Community Forums

roryrv · 03-20-2020, 06:41 AM

The facts: Monaco Dynasty 600HP, 2020 Ford Ranger 4x4 6 ft bed flat towable.
Spent good $ on a hard retractable tonneau cover and sports rack for kayaks
paddle boards.

The question: Going to need a tow bar (7500# incase I want to tow my expedition
max in the future). Base plate, supplemental braking (want something permanent)
and tail lighting kit. What is all this going to cost? After all said
and done am I getting near the price of buying an enclosed car trailer.
I know there are multiple options for each item and I tend to buy the best quality stuff.
Thanks, Rory

aether_one · 03-20-2020, 06:47 AM

Etrailer.com for prices sans labor.

Busskipper · 03-20-2020, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roryrv

The facts: Monaco Dynasty 600HP, 2020 Ford Ranger 4x4 6 ft bed flat towable.
Spent good $ on a hard retractable tonneau cover and sports rack for kayaks
paddle boards.

The question: Going to need a tow bar (7500# incase I want to tow my expedition
max in the future). Base plate, supplemental braking (want something permanent)
and tail lighting kit. What is all this going to cost? After all said
and done am I getting near the price of buying an enclosed car trailer.
I know there are multiple options for each item and I tend to buy the best quality stuff.
Thanks, Rory

If you are asking the Question then Likely you have never hauled a trailer. The advantage of no trailer and where you can go cannot be overstated. I've done both, if I were just a "A to B" driver maybe a trailer would be nice but I tend to travel to places with parks that require me to unhook and back in.....so the trailer thing will add big time to the set up and pack up issue. -

I can pull in, let the DW go inside and check in while I unhook and take to Toad and scout the site as to easiest route to and if it will work for us, She will come out and we can park and set up and have that Adult beverage in less than 30 Minutes. -

Just go and talk to a few other in a Park then try to Imagine doing all this and finding a place to Park that trailer -

- Now after that just Imagine doing that in Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon. -

Hope this is able to make my Point, 4 Down is just easier. -

JMHO,

edit - I set up my toads all at much less than $1,000.00 - but I love to DIMS (Do it my self) so my cost is different than most - Blue Ox that was used 4-5 time on Craigs list - $200 - Baseplate from E-trailer $450 - few beers - little lock tight Red $6 - the good feeling of knowing it is done and done right, that's all with a car hauler enclosed trailer sitting on the storage lot -

EA37TS · 03-20-2020, 07:01 AM

First ask yourself how you value convenience. There is considerably more effort and work. involved in loading and unloading a vehicle from a trailer. There is also the fact that some campgrounds will not allow trailers to be parked at sites and require they be parked in overflow lots etc...

If you value your time at 2 cents per hour then there may be little difference. On the other hand if you value your time at 100.00 per hour then the difference is significant and convenience is defiantly a factor.

Ask yourself what you would be doing if you weren't loading and unloading that trailer and nobody is going to be doing it in as fast as disconnecting a towbar.

My setup for my Grand Cherokee cost me approx 3600.00 installed. That included base plate, tower (8000#), InvisiBrake, wiring, and brake monitor. I did get a deal with installation costing 200.00 for everything during a Camping World special.

**Lt Dan** · 03-20-2020, 07:49 AM

If you are mechanical, you can probably get out for under $2000-2500 total which includes base plate, wiring and brake system. Since you have air, I would highly suggest a system like the M&G or Air Force one. It's so much simpler to just hook up an air line than all the other contortions. You could probably bring the cost down even more by using a surge brake system like Ready Brute which incorporates the tow bar and brake cable. I'll not state my opinion on surge brakes, I'll just say a lot of people use them and are satisfied.

As for trailering, our travel friends pull a trailer with our motorcycles when we go together. Sometimes it's a real PITA to find a place to put the trailer in parks where pull thrus are not available.

jacwjames · 03-20-2020, 08:08 AM

In 2010 I spent ~$2000 to set up Jeep but I did the work myself and just bought a good used tow bar off Ebay which saved me ~$3-400.

I had checked on getting everything installed at CW and the cost was substantially higher for parts and the labor was about 2X more, hence me doing it myself.

My coach was already set up with air connections so I went with the Brakemaster system. Yes I have to take it in and out but it's pretty much foolproof and I did install the indicator light that shows it is working while I am driving.

Newmar2856 · 03-20-2020, 08:13 AM

I will be taking my 2019 Ford Ranger to Roadmaster in a couple of weeks to have a baseplate, Invisibrake and tow lights installed. Quoted price is $2700.00 plus tax. The baseplate install looks pretty doable to me, but I’m not interested in taking on the brake or light install myself.

I already have a tow bar from our previous setup, but etrailer shows the Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar for $1125.00.

lrgomez1976 · 03-20-2020, 09:03 AM

I pull my 2017 FX4 F-150 without issues. I purchased everything from Etrailer. I purchssed all Roadmaster products with capacities of 10k lbs.... it's a heavy truck. I used the Delta Force Braking (DFO114) as I also did not want to tap into the braking system. It sits on the floorboard, does its thing and I put it away when not in use. Just be sure your vehicle can be toad. Yes, the only issue is having to back up... it's not happening so just be conscience of the spots you are pulling though. The cost in parts was at about $2k but I did all the work myself over a few days as time allowed between work, and those annoying Honey Do's!!

Bsipe01 · 03-20-2020, 09:28 AM

I recently outfitted our 2014 CR-V and 2011 Phaeton 40 QBH for flat towing.

Blue Ox gear. Had trouble finding a shop willing to install the base plate, but after visiting several potential providers, got a recommendation for a shop that does truck & offroad accessory installs. They had experience with the process and were happy to do the baseplate and wiring, install cost was $400 and change. I completed the Air Force One brake system install, both the coach side and toad, as well as the fuse switch. The kit includes detailed instructions, and is fairly straightforward for someone with mechanical skills and tools. I completed the work over a few days at the storage facility. I just didn't have the facility to R&R the front of the CR-V, or a lift. The system works great, very easy to connect/disconnect for travel, and is virtually invisible in the toad. No fiddling with it; hook it up, confirm brake & lights, do the checklist on the CR-V & go in under 15 minutes.

Charles L · 03-20-2020, 10:12 AM

Prices vary around the country. For 2017 Jeep grand Cherokee I am quoted a price of $4000.00. Roadmaster base plate, Sterling tow bar and accessory kit, Invisibrake, lighting wiring, setup at end. I know there is no competition in my area so they overcharge. I can get all the parts from etrailer for a savings of around $600.00 or more but the shop said the labor rates go up if I buy the parts. Pretty much wipes out the savings.

roryrv · 03-20-2020, 10:23 AM

Thanks for the replies. $2000-$2500 is better then I thought. It never occured to me
to look for a used towbar then match the base plate to it. I am very mechanically
inclined and can do the work myself. Based on pricing alone I will forget the
trailer idea.

My coach already has the airline hook up for air force one as the previous owner had one in his toad.
How do you guys like it?

pdeinc · 03-20-2020, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roryrv

Thanks for the replies. $2000-$2500 is better then I thought. It never occured to me
to look for a used towbar then match the base plate to it. I am very mechanically
inclined and can do the work myself. Based on pricing alone I will forget the
trailer idea.

My coach already has the airline hook up for air force one as the previous owner had one in his toad.
How do you guys like it?

I did just that, found a slightly used Roadmaster tow bar, purchased new baseplate and used RVI 2 supplemental brake, all for around $1,200 doing all the labor myself.

Bsipe01 · 03-20-2020, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roryrv

My coach already has the airline hook up for air force one as the previous owner had one in his toad.
How do you guys like it?

I like it, although I have little basis for comparison. I do like that it's pretty much invisible in the toad, just hook up everything and it's good to go. There's nothing in the toad that shows other than the LED pilot lamp that's mounted on the dash. Easily visible in the rear view cam.

Capt Van · 03-21-2020, 03:47 PM

I've been using the Ready Brake system for years. If you are the least bit mechanical you can set it up yourself. It's a simple way to tow and have brakes.
There are a lot of great reviews if you search. Great company, give them a call you just might be impressed.

https://www.readybrake.com/