Dinghy Towing

[moondogcooter]

I'm buying a 2015 Honda Fit as a tow behind my Class A. I'm 30,000 lbs it's 2500 lbs do I need a braking system in the car? ...
Doug

[sehunter]

Here is the current requirement for motorhome towing trailers and vehicles 4 down.

CA DMV

[phil-t]

moondogcooter wrote:
I'm buying a 2015 Honda Fit as a tow behind my Class A. I'm 30,000 lbs it's 2500 lbs do I need a braking system in the car? ...
Doug

"need" is a four letter word in my book, regardless of the law. WANT is a much better term for adding a braking system to your toad for dingy towing.

[wildmanbaker]

Lwiddis wrote:
“Not sure what disconnected from my motor home means?“

The hitch/connector between the MH and the toad pops off, breaks, loosens, a bolt breaks....

Thank you Lawrence, Fear of loosing the Toad is the main reason we have a braking system installed on our Toads.

[Lwiddis]

“Not sure what disconnected from my motor home means?“

The hitch/connector between the MH and the toad pops off, breaks, loosens, a bolt breaks....

[enblethen]

Some auxilary braking devices come with a breakaway feature that if the tow bar comes detached from the MH, a cable is pulled locking brakes on the toad.
Aux braking is a good idea, but is not always required by law.

[moondogcooter]

wildmanbaker wrote:
Only if it comes disconnected from your MH. In many states, a braking system is required over 1,500 pounds.

Not sure what disconnected from my motor home means? BTW Its a 6 speed manual shift.

[moondogcooter]

Yes it is a 6 speed manual shift

ArchHoagland wrote:
moondogcooter....Is it an automatic?

If so you can only tow it on a trailer.

***Link Removed***

[Lwiddis]

"IMHO it is foolish not to have one with out a break away system also."

Absolutely foolish. Probably not dangerous for OP but is sure is for anyone behind him or driving in the opposite direction.

[ArchHoagland]

moondogcooter....Is it an automatic?

If so you can only tow it on a trailer.

Remco

[way2roll]

howdy35 wrote:
You better check your owners manual to see if that car can be towed four wheels down. It was my thought that anything newer than a 2014 Honda could not be towed because of the CVT transmission. You may have a standard but you didn't say. Just trying to give more information to the topic. Happy travels. Arnold

I think you are right, there aren't any Honda's in the 2015 dinghy towing guide.

According to Remco if it's the 6 speed manual, it can be towed but not the CVT automatic.

[howdy35]

You better check your owners manual to see if that car can be towed four wheels down. It was my thought that anything newer than a 2014 Honda could not be towed because of the CVT transmission. You may have a standard but you didn't say.

I pulled a 2000 Honda Accord behind a Bounder all over the Rocky Mountains back in 2002 without towed brakes or a Break-a-way system. I probably was fortunate to not have any problems. If I were doing it now, I would have some kind of braking system at least on the car. Happy travels. Arnold

[D_E_Bishop]

MNC, I am a Californian and up until a couple of years ago did not have a SBS on my toweds, at that time the law on SBS'ss was a performance base law. Able to stop in X feet ax X speed, I went to the local CHP office where I had gotten a copy of the law and kept it in my RV, on my last visit, I was told the law had been changed and now towed vehicles were covered by trailer laws. I don't really feel that is true and the Chippy didn't have time to give me a copy of the law so I just put a SBS on my towed. Prior to my current GMC Canyon I had towed Suzis and didn't feel I needed extra braking, the Canyon is heavier than a Suzi and I can tell it.

I like stay in place systems but have a brake buddy now because I bought it really cheap at a close out sale.

So my answer is get it, it is cheaper than not being able to stop when you need to.

[Bumpyroad]

yes
IMHO it is foolish not to have one with out a break away system also.
bumpy

[enblethen]

Verify language. A towed motor vehicle is not a trailer in many states.
OP: what is make and model of MH?

[camperdave]

California (which it looks like you are in) requires brakes on any trailer over 1500 pounds. You could try to make the argument that a tow behind car is not a trailer, but not sure if that would work...

Personally I feel that if your total load with toad is under the GVWR of your motorhome, you would be fine since clearly the brakes are designed for that weight. Anything over GVWR, I'd want brakes on the trailer.

But that's just my rational opinion, and I doubt the CHP would agree lol.

All the braking companies would say yes, you do. But I've seen some compelling arguments relating to the wording of the CA law (with regards to whether a toad is a trailer, and also some wording about the law stating a required stopping distance as opposed to brakes or not. I don't know, but some googling would probably lead you down an interesting rabbit hole about it...

tldr: in California, yes you do. Most likely. :B