Pulling a toad

[Engle]

Is there a place where I can find exactly what I can tow and what I cant tow?
I do not want to use a dolly nor do I want to have to disconnect the drive shaft. Is there such a vehicle? I do not mind a straight shift.

[nakerr]

I tow a 2013 Jeep Wrangler. Great to pull flat.

Norm

[RickO]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Both Motorhome Magazine and Remco have "four down" towing guides which will show you the makes, models, and year of all vehicles approved to be towed four down. I think MH Mag calls it their "Dinghy Towing Guide".

Best of luck to you.

Rick

[waroland]

All Honda CR-V are towable 4 down. I have a 2006 and it tows great. There is a procedure in the manual that tells you how to prepare the tranny and ignition for towing. You will need an aux braking system to actuate the brakes on the toad.

[baraff]

All Subaru's with manual transmission are towable four-down, except their new roadster. No mods to do, no "procedures" other than key to ACC and stick in neutral, just hook up and go!

[amanda_h]

Here's the 2013 Motorhome Magazine Dinghy list (attached). Many use this list exclusively as it will list only those vehicles whose manufacturers officially sanction 4-down towing.

As you may have seen in another current thread (click here), there is a debate whether it is safe to tow ANY 5-speed manual FWD car as Remco contends. I've always tended to believe Remco but in the above referenced thread, there is somebody that is cautioning to do so at your own risk ...which is actually good advice but I still believe what Remco says so I'm willing to risk towing a MINI, or VW, or any other FWD, 5-speed manual transmission vehicle.

To be safe, most here will tell you to pick only the vehicles listed in the Motorhome Magazine list.

Like baraff, we currently tow a Subaru and have towed another one in the past. Subarus are sanctioned by the manufacturer for 4-down towing with the manual transmission and have been on the Motorhome Magazine list for years and years.

If you'd like to see the Motorhome Magazine list for prior years, let me know and I'll post it for you.

-harry




eta: I better further qualify what I've posted. Some will also say that even the Motorhome Magazine Dinghy Towing Guide is not the final authority on what can be towed. Some will tell you to refer to the owner's manual and some will tell you to check with the manufacturer directly as to the SPECIFIC vehicle (VIN# referenced) as the final okay to safely tow a vehicle so you have direct permission from the manufacturer. I know baraff has given that good advice in the past. However, with Subarus, they've been on the MMDinghy list for so long, I haven't bother in contacting them directly to ask permission.

[CampDaven]

Do
Not
Get
A
Wrangler.

You
Will
Never
Go
Back.

[EDALLSAILS]

You can tow almost anything with a manual transmission. the Mh mag dingy list is ok, but go to Remco too. we tow a 2004 Honda element. the Honda manual says it is OK. Honda says it is a misprint, a mistake. the 2005 MANUAL SAYS THEY ARE NOT TOWABLE. Who do you believe? Same goes for some Jeeps, 2 wheel drives, automatics, who knows the correct answer? We've towed the element over 25 thousand miles. what ever you do think twice b-4 taking any car dealers word that a vehicle is towable. Some Vehicles may be or "WERE" towable but something changed and now they are Not. example was the Ford Explorer. they were one year they changed the transmission and they were NOT. seems like 2 yrs later they became towable again. so do your home work. safe travels ed

[Mr_D]

FMCA and Motorhome Magazine both post listings of what can be towed. If they don't list it, then it can't be towed.
Some people will say that Remco has correct info. But ask them if they'll pay for damage if you follow their advice. Usually towing something four down and it's not approved by the manufacturer will void your running gear warranty.

There are definitely misprints in the factory manuals, call the manufacturers support line for the latest/greatest info. I have a long story of what we went through with Honda over our '05 Ody and four down towing.

Thought I posted this earlier but the system had logged me out.

[dajudge]

Chevy HHR towable four down, trans in neutral, ignition sw on acc, remove fuse 8, or better yet install a fuse switch and tow away. No need to play with it every several hundred miles or so, just hook up and go. HHR is light weight and does not require tow brakes in most states.

[KSCRUDE]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

Do
Not
Get
A
Wrangler.

You
Will
Never
Go
Back.

X2 we love our Wramgler

[barbaram]

We tow our 08 GMC Acadia and haven't had any problems at all.

[amanda_h]

Originally Posted by EDALLSAILS

You can tow almost anything with a manual transmission. <snip>

I think Ed meant, "you can tow almost anything with Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and a manual transmission."

Most manual transmission Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) vehicles will have problems.

As you can see, Engle, everybody seems to have a different opinion on what source one can use to see what and what can't be towed 4-down. I bet you're even more confused now than when you first posted this thread!

FMCA and Motorhome Magazine both post listings of what can be towed. If they don't list it, then it can't be towed.

Even this needs qualifying. Many are towing vehicles NOT on those lists. MINIs and VWs come to mind immediately. Those vehicles have never been on the aforementioned lists but many are successfully towing them without any problem and the rule reverts back to the Remco assertion that they have in response to an inquiry on their FAQ page:

Can I tow my Front Wheel Drive (FWD) Manual Transmission 5-Speed behind my RV? I don’t see my vehicle on your website?

"Any Front Wheel Drive, Manual Transmission 5-Speed vehicle can be flat towed safely behind a Motor Home. Remco has not formally tested most of these vehicles, but we have accumulated this data throughout our over 30 years of flat towing experience. You are safe to tow a Manual Transmission vehicle behind your RV as long as it is a Front-Wheel Drive with a 5-Speed Manual Transmission."

source: click here


But as has been mentioned, some don't trust Remco and OTOH, some think that Remco are THE experts at towing 4-down.

I guess you have to choose who you are going to believe when it comes to deciphering comments on internet forums.


-harry

[JMonroe]

The definitive source, referenced above: Remco Towing