Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Finding a toad...


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:
Finding a toad...


Any good outlets for finding a toad?  We are switching back to a class A and I can't decide if I want to use a tow dolly or try to find a vehicle already set up for flat towing.  I don't want to travel hundreds of miles to find a toad, so something in the Seattle/Portland neck of the woods is preferred.



__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 5398
Date:

I would follow the flat towing idea, Dan.  We worked at a small RV park in Kanab, Utah for about 9 months, and some of its sites were small enough to be a problem with stowing the tow dolly trailer.

Can't help with the finding a toad, though as we are back in Oklahoma.

Terry



__________________

Terry and Jo

2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3
2008 Ford F450
2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout

Our photos on Smugmug



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 339
Date:

A number of years ago a friend of mine was looking for a Toad and the only vehicle he could find that allowed flat towing without starting the vehicle every couple of hundred miles was a Jeep. Not sure what model but I'm sure it was a Jeep. The problem is that all of the automatics have gotten rid of the rear pump so you burn them up. Maybe a manual transmission small pickup would work. Do most RV parks have auxiliary parking where you could park a trailer? That would solve the flat tow issue. Just a thought.

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 339
Date:

Just found this www.remcotowing.com/Towing/Store.php - you might want to check it out. I did find out that my 2008 F-150 can be flat towed as is. Not that I necessarily want to, but I could if I wanted too.

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 95
Date:

We use the car tow dolly with automatic disc brakes , as we lease our front wheel drive car. The ramps easily detach, so it doesn't take up that much room. If you want / have to use the car you have then this may be the way to go. With experience the putting the car on the dolly has gotten easier.

__________________

Bill and Laurie

2002 Airstream Land Yacht 39ft DP

2019 VW Jetta, toad

FT since 9-17-17



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 339
Date:

This link might be helpful too. http://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/ Just a caution on I believe they were Blue-ox tow bars. There has apparently been some issues with the attachment pin coming out at the tow-bar baseplate joint. If I recall correctly the issue was with the hairpin type retainer that they use to retain the pin wearing through. Personally I'd replace them with a bolt and castellated nut and use the hairpin clip to retain the nut. Just my thoughts.



-- Edited by arcaguy on Friday 9th of November 2018 08:05:06 PM

__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:

Thanks all...I have experience with both flat towing and using a dolly. I can't flat tow my Chevy Tahoe, nor would I want to try and haul it with the gas class A, so I am looking at small SUV's. Just need something to use when we get where we're going and want to explore the area or get groceries.

__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1094
Date:

Several of the smaller Ford SUVs can be towed 4 down. We're thinking about getting a Ford Edge to tow. We've had a Subaru Forrester for the past 14 years - - manual transmission. We've had great service from the Subaru and would get another one, but I'm tired of driving a manual transmission in heavy traffic in the winter around Phoenix and also in Seattle in the summer.

__________________

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe

2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID

Blog:  http://www.barbanddave.net

SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 651
Date:

My 06 Chevy Cobalt SS (2.4l auto) is flat towable. Cobalts are pretty common, so it should be easy to find an inexpensive one where you live.

I just installed a Blue Ox base plate, safety brake and wiring kit on it. Only one fuse needs to be pulled (I plan on installing a switch), and there's no start-up and run requirement after so many miles like with some other cars. It gets great gas mileage, is light weight (under 3000 lbs), handles well and runs like a scalded dog for having such a small engine. It has proven very reliable for me over the 400,000 miles I've had it. I'm on my 2nd used transmission (I used to tow an Aliner which was 170% of its tow rating, so I was hard on my first one, while I lost the second tranny due to an undiscovered oil leak.) I'm on my second engine, the first having gone out at about 390k miles of hard use.

It will be my FT toad starting in January.

Chip

__________________

1999 National Tropical Class A gasser

Toad - 2.4l Chevy Cobalt SS with 400k miles and counting.



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 720
Date:

We have never used a dolly but have watched a few struggle with them but I guess everything gets easy with practice. On a side note, we have a 2016 F150 we use as a toad that will be up for sale when our new 5th wheel is complete. I'm just tossing that out there. Good luck in your search.

__________________

Dave & Diane 

"40' New Horizon Majestic 5th wheel  

"2018 Ram 5500 w/Classy Chassis Hauler Bed

2014 Tiffin Phaeton 42LH "for sale" SOLD 

http://daveanddiane.wordpress.com/2012/07/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqRmO1rO4cu3rFANF1iG6Q



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1192
Date:

Great ideas...gives me some ideas of what to look for when shopping the used car lots. No stick shifts for me either, I know it gets old real quick. An F150 would be nice but won't work for our situation. The only advantage to using a tow dolly is I could change vehicles easily. There isn't any cost savings of one solution over the other. Will probably be decided by what vehicle I find that will work for us.

__________________

2018 Thor Windsport 35M -- 2018 Camry Toad

-- USAF Retired -- Full-timing since December 2007 - Part-Timing since July 2011
VisitedStatesMap.jpg
http://http://travelingrvwx.com/



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 51
Date:

I bought a used 2014 Honda CRV - the last model year rated for flat towing.  Has an automatic tranny and AWD.  Now I just need my Class A.... :)

 



__________________
former TT owner, future FT'er


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 15
Date:

I thought F-150 could do the job since I've seen it being used to tow boats.

__________________

Finally got a set of moto metal wheels. Time to hit the road. 



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 5398
Date:

altair19 wrote:

I thought F-150 could do the job since I've seen it being used to tow boats.


 I don't know what F150's can be used, but "towing" is a lot different from being a "toad," or "towed" vehicle.  Almost all vehicle can "tow" something, but not all are configured to be a toad behind an RV.

Terry



__________________

Terry and Jo

2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3
2008 Ford F450
2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout

Our photos on Smugmug



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 339
Date:

arcaguy wrote:

Just found this www.remcotowing.com/Towing/Store.php - you might want to check it out. I did find out that my 2008 F-150 can be flat towed as is. Not that I necessarily want to, but I could if I wanted too.


 Just a heads up that this database was wrong about my 2008 F150 being able to be flat towed, along with the one at motorhome.com.  I would use these as a guide but check with the manufacturer.  I did find that Ford has older owner's manuals online so the I would imagine the other manufacturers do too.  Good luck.



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us