Community Forums

Jerry K. · 01-15-2021, 07:23 AM

Ok, newbie here and this thread is totally self serving, ok I said it! I just bought (yesterday) a 2017 Mini I plan to flat tow behind my newly acquired 2015 Winnebago Aspect 31J. I’ve read through the closed thread from 2017 and still have some questions. I’m probably going to go with the following:

1. Blue Ox baseplate BX1312
2. Etrailer SD tow bar, Blue Ox or other Blue Ox baseplate compatible tow bar

So after that things get sketchy! What are people using for:

1. Braking?
2. Lighting?
3. Are you running 12vdc from the RV to car battery?

I understand with our cars you put it in neutral and hit the lock button twice to keep the alarm from going off when you move. Do you need to run external lighting to the tail lights or can the existing lights turn on when brakes are applied by braking system?

Unplanned Tourist · 01-15-2021, 07:37 AM

You will need to run wiring for tail/turn/brake lights. Just like towing any trailer, because basically that's what your toad is while you are pulling it.

I don't pull a Mini, but I do have fun.

Jerry K. · 01-15-2021, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unplanned

You will need to run wiring for tail/turn/brake lights. Just like towing any trailer, because basically that's what your toad is while you are pulling it.

I don't pull a Mini, but I do have fun.

Thanks, makes sense. What’s that behind your RV, an MGTD?

Unplanned Tourist · 01-15-2021, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry K.

Thanks, makes sense. What’s that behind your RV, an MGTD?

1937 SS100 Jaguar kit car. Fun on the sunny days. I never tow it too far, mainly within 3-4 hours from home.

Long trips the Ranger comes along behind us with the bicycles or KLR650 in the back.

I have a Brake Buddy that I can swap back and forth for aux brakes. Just plug it into the cig lighter and go. It also has a break-away circuit that is hard wired into each toad.

Unplanned Tourist · 01-15-2021, 05:50 PM

The SS100. I bought it from a guy in Tombstone, Arizona and drove it home close to 2,000 miles.

It gets a little cool at 7,000 feet plus in March! Nice up to Pioche, Nevada though.

Jerry K. · 01-15-2021, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unplanned

The SS100. I bought it from a guy in Tombstone, Arizona and drove it home close to 2,000 miles.

It gets a little cool at 7,000 feet plus in March! Nice up to Pioche, Nevada though.

I bet it was chilly! I’ve got a 60 MGA that will be moving along sometime soon as the Mini wants to be in the garage.

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Trapper2022 · 01-16-2021, 06:45 AM

For lights if you do not want to wire them look at a wireless tail light bar. Tow trucks use them all the time. I bought one 7 years ago and it works flawlessly. When we changed tow cars it required nothing special to set up light on second car. Got mine from tow mate but there are several out there. Safe travels

Enjoy the journey

Jerry K. · 01-16-2021, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trapper2020

For lights if you do not want to wire them look at a wireless tail light bar. Tow trucks use them all the time. I bought one 7 years ago and it works flawlessly. When we changed tow cars it required nothing special to set up light on second car. Got mine from tow mate but there are several out there. Safe travels

Enjoy the journey

Genius! Not a lot of metal areas to attach to with the sunroof and antenna but I’m thinking it could sit inside against the rear window and still be seen well enough.

Beach Aire · 01-16-2021, 03:32 PM

I had a 2012 Mini Countryman with a Blue Ox base plate. The problem I had was the base plate tore loose from the mounting brackets on the Mini. We were close to Tok, Alaska when this happened, so we went into town and I redesigned the mounting brackets from Blue Ox's design which mounts to the front bumper support to mount from the front radiator core support and the front engine mounts. Fortunately I was able to find a welding shop which would work with me, and was able to get back on the road after a day's work.

Now to come loose, it will have to tear the whole front of the motor off - but I've since sold the Mini for another toad.

Blue Ox has their base plate tie into just the front bumper supports. This is relatively light gage sheet metal, and eventually fatigues. This, I have since found out, is not an uncommon event for unibody design cars with base plates connected.

Just be aware

Unplanned Tourist · 01-16-2021, 04:14 PM

Wow, lucky you caught that in time Bob!

I saw a Jeep with the same problem in the back lot of a CG one time.

F4Gary · 01-16-2021, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach Aire

I had a 2012 Mini Countryman with a Blue Ox base plate. The problem I had was the base plate tore loose from the mounting brackets on the Mini. We were close to Tok, Alaska when this happened, so we went into town and I redesigned the mounting brackets from Blue Ox's design which mounts to the front bumper support to mount from the front radiator core support and the front engine mounts. Fortunately I was able to find a welding shop which would work with me, and was able to get back on the road after a day's work.

Now to come loose, it will have to tear the whole front of the motor off - but I've since sold the Mini for another toad.

Blue Ox has their base plate tie into just the front bumper supports. This is relatively light gage sheet metal, and eventually fatigues. This, I have since found out, is not an uncommon event for unibody design cars with base plates connected.

Just be aware

Did you share that with Blue Ox and if so did they redesign the base plate?

ThomB · 01-18-2021, 07:32 AM

We tow a 2013 Mini Roadster. (6-speed "S")

We're using the Blue Ox base plate, a Ready Brute Elite tow bar (mechanical surge brake) and a TowMate 22" remote tow bar for lighting.

The tow light doesn't require any cabling to the RV for lighting, so no messing with existing wiring nor running wires specially for the braking lights. We've done 30K miles with it behind us.

Jerry K. · 01-19-2021, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beach Aire

I had a 2012 Mini Countryman with a Blue Ox base plate. The problem I had was the base plate tore loose from the mounting brackets on the Mini. We were close to Tok, Alaska when this happened, so we went into town and I redesigned the mounting brackets from Blue Ox's design which mounts to the front bumper support to mount from the front radiator core support and the front engine mounts. Fortunately I was able to find a welding shop which would work with me, and was able to get back on the road after a day's work.

Now to come loose, it will have to tear the whole front of the motor off - but I've since sold the Mini for another toad.

Blue Ox has their base plate tie into just the front bumper supports. This is relatively light gage sheet metal, and eventually fatigues. This, I have since found out, is not an uncommon event for unibody design cars with base plates connected.

Just be aware

Ok, that’s frightening! I’ve been considering the BluevOx and Roadmaster base plates. Leaning heavily towards the Roadmaster now! It appears to tie into the frame. Please take a look at pics and let me know what you think.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1611070180

https://www.irv2.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1611070180

https://www.irv2.com/forums/attachme...1&d=1611070180

Jerry K. · 01-20-2021, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomB

We tow a 2013 Mini Roadster. (6-speed "S")

We're using the Blue Ox base plate, a Ready Brute Elite tow bar (mechanical surge brake) and a TowMate 22" remote tow bar for lighting.

The tow light doesn't require any cabling to the RV for lighting, so no messing with existing wiring nor running wires specially for the braking lights. We've done 30K miles with it behind us.

Planning to use a TowMate 22” wireless bar for inside the rear window of our Mini. The surge braking system is interesting! How tough was it to route the cable from the tow bar to the brake pedal?