 |
11-25-2020, 11:48 AM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 21
|
Things to check on toad while towing
What do I need to keep an eye on or do, other than tire pressure, while towing a vehicle four down? (Toad is a 2015 Ford Fiesta)
Thanks in advance,
Deb
__________________
Deb & CB
2013 Itasca Sunova 30A named Sunny
Peace Love & Blues
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
11-25-2020, 01:01 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Nashville, TN area
Posts: 4,003
|
Make sure all your pins, cables, buckles, straps, chains, clips and gizmos are properly connected just before shifting to drive and do it EVERY TIME you stop. Except at stop lights and stop signs.
__________________
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
2019 Newmar Canyon Star 3627 on a 2018 F-53 26K chassis w/6 speed transmission
2017 Jeep Wrangler JKU with Ready Brute tow system
Nashville, TN or Titusville, FL when not on the road
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 02:21 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Clovis, CA, USA
Posts: 10,328
|
Make sure all four wheels are turning when you first start moving.
Left my emergency brake on in a Miata. Couldn't feel the drag at all.
My wife saw it as she did a walk around while I was pulling forward slowly.
Every time I stop I grab my IR gun and shoot all the tires looking for a hot one. I do an inspection of everything during that walk around checking the tires..
__________________
2004 Monaco La Palma 36DBD, W22, 8.1, 7.1 MPG
2000 LEXUS RX300 FWD 22MPG 4020 LBS
"All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie" Bob Dylan
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 03:14 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 212
|
Make sure to follow the instructions for flat towing, in the owner's manual. I flat tow a 2017 Fiesta, and have the manual open every time I set up.
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 03:23 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Thor Owners Club KZ RV Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Central, Arkansas
Posts: 306
|
Make sure the toad steering is unlocked, parking brake released and watch the toad in your mirrors when you make your first turns to make sure the wheels are tracking properly.
I also have the backup camera on so I can keep an eye on the toad whenever driving.
__________________
2018 Thor Freedom Elite 30 FE
2019 GMC Canyon Denali (current toad)
2004 Jeep Liberty (retired Toad)
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 04:32 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 254
|
+1 on RTM!
Do not come here for “how do I tow my XXXX”. You’ll get lots of advice, some of it might even be right! But the consequences of getting it wrong can be catastrophic, so follow the manufacturers written instruction to the letter. The process varies widely by manufacturer, model, and year, and there are no “rules of thumb”.
I printed up and laminated a 3x5 card with the hookup and unhook process for my Wrangler - copied straight out of the manual. It lives in the visor and gets pulled out and followed every time I connect/disconnect the toad. The card is much easier than digging the manual out every time.
Then, before we roll I do a final check that the parking brake is off and all 4 wheels are rolling.
Whenever we stop I do a walk around. Jiggle everything that could come loose or apart. Give each tire a pat to check their temp. Do the same for the wheels to make sure the brakes aren’t dragging.
And, as mentioned, keep an eye on it with the camera if you have one.
Regards,
Randy
__________________
Randy
2016 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32SA
2017 Jeep Wrangler JKU
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 06:05 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 2,277
|
Be certain the breakaway system actually works. I always pull the pin for a second on mine to assure the braking system comes on. Once it did not. The car had just come back from the dealer and the under-hood fuse was blown. That had never happened before or since. Had I not done the breakaway test I would never have known the car's supplemental braking system was inoperative until we got on the road.
The advice to check everything when you stop is good and should also include right before you start out, if you've left the vehicle unattended. Several people have reported that they found the locking pins missing after coming out of a store or restaurant. Not a lot but enough.
If you have telescoping arms on your tow bar, be certain that both arms are locked before towing. If one will not lock due to the angle of the car, turn the car steering wheel about a half-turn in the direction of the un-locked arm. As soon as the motorhome starts to move the car will steer towards the unlocked arm, extending that arm, and locking the arm.
Assure the tow bar is level within 2" to 3", depending on the tow bar. If you cannot get it perfectly level it's preferred that the car end is a bit lower. If the tow bar is not within its level limits that puts a lot of stress on the tow bar and can cause a failure.
Ray
Ray
__________________
2020 Forest River Georgetown GT5 34H5
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 06:06 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 322
|
I also say you need to read the manual because every make model and production year can vary.
I tow a ‘19 Expedition and the process is slightly different based on push button start vs traditional key.
So read the manual keeping in mind your options and how your vehicle was wired up for towing. I wired in a charge line so my procedure looks for the tell-tale light I wired in.
On some vehicles the procedure also requires you plug in the umbilical at a particular point (mine is halfway through setup).
The only standard is the lack of standards.
I copied the steps from my manual (spread across 2 sections) and added in the steps for my umbilical etc and once I was happy with them I printed the sequence (and reverse which isn’t exactly reverse) in a nice large font I can read in the rain without my reading glasses. Those directions are stuck in the glove box when not in my hand (or DWs). I also have a copy on our phones in case the printed copy gets lost.
Good luck and congrats on making it this far.
- Richard
__________________
Richard & Denise
2019 VTDP 4310 K2
2019 Expedition, Nighthawk & AF1
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 06:31 PM
|
#9
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 21
|
I was not asking "how to", I am asking about items on the vehicle that need to be checked along the way, like any fluids or something like that. I know how to hook up and tow -- just wanting to make sure I am not overlooking something that should be checked on (other than tire pressure).
Thanks for the responses.
deb
__________________
Deb & CB
2013 Itasca Sunova 30A named Sunny
Peace Love & Blues
|
|
|
11-25-2020, 06:42 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Clovis, CA, USA
Posts: 10,328
|
When you stop for the night and don't disconnect because you will be pulling out in the morning....start the toad and run for about 10 minutes going through the gears.
Helps lubricate the transmission.
__________________
2004 Monaco La Palma 36DBD, W22, 8.1, 7.1 MPG
2000 LEXUS RX300 FWD 22MPG 4020 LBS
"All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie" Bob Dylan
|
|
|
11-26-2020, 09:35 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 254
|
Arch,
That might be good for a Lexus, not so much a Wrangler. With the Jeep you do not want to “run through the gears” unless you do the full disconnect procedure first.
Shifting gears with the engine running and transfer case in neutral causes nasty gear grinding (don’t ask) and potential tranny damage (per the manual). To safely get the xfer case out of neutral you have to follow the full disconnect process.
There really aren’t any safe assumptions that can be made from one vehicle to the next.
Regards,
Randy
__________________
Randy
2016 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32SA
2017 Jeep Wrangler JKU
|
|
|
11-26-2020, 09:44 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 402
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland
When you stop for the night and don't disconnect because you will be pulling out in the morning....start the toad and run for about 10 minutes going through the gears.
Helps lubricate the transmission.
|
We pull a 2019 GMC Canyon and you definitely DO NOT want to run through the gears when you stop for the night.
There is a very specific procedure to follow on taking the trans out of the neutral flat tow mode to prevent damage.
__________________
John, Sharon & (Luna-Australian Sheppard)
19' Newmar Dutch Star 4018
21' Tahoe Z71, Demco base, Avail bar, Air Force 1.
|
|
|
11-26-2020, 09:48 AM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 212
|
With a Fiesta, you definitely do not want to start and run thru the gears. If you do, you will have to go thru the tow setup again.
|
|
|
11-26-2020, 09:58 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 13,560
|
One accessory I consider to be very important is a TPMS.
__________________
Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
|
|
|
 |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|