Tow vehicles

[bodyguard]

I am new to having a motorhome. My wife and I have a Toyota Rav4. I have been told that we cannot tow it unless it is fully trailered. If this is so than which vehicles are able to be towed without using a full trailer or even a mule.

[nbargolf]

Blaster Man wrote:
The only vehicle I will tow four down is one that says it is okay and how to do it in the owner's manual. Present toad is a Honda CRV.

Second the CRV great small car for towing 4 down.

[Blaster_Man]

gfs1943 wrote:
Don't get too wrapped up in what Remco says; they're not always right. For example, try to look up a 2006 Honda CR-V in Remco's guide. They only list manual transmissions in the 2-wheel drive model; I believe the auto trans was the only transmission available on that car. Also, Remco states that both they and Honda say the car isn't towable 4-down. (Quote: "•Officially from both Honda and REMCO the vehicle is not towable. However, we at Remco have a large number of customers who are flat-towing that vehicle behind their Motor Home and they are not having any issues.")

The CR-V owner's manual states that both the 2-wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars are towable 4-down, and gives the specific procedures to do it.

Use Remco as a guide only; use the vehicle's Owner's Manual as the final authority.

Good advice.

[jerseyjim]

For towing 4-down, there are quite a few cars than it can be done. MORE than quite a few that CANNOT. Check your owners' manual. That should have any and all information.
Unless you have absolute confidence in a car salesmen, ignore them. All they want to do is sell the car and get their commission. I can't blame them, but it's up to you to RESEARCH! This forum has some good information as to where much of this information is.
If your vehicle should not be towed 4 down, there are a few things that can make it towable 4-down. All cost money. $1000 or so. A "driveshaft disconnect". A "transmission lube pump" just for two of them.
MY "toads" are: (used to be) a 1996 Ford Contour, speed stick. No mods whatsoever, put the tranny in neutral, leave the key in the ignition (keeps the steering wheels free) and simply; go.
Current "toads" are: 2007 Chevy HHR, automatic. Leave key in, put in "N" and pull a 2 amp fuse.
2011 Ford Ranger auto,4WD. Put it in "N", leave key in, buy a $400 Ford only "Transfer case neutral switch kit" (a rip...but.....) off y'go.

Lots of thought goes into a correct towed vehicle. G'luck!

A "Base Plate" for the "toad" itself....and a matching telescoping tow bar might run you 1200 bucks. Maybe more. Check "BlueOx". I have their product (base-plate) on both my "toads" and the same tow-bar (Roadmaster) with the BlueOx "knuckle" end....so I can use the same tow-bar for both.

[gfs1943]

Don't get too wrapped up in what Remco says; they're not always right. For example, try to look up a 2006 Honda CR-V in Remco's guide. They only list manual transmissions in the 2-wheel drive model; I believe the auto trans was the only transmission available on that car. Also, Remco states that both they and Honda say the car isn't towable 4-down. (Quote: "•Officially from both Honda and REMCO the vehicle is not towable. However, we at Remco have a large number of customers who are flat-towing that vehicle behind their Motor Home and they are not having any issues.")

The CR-V owner's manual states that both the 2-wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars are towable 4-down, and gives the specific procedures to do it.

Use Remco as a guide only; use the vehicle's Owner's Manual as the final authority.

[J-Rooster]

mowermech wrote:

J-Rooster wrote:
Just about any vehicle that has a standard transmission! My last tow vehicle was a Toyota Yaris that I towed all 4 down.

Sorry, that is simply not true! There are many manual transmission vehicles that should not be towed four down. The lubricant will not be splashed around as it is in normal operation, and the output bearing and seal may eventually burn out. However, some people say they have been doing it for years with no trouble. How lucky do YOU feel?
That also applies to many automatic transmission vehicles.
However, the "standard transmission" statement DOES apply to Subarus! ONLY standard transmission Subarus can be towed four down. Automatic transmission Subarus must be trailered. Neither can be dolly towed.
ALMOST all 4X4 Jeep vehicles can be towed four down, IF the transfer case shift has a NEUTRAL position. Many other four wheel drive vehicles can also be towed four down if the transfer case can be put in NEUTRAL. I have never seen a 4X4 that the manufacturer says can be towed on a dolly.
Front wheel drive vehicles can be dolly towed with no trouble IF it will fit on the dolly.
Some manual transmission front wheel drive vehicles can be towed four down without fear of damage.
IMO, the Owners Manual is the final authority. Look for "Recreational Towing" in the book, and you will probably find all the information you need.
Some vehicles can be modified with a lubricant pump or drive shaft disconnect to allow four down towing. Such things work, but they are expensive, and I would never do it. I would rather get a different vehicle! Yes, that, too, is expensive.
Good luck.

Mowermech, you are correct! I should have been more clear about what I was writing about. Any standard transmission vehicle that I've owned I've towed 4 down. Our good friends who we RV with, tow a Ford Explorer behind there Tiffin and they have a Remco part that they have to use on the drive line when towing. I stand corrected and have a nice day!

[wny_pat1]

bodyguard wrote:
I am new to having a motorhome. My wife and I have a Toyota Rav4. I have been told that we cannot tow it unless it is fully trailered. If this is so than which vehicles are able to be towed without using a full trailer or even a mule.

Take a look at Remco Towing Product Selector Guide, and plug in your vehicles info - year - model - transmission type, etc. It will tell you almost everything you need to know about what you can and can't tow.

[Snomas]

My toad is the 2012 Explorer. We love it so we also use it as our everyday vehicle wherever we are!

[crasster]

J-Rooster wrote:
Just about any vehicle that has a standard transmission! My last tow vehicle was a Toyota Yaris that I towed all 4 down.

That's what we tow.

Absolutely love it. After a long drive in the bounder, we have a little car to zip up and down mountains. 🙂

Though we can tow it 4 down (and have), we actually bought a landscaping trailer with a drop gate for larger zero turn mowers. We just park the Yaris in that. All we do is drop the gate and back it off. The Yaris is also great because it doesn't take a large trailer, can use a small tow dolly, or 4 down. For me the quickest and simplest was the landscape trailer. No lights, no brake controls needed (as the Yaris is light - 2300 pounds). Plus I've seen too many toad catastrophies....

Rock chips, ruined tires/rims, left in gear & ruined transmission....

It's just simple with the trailer. Pull up, emergency brake, release clutch in 1st gear. Get out, shut gate.

[kjburns]

Motorhome magazine has downloadable dinghy guides for 2000 - 2013 here.

[mowermech]

J-Rooster wrote:
Just about any vehicle that has a standard transmission! My last tow vehicle was a Toyota Yaris that I towed all 4 down.

Sorry, that is simply not true! There are many manual transmission vehicles that should not be towed four down. The lubricant will not be splashed around as it is in normal operation, and the output bearing and seal may eventually burn out. However, some people say they have been doing it for years with no trouble. How lucky do YOU feel?
That also applies to many automatic transmission vehicles.
However, the "standard transmission" statement DOES apply to Subarus! ONLY standard transmission Subarus can be towed four down. Automatic transmission Subarus must be trailered. Neither can be dolly towed.
ALMOST all 4X4 Jeep vehicles can be towed four down, IF the transfer case shift has a NEUTRAL position. Many other four wheel drive vehicles can also be towed four down if the transfer case can be put in NEUTRAL. I have never seen a 4X4 that the manufacturer says can be towed on a dolly.
Front wheel drive vehicles can be dolly towed with no trouble IF it will fit on the dolly.
Some manual transmission front wheel drive vehicles can be towed four down without fear of damage.
IMO, the Owners Manual is the final authority. Look for "Recreational Towing" in the book, and you will probably find all the information you need.
Some vehicles can be modified with a lubricant pump or drive shaft disconnect to allow four down towing. Such things work, but they are expensive, and I would never do it. I would rather get a different vehicle! Yes, that, too, is expensive.
Good luck.

[bluwtr49]

Pretty much any 4wd Jeep works great.

[Blaster_Man]

The only vehicle I will tow four down is one that says it is okay and how to do it in the owner's manual. Present toad is a Honda CRV.

[NoGoSlo]

Call Remco. They're the towing experts.

[J-Rooster]

Just about any vehicle that has a standard transmission! My last tow vehicle was a Toyota Yaris that I towed all 4 down.