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Unhooking Toad protocol

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Big Mac 4369

RVF Newbee
Joined
Jan 17, 2021
Messages
3
Location
Dawsonville, GA
RV Year
2019
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
DutchStar 4369
RV Length
44
TOW/TOAD
2012 Ford F-150
Fulltimer
No
Newbie RVr here. I will be towing for the first time when we head to Mickey Mouse land next week. A few stops along
the way before we arrive. Do most RV parks want you to unhook your tow at check in before proceeding to campsite? What’s the best time and place? I will be flat towing my F-150. If your just stopping over night and you have a pull through site and will not be utilizing tow do you need to disconnect? Not sure when dropping stabilizers if that would screw up tow package
 
Welcome to RVF, @Big Mac 4369; glad to have you join us here. We have never been asked to unhook the toad before proceeding to the campsite. That's why we always reserve a pull-through site; so we don't have to unhook. Never had a problem using jacks/stabilizers with the toad connected, though for overnight stops we rarely use them. One thing to remember, however, is to unplug your electrical umbilical between the coach and the toad or you may find the toad battery dead in the morning. Please don't ask how I know this. Let's just say that I now carry jumper cables long enough to reach from the coach battery to the toad.:rolleyes:

And, before you leave in the morning, be sure to reconnect the umbilical. It is OK to ask about this; I heard it from someone who didn't remember! ;)

TJ
 
What @TJ&LadyDi said. Unhooking really only matters if you’re backing in or the turns might be tighter than you are comfortable with.

if I ain’t using the road, I ain’t unhooking it. I’ve never dropped the stabilizers for an overnight stay. I can’t imagine it would cause any problems but just why bother. Then you gotta air up again the next morning.

whether you unhook or not, definitely do a walk around after your stop. I’ve heard of tow pins being pulled by scoundrels before, though it’s never happened to me.
 
If you are staying in a pull through site I would definitely keep the toad hooked up if your just staying the night. If not staying at a pull through site, I would survey the registration area to determine if there is room to unhook without impeding the flow (ie there are multiple checkin lanes, or there’s an area designated as a unhook area). Its good to take advantage of this area so as not to hold up traffic on a campground loop as you unhook in front of your site. TJ mentioned unhooking the toad umbilical cord as to not drain the toad battery, but I’ve never had this issue (2015 Jeep GC). I suspect it’s specific to the toad and/or the braking system installed.
 
Hang on, @TJ&LadyDi...I know, for sure, you’ve been asked to detach first...one word...POLSON. ? where they actually escort you to the “detach staging area. Of course, with a 43’ plus crew cab Raptor...they probably can’t breathe until we detach. LOL

We’ve been asked dozens of times to detach; from the smallest campgrounds, to the largest Class A resorts. Really depends on their road layout combined with the CG owner’s comfort (aka past experiences) with coach drivers.

If your towing package is set up CORRECTLY, you’ll never have to worry about leaving your TOAD connected when your rig is leveled. I’ve towed our F-150 Raptor for 30k miles over the past 2 years and never had a concern or problem.

That said, yes, I have a 12-point “cross-check” in which I check EVERY TIME before departing with my “TOAD”.
 
Hang on, @TJ&LadyDi...I know, for sure, you’ve been asked to detach first...one word...POLSON. ? where they actually escort you to the “detach staging area. Of course, with a 43’ plus crew cab Raptor...they probably can’t breathe until we detach. LOL

We’ve been asked dozens of times to detach; from the smallest campgrounds, to the largest Class A resorts. Really depends on their road layout combined with the CG owner’s comfort (aka past experiences) with coach drivers.

If your towing package is set up CORRECTLY, you’ll never have to worry about leaving your TOAD connected when your rig is leveled. I’ve towed our F-150 Raptor for 30k miles over the past 2 years and never had a concern or problem.

That said, yes, I have a 12-point “cross-check” in which I check EVERY TIME before departing with my “TOAD”.
How easily we forget to look right under our nose! Forgot all about that. Yep, you do have to unhook the toad on arrival at Polson...because...there are no pull-through sites. We have either pull-in or back-in sites at Polson. In that situation, you will want to unhook.

And, your memory jog produced on other location we needed to unhook the toad on arrival; Pacific Shores RV Resort in Newport, Oregon. And, it was for the same reason. They did have a spacious unhook area that you proceeded to after check-in.

In general, however, we have never been asked to unhook where there were pull-through sites.

TJ
 
Hmmm...And although I don't own a toad (yet), when we go camping to nearby County or State Parks my wife sometimes drives her car (separately)...when that happens we are often told that IF the toad is attached there is no fee...IF it's detached they charge an extra vehicle fee. Maybe this is only (crazy) California, but it's happened more than once.
 
Hmmm...And although I don't own a toad (yet), when we go camping to nearby County or State Parks my wife sometimes drives her car (separately)...when that happens we are often told that IF the toad is attached there is no fee...IF it's detached they charge an extra vehicle fee. Maybe this is only (crazy) California, but it's happened more than once.
Nah. We live in Crazifornia and in our touring of all the states west of Tennessee with a TOAD, never heard this one. We’ve maybe only been charged once for an extra vehicle, so haven’t paid attention to the criteria.
 
Well perhaps I needed to be more clear. I should have said as you are entering the park...if it's (the toad) attached to your RV then there is no charge...if not (drive in separately) there's an extra vehicle charge. What happens inside the park is not an issue. Sorry about the confusion ?
 

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