Forum Discussion

kfp673's avatar
kfp673
Explorer II
Sep 12, 2014

Car towing question..

Hello all. We have been really struggling with the motorhome vs 5th wheel decision and will be heading to Hershey this weekend to help with that decision. We thought we were leaning toward motorhome until we started to look into the car towing situation

With that said, I have a car towing question. We would pretty much always have to tow a car since we never just hang in the campground. The problem is trying to decide if towing is an option. So... My question is, is there such a thing as a 4 wheel tow bar that does not require cutting and can be installed on a leased vehicle, and easily removed? I have an equinox AWD company vehicle. The company vehicle plan allows us to use the car as a personal vehicle as well. I was excited to see that the equinox is an approved 4 down tow vehicle until I watched a video of the installation and saw the cutting and drilling involved. That wont work with a company car. Are there any tow bars or vehicles that are easier to install? Jeeps maybe? Dolly apparently is not an option with this AWD car according to the owners manual.

Any recomendations? Thanks!
Class A
  • SpurHntr's avatar
    SpurHntr
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    Why not just use a car trailer?

    I think you're asking if there is a BASEPLATE that would install on your toad rather than a special tow bar?

    Check blue ox's website. Great info on there.
  • bshpilot's avatar
    bshpilot
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    my base plates BOLT to the jeep (behind the bumper) - 3 bolts (for each base plate) easily remove when and if i ever want to remove them.

    the base plates retail for 400 bucks - so you can bet ill remove them (even if i sell them for 1/2 price).

    all base plates use a nut/bolt attachment mechanism (invisible behind the bumper) - there was NO cutting involved - i could remove my base plates and you'd never know our jeep was ever towed.
  • rondeb's avatar
    rondeb
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    Our CRV had to have part of the bumper system removed, but no cutting. The installer gave the part to us to reinstall if we ever sold the car.
  • gemert's avatar
    gemert
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    As others have said the base plate bolts on. You will also need lighting for the rear of your Toed (brake and turn lights)and an auxiliary braking system. The braking system usually needs some holes to be drilled into various places on the Toed. You can get a Ready Brute tow bar with a Ready Brake installed on it instead. The ready brake is a surge brake that does not require being mounted inside the car. You won't be able to get around some holes drilled on the outside but they would all be hidden under the car. The lights can be mounted to the Toed with magnets. Good luck.
  • Tom_and_Gloria's avatar
    Tom_and_Gloria
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    We camped next to a couple a few months ago from Florida. There Toad was a Honda Accord and was leased. He told me that was their second leased Honda they used as a Toad.
  • sch911's avatar
    sch911
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    Base plates all bolt on to the chassis points. But on some vehicles fascia's or bumper components must be modified for access. The Blue Ox, and Roadmaster web sites include mounting instructions for all baseplates. Use these to tell you what needs to be modified for any given vehicle. Many vehicles require no modification like our 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited.
  • bshpilot's avatar
    bshpilot
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    regarding the taillights - only the Jeep Wranglers have an OEM integrated factory wiring harnesses.
    while holes may need to be its completely factory.



    of course you could use magnetic lights (i did early on) - but they are a real PIA !
    i see now "they" offer WIRELESS magnetic lights - but I'd be worried about theft and they will scratch the paint.
  • Snomas's avatar
    Snomas
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    I have set up two different cars for towing. Both of them had to have some small cut outs in the front grill/fascia to allow the tow bkts to be exposed for connecting too.
  • bshpilot's avatar
    bshpilot
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2014
    again no cutting for a wrangler, the baseplates mount (via 3 bolts per plate) behind the bumper.

    the mounting plates (aka base plates) can easily be removed and no one would ever know it was towed behind a coach.

  • WILDEBILL308's avatar
    WILDEBILL308
    Explorer II
    Sep 12, 2014
    kfp673 wrote:
    Hello all. We have been really struggling with the motorhome vs 5th wheel decision and will be heading to Hershey this weekend to help with that decision. We thought we were leaning toward motorhome until we started to look into the car towing situation

    With that said, I have a car towing question. We would pretty much always have to tow a car since we never just hang in the campground. The problem is trying to decide if towing is an option. So... My question is, is there such a thing as a 4 wheel tow bar that does not require cutting and can be installed on a leased vehicle, and easily removed? I have an equinox AWD company vehicle. The company vehicle plan allows us to use the car as a personal vehicle as well. I was excited to see that the equinox is an approved 4 down tow vehicle until I watched a video of the installation and saw the cutting and drilling involved. That wont work with a company car. Are there any tow bars or vehicles that are easier to install? Jeeps maybe? Dolly apparently is not an option with this AWD car according to the owners manual.

    Any recomendations? Thanks!


    Talk to your company and see if you can buy the car at the end of the lease. That way you can install the baseplate and wiring harness so you can tow 4 down. Otherwise I would buy a car to tow. You do have a POV don't you?
    Bill

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