First Toad Setup - ‘14 Honda CRV

[milkman55]

I got the car about 10 days ago and getting ready to order what I need to do a complete DIY setup. Will post the results after I get it all done.

Blue Ox Baseplate
Blue Ox Avail Towbar
SMI Duo Brakes (permenant install)
RVI Battery Charger
Roadmaster Light Kit (separate bulbs)

I got an installed quote locally with these components and it was $4,300. I priced everything on RVUpgradeStore, eTrailer and Amazon to get the lowest price for the parts. I can get everything in the $4,300 quote for $2,300, so about a $2,000 savings to install myself. I am retired and have the tools, so I think it's worth my time. I thought the quote was very reasonable for labor at $1,100, but the parts markup added another $900 to the all in cost.

Hope to get started by mid-January once I get all the parts.

[macnut]

Best of luck to you on your install! I tow a 2014 CRV and it a great tow vehicle. Good idea on the battery charger. I chose the Roadmaster Fusemaster but would go your route if I did it again.

[milkman55]

My first upgrade was to replace the Group 51 battery with a Group 24F using a new battery tray and cover from HondaPartsNow.com. I got the Walmart Everstart Max with a 750 CCA and 5 yr warranty. I have had good luck with these and you can’t beat $93. The RVI Battery tender should keep it charged up.

[Selah]

Why the RVI battery charger stead of just using the built in charge line from the coach?

[milkman55]

Originally Posted by Selah

Why the RVI battery charger stead of just using the built in charge line from the coach?

.

RVI plugs into the charge line from the coach and is more of a battery maintainer to keep it charged. It’s a $50 item that has great reviews.

[Dutch Star Don]

"milkman55"......I set up a 2014 CRV for towing. The charge line is NOT needed if you get rid of that toy battery and add the larger one. The Odyssey battery box (about $20.00) fits right in and then go with the full size battery. I have the SMI AF1 and towed the Honda cross country for 9 weeks and never an issue with the battery, even on 10 hour days.

I've done a half dozen base plates over the years. Get an old blanket and set it down in front of the car. This way when you pull the facia off, you can set it on the blanket. Also get some blue painters tape and put it on both sides of the facia and front fender where they meet (horizontal line between bumper and upper fender). This will keep from scratching the paint. The inner wheel wells need to be pulled down in the front to access three hard to reach nut/bolts where the fender meets the bumper (taped area).

I don't know what size control box the SMI Duo uses, but I mounted mine in the top right corner (passenger side).



I ran the wire for the taillights down the passenger side frame rail. There is a large opening under the taillights to bring the wiring up to the lights. Remove both lenses and add your trailering kit.

There wasn't much on the front of the CRV to mount the electrical connections for the tow plug. I added a lift up license plate frame and built a small bracket to hold the connections.

[milkman55]

Thanks Don, all good ideas. I especially like the flip up license plate holder.

[milkman55]

OK, I got started today with the Blue Ox Baseplate. It wasn’t as hard as I expected, just a few snags to work through. Going to run the lights tomorrow and have the SMI Stay n Play Duo to install after the lights.

Trying to decide if the Avail Towbar rated at 10,000 lbs is overkill for the 3,500 lb Honda CR-V? It’s the newest Towbar and had some interesting features, but the 6,500 lb Alpha Towbar would be sufficient?

Any thoughts on Avail vs Alpha for pulling the CR-V?

[Bigd9]

I use the Blue Ox Aventa tow bar. I do like the new Ascent and Avail bars because of the "Non Binding Latches". If I had to do it over, I would be looking at one of these two.

Did you have any problems getting the front plastic cover off the Honda? Did you try to use the Blue Ox instructions? I found a mistake or two in their instructions and then used a U-Tube video to find a easier way to get it off.

I also installed the brake and lighting wiring and a 12 volt line to keep the battery charged plus a small air line for the M&G Engineering brake system all while the front shroud was off. I did not use the RVi battery charger.

The Honda towes beautifully. We just got back from a snow skiing trip and even in 6 inches of snow the coach and toad handled it well.

[milkman55]

I mostly used the online videos and referred to the Blue Ox instructions when I wasn’t sure. Biggest challenge on the CR-V was not knowing how the plastic clips worked on the body. There are 4 yellow plastic clips in the front that were not mentioned on the video or instructions, but I got it all apart and back together. Blue Ox base plate fit perfectly. I used the Blue Ox separate bulb taillight kit and installed that also yesterday.

I ended up buying the Avail tow bar. It’s arriving today along with the SMI Stay N Play Duo. I expect the brakes to be more of a challenge than the baseplate.

[milkman55]

Here is the final product, less brake setup which is next. There was just a 2 1/2” Drop from receiver to toad, so all good without a drop down. Pulled it around the block and it tracked great. Lights all worked on the first test. Very pleased and not near as much work as I was anticipating.

[Bigd9]

Looks good. Love the coach! You saved your self over a $1000 by doing all the work. Now what are you going to buy with it?

If those yellow clips were the ones that were next to impossible to get out, they did not have to come out. The video I used (maybe E-Trailer?) showed they could be left in without any problem.

Just a suggestion: According to a Blue Ox factory technician I spoke with, the spring clips you used for the tow bar arm pins should mounted opposite the safety cable connection. This is to prevent the safety cables from inadvertently flipping them off.

I took my 2014 Honda CRV EXL in for her service yesterday. We only got 9,800 miles since her last (and first) oil change. That A16 service (0w-20 synthetic oil, filter, tire rotation, differential oil change)cost me a outrageous $56.

The lead mechanic called me onto the shop floor and asked me what the "things that were not Honda" were under the hood. I explained the M&G Engineering toad brake system and showed him and several other mechanics how it all worked. All in all, it was a pretty good day.

[milkman55]

I was asked where I located the system unit for the Stay N Play brakes. I mostly used the eTrailer YouTube video on the install and they have it right behind the radiator top mount. I have driven the car maybe 500 miles since the install and its riding nicely and no vibration that I can tell.
It doesn’t block the radiator flow, pretty mucch rides above the fans.

[tvp]

Here is what happens when you do not install a tow system properly [emoji30]