Community Forums

boiledowl · 01-26-2023, 04:16 PM

My toad is all ready to be towed back home tomorrow. (Friday) Have to admit I am a little nervous.

The ride back is about an hour or so. All State and county roads back home.

**CLIFFTALL** · 01-26-2023, 04:18 PM

Depending on your setup and if you do it correctly , you won’t even know it’s behind you. Take your time and don’t get distracted with the setup.

MSHappyCampers · 01-26-2023, 04:29 PM

You'll be fine! If your toad has auto transmission just be SURE you follow the manufacturer's procedure before towing! Transmissions are VERY expensive!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

theroc · 01-26-2023, 09:20 PM

Congratulations.

My recommendation is to use a hard checklist for your hookup procedure (or even unhooking procedure albeit not quite as necessary) for as long as you have to. If you are a couple or have a traveling companion, check one anohter's work and procedure.

Although we discarded the actual checklist after years of using one, even during our last days of RVing, we'd still be checking each other's work when hooking up and unhooking. We'd both have our "assigned" tasks when breaking up camp but when it came to to hook up the toad, we'd both drop what we were doing to work on the hookup procedure as we always, without exception, would check on the other's work ...whichever one of us was initiating the toad hookup. BTW, DW was much more efficient than I was at hooking up the toad and also, she is a more skillful driver too although we both had CDLs and drove trucks and buses in a previous life.

jmckinley · 01-27-2023, 05:50 AM

Most important rule is:
If someone comes up and wants to talk while you're hooking up your toad, stop immediately! When they finally leave, go back to the start, recheck everything, then resume the process.
Don't ask how I know this.

jmckinley · 01-27-2023, 05:55 AM

This is a fairly simple task with only six or so steps. But the penalty for missing a step is high. Transmissions are $5K to $10K and replacing a tow'd that got loose is lots more than that.
It deserves your complete attention.

Arch Hoagland · 01-27-2023, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmckinley

Most important rule is:
If someone comes up and wants to talk while you're hooking up your toad, stop immediately! When they finally leave, go back to the start, recheck everything, then resume the process.
Don't ask how I know this.

That is my exact procedure too.

And I never talk to people when they are connecting or disconnecting their toad.

Nildecaf · 01-27-2023, 06:01 PM

Our post hookup check includes the following:
Start coach, have co-pilot check toad and coach running lights, brake lights then both turn signals.
Co-pilot opens door and visually verifies brake system pushes brake peddle down when breaking coach.
I pull the coach and toad a foot or so and verify toad wheels not dragging.
Finally on walk to the coach she visually verifies tow bar handles are down and locked.
In 3 yrs full time I screwed up once and didn't have the Jeep in neutral so our checklist saved me big time.
Also once we had a pinched wire in the electrical cable from coach to Jeep that prevented the Jeep running lights from working, so I replaced the cable at the next campground.

theroc · 01-27-2023, 09:46 PM

One thing I forgot to mention also, is to get into the habit of doing the procedure in the exact same sequence every time ...that's the reason I suggested a hard check list to use initially so you can get into the habit of hooking up in the exact same sequence each and every time without deviation.

boiledowl · 01-28-2023, 05:14 AM

Maiden voyage was great! After spending about 3 hours at the RV place and spending a little more $than I had expected the hour long ride home was fine. Now as others have said we will put a check list in order and follow it like an SOP. I can see the potential of getting sloppy with connections etc...after a while. The wife recorded the procedure as it was being shown to us for review if needed. Thanks all!

Nildecaf · 01-28-2023, 02:30 PM

I'd add a final visual inspection of the tow bar with particular attention to any removable pins. I also give a little tug on the linch pins to mask sure they're secure

ChrisDParise · 01-30-2023, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boiledowl

Maiden voyage was great! After spending about 3 hours at the RV place and spending a little more $than I had expected the hour long ride home was fine. Now as others have said we will put a check list in order and follow it like an SOP. I can see the potential of getting sloppy with connections etc...after a while. The wife recorded the procedure as it was being shown to us for review if needed. Thanks all!

Great to hear!

You're a pro, almost, now.

After towing for a couple seasons I don't use my checklist regularly anymore. Just at the beginning of rv season to refresh my memory around the steps and mis-steps I've made