Dingy

phoneguy1212 wrote:
What's the simplest vehicle to use as the dingy. It can't be to small cause I'll have trouble clinbing in and out of it. A jeep may work but don't know if they can be towed and do they have to be a manual trans.


Thanks Jerry

jerry, many jeeps, both automatic and manual transmissions, can be flat towed.

for automatic transmission jeeps the general rule of thumb to follow to determine this is if the vehicle's transfer case (that's what puts the jeep into 2 or 4-wheel drive) has a manually selectable neutral position. if it does it should be able to be flat towed. if there is no manually selectable neutral position in the transfer case then the transmission is likely an 'all wheel drive' model where the tranny 'senses' when 4WD is needed and switches automatically. AWD jeeps cannot be flat towed and generally need to be towed on a trailer.

the best way to confirm this and for manual transmission models look at the owner's manual in the 'Recreational Towing' section. sales and service people may not know and may tell you whatever pops into their head. I once had a bit of fun at an auto show a few years back asking mfg. reps at the show if this car and that car could be flat towed behind our motorhome. the majority of the reps said..."sure. just put it in neutral and off you go!".

but before you buy anything you need to know just how much weight your MH can safely tow without exceeding the various weight ratings...gross combination weight rating (GCWR), gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and each axle's gross axle weight rating (GAWR). you also need to know the curb weight of the vehicle you're planning to buy and whether that curb weight includes a full tank of gas (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't).

the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the GCWR minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (food, fuel, water, LP, clothing, supplies, pets, people and misc. stuff); OR

- the weight rating of the MH hitch (Class II 3500-lbs, Class III 5000-lbs, Class IV 10,000-lbs); OR

- the weight rating of your towbar

load up the MH as you would for travel and then get individual axle weights at a certified scale. compare those axle weights to the published gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for that motorhome. the actual axle weight must be less than/equal to the rating for that axle. add the two axle weights to arrive at the total rolling weight and then apply the three conditions above. assume nothing.

good luck!