Flat tow a town and country - RV-Dreams Community Forum

swindall · RV-Dreams Community Member

Flat tow a town and country

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

According to the Remco web site, http://www.remcoindustries.com/Towing/Store.php the Town and County can be flat towed with a trans pump. It looks like the pump is right at $1500 and then you'll need have it installed or install it yourself if you're handy, buy a tow bar, a tow bar base plate and a brake system for the car.

This could get quite expensive.

Jim

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Like jim said.........and a dolly cost less than the pump........and when its time to get the next vehicle all that money is wasted.......not to mention if that pump fails the tranny in the town & country also will get pricey.....but I tow with a dolly so my opinion might just be a little swayed or frugal.....or experiences , Jus' sayin "

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

Towing on a dolly is not a headache at all, it is just time consuming ± 15 minutes compared to ± 5 minutes with a tow bar, getting your toad ready to be towed; it also takes an area at the campsinte to park that dolly.

The positive side of the dolly, it's cheaper then buying a tow bar and a buddy brake or similar and to get a baseplate and lights installed on every car that you'll eventually tow; a dolly is universal.

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Thursday 3rd of March 2016 08:10:04 AM

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

"a dolly is universal"
No, a dolly only works with front wheel drive vehicles, so it will not work for pickup trucks and AWD vehicles. Just wanted to point that out.

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
"a dolly is universal"
No, a dolly only works with front wheel drive vehicles, so it will not work for pickup trucks and AWD vehicles. Just wanted to point that out.

Most of AWD can be towed on 4 wheels, so you don't need a dolly; if your toad is a rear wheel drive, just put the rear end on the dolly and make sure that your steering is locked straight! wink

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Friday 4th of March 2016 10:01:07 AM

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Friday 4th of March 2016 10:02:34 AM

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Friday 4th of March 2016 10:03:08 AM

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Generally speaking, I don't like to use "generic" comments such as "most" and "universal." My sister-in-law has an AWD Toyota RAV 4 and it's not listed in Motorhome's 2015 Dinghy Guide.

I'd also imagine that there are many popular vehicles that couldn't be towed 4-down, so I usually advise folks to do the research on a particular vehicle before deciding that "X" brand/model of vehicle would be good for 4-down. Otherwise, a prospective buyer might either believe that their choice is good to go, or worse yet, believe it when a vehicle salesman says it can be used in that manner.

Terry

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
Generally speaking, I don't like to use "generic" comments such as "most" and "universal." My sister-in-law has an AWD Toyota RAV 4 and it's not listed in Motorhome's 2015 Dinghy Guide.
I'd also imagine that there are many popular vehicles that couldn't be towed 4-down, so I usually advise folks to do the research on a particular vehicle before deciding that "X" brand/model of vehicle would be good for 4-down. Otherwise, a prospective buyer might either believe that their choice is good to go, or worse yet, believe it when a vehicle salesman says it can be used in that manner.
Terry

That reference of Motorhome Dinguy Guide is the best you can find; I have downloaded them since 2006...

I have towed 4-down a 1998 Saturn, a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu and now towing a 2009 Smart Fortwo. For a few years, I towed a 2011 Hyunday Santa Fe on a dolly and then got rid of the dolly.

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Saturday 5th of March 2016 08:52:14 AM

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Saturday 5th of March 2016 08:52:50 AM

ahull · RV-Dreams Family Member

I like staying debt free so seems like a good idea to add the pump kit. Three to four months worth of car payments would pay for the pump install.

Andy

legrandnormand · RV-Dreams Family Member

ahull wrote:
I like staying debt free so seems like a good idea to add the pump kit. Three to four months worth of car payments would pay for the pump install.
Andy

A pump requires 12 VOLTS, so make sure to check very often if that 12 VOLTS is there other wise you'll loose your tranny.

p.s. for the price of a new pump you could buy a used dolly equiped with brakes without buying a the tow bar, a base plate and an auxiliairy brakin system.

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Wednesday 16th of March 2016 01:49:12 PM

-- Edited by legrandnormand on Wednesday 16th of March 2016 01:49:40 PM

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have a dolly for our Impala and works great. Bought the dolly brand new for just under 2,000.00
If something happens to your car just put another one on the dolly, string out the mag-base tail lights and go. Not so easy to do that with a tow bar/base-plate/braking system. On pull thru sites never a storage issue. If a back-in site the dolly is small and light enough to maneuver by hand and tuck it away somewhere.