Towing our 2005 Honda Element - RV-Dreams Community Forum

tallan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Towing our 2005 Honda Element

Roz · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have towed our Element for over four years with our Blue Ox Aventa tow bar. It is as secure as is possible and has not caused the first problem.

The company reps have gone the extra mile at shows to provide rubber caps for the locks. I would purchase the same tow bar again.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We tow our Honda CRV with a Blue Ox towbar also, though ours is the aluminum one and have been doing so since February 2002. We recently moved to a Brake Buddy Vantage braking system which will easily move between vehicles.
We b ought ours from PPL Motorhomes and you can get it from them for $1085 shipped from this link, http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-tow-bars-dollies/bb-vantage-select.htm. It took me about half an hour to install the breakaway and the Brake Buddy was ready to go.

tallan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the info! I knew I was not the only one with a honda "toad" (new word I learned from my RVing buddies). My next question is if down the road in a year or so I bought a different toad would I be able to use the same bar and brake system? I believe I would need different base plates, but is this tow bar and brake system switchable with other cars in the same class. Lets say going from an element to a jeep liberty or similar. Thanks!!

Chaplain Troy

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yes, all you need is a new baseplate, I am surprised this is a worry since that is why the towbar and baseplate are separate items. In fact all three towbar makers, Blue Ox, Roadmaster and Demco make conversion kits to hook to baseplates from the competition if you find a used vehicle using another brand's baseplate.
But not all braking systems transfer easily which is why I recommended the Brake Buddy, which does since all you need to do is move the breakaway or get a new breakaway, which is available for a reasonable price, and install it. Some braking systems require a lot of installation on the toad (or "dinghy" as Motorhome magazine calls it in its annual guide). (The breakaway engages the toad brakes if the toad becomes detached from the motorhome.)

-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 5th of April 2010 04:13:03 PM

-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 5th of April 2010 04:14:40 PM