backing up your toad

Issue at your CG?

The issue is not backing the toad. It can be done. Howwever, you risk damage to front end parts and alignment.

You are wrong about the four down being the same as a short trailer. If the wheels of the towed vehicle were in a fixed position it might be the same, but as the back of your motorhome goes one way the front wheels of the towed vehicle will tend to turn the wrong way not like a trailer at all. N6RGM

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Issue at your CG?

No. I posted this as an educational comment.

This information may in fact be dangerous if somebody follows it. There have been cases (some reported on here) of the wife holding the steering wheel while backing the toad (for some reason it's never the husband in the toad) and breaking both wrists as the steering wheel slams hard over to the side. Different toads react differently to being backed and it will also depend on if the toad is directly in line with the motorhome or not. You can also severely damage your tow bad by backing your toad.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Issue at your CG?

No. I posted this as an educational comment.

Can I practice backing up with your motor home and toad? Just until I get the hang of it? While I am practicing, maybe you can supervise me so I make sure I am doing it correctly. Let me know when your rig will be available; I can't wait to get started. The sooner the better. Thanking you in advance.

Ray

Practice with a hay wagon BEFORE you mess up your toad. Can it be done? yes, easy? no Very easy to mess up expensive tow bar equipment. He must be opening a hitch shop at his place. :) :) :)

A couple feet I would say yes, if you are straight to begin with. Thirty feet Noway. About the same odds as a monkey typing a book. On a haywagon you can control the front tires....on a towed you can not. Your Teamster is wrong.

Twomed wrote:
Practice with a hay wagon BEFORE you mess up your toad. Can it be done? yes, easy? no Very easy to mess up expensive tow bar equipment. He must be opening a hitch shop at his place. :) :) :)

Evan backing a hay wagon is not the same as backing a toad. The hay wagon's tow bar pivots at both ends and is connected to the steerable wheels, while a toad tow bar has a single pivot point at the tow vehicle and the steerable wheels work like shopping cart castor wheels, except that they can't turn completely around of course. Can most toads be backed for short distances? Generally yes, particularly if it's a straight run. Turns add a whole different dimension.

I tried backing a Jeep Wrangler on a towbar ONCE!
The towing vehicle was a Dodge 3500 dually with an 11.5 foot camper on it.
I will NEVER do it again!
I backed straight back about 5 feet when the front wheels of the Jeep SLAMMED over against the stops quite violently. IMO, if somebody had been sitting there trying to hold the wheel they just might have suffered severely sprained or broken wrists.
My recommendation, based purely on personal experience, DO NOT TRY IT!
THE SAFEST WAY IS TO UNHOOK THE TOAD!
I don't care how many people say they have done it, I will NOT do it again.
By the way, I am no novice at backing things. I used to put DC-6 aircraft in hangars, with about 6 to 10 inches of clearance on each wingtip, using a short nosewheel (double swivel) towbar. Same thing with a DC-3C using a quite long tailwheel towbar. (shorter wing span, so more wall clearance).