Basic Toad Questions

[zigzaginaway]

Hello,

I have some very basic Toad questions: (Jeep Wrangler 2015)

1. If I buy all the towing equipment, can my local mechanic install it all?
2. Do I need to do anything to my Motorhome? (Winnebago Adventurer 2022)
3. Can I buy all parts directly from Blue Ox or Roadmaster?

Thanks

[Cousin Ed]

1 Call your shop - a body shop might be better
2 No
3 Yes but they have to charge MSRP; a retailer doesn't. I like RV Upgrades a sponsor for iRV2.

[Isaac-1]

1, Depends how much do you trust the mechanic see this video as to why you need to be careful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbBSf4I5oUg

[Kjlunda]

Originally Posted by zigzaginaway

Hello,

I have some very basic Toad questions: (Jeep Wrangler 2015)

1. If I buy all the towing equipment, can my local mechanic install it all?
2. Do I need to do anything to my Motorhome? (Winnebago Adventurer 2022)
3. Can I buy all parts directly from Blue Ox or Roadmaster?

Thanks

If your local mechanic is versatile, he should have no problem doing it. My son and I have done over 4 installs on various vehicles.
The directions that accompany the base plate along with youtube are very clear.

[twojayhawks]

Originally Posted by Kjlunda

If your local mechanic is versatile, he should have no problem doing it. My son and I have done over 4 installs on various vehicles.
The directions that accompany the base plate along with youtube are very clear.

I agree any tech is capable of a base plate install it's not very technical. Also, on a Wrangler it's even easier than most vehicles.

[dizcom]

Originally Posted by zigzaginaway

Hello,

I have some very basic Toad questions: (Jeep Wrangler 2015)

1. If I buy all the towing equipment, can my local mechanic install it all?
2. Do I need to do anything to my Motorhome? (Winnebago Adventurer 2022)
3. Can I buy all parts directly from Blue Ox or Roadmaster?

Thanks

1 - Yes. Unlike other cars, the Wrangler is extraordinarily easy to install a toad system on. I did mine myself in a few hours in my garage and a lot of others on here with Wranglers did the same. It's very easy, using only hand tools.



2 - It depends on your coach and what you want it to do. I wanted to see when my Jeep's brakes were on and to do that I installed a light on my dash that tells me. You don't need to do this, but you'll probably want to. Most of us do. You might also find that you want your rear camera pointed in a slightly different angle or change it's behavior. On our coach I have one screen that changes to the side cameras when I turn on my turn signal so I can see if the coach's sides are clear and another that stays pointed at the toad so I can see if it's also clear. Not required, but I really like it this way.



3 - Yes, but there are much easier and cheaper systems out there. As others have noted, the ReadyBrute is cheaper than Blue Ox or Roadmaster and comes with the braking system, so you don't need to buy a separate one.


There are many videos out there for installing a toad setup on a Wrangler. We used the ReadyBrute and a Curt wiring harness, installed it ourselves, and are very happy with it. If you don't have a baseplate or bumper replacement in mind, check out the Rock Jock. It would be really easy for anyone to install the same (honestly, it's hard to screw it up).

[Camp CA]

1. If I buy all the towing equipment, can my local mechanic install it all? Maybe, need to ask him............had mine installed for a competitive price from a local certified tow equipment (Blue Ox tow and Rvi brake) dealer/installer
2. Do I need to do anything to my Motorhome? (Winnebago Adventurer 2022) No
3. Can I buy all parts directly from Blue Ox or Roadmaster? Yes, but like others said cost might be higher BUT you still have to go to a certified tow equipment installer
4. Do not forget to consider additng a battery charger, e.g., RVi Towed Battery Charger Plus https://rvibrake.com/products/towed-...tery%20Charger, to your toad or some other means to avoid draining your toad's battery.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

[BVThunder]

Look at the Rockjock 4x4 baseplate for your Jeep. It can be installed by anybody including perhaps you. As for tow bars and braking systems, don't rule out Craigs List and eBay. A lightly used tow bar or Brake Buddy system is a no brainer. I suggest Cooltech towing harness. Stay away from magnetic stick on lights from Harbor Freight and such.

Take your time and do lots of research. Get in hurry and you will spend thousands of dollars. Do it right and you can get it done for less than $1500

[Isaac-1]

Note, some of the braking systems brands like Road Master, Brake Buddy, etc. offer fixed rate rebuild service for their current model /revision braking systems, this can make it more economical to buy a used questionable unit and send it in for fixed rate repair for $300-$400, though check with the companies first. For example the Roadmaster EvenBrake 9400 like I have is eligible for this flat rate repair, but only if it is above a certain serial number.

[JonHorton]

I am an easy button kind of guy. 2020 Jeep Wrangler. Bought everything from Roadmaster (baseplate, towbar-Nighthawk, HiLo hitch, and brake system - Invisibarke). I found a trailer company in my hometown to do the install. Roadmaster shipped to me and I took it to the trailer guys to do install. Everything was smooth and easy but I did pay a premium for it. I did have to verify that trailer company would do it with customer supplied parts. I could have had the light installed on the dash area of the motorhome to let me know the brakes were applied but I opted out of that, even though the trailer company could do it. I am super happy with the results.

[Craig1960]

If you were near me I'd install it for a couple hundred or give you a hand for a couple beers. It was a very simple install on my 2015 Jeep. I replaced the bumper with a aftermarket one at the same time and it was still easy.

[AKIQPilot]

A Jeep Wrangler is one of the easiest vehicles there is to set up as a Toad. A baseplate will take under an hour to install and a new front bumper designed to be towed from might take 2 hours to install.

Don't fall for the drop in braking systems that fit on the floor board. Most are expensive, bulky, marginally reliable, require a 12v charge line and just a hassel every time you want to get on the road.

Before buying any towing equipment take a look at the Ready Brute Elite style products from NSA. Simple, reliable, proportional, and relatively inexpensive. For a gasoline powered coach pulling a Wrangler there is no better more cost effective system available. I started out with a Blue Ox system and swapped to a Ready Brute Elite after a couple of years. The RBE is by far superior IMO.

Check out this guys videos. He walks you through every aspect. It really is simple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDid5PpEuF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpJ9nvH-8qc&t=55s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ2Zi826eHw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp7JvPir9Ew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfkQRM_J1r8&t=4s

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by twojayhawks

I agree any tech is capable of a base plate install it's not very technical. Also, on a Wrangler it's even easier than most vehicles.

An interesting anecdote from a few years ago: we bought a 2017 Wrangler JKU and I decided to install a Blue Ox base plate on it. Everything was going well until I got to the step where I had to remove the bumper. The JKU has a vacuum pump that is in the way of getting at 2 of the bumper bolts on the driver side. I didn't have the required tool to remove that vacuum pump and was under a time constraint so we opted to take it to a local 4WD shop. The tech pulled the Jeep into his bay and started work. He took the base plate out of its packaging along with the various hardware it comes with, and proceeded to lay everything out at the rear of the Jeep. As he was starting to get down under the rear I had to mention to him that base plates typically get installed on the FRONT of vehicles!


On our 2020 JT and our 2022 JLU I did the installs myself.

[AKIQPilot]

More Info on the Ready Brute style tow bars from NSA.

https://www.readybrake.com/

More Videos.

https://www.readybrake.com/videos.html

And animated view of how the Ready Brake system works at the bottom of this link.

https://www.readybrake.com/store/p5/..._Away_Kit.html