To Toad or Frog

What does your owners manual say? If you don't have one get one. Motorhome magazine has towing guides as does FMCA. But don't flat tow any car unless the manual says it's OK or you have equipment installed to make it OK like drive shaft disconnect or transmission lube pump.

There are many posts on these boards on this subject. Some like a dolly, others like a trailer. Both should have brakes. Setup both arriving and leaving are more involved plus storage of the extra unit. And you must have the capacity for the extra towing weight.

Flat towing means that you need the tow bar, base plate and most likely auxiliary brakes to be legal. Especially considering all of the states you travel through.

We bought our 04 CRV new and set it up to tow. MH mounted adjustable tow bar and box brake. Over the years we converted to the Roadmaster All Terrain tow bar and Invsibrake. Now so much easier and quicker to hook up or unhook.

Probably $2500+ new for our setup. You might find used equipment BUT the base plate must fit your car. A used dolly or trailer is another option.

Backing up a trailer or dolly might be hard but it's doable. You cannot backup a flat tow as the caster will turn the wheels and bend the tow bar.

Lots to consider. :@

Curious...what is frog? I know what a toad is but not heard frog term before.

BTW Many like the Readybrake which costs less and can include a manual brake setup (ie cable to brake pedal).

Not sure what you mean by Frog but here is my opinion...

Towing with all four wheels on the ground is easier as you have less equipment to deal with. But you have to equip each car you want to be towed and this is not cheap, and limits your selection of cars.

Towing using a dolly allows you to pick and choose what type of car you tow, and can swap them with out much hassle. You do have to deal with the dolly when you get to your camp site which for some people is a pain.

Towing with a trailer has the same benefits and issues as towing with a dolly but allows backing up. Some say they backup a car on a dolly, but I think it's not such a good idea.

Thanks for all the good input. That gives me a direction to go in.

A frog is four rolling on the ground vs toad two on a dolly.

Thanks all

I've been on this forum for 10 years and never heard of a "frog"??

Me too and I've never related toad to two on a dolly! wow... learn something new every day, huh? I've always understand that toad was just a take off on towed and indicating 4-down.

Oh well, I'm glad we know now.:R

Ron

lanerd wrote:
Me too and I've never related toad to two on a dolly! wow... learn something new every day, huh? I've always understand that toad was just a take off on towed and indicating 4-down.

Oh well, I'm glad we know now.:R

Ron

X-2, toad is just a variant of towed, has nothing to do with a dolly, (although it could). Never heard it referred to as frog, just "towing 4 down" or "flat towed".

I prefer Toad (4 down). Less to hook up. Something the DW can hook up also.

I guess,based on this post, that we are going to be forced to change our terminolgy