Tow a vehicle?

I use relay's that are powered by the RV on the solenoid and the actual contact is powered by the vehicles battery that is charged by the RV's charger via the 7 pin connector.

It works this way, turn signal lever for left turn, electric pulses are sent via the yellow wire to the toad's left rear light housing and energize the relay that has positive current coming from the toads battery, every time that the solenoid is on the relay is closed and the light bulb turns on, I do not use the vehicles wiring at all just the light bulbs that are there, spliced and soldered wires with shrink tubing.

With this method I turn on five lamps with the turn signals or ten lamps with the emergency flashers, the brake lamps work the same way as the do the parking lights, this gives me bright lights that do not dim when I step on the brakes or turn signals, installed in 2002 and never had a problem.

navegator

Hurricane Kiter wrote:
Looking to tow with our Class A motor-home. Must the vehicle be rear wheel drive, manual transmission, rewired, running to operate the brakes? I need to know this to make the right choice. Thank you in advance.

Vehicles fall into 3x2 categories for towing.

First the 2: Too heavy, not too heavy, You want NOT too heavy

now the 3
Some can be towed as is, Just hook 'em up and go.. Occasionally you need to stop say every 4 hours and do something.

Some can not be towed 4 down no matter what you do. This includes 2wd JEEPS with automatic transmissions (And some 4wd and AWD models as well).

Some can be towed WITH modification.. Examples...

Many light trucks (RWD) can be towed after addition of a drive shaft disconnect. When you "De-clutch" (Using British English for that one) it is basically no different than dropping the drive shaft. Except that when it comes time to drop and drive You just re-clutch (move the lever the other way).

On my first towed I used an "Axel Lock" Esentally the same device but for FWD cars.. I turned the wheel left, reached behind it with an oil filter wrench and turned a collar.. The wheel was no longer connected to the half shaft.. The differential spun freely if the other wheel turned..

In both of these cases you tow with the tranny in PARK (Both were automatic transmission)

On my current towed.. Front wheel drive.. The axle lock is imp;ractical, not enough room to reach in and lock/unlock it. So I use a LUBE PUMP, This pump circulates tranny fulid same as if the engine was in idle.. Works great, Tow in NEUTRAL, not park.

However you need to read the guide, OR go to the Remco Towing store and fill in the candidate car and see what they say.

The Mods (All 3 versions) run about fifteen hundred installed (Bit more or less depending on several factors)

Here's a 2014 towing guide. I'm sure you can find a 2015 if you're buying new.

http://www.royrobinsonrv.com/images/pdf/DinghyGuide2014.pdf

The first link of this post didn't work for me either.

I am checking out towingworld online though. I am sure to find that guide.

As has been said, there are many variations and you should check the owner's manuals for the vehicles you're interested in (under "recreational towing" or similar headings) for the best information.

Very generally speaking however...

• Most two-wheel-drive manual transmission vehicles can be towed four down fairly easily.
• Many automatic transmission two wheel drive vehicles cannot be towed four down, but some can.
• Most four wheel drive vehicles with a transfer case that can be put into neutral can be towed four down (regardless of automatic vs. manual transmission.
• Most AWD and four wheel drive vehicles without a transfer case cannot be towed four down.
• Essentially all front wheel drive vehicles can be towed using a dolly.
• AWD and (I think) four wheel drive vehicles usually cannot be towed using a dolly.
• Any vehicle can be towed on a trailer.

Thank you, I am not able to make the link work, I will try again later. I knew nothing before, and had no luck finding anything, so this is my best resource so far. Glad to find that there are more options than I thought.

sdianel wrote:
http://192.168.1.1:8181/http://towingworld.com/resources/2015DinghyGuide.pdf

The Dinghy Towing Guide will help. Most manual transmission vehicles are towable "4-down". We tow a 2008 Chevy Colordo pickup truck which is 4 wheel drive. There is a button on the dash that disengages the drive shaft for easy towing. It's an automatic.

Some automatic vehicles (see guide) are towable 4 down if you remove a fuse and follow the manufacturers recommendations noted on the guide.

You can't get the brakes on the toad to work without a brake assist.
Roadmaster, Blue Ox, Delta Force, Brake Buddy are a few manufacturers.

X-2, also Some cars can be Made towable with the addition of a converter pump added, (not cheap), some cars aren't towable 4 down, and can't be made towable, ie. I had an '05 Kia Spectra, (great little car), but it wasn't towable & couldn't be made towable 4 down, hence the dolly. On the other hand, I replaced the Kia with a '14 Ford Focus which is towable 4 down, but, I already had the dolly, so that's how I haul.
Towing 4 down is a little easier than a dolly, but is also considerably more expensive.
A good Blue OX tow bar alone cost a little more than I paid for my dolly, then you have the brake buddy, hooking up the lights are probably the cheapest part. Oh, BTW sdianel your link doesn't work, at least for me.

Front wheel drive/rear wheel drive/4 wheel drive is a mixed bag. All of them have towable cars. All of them have cars that can not be towed. You have to check the owner's manual (or other knowledgeable source) for each car that you are considering.

You do need to hook up tail lights. There are 3 methods.

1. (rarely used) magnetic lights on the back of the car, or on a metal bar fabricated to go into the car's trailer hitch.

2. (occasionally used) drill a hole in each tail light assembly and insert a new 1157 bulb/socket. This keeps the car's electrical system completely isolated from the RV's electrical system.

3. (most common) use diodes to hook the RV's brake/tail/turn signal wires into the car's current tail light wires.

You will also need an auxiliary braking system of some type. There are many choices out there to choose from.

http://192.168.1.1:8181/http://towingworld.com/resources/2015DinghyGuide.pdf

The Dinghy Towing Guide will help. Most manual transmission vehicles are towable "4-down". We tow a 2008 Chevy Colordo pickup truck which is 4 wheel drive. There is a button on the dash that disengages the drive shaft for easy towing. It's an automatic.

Some automatic vehicles (see guide) are towable 4 down if you remove a fuse and follow the manufacturers recommendations noted on the guide.

You can't get the brakes on the toad to work without a brake assist.
Roadmaster, Blue Ox, Delta Force, Brake Buddy are a few manufacturers.