Community Forums

Steve 716 · 11-26-2020, 05:32 PM

I flat tow a 2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid and use the Air Force One air braking system rather than a removable system like the Brake Buddy and similar. Either will work fine. Note that while both the hybrid and electric Fusion can be flat towed, a Fusion with a conventional transmission cannot. In the hybrid and electric versions the electric motor acts as the transmission.

Installing the AFO and the light wiring were straightforward, though it took three days to do the install cleanly (hidden wiring, etc). I installed a six pin connector on the car rather than a four pin so I could run a charge line from my coach. It probably wasn’t necessary but it was an easy and inexpensive install. My initial 2017 Fusion hybrid had all sorts of electrical problems and, after going through binding arbitration with Ford, they had to give me a new one. This motivated me to run the charge line just to be safe. Fortunately the replacement hasn’t had any electrical issues.

My only problem was installing the Blue Ox base plate. Blue Ox says the base plate fits a 2019 Fusion hybrid, however, you aren’t going to get the front fascia back on without grinding off a portion of the base plate. Blue Ox said what they sell fits. They were wrong. I must add that I have used Blue Ox base plates before and they are very safe and secure if properly installed. I use a Demco tow bar but any of the major manufacturers tow bars can be used. Each manufacturer sells adaptors to allow use of other brand base plates and they take just a few minutes to install.

With the Fusion Hybrid there are no fuses or battery disconnects prior to towing. Just connect the six pin cable and the air line, go through a shift sequence, test the lights, and off I go. Per Ford the maximum towing speed is 70 mph. I usually drive 65 mph.

I like having a car when at a campground. My Fusion is substantial, drives like a BMW (although it does not accelerate like one), I get around 35 mpg in the city and close to 50 mpg on the highway, and there is enough room for groceries or whatever I need. The battery takes up about half of the trunk but there is enough room to be useful. I think the battery on the electric Fusion takes even more space.

My last toad was a 2010 Honda Element with an automatic transmission and that also was flat towed. A same vintage CRV has the same drive train and is also flat towable. Both if these are reliable vehicles. I full time and would not own a car that cannot be flat towed, but that is just my preference. We see a number of cars on dollies or in trailers and a number of Elements and CRVs. It’s all a matter of preference.

RRBattani · 11-26-2020, 05:34 PM

We tow a 2017 Honda Ridgeline FWD on a Master Tow dolly with surge brakes. It is effortless to load and unload. Previoulsy towed a VW Passat and a Kia Sportage. I have considered switching to towing something 4 down, but with brake controllers, additional wiring on the towed vehicle, pulled fuses, or having to stop every so often to run the towed vehicle, it just doesn't add up for us.

scroc · 11-26-2020, 05:37 PM

We tow a 95 Geo Tracker 4x4 with BlueOx. baseplate and towbar with a Brake Buddy behind our 01 Safari Trek.. Our second tracker thru many years and miles. Great off road, good mileage and lots of fun with the top down. Still makes us GRIN.��

jimnlo1949 · 11-26-2020, 05:40 PM

During our pre-RV years, we were hooked on the Lexus RX 350 series for the wife and now have found that our new Buick Envision (2018) has performed flawlessly and is easy to hook up and setup. It also compares well with the Lexus, is quiet and comfortable and has proved to be ideal for our Ventana to tow - no sway or wiggle and no appreciable performance decrease. We have about 10K on this combo, so far, and are well pleased.

richardgood · 11-26-2020, 05:50 PM

I have a 2015 Fiat 500 Turbo which is my second Fiat. It is my daily driver as well. I put close to 70k on the first Fiat, plus about 10k towed. Bought the 2015 2 years ago with only 5k on it. I Installed the Blue Ox baseplate with the light kit. Easy install, just a few hours and no modifications. Everything was bolt off bolt on. As the car is less than 3000 lbs(2400) I dont use the supplementary braking system unless in a state requiring it, but I have a brake Buddy. I tow it with a 98 Beaver Patriot. Don't know it is back there except for my twin camera which is on all the time to keep an eye on the hitch and the car. All I have to do is put it in neutral and brake off. It is a very comfortable car and I can easily fit our 2 fold up bikes in the back. I get close to 40mpg in the car and I average just under 10mpg in the Beaver when towing.

lrsses · 11-26-2020, 06:20 PM

It chose us A Jeep Gladiator Overland. After a few years with a 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ the next step up for easy set up with a/c Automatic and a bed to haul those needed item for home. This also was a result of a useless driver that didn’t see a red light or a Toyota Tundra in the inspection. Loved my Tundra but needed the air and automatic for DW and a sunshine hot long trip to the left coast that’s California to visit DW nephew.

gmann55 · 11-26-2020, 06:49 PM

I just bought a new Chevrolet Traverse to tow! Towed a 2010 Ford Flex for 5 years! I will be mounting a new blue ox baseplate this coming week! Getting ready to head for Florida in January!

mitchoe · 11-26-2020, 07:03 PM

Master Tow dolly with surge brake. It was what I could afford at the time, but it also turns out it works well for me.

Zoo · 11-26-2020, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RI Expat

Bought a Ford C-Max because it is towable 4 down. Falcon tow bar with Invis-a-Brake. I like a permanently installed brake system for convenience. Bonus, it charges the battery from the coach connection. Like the car because it is very much like my Escape for room and amenities. It is like a CRV in that it is higher than a sedan for sliding in and out. Tows easy.

Same here. 2017 Ford C-Max energi, the plug in version. Roadmaster towbar/base plate and a Stay-in-Play brake. It works flawlessly - hook it up, plug it in, flick one switch on the brake, put it in neutral, turn if off and go.

Bonus is that every campground so far lets us plug the car in to the 15A overnight, so the first 20 miles of errands or site seeing are on the house.

Next up is the 2021 Escape when they release the PHEV version. A little larger, as easy to tow, and an extra 10 miles of daily no-cost electric driving. For us, there is no other option to consider.

augerdogger · 11-26-2020, 07:24 PM

I have been flat towing since '98 with a number of RV's, mostly Prevost based.

Towed vehicles have been Jeeps, Subaru Foresters and now a Colorado PU. All picked for ease of flat towing, Coloarado is biggest pain because the battery needs to be disconnected.

I have used Demco, Blue Ox and Roadmaster baseplates and tow bars.

Supplemental brake systems from Blue Ox, Roadmaster, and now AF-1. All picked based on ease of install and performance.

Towed lights is Towmate Li26 26" Wireless Tow Light Bar with Lithium Technology.

Where I am at is: Roadmaster and AF-1.

ChasingRoots · 11-26-2020, 07:25 PM

Honda CR-V (3,500#), I chose this vehicle to meet 5,000# weight limit of my Tiffin Open Road 34 TGA. It is comfortable and towable 4 down.
I connect with Roadmaster direct connect baseplate, Nighthawk tow bar and Invisibrake. Easy setup and disconnect.

mandvalen38 · 11-26-2020, 07:33 PM

When we bought our motor home the previous owner had a tow dolly that he sold us for a very reasonable price. We didn’t have anything that we could tow on the dolly so we bought a 2008 Chrysler Sebring. That was in 2015. This set up worked good except when we had a back in spot with uneven or slopping ground. I had a shoulder replacement and it is was getting more difficult to push it around.This past summer someone stole it so now I am looking for a something to flat tow. I would like to get a Wrangler but my wife doesn’t like them. She wants a Traverse but I don’t like them so I don’t know what we will end up with them

Maytonr · 11-26-2020, 07:35 PM

We tow a 2019 f150 diesel behind our 2020 Aspire 40p. It is simple to set up to tow and has no speed or towing time restrictions. Our recumbent bikes fit in the camper shell and are well protected. It's a comfortable tow vehicle and no too much of a load for the Aspire.

RamblingRV · 11-26-2020, 07:47 PM

My wife always wanted a CR-V but for various reasons (mainly my job taking us overseas) we had never had one. So when we decided in late 2014 to buy a DP the next year, and found out that the 2015s were not towable 4 down, we went and found one of the last remaining ‘14s available. We used an Air Force brake system...can’t remember the name of the tow bar. We enjoyed it, but sold the DP last week since we weren’t using it as much as we wanted. We decided to move forward with our plan to downsize to a Sprinter C class with the intent to not tow for most trips, and take more 4-5 day trips and fewer 2-3 week trips.