What parts do you need to tow?

[Gsetter]

I need help understanding all the parts and pieces needed to tow 4 down. I do not yet have a towable car, just wondering if I can start collecting the tow parts now?

Are there parts to go on the tow car? Are there parts I can buy now before I decide on a toad or do they need to be toad model specific?

Are these things owner installer friendly or should I go somewhere to have it installed and if so where do you buy this stuff and have it installed?

I have DP and find good reports on the AIr Force one brake system. Does this have parts that are installed in the toad? COuld I buy it now to get ready for the toad. Can you use multiple vehicles?

SOmetimes need to tow my mom's car, if it is easy to switch cars I might persuade her to buy a 4 down towable too! Currently rent a tow dolly for her minivan.

Thanks, I'm really clueless about how this works so dont be afraid to use simple language! looking at a Saturn Vue or Ford Escape.

[Gsetter]

I need help understanding all the parts and pieces needed to tow 4 down. I do not yet have a towable car, just wondering if I can start collecting the tow parts now?

Are there parts to go on the tow car? Are there parts I can buy now before I decide on a toad or do they need to be toad model specific?

Are these things owner installer friendly or should I go somewhere to have it installed and if so where do you buy this stuff and have it installed?

I have DP and find good reports on the AIr Force one brake system. Does this have parts that are installed in the toad? COuld I buy it now to get ready for the toad. Can you use multiple vehicles?

SOmetimes need to tow my mom's car, if it is easy to switch cars I might persuade her to buy a 4 down towable too! Currently rent a tow dolly for her minivan.

Thanks, I'm really clueless about how this works so dont be afraid to use simple language! looking at a Saturn Vue or Ford Escape.

[UFO Pilot]

Read this article on towing, it answered many of my questions: http://www.towingworld.com/articles/towing101.htm

You need to decide if you want the tow bar to stay on the MH or stay on the Toad.

If you are using a tow bar that remains on the MH the mounting brackets for the Toad are vehicle specific. I had mine installed professionally as it involved removing the front sheet metal on my Honda CRV. I bought all of my tow stuff after I decided on the car I was going to be towing.

You will find arguments pro and con on the make and model of tow bar and braking system for the Toad. I read everything I could find and then made a hopefully informed decision.

Hope this helps.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The tow bar is independent of the toad but the base plates are specific to the year/make/model of toad and also to the brand of tow bar you use.

About the only type of tow brake that does not have any parts installed in the toad is the Brake Buddy and similar portable brake units. But some semi-permanent mounts like the Brakemaster have an inexpensive kit for a second car, so its easy to have additional cars set up for towing. You move the main working piece (a one minute job) and just have some tubing in place to make the connections.

[PaulC]

I tow a 2007 Honda CRV using a BlueOX towbar and base plate. My son and I installed the baseplate ourselves. Blue OX provides great instructions, you can read them in advance on their website to know what you are getting into. Installing the baseplate on the CRV was quite a bit of work and not for the faint of heart or the not mechanically inclined. The CRV tows great.

For a braking system I use the Roadmaster Brakemaster. It is an air cylinder that mounts in the car between the seat base and the brake pedal. If you go to the Roadmaster website you can see and learn all about it. None of the braking systems are cheap so it all boils down to what you like the best. The advantage of the Brake Buddy type is that they can be moved from vehicle to vehicle easily, not so with the air cylinder types.

Good luck, there are no easy decisions when it comes to getting set up to tow.