I have been towing a toad behind my Class A Diesel pusher for the past 13 years. It is very easy and I have had very few problems. My current toad is in need of replacement. My question is how big a headache is towing a car on a flat bed trailer? I have a small 16 ft aluminum tilt trailer that I could haul a vehicle behind my MH. It would allow me to take what ever vehicle I wanted without worry about 4 down towing and if I would hurt the trans. I don't see that loading and tie-down would be much of a problem. I see no problem when I park in a pull through camping spot. I am concerned with what I would do when I have to unhook and park in a small camp site. What do I do with the trailer. Do parks have places where I could drop the trailer? Is this going to be a big problem? Let me hear from folks that trailer their cars. Thanks. JDA

Yes, many parks have an area to "store" your trailer.I would be more concerned on how you get it there. I would suggest a light trailer hitch on your toad to move trailer around. Another issues comes up occasionally, is length going through some areas, like east entrance to Zion NP. If your total length is over 50 feet you cannot enter. So disconnecting trailer and have navigator tow trailer through with toad.

It complicates things, limiting some choices of where to go, what site to use, but so does any increase in the size and complexity of your travelling rig.Most of the places I go, public campgrounds on reservoirs, have few pull-throughs and limited extra parking at the campsite, but have extra parking space for trailers because so many people are bringing boats. But even those spaces are back-in, and sometimes tight, so if you wanted to use the car, you would have to take it off the trailer before storing the trailer. Sometimes the extra parking is at the boat ramp, rather than in the CG, and there is a ramp fee to park there even if not launching.

We used a dolly for a couple of years. It was a PIA to load and tie down then check a few miles down the road. Then if it rained you had to retighten again. We could slide the tongue of dolly under the rear of the coach in most situations. That said, I cannot imagine the trouble a trailer that size would be in some of the sites we have stayed in. :E

I trailer my toad because we usually take an ATV along. It isn't difficult to secure the toad since I went to the straps over the tires and added some loops to make it more convenient. I use the harnesses on all 4 tires and very seldom do they need to be retightened. There is going to be extra weight but you can always back up when you might have to. Just do your homework on where you are going to stay and trailer isn't a problem. On another note we just bought a Honda CRV and are going to install a base plate on it so we will also have that option.:)

Trailers and Tow Dolly's can and do present a problem at most of the places that We have been to!Better to get a vehicle that tows 4 Down!Just My opinion!

Trailer Towing a Car | Good Sam Community

ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Jun 30, 2014
I started using a trailer in the late 60s---thats about 50 years ago---and the next park I go to that has a problem with trailer will be the first......People just make things more difficult than they are. My total length is over 70ft.....
dkreuzen
Explorer
Jun 30, 2014
I have used a trailer for 10 years and 4-down for 3 years. If you plan ahead you will rarely need to disconnect the trailer. In those 10 years of travel I encountered one RV park that made me disconnect the trailer, not because there wasn't room for it, just because they didn't "allow" trailers, but they didn't tell me that when I called.
It's all about advanced planning by calling the RV parks and specifying the site length you want.
Now that I have done both I can say that I rather use the trailer because I like the ability to back up and the fact that there is no wear on the toad. In my situation, it is my opinion that the trailer is less drag than the flat towing.
crasster
Explorer II
Jun 30, 2014
Trailers area PAIN to use. Even with the ramps. There were just too many steps involved with heavy expensive things. Then many sites can't store the trailer.

Now if we tow, we'll tow a standard shift Toyota Yaris 4 down. It's a super fun car to drive. Imagine spending $27 to fill something up from empty to full after spending $$$$ filling the coach from empty to full :)
robatthelake
Explorer
Jun 30, 2014
Trailers and Tow Dolly's can and do present a problem at most of the places that We have been to!
Better to get a vehicle that tows 4 Down!
Just My opinion!
tinkerer
Explorer
Jun 30, 2014
I trailer my toad because we usually take an ATV along. It isn't difficult to secure the toad since I went to the straps over the tires and added some loops to make it more convenient. I use the harnesses on all 4 tires and very seldom do they need to be retightened. There is going to be extra weight but you can always back up when you might have to. Just do your homework on where you are going to stay and trailer isn't a problem. On another note we just bought a Honda CRV and are going to install a base plate on it so we will also have that option.:)
Horsedoc
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2014
We used a dolly for a couple of years. It was a PIA to load and tie down then check a few miles down the road. Then if it rained you had to retighten again. We could slide the tongue of dolly under the rear of the coach in most situations.
That said, I cannot imagine the trouble a trailer that size would be in some of the sites we have stayed in. :E
tatest
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2014
It complicates things, limiting some choices of where to go, what site to use, but so does any increase in the size and complexity of your travelling rig.

Most of the places I go, public campgrounds on reservoirs, have few pull-throughs and limited extra parking at the campsite, but have extra parking space for trailers because so many people are bringing boats. But even those spaces are back-in, and sometimes tight, so if you wanted to use the car, you would have to take it off the trailer before storing the trailer.

Sometimes the extra parking is at the boat ramp, rather than in the CG, and there is a ramp fee to park there even if not launching.
enblethen
Nomad
Jun 29, 2014
Yes, many parks have an area to "store" your trailer.
I would be more concerned on how you get it there. I would suggest a light trailer hitch on your toad to move trailer around. Another issues comes up occasionally, is length going through some areas, like east entrance to Zion NP. If your total length is over 50 feet you cannot enter. So disconnecting trailer and have navigator tow trailer through with toad.

Forum Discussion

Trailer Towing a Car

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

Towing a car on a car trailer.

Towing a car hauler

Car Trailer behind a class A MH

Travel Trailer Tow Vehicle

f150 travel trailer towing