RV
Advice Q&A Towing and Towed VehiclesRV
Advice Q&A Towing and Towed Vehicles
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Posted
below is about 40% of the E-mail questions submitted to us during the time
frame (shown below) and the answers that are related to towed vehicles
and towing vehicles. You can send your question(s) using the form at the
bottom of any of our Q&A pages.
This page last updated April 22, 2008 containing letters emailed to Pete from September 22, 2007 - April 13, 2008.
Looking for a list of towable vehicles? Check our FAQs page.
Bought from a trailer hitch shop a harness for a 2004 Honda Civic. It's one you hard wire into for towing a boat. It has wires going into a little black box then out to a female part.
I connected into wires on the left hand side, like told by shop, ran right wire over, grounded all. Have power going from wire to black box, from box to female part no power. Is grounded, power to black box from box, no power; is it the new harness?
Dear Fred,
If the box is grounded and you have power into it from the lights and no power out of the box, then the box is bad.
I would like to carry two scooters on the rear of my 2007 Cambria 23h. The receiver has a warning that the maximum tongue weight is 350 lbs.
Can I do anything to increase this to 500 pounds? The receiver is a class III type and should support 500 lbs. No one at the dealer or the local Ford dealer can give me an answer.
Dear Victor,
Yes, you can have the receiver beefed up; but you might also want to look at shocks and help for the rear springs.
Do you know if I can tow a '99 Ford Explorer Sport MS AWD, with an RV?
The man I bought it from says, yes; that he's towed it before with his RV, because it's all wheel drive, but then my friend said he doesn't think so.
The manual only says, that the Explorer can be towed, it doesn't say anything else.I went to the page above to check, it does have the Explorer listed as it can be towed.
If you know for sure, that it can or can't be towed, please let me know.
Dear Richard,
I would say check with Remco. I know the 4wd with the neutral shift kit can be towed four wheels down, but I have not checked into the AWD Explorer.
I have just purchased a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid. Can I flat tow it (4 wheels down) behind my 2008 Itasca Navion (CRD Turbo)? Please advise. I love both my RV and my Hybrid and would like to have both at destination.
Dear Mark,
I have no information on the '08 Honda Hybrid. Check your owner's manual and call Honda's customer service for an answer. You might also check the dinghy towing guide (link on our FAQs page).
I have 5th wheel and truck. How can I tell if my 5th wheel battery is being charged while I drive? Is there a test I can preform? Sometimes when we arrive at a campground, our 5th wheel battery seems to be only partially charged.
Dear Jim,
Plug the fifth wheel into the truck, start the truck and do a voltage test at the fifth wheel battery to see if it's being charged.
I have a 2005 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 27 footer. I pull a 2007 Jeep Liberty with a Roadmaster Falcon 2 tow bar. We recently had a trip to Yosemite and on the way out we had a steep winding road uphill.
Here is where the problem started. Going at a low speed, when I started into a corner I could feel something locking up and actually heard once a wheel screeching. It felt like the Roadmaster Even Brake I had was acting up and turning on by itself. So, I unhooked the Even Brake entirely and started up the hill again. Again, I had the same feel like some type of brake was on as I entered a corner. It would get progressively worse as I entered the corners. It was kind of scary since the road was very mountainous. I unhooked and had my wife drive the Jeep until we hit the freeway. I didn't feel it again on the freeway.
Do you think I was overloaded in back and pulling the front wheels off the ground since we were going uphill (9% grade)? (We had just dumped and were running lighter also). I have pulled this vehicle many times and never had this problem.
Dear Thomas,
I would question your front hubs trying to lock in. You might want to service that front differential.
At that grade and sharp turns it could have been a lubrication issue, or the Jeep may have been trying to turn too sharply.
I want to tow four on the ground a rear wheel drive, manual transmission, Chevrolet Colorado. What problems would this entail as I already have the tow bar, safety cables, and diode wiring, and towing plates in place?
I have not towed this vehicle; only from the shop to my home. But I do want to make long trips. I noticed that I must leave the ignition on so that the steering wheel turns freely.
Also, is there any type of 12 volt knife switch to shut off the towed vehicle battery current when driving? Thought that might help keep the battery from discharging in travel.
Dear George,
Read your owner's manual under towing.
I don't believe you need to pull any fuses. Just make sure the radio, AC switch and all other ignition hot accessories are turned off and you should be okay.
A lot of people are towing the Colorado and I haven't heard complaints of running the battery dead. If you use the knife blade you will always be resetting the clock, radio, etc.
Look at the M&G auxiliary car braking system.
I have V6 Ford Escape (2007) 3.0 litre engine, and I would like to know whether it can pull a 3600 pound, pop up trailer- Fleetwood, Arcadia - without too much difficulty.
Dear Riess,
Read your owner's manual for the towing specifications on your Escape. I think it will be a full load.
We have a 1987 GMC Caballero (El Camino), show condition, with a 305 cid (150hp) @70k, with an (od at). I have an opportunity to buy a 1983 Sunline travel trailer that is also in very good condition.
My question is has anyone ever towed with an Elky and does this sound like a good combo?
What modifications should I make to the car. The trailer's wt. is 1,875 pounds. Love to chat with any El Camino campers.
Dear Tom and Pam,
I would say synthetic lubricants and a transmission cooler and you will have a great set up.
How do I tow a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder with a Winnebago Outlook?
Dear Jeff,
Nissan and Toyota's are confusing to me. Is it a 4wd with a neutral position for the transfer case? If yes, tow it four wheels down with the transfer case in neutral.
Again, I am assuming an auto transmission, so I say transmission in park; if manual transmission, shift in third gear. Steering wheel unlocked.
It might be a little bit of an over load for the Outlook.
Can I flat tow my 2003 Honda Civic EX? Would like to tow it to Texas. Any information will help, speed, stops, run engine, ignition on-off, neutral, drive.
Dear Dennis,
Yes, the '03 Civic should be towable. Read your owner's manual for instructions on preparing your Honda to tow behind a motor home.
I just purchased a 1998 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 5 speed manual transmission, 4wd. I would like to flat tow this vehicle with my RV. What do I have to do to prepare the vehicle for towing?
Dear Colleen,
Put the transfer case in neutral, transmission in second or third gear, unlock the steering wheel; hook up lights and auxiliary braking and a good tow bar set up.
Does anyone know the proper sequence for towing our 2004 four wheel drive Jeep Liberty behind our Winnebago?
We followed the manufacturer's directions to the letter and blew out our power steering. We suspect the key position was incorrect. The book directed us to turn it to the locked position and click the key forward by one from lock.
Dear James,
The book is right. If the steering wheel was unlocked while towing, I would suspect the power steering wasn't blown out from towing or it may be coincidental; it's just the one that blew.
Can a 1998-2000 VW new Beetle with manual transmission be towed four wheels down? If so, are there any modifications that have to be made?
Dear Kent,
Yes, the '98-00 manual Beetle can be towed four wheels down without any drive train modifications. Look at the Roadmaster and Blue Ox web sites for information on tow bars and accessories.
I have a 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid with automatic transmission which I would like to flat tow behind our RV. I am told that all Hondas can be flat towed but the owner's manual suggest that the vehicle should not be towed more than 50 miles. Can I flat tow this vehicle distances and if so what must accessories are required?
Dear Bob,
I have been told the hybrids are not towable. You might try Remco for a more researched answer to find if anything is applicable or if it's trailer only.
Where is the oil pressure sensor located on a 1997 7.5L Chevy?
Dear Ken,
Lower left front of engine block.
Is there a place I can get a list of four on the ground vehicles to tow? I am looking at the Honda fit standard transmission.
Please visit our FAQs page for a link to dinghy towables.
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