Help in choosing a tow bar
We are getting ready to purchase our new motorhome and are now researching tow bars. We are purchasing a 2017 Sunseeker and will be towing a 2016 Ford Focus Hatchback. We are completely ignorant...
Forum Discussion
A state may or may not pick at you about brakes. There's the ongoing "laws are for trailers not towed motor vehicles" too. From a logic and responsibility standpoint, you should have brakes. Some states use 3000-pounds Gross Vehicle Weight. The door sticker may say GVWR 3800. That puts it over the 3000 requirement even though the car itself may weigh only 2600. Then there's also break-away, bringing a disconnected vehicle to a stop sooner rather than later.
A popular tow-bar is Ready Brute Elite by Night Shift Auto. It's aluminum for somewhat reduced weight, and it has braking built in. I think Blue Ox has one with on-board braking too.
For base-plates, most tow-bars will offer versions that connect to popular base-plates. So you could use a Demco plate with a Blue Ox tow-bar, etc. The Big Three are Blue Ox, DEMCO, and RoadMaster. I suggest looking at them all. They may differ in the invasive-ness of the installation, or the height they use to connect to the tow-bar. There's also the matter of price and who's willing to install which brand, but the instructions can really help you decide which to use.
A popular tow-bar is Ready Brute Elite by Night Shift Auto. It's aluminum for somewhat reduced weight, and it has braking built in. I think Blue Ox has one with on-board braking too.
For base-plates, most tow-bars will offer versions that connect to popular base-plates. So you could use a Demco plate with a Blue Ox tow-bar, etc. The Big Three are Blue Ox, DEMCO, and RoadMaster. I suggest looking at them all. They may differ in the invasive-ness of the installation, or the height they use to connect to the tow-bar. There's also the matter of price and who's willing to install which brand, but the instructions can really help you decide which to use.
