Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Toads and Motorhome Related Towing
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-06-2019, 03:43 PM   #29
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,807
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Scout View Post
By now you know this is a tough audience.
5-Most std. transmission cars can't be pulled 4-down without modification--no lube to rear of tranny.
I think you have that backwards. For years standard transminnion cars were the only ones that could be towed 4 down because the splash lubrication happens regardless of the state of the engine running: put it in neutral and go.

The automatic transmission cars couldn't be towed 4 down because they had an actual lubrication pump powered by the input shaft from the engine. If the engine wasn't running there would be no lubrication sent to the output shaft.

Over the last decade or so manufacturers have added lubrication pumps to the output shaft of automatic transmissions which allows them to be towed 4 down. If the output shaft is turning the transmission gets lubricated. Some have added time/distance/speed limits to this towing as the transmission fluid does not get cooled by going through the transmission cooler the same as when the engine is running.
aether_one is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 10-06-2019, 06:19 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473 View Post
Test drive was successful. I went 12 miles and made about 20 turns, and checked the setup about 6 times.
The photos don’t show you having the umbilical cord hooked up. So you drove 12 miles with no brake lights or turn signals? Another example of safety being ignored and your lack of concern for other people on the road.
__________________
2019 Fleetwood Bounder 35K
2018 Fiat 500 Sport Turbo
Triple H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-06-2019, 06:31 PM   #31
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 207
Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473 View Post
The Wright brothers did a home-made job, too, as did most NASCAR drivers at the start. A factory produces what can sell, and how many base plates could Blue Ox sell for BMWs.
I just spilled my beer! Did you just compare yourself and this project to the Wright brothers, the invention of flight and building a race car?

Nobody makes base plates for BMWs because BMWs are not to be towed 4 down. If BMW says their vehicles can be towed 4 down, you would see them being towed and every manufacturer of tow products would be building base plates for the application.
__________________
2019 Fleetwood Bounder 35K
2018 Fiat 500 Sport Turbo
Triple H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-06-2019, 07:22 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
96 Wideglide's Avatar
 
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,732
You sure you didn't leave your BMW steering locked when you bent the tab?
My setup isn't much different than yours (20" between tabs, mounted about 10" off the ground, and about 5" rise to the hitch), and I've towed like this for about 6000mi without issues.
I originally had a 4" drop reciever to get the bar more level, but I often dragged it boarding, and un-boarding ferries, so I switched to a 2" drop reciever, with no ill effects.
If you need to run more than the suggested 3" rise in your tow bar, you want to have a good quality, proportinal brake system on your coach, and a heavy coach doesn't hurt !
__________________
Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
96 Wideglide is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-06-2019, 07:53 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
bamaboy473's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
Quote:
Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide View Post
You sure you didn't leave your BMW steering locked when you bent the tab?
My setup isn't much different than yours (20" between tabs, mounted about 10" off the ground, and about 5" rise to the hitch), and I've towed like this for about 6000mi without issues.
I originally had a 4" drop reciever to get the bar more level, but I often dragged it boarding, and un-boarding ferries, so I switched to a 2" drop reciever, with no ill effects.
If you need to run more than the suggested 3" rise in your tow bar, you want to have a good quality, proportinal brake system on your coach, and a heavy coach doesn't hurt !
Good question, and I was able to visually confirm that the key in ignition allows the steering to turn while no dash lights are on, so all's good. The wheels turned as they should have, but the stress of a slight downhill combined with a RH turn must have placed an enormous stress on the RH tab, bending it down about 45 degrees.

By contrast, my using a 6 pound sledge to lower the LH tab in order to install the flange took a LOT of effort. 1/2" steel is hard, and I can't imagine how or why the bending took place as easily as it did.

Regardless, the current deal is that the hitch and tabs are about equal in height, and that seems to make an enormous difference. Lesson learned.
__________________
Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
bamaboy473 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-06-2019, 08:00 PM   #34
Senior Member
 
bamaboy473's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
Quote:
Originally Posted by Triple H View Post
I just spilled my beer! Did you just compare yourself and this project to the Wright brothers, the invention of flight and building a race car?

Nobody makes base plates for BMWs because BMWs are not to be towed 4 down. If BMW says their vehicles can be towed 4 down, you would see them being towed and every manufacturer of tow products would be building base plates for the application.
The invention of the wheel might be close to being the first MacGuyver project in history and it likely took place in a cave. Luckily for us, there have been a lot more.

Your thinking that BMWs aren't able to be towed, and that's why nobody makes base plates for them, is sadly skewed from a logic perspective.

You must be a lot of fun at parties.

Carry on.
__________________
Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
bamaboy473 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2019, 01:34 AM   #35
Senior Member
 
guardrail53's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Vintage RV Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: anywhere U.S.A, Currently back home in Thailand!
Posts: 4,245
When I answered your other post, about the same thing, I had not seen this post!
So your designed base plate tab did not hold up? Hmmmmmmm!
You got some very good advice on the other thread, and I think you need to re-evaluate your first design, by doubling up on the plate coming from the base plate out through the bumper, making it a double shear, where you have your bolts! You ignored this advice, and it could have been much worse! Harsh, maybe, but what is at stake!
What we can't see is what is behind your bumper facia, or how it is made or attached to the frame, but by doing some re-design of your original base plate, you can get there!
This is a picture of the base plate that is made by Demco, that is on my PT Cruiser, a very well made piece, and has been towed for 3 years! Did we have to cut the front bumper cover, Yes, is it noticeable, not really! You could make your safety chain hook up points, the same as Demco did on this one, very easy!
Just saying, you can get there! Rail!

Click image for larger version

Name:	thumbnail  base plate close up on Bailey.jpg
Views:	41
Size:	138.2 KB
ID:	262785

Click image for larger version

Name:	thumbnail  Base plate on Bailey!.jpg
Views:	48
Size:	164.1 KB
ID:	262786
__________________
Retired, and "Always on Holiday!"
1996 Monaco Windsor 38PB, "Mona" 275 HP., 8.3 Cummins, 3060 Allison 6 speed, 2001 PT Cruiser, "Bailey"
guardrail53 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2019, 05:19 PM   #36
Senior Member
 
bamaboy473's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
Where are the chain attaching points? it would help to know how they did your vehicle.

P.S. my take on supporting the tabs would be to add some horizontal steel to them. You mention Shear and please tell us to show us what you meant.
__________________
Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
bamaboy473 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2019, 06:40 PM   #37
Senior Member
 
AKIQPilot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Alaska in Summer Snow Birds in Winter
Posts: 2,073
Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473 View Post
Where are the chain attaching points? it would help to know how they did your vehicle.

P.S. my take on supporting the tabs would be to add some horizontal steel to them. You mention Shear and please tell us to show us what you meant.
I posted pictures of what single and double shear is in your other thread. Post 147.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/simpl...455189-11.html

On Guardrails PT Cruiser the safety cables attach to that tab that is just inside of where the towbar hitch pin connects. Looks like a thick plate of steel with a hole in it welded to the baseplate.
__________________
Tom and Sherry W.
06 Winnebago Adventurer 38J Workhorse W24 Lots of motor and suspension mods in the works
02 Itasca Suncruiser 35U. Workhorse W22 w/Safe-T-Plus, Koni FSDs, UltraTrac, etc, etc.
AKIQPilot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2019, 10:09 AM   #38
doc
Senior Member
 
doc's Avatar
 
Appalachian Campers
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Dixie !! (north Georgia) USA
Posts: 4,113
I hope it works out for you. I have a question on the towed - is BMW approved for recreational towing? For some reason ( as a retired guy I pt'd for a BMW dealer) I didn't think BMWs could be flat towed.
doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2019, 02:07 PM   #39
Senior Member
 
JpalmerCass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Comancheria
Posts: 484
There's a common notion that people today lack initiative, aren't enterprising and want everything done for them. I wonder why.
__________________
2016 Tiffin 32SA 24K chassis
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid toad
JpalmerCass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2019, 02:10 PM   #40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,807
Quote:
Originally Posted by JpalmerCass View Post
There's a common notion that people today lack initiative, aren't enterprising and want everything done for them. I wonder why.
Are you sure it's safe to do that? What will your insurance company say?
Propane is soooo scary to me.

aether_one is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2019, 03:07 PM   #41
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 128
I'm all about the diy approach, I even built my own baseplate too. I think it's good to step out and do things and learn.

Two observations.
1) if you paid the body shop to design this they really were the wrong folks to turn to. You may want to find a more competent place to do your fab work, even if it's your design they can help with the details.

2) no matter how well designed or built, you really should never tow these things without actual safety chain that runs past all the tow stuff and hooks to something else solid. Even if it's just a length of chain through the grill and securely wrapped around something substantial. The idea being that even if you tear all this stuff off with the tow bar it'll stay attached to the toe vehicle while you get it stopped.

Also, the whole setup should be strong enough to slide the car around without concern. I've had to back mine up a time or two with the front wheels turned all the way in one direction.
LPerry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2019, 03:10 PM   #42
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Apple Valley, MN
Posts: 305
Quote:
Originally Posted by tfryman View Post
I think you have that backwards. For years standard transminnion cars were the only ones that could be towed 4 down because the splash lubrication happens regardless of the state of the engine running: put it in neutral and go.

The automatic transmission cars couldn't be towed 4 down because they had an actual lubrication pump powered by the input shaft from the engine. If the engine wasn't running there would be no lubrication sent to the output shaft.

Over the last decade or so manufacturers have added lubrication pumps to the output shaft of automatic transmissions which allows them to be towed 4 down. If the output shaft is turning the transmission gets lubricated. Some have added time/distance/speed limits to this towing as the transmission fluid does not get cooled by going through the transmission cooler the same as when the engine is running.
It depends on the design of the 5 speed. I made the mistake of buying an Isuzu Rodeo 5sp rwd planning on using it as a toad and found out later after talking to remco that ths 5 sp transmision would not get lubed unless the engine was running. They said it all depends on how the lube pump/transmission is designed on which manual transmissions can be flat towed in neutral. Unfortunately Remco didnt make a driveshaft disconnect for it so i took a bath on it when i sold it after already putting a couple thousand into it.
neub is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tow



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is Refrigerator not supposed to work when driving? CountryB Monaco Owner's Forum 59 09-24-2019 08:17 AM
Are my fans on Norcold 1200 supposed to work when operating on LP? RLC06 RV Systems & Appliances 17 07-30-2017 10:07 AM
Mirror Turn Signals - Supposed to work?? Gary.Jones Entegra Owner's Forum 5 06-25-2016 02:41 PM
Tow auto PT Cruiser with tow bar or tow dolly? woodnt Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 10 04-07-2016 05:49 PM
how is the air release supposed to work? Spartan chassis carmantx Spartan Motorhome Chassis Forum 4 08-23-2010 11:29 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.