A car behind the motorhome changes how you travel. You park the big rig once, then run to the grocery store, the trailhead or a restaurant downtown without breaking camp. That freedom is why flat towing, also called dinghy or “toad” towing, is so popular.

The most common mistake we see happens before anyone calls an installer: buying the car first and assuming it can be towed. Here’s the checklist we’d walk through with you.

1. Can this exact vehicle be flat towed?

Not every vehicle can be towed with all four wheels on the ground. It depends on the drivetrain and transmission, and sometimes on the trim level or model year. Two cars that look identical on a dealer lot can have different answers.

The vehicle manufacturer decides this, not the tow-bar maker or the salesperson. Look in the owner’s manual for a section on recreational or dinghy towing, and follow its procedure exactly. If the manual doesn’t approve flat towing, or you can’t find the section, treat that as a “no” until it’s confirmed.

2. A complete setup is a system, not a part

People often think of a flat-tow setup as “the tow bar”. A safe setup has several pieces that work together:

• Baseplate: the vehicle-specific mounting on the front of the car that the tow bar connects to.
• Tow bar: the connection between the motorhome hitch and the baseplate.
• Lighting and wiring: so the car’s brake and turn signals follow the motorhome.
• Supplemental braking: a system that helps the towed car brake with the motorhome, instead of just being pushed along.
• Safety cables and a breakaway system: so the car stays controlled if the main connection ever fails.

Braking requirements vary by state and vehicle weight, and supplemental braking is one of the most important parts of the package whatever the rule says.

3. Match the parts to the car

Baseplates are specific to the vehicle’s make, model and year, and the right accessories depend on how the car is built. That’s why we always start with the vehicle being towed. As a certified Roadmaster dealer and installer, we use the vehicle’s details to find the compatible baseplate and accessories, then walk through the options. Roadmaster makes setups at several price points, so there’s usually a choice.

We supply the parts for our installations. That’s how we can stand behind the fitment, so we don’t install customer-supplied equipment.

4. Plan the install around the car first

Here’s something that surprises people: for most installs, only the towed vehicle needs to come to our shop. The motorhome only needs a visit if you want an optional brake indicator light installed in the coach, a handy visual signal that the car’s braking system is working.

5. Learn your hook-up routine

Even a perfect installation depends on a consistent routine: connecting in the same order, checking the lights, setting the car the way its manual specifies, and doing a quick walk-around before you pull out. After a few trips it takes a few minutes. Skipping steps is where problems start.

The short version

Check that the car is approved for flat towing before you buy it. Plan for the full system, not just a tow bar. Let the car’s details drive the parts. Our flat towing visual guide shows how the pieces fit together, and our flat tow page has the details on scheduling an install in Reno.

The post Before You Buy a Tow Car: A Flat-Towing Checklist for Motorhome Owners appeared first on All Things RV & Solar.