Travelling by motorhome is a great way to see the country. One of the challenges is that when you arrive at your destination or even at a waypoint, you don't have an easy way to get around. It's a hassle to have to pack everything up at your campsite just to go into town for a carton of milk.
Whether they choose to buy a Motorhome for Sale from an RV Dealer or just rent an RV, today's RVers want to be mobile to explore easily. So many of them elect to tow a smaller vehicle behind their Class A motorhome or Class C Motorhome when they are going RV travelling. Most Full Time RVers have a "toad" vehicle to get around because they are usually at one spot for extended periods.
The two most common ways of doing what is referred to as "Dinghy Towing" are:
Flat Towing your car or truck four wheels down on the road
Using a Tow Dolly Trailer with the front wheels of the towed vehicle strapped to the dolly
Tip: If you rent a motorhome for your trip, make sure you check with the renter and your agreement to be sure that you are allowed to tow another vehicle with the RV Rental.
Deciding whether to Flat Tow or us a Tow Dolly
Your car or truck will probably make this decision for you. What you want to drive at your destination may not be flat towable or even towable on a tow dolly. Towing a vehicle that is not designed for it can cause serious expensive damage to your engine, transmission, or transfer case.
To start your research on whether your car can be towed behind your RV camper motorhome, check out the Dinghy Towing Guides from Motorhome Magazine. There is a guide for each model year. Just download the guide for the year of the vehicle you want to tow. If the guide has your car or truck listed, it can be flat -towed.
Vehicles not listed in the Dinghy Towing Guides could still be eligible to be towed on a tow dolly. The biggest group of these are front-wheel drive vehicles which are fine being towed if the front wheels are not on the ground.
To check whether your vehicle can be towed on a tow dolly, check your car's owner's manual. This will have a section telling you about towing with the vehicle and being towed.
If your vehicle is not listed in a guide and the manufacturer's manual doesn't say you can tow the vehicle in either of these ways, your only option is to carry it on a regular flatbed or enclosed toy hauler trailer. Of course, you can always change to a vehicle that can be towed.
Your car or truck will probably make this decision for you. What you want to drive at your destination may not be flat towable or even towable on a tow dolly. Towing a vehicle that is not designed for it can cause serious expensive damage to your engine, transmission, or transfer case.
To start your research on whether your car can be towed behind your RV camper motorhome, check out the Dinghy Towing Guides from Motorhome Magazine. There is a guide for each model year. Just download the guide for the year of the vehicle you want to tow. If the guide has your car or truck listed, it can be flat -towed.
Vehicles not listed in the Dinghy Towing Guides could still be eligible to be towed on a tow dolly. The biggest group of these are front-wheel drive vehicles which are fine being towed if the front wheels are not on the ground.
To check whether your vehicle can be towed on a tow dolly, check your car's owner's manual. This will have a section telling you about towing with the vehicle and being towed.
If your vehicle is not listed in a guide and the manufacturer's manual doesn't say you can tow the vehicle in either of these ways, your only option is to carry it on a regular flatbed or enclosed toy hauler trailer. Of course, you can always change to a vehicle that can be towed.
Equipment Needed to Tow a Car Behind an RV
We'll state the obvious here, but whichever towing method you are going to use, you will first need a hitch on the motorhome. Most motorhomes already have one installed, but you may have to get one installed.
Be sure that your hitch has sufficient weight capacity to tow the car or truck. Calculate the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the towed vehicle to make sure it is less than the weight rating of the receiver hitch. Make a note of this weight, you'll also need it when you are selecting a tow bar because they have weight ratings too.
Confirming that your entire setup complies with the towing laws in the jurisdictions you are going to travel to will give you peace of mind as you hit the road.
Flat Towing Equipment
Here are the components included in a complete flat towing system:
A Tow bar to connect the motorhome and "toad".
A vehicle-specific Base plate mounts on the car's frame and provides a connection for the tow bar.
A Wiring Kit to provide tail, brake, and turn signal lights at the back of the towed vehicle
Safety cables in case the tow bar fails while you are in motion
A Supplemental braking system with a break-away system that will stop the "toad" immediately if it disconnects from the motorhome.
The most common brands for this type of equipment are Blue Ox, Roadmaster, and Demco. Hopkins Manufacturing offers the Brake Buddy. This is a supplemental braking system.
NSA RV makes the Ready Brute Elite tow bar series that features a built-in surge braking system. This means that you can save money by not having to purchase a separate braking system.
These setups can represent a sizable investment, so you want an expert to help you configure the correct combination for your motorhome and towed vehicle.
If you are a DIYer, there is nothing too complicated about installing the base plate or running the wiring kit. If you are confident in your technical abilities, the gear comes with complete installation instructions. Some braking systems need to have components installed, like the breakaway system, but these installations are not complicated either
Operating Tip: There is one hard and fast operating rule. NEVER back up the motorhome when the vehicle is attached. If you back up even a few inches, you will likely be buying a new tow bar because the arms will bend very easily in this situation.
If you're in a tight spot, the only solution is to get out, unhook the toad, turn everything around, and reconnect it. It's a hassle, but much cheaper.
Other Things to Know about Flat Towing
The Dinghy Towing Guides also list other valuable information about vehicles that can be flat-towed. If there are limitations to the speed and distance you can travel at one time, it will be listed. It will also tell you about any procedures you may have to follow.
This will protect your transmission or four-wheel-drive system from damage. This will include actions like starting the car to circulate the transmission fluid after a period.
The guide also has information on protecting your battery from being drained while towing. In some cases, you'll have to run the vehicle every so often to recharge the battery. Other vehicles require
Using a Tow Dolly
A tow dolly being pulled by an RV. Image source: Demco Products
A tow dolly is a two-wheeled trailer with a cradle for the car's front tires to sit on and stowable ramps to drive the front wheels up and into the cradles. Once the car is loaded, it is secured to the tow dolly with heavy duty straps and a ratcheting system.
The rear wheels of the towed vehicle remain on the ground and roll as the motorhome moves.
Most tow dollies have their own surge braking system built in that operates either drum brakes, disc brakes or sometimes hydraulic brakes. This eliminates the need for you to have a separate supplementary braking system
Because the tow dolly is an independent trailer, you will likely need to purchase a state tag or provincial license plate for it. However, since it does not have a very big weight rating, the cost for this will be minimal.
Towing with a Car Hauler Trailer
A motorhome towing a car using a car hauler.
If your toad can't be towed flat or with a tow dolly, you can use a flat bed or enclosed toy hauler trailer to bring your secondary wheels along. This is not only the most expensive option of the three available methods but having to tow a big trailer (minimum length will be 24 feet) comes with its own issues.
First, it may make you over the maximum towing combination length in some states or provinces. Also, the extra length may make it more difficult to maneuver in tight spaces, like getting into a campsite. And, while a tow dolly is easy to move around by hand, a car hauler is heavy. So when it's off the motorhome, you probably won't be moving it unless your towed vehicle can.
This is the least recommended option of the three we detailed here. If this is your only towing option, consider changing to a vehicle that can be flat or dolly towed.
Your Choice
Whatever towing method you use, bringing a car or truck along with your motorhome vacation affords you big benefits. You have the mobility of being able to explore, shop and more with a smaller vehicle more suited for urban areas. You also won't have to do a lot of work to pack up before venturing out for the simplest of errands.
When you're ready to get a dinghy towing setup, RV Part Shop offers you advantages vs purchasing locally from an "RV dealer near me". Dealers offering an RV for sale have the competing interests of offering RV trader sales and RV service. Plus we have access to more inventory than a local dealer. Don't look for "RV Sales near me" on your computer, stick with RV Part Shop for the best quality, prices and service.