Tow car hookup by single person

[jepalmer]

I will be towing a vehicle and need to be able to easily (relatively) hook up the towed vehicle by myself.
1) Any recommendations for a particular tow bar brand?
2) Any hookup procedure recommendations?

Thanks.

[Finally_Time]

I travel solo and hook-up the toad solo. I use a Ready Brute Elite. It takes me just under 5 minutes to hook-up and go. (Part of that time is due to having to go through a prep procedure for the Honda CR-V.) I am a check list fanatic, here's mine for the hook-up.
Hooking CRV to Motorhome

1. Move towbar legs up & out in a V position with legs retracted
2. Turn handles to right angles with legs
3. Drive car close to MH
4. Drop towbar from stow shackle
5. Pull out one leg and hook clevis to car
6. Pull out other leg and hook clevis to car
7. Turn handles parallel (in-line) with towbar legs
8. Wrap each safety cable over each leg & hook to car
9. Plug in light cable
10. Check that lights function
11. Hook up brake cable
12. Drive MH forward & check that arms are extended
and that pins have snapped down
If one pin does not snap down, drive MH forward
turning in direction of pin that didn’t snap down

Un-Hooking CRV from Motorhome
1. Park as straight & level as possible
2. Set car in PARK and set emergency brake
3. Unhook safety cables light cable, brake cable
4. Rotate towbar handles 90 degrees to legs
5. Remove cotter pins and bent pins
If pins too tight start engine, turn wheel right & left
6. Collapse legs and push together.
7. Turn handles parallel to legs
8. Push legs to one side, lift up and hook shackle over tow strap
9. Put cover over towbar legs
10. Put strap over shackle
11. If driving with towbar in stow position, tie legs together
and support with strap(s) to MH ladder & bumper

[ro_sie]

I am 5 ft tall, weigh in at about 115 and I can hook up and unhook a car by myself. It is a hassel running back and forth checking to see if all lighting and brakes are working properly, but, it can be done.

[crawford]

you get a telescoping tow bar back up about 2 to 3 feet left one and put till you hook up go to other side and do the same once you finish with safety straps, braking safety system once you pull forward both arms lock and you are ready to go no tricks just go.

[olfarmer]

olfarmer wrote:

Mile High wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
I have always done it alone and I have a rigid (no adjustment) tow bar. I use 2 magnetic, extendable, rods with a ball on top. Just drive forward until the balls touch and hook it up. Pretty easy and simple. They are available from RV dealers.

But how do you hold the tow bar out in front the toad so you can line up? That part was the one I struggled with for a fixed tow bar.

I have an adjustable strap with a hook on each end. I open the hood on my Jeep and hook it to the brace above the radiator and the other end hooks to the tow bar. Adjust it to the proper height and drive forward until the balls on the magnetic pole touch and then unhook the strap and let the hitch down on the ball. Sorry I didn't answer sooner, I haven't been on this site for a bit and just saw your question.

I just hooked it up today for a trip to Texas. It took me one try!
:B

[tatest]

Mile High wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
I have always done it alone and I have a rigid (no adjustment) tow bar. I use 2 magnetic, extendable, rods with a ball on top. Just drive forward until the balls touch and hook it up. Pretty easy and simple. They are available from RV dealers.

But how do you hold the tow bar out in front the toad so you can line up? That part was the one I struggled with for a fixed tow bar.

I started with a fixed length tow bar, used chains hooked into eye-bolts I put in the bumper to hold it slightly above level. I eventually got an extensible tow bar to replace it.

[tatest]

Tow bar brand doesn't matter, type or which model within a brand does matter. You want an extensible towbar, rather than a rigid one, so that you get within range of extensibility rather than trying to move the towed vehicle to match up a connection within an inch or so.

You also need to work out your own procedures, which might be different for grades vs level ground. This mostly has to do with when to set a parking brake, when to release it, and takes some running back and forth if doing it all single. Basically, your towed vehicle needs to be free to tow it, sometimes to extend and lock the bar, but you don't want it free to move when you are standing between the RV and the toad. One thing I've found sometimes unhooking, I need the toad free to move in order to unlock the towbar arms, but want the parking brake on before I pull the pins.

Solo with a tow dolly is also doable, because you deal with hooking up the dolly when it is empty and presumably light enough to manhandle, and toad goes on and off the dolly only when it is hooked up and stabilized by the motorhome.

I'm using a Blue Ox Aladdin, the aluminum construction helps keep weight down for handling the equipment off the RV, 7500 pound capacity is adequate for my 2600 pound toad. Ready-Brute is in the same class with integrated braking available, Roadmaster's Sterling All-Terrain is equivalent, because while not aluminum, it has the equivalent capacity and is still lightweight. Roadmaster offers lighter capacities (Falcon) and heavier (Blackhawk) in their all-terrain lines (lever operated rather than push button).

Main reason for the Aladdin was a local RV dealer had one used, almost new, for about half price. If it had been a Falcon with the same deal, I probably would have bought that. My first tow was under 4000 pounds, and they've gotten smaller since.

[tropical36]

jepalmer wrote:
I will be towing a vehicle and need to be able to easily (relatively) hook up the towed vehicle by myself.
1) Any recommendations for a particular tow bar brand?
2) Any hookup procedure recommendations?

Thanks.

We have a NSA READYBRUTE/ELITE and not that this brand makes for any big difference.
It's no biggie for doing it alone, although it's quicker for me if DW brings it up to the rear for me. I even have this little trickola, once connected, of having her easing it back at idle, with the wheels turned at my direction and for locking in the bars. Once that's accomplished, she gets out and finishes with the hookups, while I get the drive train disconnected properly.

[crawford]

Again any good name brand should do, every one here has stated there opinion but now do the rest and see what is best for you. Remember what is good for one may not for another.

[Mile_High]

olfarmer wrote:

Mile High wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
I have always done it alone and I have a rigid (no adjustment) tow bar. I use 2 magnetic, extendable, rods with a ball on top. Just drive forward until the balls touch and hook it up. Pretty easy and simple. They are available from RV dealers.

But how do you hold the tow bar out in front the toad so you can line up? That part was the one I struggled with for a fixed tow bar.

I have an adjustable strap with a hook on each end. I open the hood on my Jeep and hook it to the brace above the radiator and the other end hooks to the tow bar. Adjust it to the proper height and drive forward until the balls on the magnetic pole touch and then unhook the strap and let the hitch down on the ball. Sorry I didn't answer sooner, I haven't been on this site for a bit and just saw your question.

Thanks Ed! That makes sense how you do it. I couldn't figure where you could tie up at the top but you answered my question.

[jepalmer]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The type of tow bar and the type of base plate make no difference at all. The key is the tow vehicle. Can it be towed 4 down or are you going to need a tow dolly? What is your plan?

4 down
and thanks for all the comments/helpful suggestions!

[wa8yxm]

I use a blue ox. Since it is one of the ones with telescoping arms that mounts and stows on the RV I just pull up fairly close.. Connect at least one arm, then the other (Sometimes I need to move the car a bit) and the safety cables and electrical and brake connections and off we tow

[olfarmer]

Mile High wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
I have always done it alone and I have a rigid (no adjustment) tow bar. I use 2 magnetic, extendable, rods with a ball on top. Just drive forward until the balls touch and hook it up. Pretty easy and simple. They are available from RV dealers.

But how do you hold the tow bar out in front the toad so you can line up? That part was the one I struggled with for a fixed tow bar.

I have an adjustable strap with a hook on each end. I open the hood on my Jeep and hook it to the brace above the radiator and the other end hooks to the tow bar. Adjust it to the proper height and drive forward until the balls on the magnetic pole touch and then unhook the strap and let the hitch down on the ball. Sorry I didn't answer sooner, I haven't been on this site for a bit and just saw your question.

[dtucker3usa]

we use the Roadmaster falcon all terrain tow bar and base plates. But as stated before they all do good. It just takes practice.

[crawford]

I'm sure any good name tow bar will do it my Demco is great one but each is own right?

[Lancslad]

Blue Ox for me, takes about 5 mins including setting the brake and checking the lights.