Community Forums

crazydoglady · 09-30-2014, 02:12 PM

Hi all --- brand new to this list. Hoping someone can help me! I need to get a tow dolly for my 2005 Honda Element front wheel drive. All I see is info on towing them 4 down - don't want to do that - too much hassle from what I can tell from my owners manual. I also don't want to have to put a new grille on my car to use the blue ox system that came with my used RV. Anyone know if I can just put it on a 2 wheel dolly (front wheels on the dolly, of course.) The "friendly" folks at Honda say they don't recommend towing an Element and won't give me any information. A little help is much appreciated!

datrbone8 · 09-30-2014, 02:25 PM

Read your owners manual. There is a section on towing the Element. You can't tow with the front wheels on a dolly if your car has AWD and there is one year that is not towable. I think that was 2006.

I tow mine 4 wheels down with no problems at all. I use the Roadmaster system for towing. Bought the bracket and tow bar from them and installed myself. It basically disappears once the car is unhooked and the bracket makes the car much safer in the event of a frontend collision. Before towing you just run the engine and shift the transmission (automatic) from park into reverse, neutral, 1, 2, drive and neutral. Don't go back into reverse. Turn off engine, leave key in on position. Hook up to towbar and away you go. Takes longer for me to type this. I've towed for 6 hours with no battery drain. Car starts right up.

The Element makes a great towed vehicle.

.

gtony2 · 09-30-2014, 04:53 PM

I have a 2004 Honda Element and a roadmaster base plate and a adapter bar made by roadmaster to use with my blue ox tow bar.. I did not cut anything out of my grill to install this....

gtony2

JRPA · 09-30-2014, 05:18 PM

Why do you feel it is too much hassle to tow 4 down. I would think it would be much easier to tow 4 down and not have to mess with the dolly once you have arrived at your camp site.

Bigd9 · 09-30-2014, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazydoglady

Hi all --- brand new to this list. Hoping someone can help me! I need to get a tow dolly for my 2005 Honda Element front wheel drive. All I see is info on towing them 4 down - don't want to do that - too much hassle from what I can tell from my owners manual. I also don't want to have to put a new grille on my car to use the blue ox system that came with my used RV. Anyone know if I can just put it on a 2 wheel dolly (front wheels on the dolly, of course.) The "friendly" folks at Honda say they don't recommend towing an Element and won't give me any information. A little help is much appreciated!

What these guys said.

Also I wanted to say

crazydoglady · 10-01-2014, 08:59 AM

First - I DID read the owners manual. It addresses only 4 down towing. That was the FIRST thing I did was to look in the manual - I'm a woman - I read the manuals FIRST. 2nd, I can use the car dolly with other vehicles besides the Element. The expense of purchasing tow plates for 3 vehicles would be a bit much. That being said, does anyone actually have the answer to my question about the tow dolly?

tankcj · 10-01-2014, 09:36 AM

First let me say that I don't own a Honda Element and have never used a tow dolly but since you have a front wheel drive car, this should be pretty straight forward. Once configured, you would drive the car up on the dolly, strap it down and go. Since the drive wheels are parked on the dolly, there would be no issues with the drivetrain. The rear wheels are just coasting. I did a quick search and found some info on towing an Element on a dolly and it seems to be pretty simple and straight forward. Here's a few links I found...

How to Tow a Honda Element | eHow

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/tow-d...on-208791.html

MASTER TOW INC.

datrbone8 · 10-01-2014, 09:44 AM

sorry for trying to help. good luck to you

gtony2 · 10-01-2014, 10:59 AM

My Honda element has all wheel drive AWD I don't think it can be towed like a
FWD...Check on this..???.

gtony2

Easyrider · 10-02-2014, 05:33 AM

My guess is that your owner's manual is telling you that you can only tow 4 down or 4 up (on a trailer) but not with a dolly. Some vehicles out there don't handle having the front wheels stationary and the rear wheels turning. Yours' may be one of them. I would definitely follow the owners manual advice and ignore any thing a dealer tells you, or anybody on this forum if it's contrary to what your manual states. Your manual is the authority in this matter.

jergeod · 10-02-2014, 06:51 PM

First off I don't think some of the responders read your original post with their answers.
Now if the Element is front wheel drive not AWD yes you can use a dolly. I use a master tow with the turn table because that is what I wanted but you also have ez tow which you have to leave the steering unlocked. Then you have the higher priced ones that the dolly steers by its tires turning. The dolly is all up to you and how you want it to work. Check out all their web sites before you buy one. All these 4 down guys will tell you how much hassle a dolly is which is a bunch of bunk. I can unload just as fast as they can unhook and yes I have to spend an extra minute and a half to wheel the dolly to the rear of the site then back in, I,ll stick with my Dolly!