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bb8689 · 01-18-2021, 09:31 AM

We are about to embark on our first trip flat towing our Honda Accord behind our 34 ft. Allegro Open Road. What do I need to know about when and where to unhook my toad when entering a campground? How do I determine whether to unhook at my site or somewhere else? What are the do's and don'ts about this process?

fagnaml · 01-18-2021, 10:25 AM

bb8 --

Welcome to the forum! There are many good forum members will to provide help at anytime!

My personal practices is to disconnect my Jeep at the RV park/resort check-in office. Reason is when I manuver my 41 foot motorhome into a 'spot', I never quite get it aligned properly the first time meaning I have to back-up some to get the final alignment (e.g. parallel with the edge of the concrete pad, maximize curb/patio side space, make sure the driver side slides have enough clearance to utility post, etc.). It's not possible to "back-up" with a toad attached to a motorhome.

Where are you headed for your first ever outing? Best wishes for a safe and healthy adventure!

bb8689 · 01-18-2021, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fagnaml

bb8 --

Welcome to the forum! There are many good forum members will to provide help at anytime!

My personal practices is to disconnect my Jeep at the RV park/resort check-in office. Reason is when I manuver my 41 foot motorhome into a 'spot', I never quite get it aligned properly the first time meaning I have to back-up some to get the final alignment (e.g. parallel with the edge of the concrete pad, maximize curb/patio side space, make sure the driver side slides have enough clearance to utility post, etc.). It's not possible to "back-up" with a toad attached to a motorhome.

Where are you headed for your first ever outing? Best wishes for a safe and healthy adventure!

Thanks for your advice. We got our rig in August and have been to Alabama and to Massachusetts to visit family. This will be our first trip with a toad. We are headed to Lajitas/Big Bend NP next week.

MSHappyCampers · 01-18-2021, 10:40 AM

There's no real answer to that question. It will depend on the CG. Most will have an area where you can pull off and unhook before going to your site. We sometimes stop in a public parking lot and unhook before going to the CG.

rream · 01-18-2021, 10:47 AM

When I check in I ask the office where the best place is to unhook based on the site they have just assigned me to

**TonyDi** · 01-18-2021, 11:04 AM

I generally call the campground ahead of arriving and ask if they have a designated place to unhook. If they don’t, ask if it’s easy to unhook at your site. If none of these are possible then unhook before you arrive.

DAJO · 01-24-2021, 03:58 PM

We experienced one thing in a state park in Indiana when we disconnect toad before the gate house. Gatehouse was going to charge us for extra vehicle that would not have been charged otherwise. Didn't take long to hook back up for them.

FL420 · 01-24-2021, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAJO

We experienced one thing in a state park in Indiana when we disconnect toad before the gate house. Gatehouse was going to charge us for extra vehicle that would not have been charged otherwise. Didn't take long to hook back up for them.

I usually take the toad off the tow dolly but keep the dolly attached to the coach at a WM parking lot or similar parking lot before entering the campground. We almost never make reservations so we use the toad for a recon for best available site in the campground. Sometimes I switch the dolly to the back of the toad but as long as I have daylight it's usually no problem backing the coach into a site with the empty dolly attached.
We check the campgrounds website and the sat view on Google Maps or ParkAdvisor app. We call the campground to ask if they charge an extra fee for the toad and if it has to be under tow to avoid the extra fee. Colorado State Parks haven't (info might not be current) charged for a vehicle you tow in but do charge for a "second" vehicle if you drive it in.
Most gatekeepers won't charge for the toad if you explain you just took it off the dolly so it won't impede traffic in the campground if you were to pull it in. Only once did we encounter a gatekeeper with a "Barney Fife" attitude. She relented when I pointed out I could put the car back on the dolly and take it off again just inside the gate if she thought that would make it acceptable to her. The fee for an extra vehicle goes up a dollar or two every year and is now at $10/day.
A sat view will usually show you a parking area or a boat trailer parking lot where you can detach a toad.
[emoji40]

Arch Hoagland · 01-24-2021, 05:18 PM

As others mentioned it will vary from RV park to RV park.

Also it's best to be on a level surface to unhook.

Dutch Star Don · 01-24-2021, 05:56 PM

It seems that some are making this awfully complicated. I've been towing a toad for 17 years and NEVER worried about disconnecting it before reaching the campground.

It just requires some common sense. When you arrive, scope out the best place to disconnect. Generally, it's rude to disconnect at the check-in point, blocking others while you disconnect. However, some may have space for disconnecting. Others will have space on the way to your site and some, you just disconnect at your site.

I've watched husband and wife teams take 30 minutes to disconnect their vehicle. That's fine if you're off to one side, but to do it where you block others is selfish.

The above also applies to connecting your toad. Do it where you're not blocking others from leaving.

Nildecaf · 01-24-2021, 07:00 PM

+ Dutch Star Don
Almost always we can see a spot to disconnect out of the way as we pull in and stop there to register. If not I ask at the desk. If the campground is flat, open and we have a pull through we may leave the toad connected. If there's any question I'll start disconnecting toad while wife registers. Then I ALWAYS drive to the site in the toad to check out the site, approach, any back in issues, turns, problem branches, etc. Especially at national or state campgrounds which often have more winding roads in the campground. This has saved me a couple of times.
Let common sense and reasonable caution prevail.

twojayhawks · 01-25-2021, 09:03 AM

We mostly choose big rig type RV parks or resorts & book pull thru's. Unless I'm told otherwise I leave it attached until we get to our spot. Most times I can just pull right in if not I can unhook there. I agree with Don it isn't any big deal where you unhook as long as you aren't blocking others. I can unhook in maybe several minutes max.