This or this....and why?

I use a Roadmaster Stowmaster. It's just under $500 and does allow the slight adjustment when hooking to the toad. I'm fairly new to this towing stuff, and the Roadmaster is fantastic. It makes the job easy.

I chose the Roadmaster Brakemaster proportional braking system. It is not cheap to buy or have installed, but it is, IMO, one of the best braking systems available. It also includes the brake away system.

admiral0647 wrote:

othertonka wrote:
If you go for the $200 one, you will wish you made the other choice after you fight with hooking up a rigid tow bar and unhooking when you are not perfectly aligned. It will take two people and a lot of patience to hook up the rigid bar getting the toad aligned straight behind the MH and at the exact distance to make the ball fit. It ain't easy

X2

I used the $200 tow bar for many years, towing two different vehicles. The fixed A-Frame did what it was designed to do, but it takes two people (one driving, one guiding) to get it hitched.

I have used a Falcon 2 for the past 9 years and would never go back. For me it was worth the investment.

x 3, but we haven't heard from Montana yet. :) and you have to go to the trouble of removing it from the toad or drive around with that sticking up in your face. it's a one time purchase, do it right/easy.
my first tow bar was a "rangefinder" that did have a bit of adjustment but I quickly changed to one that stays on the back of the motorhome and that had levers to release it, not slip rings.
bumpy

txhandgunner wrote:
I've asked this before, but not sure I got my point across.

Why should I buy this for almost $1000...



When this should work just as well for only about $200?



Both are completely safe for 'over-the-road' travel and both would work...

If you still have the Fleetwood Discovery that is in your profile, then towing capacity of the MH is not much of an issue. The question is: what vehicle are you planning to tow behind the motorhome?

An ultra-small car like a mini cooper and smart car does not drive well with the weight of an A-frame tow bar (lower picture) hanging off the front of it. Very small cars need a hitch-based tow bar, not unlike the Ready Brute. On the other hand, a pickup, jeep, or larger SUV can easily drive with an A-frame tow bar on the front of it.

The next question is braking. Although CA, like some other states, is a performance-based state, the problem occurs with being legal everywhere else that you will be towing.

The Ready Brute is an integrated solution. If you go with a tow bar, like the Falcon 2 mentioned above or an A-frame model, you'll need a braking solution. Such a solution can easily cost $800 to $1,500 USD over and above the cost of the tow bar.

In 2011 I had CW install a Roadmaster Falcon 2 tow bar on the MH, Roadmaster base plates on my smart car, and Roadmaster's tail light accessory kit (diodes) on my smart car. In 2011 it cost me $1,938 (OTD). That's 2 grand, and that's not including the cost of supplemental braking.

In the end, to be legal you'll end up spending a chunk of change to flat tow a vehicle. Buying used towing equipment can save you money. Installing the base plates, tail light wiring, and invisibrake/brake buddy/etc yourself can save you money, but if you buy new and have it installed then expect to budget $2,000 to $3,000 to get the job done. With a $200 A-frame tow bar, you might get out the door with spending $1,400 to $1,700. Regardless of the cost, any way you slice it will be a pain in the backside.

othertonka wrote:
If you go for the $200 one, you will wish you made the other choice after you fight with hooking up a rigid tow bar and unhooking when you are not perfectly aligned. It will take two people and a lot of patience to hook up the rigid bar getting the toad aligned straight behind the MH and at the exact distance to make the ball fit. It ain't easy

X2

I used the $200 tow bar for many years, towing two different vehicles. The fixed A-Frame did what it was designed to do, but it takes two people (one driving, one guiding) to get it hitched.

I have used a Falcon 2 for the past 9 years and would never go back. For me it was worth the investment.

If you go for the $200 one, you will wish you made the other choice after you fight with hooking up a rigid tow bar and unhooking when you are not perfectly aligned. It will take two people and a lot of patience to hook up the rigid bar getting the toad aligned straight behind the MH and at the exact distance to make the ball fit. It ain't easy

You are comparing a Mercedes to a Yugo. The Yugo is definitely cheaper, and WILL get you to the grocery store.

Your description of the $200 tow bar doing "just as well" is very, very subjective.

The Ready Brute is MUCH easier to hook up. You can be off a little on your alignment or distance from the MH, and still hook up.

The Ready Brute is MUCH easier to unhook. Even when the tow bars are in a bind because the car is not DIRECTLY behind the MH, you can easily unlock them, pull the car forward 1 or 2 inches, and relieve the pressure. Neither of those are possible with the rigid tow bar.

First picture:


Second Picture:

I see empty boxes

Apples and oranges:)

The ready brake, when set up properly, will help to stop your vehicle, and keep you legal, since you are required to have an auxiliary brake system on your toad.

The $200 dollar system will require that you get some sort of brake system, which will raise the price substantially.

Depending on what you are towing, the cheap bar may be OK, but if you have a vehicle that you might miss, if it went flying off the side of the road, it is probably better to make the investment.

I'm pretty sure that ReadyBrake also makes a system that will attach to the cheaper tow bar, so you may save some money that way.

Good luck.