrangler for towing, had two of them, both towed fine. The Honda CRV is nice, but cannot be towed down now legally, the HRV took is place I think. The jeep (most of them-Grand Cherokee-needs special tranny, and the Renegade is not 4 wheel down either, I think). The Ford Range PU says it will but none of the dealer folks know how to make it do what it's supposed to do so it can, be cautious. Cannot speak to any GM product period, since many models made in China, won't own one. However, I believe FMCA has a towing guide, which lists all the vehicles which are legal to tow, which ones need dolly, which ones tow 4 down. Urge you to check out FMCA and get the guide. If you like them the new Jeep Gladiator PU also tows 4 down as well.

 

[MikeTip]

Thank you!!!!

 

[sheridany]

I have a roadmaster nighthawk towbar and roadmaster baseplate and it has served me well. I also have the RVI braking system which has been a fine system but there are too many components (tablet and a "command module") and they require power although not required necessarily. I like to know what my system is doing and that it is working given that it is wireless. I will move to an AF1 brake for simplicity on my next coach.

 

[Buly]

We tow the 2014 Honda CR-V (ours is AWD) as Buly does and it has worked well over some five years.

IMPORTANT NOTE: the 2014 CR-V was the last year you could tow four-wheels-down. The 2015 and later CR-Vs cannot be flat-towed due to a different transmission being used in them.

If we had to replace the CR-V, we'd be looking at one of the Jeeps or, possibly, a Chevy Colorado diesel p/u. Since LadyDi already has a 2020 Lincoln Nautilus that is flat-tow capable, we will be setting it up to replace our CR-V soon. If you are looking for a high-end option, that's another way to go.

For anyone with a 2019 or later (and the higher-end 2018s) Spartan-chassis Newmar, the Air Force One braking unit is the best choice, IMHO, because the coach half of the system is built in as the "Safe Haul" feature. You just have to install the "Toad" half in your towed vehicle and it is plug-and-play time. That's what we've done on our 2018 MADP that came with Safe Haul. And, you get true proportional braking on the towed vehicle plus no setup/takedown of a pedal actuator.

TJ

TJ, I like the Nautilus and would like to get one. See lots of them being towed. Maybe for my birthday?

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

The coach wiring consisted of connecting the wires that are at the base of the steering column and installing a led light that shines at your feet which lights up when the toad brakes are applied.

We did a similar thing, but put a LED up on the dash to show when the brakes are applied. IIRC, we used the blue and black wires for the connection.

TJ

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

TJ, I like the Nautilus and would like to get one. See lots of them being towed. Maybe for my birthday?

They are a nice, mid-size vehicle but it is LadyDi's and she doesn't share it very much. She got it in January and because I couldn't get AF1installed in it due to shops being fully scheduled for months, it is still at the sticks&bricks with less than 800 miles on it. We're headed home next week, so it will start getting some use. It is a very comfortable car to drive/ride in.

TJ

 

[Buly]

The invisiBrake comes with that light standard. I know if my brakes work. Once it warned me that it was not, so I had to fix it.