Anyone Have Information on Towing a 91 Accord?

[Trapper]

Hi, newbie motorhome owner here and looking at purchasing a 1991 Honda Accord (only 60,000 miles can you believe that?) to tow behind our Fleetwood Jamboree. Can you guys help me determine that it is a) suitable to tow 4-down, b) What type of equipment should I purchase, which manufacturer?, and c) What expense am I looking at to get it tow ready? Any Information would be greatly appreciated.

[Trapper]

Hi, newbie motorhome owner here and looking at purchasing a 1991 Honda Accord (only 60,000 miles can you believe that?) to tow behind our Fleetwood Jamboree. Can you guys help me determine that it is a) suitable to tow 4-down, b) What type of equipment should I purchase, which manufacturer?, and c) What expense am I looking at to get it tow ready? Any Information would be greatly appreciated.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Is the Honda standard or automatic? The towing procedure differs, but both are towable "4 down" without modifications.

You need towing mounts on the Honda and a tow bar on the motorhome. Either of the major manufacturers (Roadmaster or Blue Ox) will do - they are all pretty good. Demco is another. I do not recommend dolly-towing, but some people prefer it.

You need to decide budget vs convenience. The most convenient drawbar is the type that folds up and stores on the motorhome when not in use, e.g. the Roadmaster Falcon. It is also the most expensive type. A simple "A frame" drawbar costs hundreds less but is more difficult to hook up and remove. Both drawbar types generally use the same mounts on the car, so you can usually start cheap and upgrade later. Figure a couple hundred for the mounts and anywhere from $300-900 for a new drawbar. Used A frame bars are often available as people upgrade to the fancier models. You might check the irv2.com classifieds for used gear.

You also need hook-ups for tail & brake lights plus safety chains, probably anther $75 or so.

You can do the installation of all this stuff yourself if you are reasonably handy with a wrench ( or have a friend who is!). There is rarely anything difficult involved. Otherwise installation is extra and can add several huundred dollars, depending on local laboir rates in your area.

You also should have a brake unit for the car so that the car assists the motorhome in stopping. A Brake Buddy or similar unit runs around $1000.

[Trapper]

Thanks for the info Gary. The Accord is an automatic. Additionally, cost isn't a primary concern. I would probably go with the best towing solution first as to save the hassle of wanting to upgrade in a few months. Do you happen to know the procedure for towing the automatic four down? Thanks again for your help.

[Cookestwo]

Not sure about the Honda specifically, but "most" automatics, require that you remove the designated fuse(s, turn the key in the ignition to "ACC" and put the car in "Neutral". We have a Chevy Malibu and those are the procedures for it. (It's an automatic.)

We had a Blue Ox Tow Bar and Base Plate with our last motorhome and towed a Honda (straight shift) with no problems.

We are getting a Blue Ox again on our current motorhome. I love the fact that the tabs from the base plate on the car, are removable when you're not towing, so you don't have those unsightly tabs sticking out from or below your grill.

We also have a Brake Buddy as our auxiliary braking system. Many, but not all, states require this.

Hope this helped some.

Cheri
Florida Boomer