Towing the car without a braking system

[awol50]

With your rig, no problem. It will increase stopping distance somewhat so keep that in mind.
I have pulled a 2800# Chevy tracker without brakes for 17 years without issues in a Ford gasser class a and dp class a. Odds of breakaway are almost non-existent given everything that would simultaneously have to fail.
Some places not legal, but who cares about that. [Mod Edit]

[taylorbob1]

Pulling a 2020 Chevy Spark behind my Thor Vegas 24.1 (E450 chassis)
Toad weighs in at 2200#
Currently, I’m not using any brakes

Hitch is about an inch higher than the Blue Ox base plate, as suggested.

[Domo]

Your toad basically becomes a trailer when you are towing it.
Most states require a supplemental braking system - some have weight limits on the "trailer" but many requires ANY towed vehicle over 3,000 lbs to have brakes.

Pretty straight forward - you need brakes to pull it legally (and of course to keep the rest of us safe).

It'd be a pity to have a breakaway - EEEEEKKKK! I think your insurance would walk away...

When you do it, please be careful and good luck.

[taylorbob1]

Two things...

1) UHaul still rents Tow-Dolly’s without brakes, nationwide (mentioned in other threads on this site). Max speed is 55 mph.
In 2018, Uhaul overcame a $30M lawsuit by a paralyzed crash victim. Uhaul claimed that excessive speed was to blame for the tow dolly accident, not the fact that the tow dolly had no brakes.

2) Dual axel 6.5’ x 16’ utility trailers are sold without brakes in California. The caveat...their maximum GVWR is 2,999#.
The same utility trailer can be purchased from the same vendor with a $200 brake package, and the GVWR is increased to 8,000#.
So by telling the consumer that the GVWR must stay under 3,000# on the trailer without brakes, the trailer company limits their liability.

[pointrow]

I have towed my f150 truck With a 1700 lb RZR in the bed with out a working brake system on occasion and I can feel it push some on hard brakeing. Not unmanageable but I can feel it. So be aware.

[Jake21]

Originally Posted by brandss

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. Slow and steady, use the engine brake, and think ahead.

Drive 1/2 mile up the road. Meaning, always be looking at the road way ahead, and also nearby. I will confess. I pull without a towed braking system. Over 100,000 miles. Zero issue and zero close calls.

[F4Gary]

He didn't ask for a lecture, he just asked if anyone had done it.

I would do it OP. It's not like you are doing it permanently.


Remember, catchin' comes before hangin'.

[Jim_HiTek]

My towed is 2300 lbs and the RV is 28,000 lbs and I don't even notice it's back there on those few occasions when I've forgotten to turn it on when I'm ready to leave. So yeah, go ahead. Be careful, and use your exhaust brake.

[Mr.Goodbar]

I wouldn't do it. You never know what could happen and you would be liable for any and all property damage when the toad breaks free.

Just last week, we had only been on the road about 10 minutes after stopping at a truck stop in Americus, GA and had gone thru Plains, GA, when I looked in the rear camera monitor and noticed something really wrong with the toad. It looked like it had a mind of its own swing to the left, then to the right. ASAP, we pulled over and the toad moved right up to the back end of the coach. I had just checked everything at the truck stop.

One of the clevis pins had broken or worked loose and dropped out, so the hitch pin was also able to work loose and disconnect from the base plate.
The next thing that would have happened would be the towbar breaking and we would have had a loose Honda CR-V on a two-lane highway with only the safety cables holding it. The toad could have swerved over into the oncoming lane leading to disaster. (Liability lawsuit anyone?)

IMHO, Don't be cheap and take shortcuts where safety counts. An auxiliary braking system is cheap compared to the cost of lawsuit.

[twojayhawks]

Originally Posted by Mr.Goodbar

I wouldn't do it. You never know what could happen and you would be liable for any and all property damage when the toad breaks free.

Just last week, we had only been on the road about 10 minutes after stopping at a truck stop in Americus, GA and had gone thru Plains, GA, when I looked in the rear camera monitor and noticed something really wrong with the toad. It looked like it had a mind of its own swing to the left, then to the right. ASAP, we pulled over and the toad moved right up to the back end of the coach. I had just checked everything at the truck stop.

One of the clevis pins had broken or worked loose and dropped out, so the hitch pin was also able to work loose and disconnect from the base plate.
The next thing that would have happened would be the towbar breaking and we would have had a loose Honda CR-V on a two-lane highway with only the safety cables holding it. The toad could have swerved over into the oncoming lane leading to disaster. (Liability lawsuit anyone?)

IMHO, Don't be cheap and take shortcuts where safety counts. An auxiliary braking system is cheap compared to the cost of lawsuit.

Hi Tom
OP was asking (I thought) weather anyone has towed without aux brake system. Your example of a run away CRV sounds more like a lack of a emergency brake away system. Mine is two separate systems as the tow bar has the aux brake built in & the break away is a separate system altogether. I would never tow without the brake away in place.

[Crasher]

I think your coach has a 16,000# front axle, a 23,000# drive axle and a 13,000# tag for a GVWR of 52,000#. (that's what my 2013 has) Your loaded coach weighs less than 42,000#. Add in the 3400# toad and you are at 45,400#. Your coach has brakes designed to safely stop 52,000#. You are 6.600# below what your brakes were designed for. You are actually safer than if you were loaded to the GVWR without a toad. The only thing I would advise is to be certain that your towbar is higher at the MH than on the toad. This is critical during a panic stop. I had a friend towing a Jeep Wrangler behind his Class C with the tow bar lower on the MH. A panic stop on a Phoenix freeway caused the front of the Jeep to raise up and slam into the rear of his coach. It ruined his trip and cost $8,000 to repair.

FWIW. Been there and Done that.

[rffowler55]

In a previous life we owned an Independent Insurance Agency and having dealt with many claims adjusters related to accidents that were my client's fault, I would not want to give the Insurance Carrier an out to paying your claim. If it is not required by law it will be hard for the Carrier to deny the claim unless it is stated in their policy, but, if it is required by law or is stated in their policy, you are relying on their good grace to honor your claim where no legal liability on their part exists.

[L.C.Gray]

Motorhome 19,500 lbs
Jeep 2,700 lbs

If the big motorhome can't stop the little Jeep I already have lots bigger problems going on...……...

[Crasher]

Originally Posted by rffowler55

In a previous life we owned an Independent Insurance Agency and having dealt with many claims adjusters related to accidents that were my client's fault, I would not want to give the Insurance Carrier an out to paying your claim. If it is not required by law it will be hard for the Carrier to deny the claim unless it is stated in their policy, but, if it is required by law or is stated in their policy, you are relying on their good grace to honor your claim where no legal liability on their part exists.

The key here is that any exemption of coverage "Must" be part of the policy. How is not having aux brakes on a toad any different to an adjuster than violating a speed limit law that results in an accident?? Or driving while under the influence? I'm not advocating any violation, but it's my understanding an insurance company is obligated by contract to pay,, unless the action is exempted in the policy.