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06-25-2008, 04:00 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SE MN
Posts: 11
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We recently purchased a 31' National Sea View with a V10 Chassis. We are now wondering which way to go. Tow dolly or tow bar. We now would be towing a 96 Escort wagon. Who better to ask than the guy that use them. What all is really needed? I have and idea, but i want the opinions of the PROS!!!!! thanks
Kevin
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06-25-2008, 04:00 AM
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#2
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SE MN
Posts: 11
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We recently purchased a 31' National Sea View with a V10 Chassis. We are now wondering which way to go. Tow dolly or tow bar. We now would be towing a 96 Escort wagon. Who better to ask than the guy that use them. What all is really needed? I have and idea, but i want the opinions of the PROS!!!!! thanks
Kevin
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06-25-2008, 05:20 AM
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Conway, SC
Posts: 23,641
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A tow dolly is an additional maintenance and item of concern when you're going down the road. Finding someplace to put it when you get to where you are going is always a concern. Using a tow dolly, you're actually running a triple.
__________________
03 Adventurer 38G, Workhorse W22
F&R Track Bars, Safety+ , Ultrapower, Taylor Extremes, SGII
TST 507, Blue Ox, SMI, Koni FSD, CrossFire
RV/MH Hall of Fame - Lifetime Member
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06-25-2008, 05:51 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,519
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Four down towing is much more convenient than a dolly, but by the time you convert the Escort for towing and buy the two bar, base plates and (highly recommended) aux tow brake, you have sunk a lot of money into it. Maybe more than the amount of RVing you do can justify. A new dolly isn't cheap either, but you can usually find used ones around at a decent price.
By the way, you really should have a dolly with brakes and they are less common. That Sea View is not rated to tow more than 1500 lbs without brakes.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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06-25-2008, 09:48 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 80
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If you use a tow dolly you are relying on the coach brakes for both vehicles. I don't think most states and provinces allow towing anything over 1500 lbs without a supplementary braking system.
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06-25-2008, 12:06 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SE MN
Posts: 11
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ok, so looks like the cheapest route is put the dw in the car and tell her to follow. Seriously, sounds like the TB is the best, safest route. would need TB, safty chains, brake unit on toad anything else?
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06-25-2008, 12:54 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AMESBURY MA.
Posts: 2,103
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Sell the Escort,buy a nice used wrangler.I have roughly $110 for new base plates,$280 for used falcon towbar.$20 for sockets and wire for auxillary lights,$20 for new safety cables and $500 for factory rebuilt roadmaster aux. brake.Most was bought of ebay.My first jeep wrangler cost $1500 and some elbow grease. The tow dolly works if you dont mind the hassle of finding a place for it once you park.If your a weekender it will get old quick.But ,they run under $1000 for a good used one ,most will have electric brakes or surge brakes.Dont bother with the ones without.
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Frankie
2006 FOUR WINDS HURRICANE 34N F-53
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06-25-2008, 01:14 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Fulltime/ SE Minnesota
Posts: 3,116
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As others have said, a tow bar is most often the best and simplest way to go. We tow a CRV or a Ford Ranger with Blue Ox equipment and all has worked well from day one. Since there are so many cars and trucks that are flat towable today you may want to see if you can find another toad. We too reside in Southeast Minn. Good luck
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08 Foretravel Nimbus 40 ft tag axle / 1000 watts of solar
2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn Hemi 4x4
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06-25-2008, 01:49 PM
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#9
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bnb1313@aol.com
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Western Montana on the Divide
Posts: 1,561
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Tow bar, four down using the M&G Air brake system. Works perfect and I can install everything in 2 minutes flat. No electronics to be concerned about plus you have power brakes.
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Bob Retired Army Traveling alone now, had to put Charlie the Beagle down :(.
2008 Camelot 40 PDQ 4 slides ISL400 towing a 2020 1500 GMC Sierra Denali 4x4 Crewcab
Western MT in summer, AZ, NV in winter
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06-25-2008, 06:33 PM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,519
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">would need TB, safty chains, brake unit on toad anything else? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Probably a transmission lube pump to make the Escort towable.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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06-26-2008, 08:36 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Pensacola, Florida
Posts: 5,173
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I've done both. You see what I have now.
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Travel well, travel safe,
Jim
2006 Tiffin Phaeton - 2011 Cadillac SRX
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06-27-2008, 06:58 AM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,942
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We we had motorhomes we started out with a dolly and switched to a 4-down towing. If we were to go back to a motorhome, I'd probably go with a dolly with brakes. While it some trouble to load and store it, You are not tied to one vehicle.
Ken
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Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
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06-28-2008, 04:54 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grayson, GA
Posts: 905
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As you can see by my signature, I have both. It depends upon what I need at the destination as to which one I use -- the Focus or the Freestyle. Between the two, the 4 down Focus is the less hassle to hook up and unhook. On it I have a Roadmaster tow bar and a Roadmaster air brake hookup. It takes about 5 minutes to hook up the entire rig. For the tow dolly, I have the brake controller in the MH and electric brakes on the tow dolly. For a hookup with the tow dolly, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get the car on the dolly, tie it down, etc. The physical work for the tow dolly is much more than with the 4 down.
With my MH I do not have a weight problem for towing either one of them and don't know if that may come into play with your MH or not. Just MHO that the 4 down is the easiest.
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Dave and Karen -- '02 Ultimate Advantage 36 C, 350 HP Cummins, Allison 3060 Tranny, 2013 Ford Edge, InvisiBrake
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07-01-2008, 01:30 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Sun City West, AZ, USA
Posts: 108
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Kevin:
We have done both ways as well. We towed a Miata four-down using Blue-Ox and Brake Buddy equipment for four years with no issues. We then purchased a PT Cruiser with an automatic tranny which required us to tow the PT on a dolly or install a Remco pump for the tranny--too many horror stories about the pump on PTs. We have towed the PT Cruiser on an Demco SS460 tow dolly for 4 years, also without any issues. I know most RV'ers tow four down, but both systems work very well depending upon what your toad choice is.
Be safe and have fun!!
__________________
DeanLinAZ
2004 Journey 39W/330 Cat
2013 MINI Cooper S Hatchback
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