Community Forums

Crasher · 01-01-2022, 08:37 AM

Is this a game changer for those who have a need to back up with their toad attached? Roadmaster says that it can be done safely. It keeps the toads front wheels straight just like I have been doing for years with the drivers seat belt. What do you think?

https://www.roadmasterinc.com/produc...xactcenter.php

https://youtu.be/5TnpKRYQIOc

AKIQPilot · 01-01-2022, 10:29 AM

Wow. That looks pretty cool. A simple bolt in kit for a Jeep. I like it.

Crasher · 01-01-2022, 10:51 AM

Hi Tom. Are you in Havasu this year?

AKIQPilot · 01-01-2022, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

Hi Tom. Are you in Havasu this year?

We got down in October. Back in AK now for the holidays. We head back down on Jan 6th. It would be fun to met up and do some wheeling this year. Fire Up may want to show us some new trails.

Crasher · 01-01-2022, 11:03 AM

That would be great. Our son is coming back down in Feb to run Johnson Valley, Havasu and Kingman trails with our buggy group. Where are you staying in Havasu?

AKIQPilot · 01-01-2022, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

That would be great. Our son is coming back down in Feb to run Johnson Valley, Havasu and Kingman trails with our buggy group. Where are you staying in Havasu?

We are at the Crazyhorse. Lets get together some time Doug. I still have your number.

Crasher · 01-01-2022, 11:44 AM

Sounds good. I bought a stretch TJ to run some of the local trails with the club. Would enjoy showing you some of the more challenging trails in the area.

FIRE UP · 01-01-2022, 11:52 AM

Hey Gang (You too Tom..hahaha),
The one thing that many folks who tow and ask about backing up a toad don't realize is, you HAVE TO UNDERSTAND what the geometry is when towing FORWARD and then try and back up. When you tow a standard ONE AXLE trailer, you have a single pivot point at your hitch. When backing and turning the coach, depending on your desired action of that trailer, the coach is going one way, and the trailer is heading another, or opposite. Once the correct action of the trailer is obtained, the steering of the coach is changed so that you now FOLLOW the trailer and both are traveling in a form of an arc.

But, when you tow a toad, WITH A STEERABLE FRONT AXLE, you now have TWO pivot points. Controlling the direction of a single axle trailer with your coach is easy. Controlling a toad, that not only has TWO pivot points but also, it has TWO axles and they are quite a distance apart, is a whole 'nother ball game. We all know that we leave the steering in a toad to turn freely so that it will follow our coach in our turns, correct?

But, having a free travel steering front axle in your toad while trying to back up, can go south REAL QUICK. When that happens, you can easily put some serious torque up against steering components, tires, tie rods and other components when they were not designed to take that kind of stress. In fact, the average car/jeep etc, is not really setup to go backwards. All the alignment and setup, is for going FORWARD, not backward.

Can we go backwards in our toads while driving it, of course we can and, with no damage. Simply because, YOU are controlling all of those steering components, not a tow bar that's literally forcing the front end of the toad, to do things it doesn't want to do. Can you back up a toad in a dead straight line, yes, for a short distance. Some folks attach something to the steering wheel to try and keep the steering from turning and it sometimes works, again for a given distance.

This is one of those things that, it's a choice thing. If you know and realize the potential for damage or at the least, some serious rapid wear on components in the toad, but still choose to back up for anything over a couple of feet, that's your choice We have been in a few situations where I could not finish making a turn or, I had no choice but to disconnect. It's just no big deal to us. We've got the disconnect system down to right close to 45 seconds or so. And the re-connect is right close to 1 1/2 minutes.
Scott

Dutch Star Don · 01-01-2022, 12:41 PM

Roadmaster always has a good size booth at Quartzsite, I'm interested in looking at this, but it sounds like it may only be for the Jeep crowd.

Crasher · 01-01-2022, 01:32 PM

Yes, the only toad it's designed for is the Wrangler as far as I could tell. I would guess that it's just a matter of designing brackets for other applications. Keeping the front wheels from turning and doing cautious gradual turns has worked well for my Avalanches. I see no reason why it wouldn't work on any toad. Slow and cautious is the key. Although, I am sure some can figure a way to break a steel ball too.