Step by step for hooking up toad..

[rvgrammady]

I just bought a previously towed Saturn '98 wagon, blue ox avanta II and patriot brake.

I forgot to ask the seller for a step by step hook-up and disconnect
for the Saturn.

The Rv dude did it so fast and my bad.. I didn't write it down, nor
when I disco'd did I wirte it down.

I'm looking for maybe someone has done this and uses a check-off list.
I am '63 single so I have to do this myself.
Also, how to line it up and get close.. thought of measureing and using a 4x4 to have front wheel against when I drive up to hook up.

Any ideas appreciate.

RV dude is a bit far away and seller didn't have anything. just did it
for many years.

I just don't want to miss something.

Thanks,

[Alison_and_Neil]

I have a Demco also . To lock the arms I reverse cranking the wheels left and then crank right. Seems to work well for me

[Bumpyroad]

I usually pulled the motorhome forward to lock the arms. on occasion I would have to turn left or right a bit to get one to lock up. it would not be possible to do that backing up the toad.
bumpy

[PBArmy]

I have a Demco Commander. The manual says to move the car to lock the arms, vice moving the motorhome. But when dealer demo'd, he had me pull motorhome forward. Moving car seems to make more sense. What are your thoughts?

[wny_pat1]

Make double sure you get both lynch pins thru all the holes. I didn't one day and ended up with a bent Blue Ox Aventa LX tow bar arm. Would have swore that the pin went thru all those holes!!! I really was amazed that it hadn't. Lucky it was not much worse. So double or triple check every thing you do.

[rvgrammady]

Thanks everyone.


I'm detailing my list now.. wow u guys always come thru.

especially on the aventa II manual & not to wrap safety cables. rv dude wrapped them.

I looked everywhere.. the paperwork I got was not manual for
either Aventa II or patriot brake. gotta look up on-line
don't know if claw to break is claw up or claw down on the peddel.

I don't usually use this RV dude.. my dude didn't have a tow bar in stock & would have to order it. He did the wiring, break etc. Guy accross town had new one so I went there vs. ordering one was $100 cheaper. took it back to my guy who ck'd wiring brake etc.
after it was hooked up & said all was fine. the other guy just put the aventa II on & hooked up car.

That will teach me, It only would have cost me $100 more to have my guy order it.. should have done that. My guy is great.

When I hook it up to go, think I will buzz by my dude juat to ck it out & make sure it's OK.. that is if toad is still there when I get there... LOL

I think I'm overthinking this. If I take the lists and do a check off
list.. I should be OK.. if any parts are left over.. then I guess I got to many parts right? LOL..

thanks again,

[gotsmart]

No one showed me how to use my tow bar. I downloaded the manual and read it the night before I had it installed. The big take-away for me was the proper attachment of the security cables. On my particular model of Roadmaster towbar the cables get looped twice around each arm - presumably to carry the arm should the towbar break at the hitch or at the bracket.

Blue Ox explicitly tells you not to do that on the Aventa II.

See step #2 and Figure 1 of the SAFETY CABLE INSTALLATION on PDF page 2 of the manual:
AVENTA ® II Tow Bar - Operator, Parts, and Installation Manual.

[Bobbo]

Bumpyroad wrote:

WyoTraveler wrote:
Good previous post on hooking up and checking. I'll just add one very important step not to be overlooked in unhooking. Since your toad is in neutral for towing. The first thing I do is place toad in gear and apply emergency brake before unhooking anything. Funny watching RVer chasing their toad but it can be dangerous and disasterous.

been there. done that.
bumpy

Me too. Lucky it was not a steep grade, nor right at a curve.

[F1bNorm]

I wrote this in another toad thread and added a few things. Not a list but things to consider when you develope your own.

Hookup and unhook in a flat area away from traffic. When you hurry is when you will make mistakes (like leaving the hitch pins on the front bumper).

Unlock the towbar arms and roll forward a couple inches before setting the towd brake. This relieves the pressure on the hitch pins.

Be wary entering gas stations and other parking areas. You need room to pull in and pull out. Now days, if you have a tablet or smart phone, you can satellite view the area and plan ahead. Often we hitch up after fueling just for that reason.

We have a box for the towbar accessories (cables and cord). In it is also a pair of work gloves, spare hitch pins and a check list on a 3x5 card. (We also use a check list for loading the MH).

In some campgrounds, if you tow your car in, there is no extra car charge. If you drive the towd in, pay for the car.

Norm

[Liltippy]

After #16, you need to add to Pull the Fuse on the CRV.

At lease those of use using a ReadyBrake system can quickly and easily put the brake into operation as opposed to other systems.

[Finally_Time]

1. Drive CRV close to back of motorhome
2. Lower towbar from stow bracket
3. Extend towbar arm; discover car is not close enough
4. Swear a little
5. Drive car closer
6. Hook one tow bar arm to car bracket
7. Try to hook up other arm
8. Discover car is angled and too close to hook second arm
9. Swear a lot
10. Unhook first arm
11. Back car away, drive forward centering car
12. Repeat step 3, 4, 5, 6
13. Hook second arm
14. Attach safety cables
15. Plug in lights
16. Go through CRV shifting and idling sequence
17. Drive motorhome forward
18. Stop and check that tow bars have snapped into position
19. Hook up brake cable (Ready Brake System)
20. Check that all lights function

[mowermech]

1. Using GOAL method (Get Out And Look), connect Towbar to motorhome hitch.
(My towbar, a fixed arm adjustable width unit, is always on the Jeep during the summer)
2. Connect safety chains
3. Connect light wiring
4. Start Jeep engine, put transfer case in Neutral
5. Put transmission in 6th gear, let clutch out. This verifies that transfer case is in Neutral.
6. Shut off engine, leave switch in "OFF, not locked" position, leave transmission in 6th gear
7. Verify operation of lights
8. get on down the road.

[Bumpyroad]

WyoTraveler wrote:
Good previous post on hooking up and checking. I'll just add one very important step not to be overlooked in unhooking. Since your toad is in neutral for towing. The first thing I do is place toad in gear and apply emergency brake before unhooking anything. Funny watching RVer chasing their toad but it can be dangerous and disasterous.

been there. done that.
bumpy

[WyoTraveler]

Good previous post on hooking up and checking. I'll just add one very important step not to be overlooked in unhooking. Since your toad is in neutral for towing. The first thing I do is place toad in gear and apply emergency brake before unhooking anything. Funny watching RVer chasing their toad but it can be dangerous and disasterous.

[obgraham]

This is my checklist for installing the whole towing setup. When I hookup, I just check that each of these steps is installed correctly. Takes about 30 seconds. Maybe it will give you a starter:

TOWING CHECKLIST
1 On CRV:
Bracket Pins------------------ L&R IN
Pin Clips------------------------ 2 ON
Padlocks----------------------- 2 LOCKED
CrossBar----------------------- ON
Padlock------------------------- 1 ON
Opposite Pin------------------ 1 ON,LOCKED
Short Breakaways---------- 2 Screwpinned to Brackets
Long Breakaways----------- 2 Locked to Holes
Breakaway Brake Plug--- IN to CRV, Store the blank
Light Plug---------------------- IN to CRV
2 Towbar to Crossbar:
Pins------------------------------ 2 IN ALL WAY
Retainer Clips---------------- 2 IN, LOCK POSITION
3 On Motorhome:
Light Plug---------------------- IN to Motorhome
Breakaway Brake Cable--- Clip to Motorhome
DropHitch---------------------- IN to MH Receiver
Long Breakaways----------- 2 Clip to Short Breakaways
Short Breakaways---------- 2 Clip to Motorhome
4 CRV Ready to Tow:
Handbrake--------------------- OFF
Transmission----------------- NEUTRAL
Ignition-------------------------- Turn to "I"
Doors---------------------------- Lock w. Spare Key