An essential ingredient in safely
flat-towing your vehicle behind
your RV involves a properly
designed and installed
mechanical link between the
motorhome and the towed
vehicle. Hitch receivers, tow
bars
and baseplates must all be in
good working order, rated for
the weight you intend to pull
and,
designed for the specific
application.
HITCH RECEIVERS
Check the rating of your hitch
receiver to ensure that it is
rated for the heaviest load you
intend to pull. If a receiver is
already
installed on your coach then the
weight limits and class will be
visible on the receiver. The
riding height
of a motorhome rarely matches
up with that of the chosen
towed
vehicle (or “Dinghy”), which can
necessitate the use of a
drop receiver to allow the tow
bar to ride level.
TOW BARS
Hitchsource has tow bars from
the highest quality
manufacturers including Blue
Ox, Roadmast
er, Demco
a> and N.S.A.
Ready Brute. Tow bars
are
available in two basic styles: A-
frame or self-aligning.
Self-aligning tow bars are
available in two styles: dinghy-
mounted and coach-mounted.
Coach-mounted units are the
most desirable as there is less
chance of damage when not in
use and hitching is a simple,
one-person operation. These
tow
bars can typically be folded up
and locked to the vehicle when
not in use. Hitchsource.com
recommends a cover or bag
(also available with each
manufacturer) to keep the bar
safe from nature’s elements.
A-frame tow bars (offered as
“solid” or “folding”) are
designed to fit a limited number
of baseplates (the mounting
brackets affixed to the front of
a
dinghy – see below) or specific
applications; however, the
folding design will fit a wider
range than the solid design.
These types of tow bars are
strong, but heavy and require
storage space when not in use
as
they will not fold up behind the
RV in the receiver. Hitching is
easier with a helper to guide
alignment.
BASEPLATES
Baseplates are perhaps the
most
critical variable in this
linkage. While tow bars and
hitch receivers are intended for
a
variety of vehicles within a
certain weight range, most
baseplates are designed to fit
specific vehicle models and
years.
Installing a baseplate typically
entails very specific procedures.
On some vehicles the bumper
covering (fascia) must be
temporarily removed. Some
minor drilling may be required
and the bumper covering
and/or
grill may also require some
trimming. Today’s baseplates
do
a good job of blending into the
exterior lines of the dinghy
vehicle and when not in use are
barely detectable.
Remember too, that all 50
states require properly rated
safety
chains or cables to keep the
dinghy from separating from
the
motorhome if the tow bar or
ball
fails. Safety chains or cables
should be connected securely to
the dinghy and crossed under
the
tow bar and then secured to the
hitch receiver. They should be
long enough to allow full
turning
without binding, but not drag
when slack.
User our easy selectors to find the right Blue Ox, Roadmaster or Demco baseplate for your specific vehicle or give us a call at (866) 305-8309.
AUXILARY BRAKING
SYSTEMS
Dingy
towing laws are getting
stricter every year. Hitchsource
has numerous solutions to keep
you compliant. Top selling
portable braking systems sit on
the floor under the steering
wheel and install within
minutes. Hitchsource carries
Blue Ox Patriot,
RVI Brake
and Roadmaster
EvenBrake. Permanent or
hidden braking systems can be
vacuum assisted or electrical.
Installations are more involved,
however once installed, you are
always ready to tow your
vehicle. Hitchsource carries top
of the line permanent braking
systems including the SMI
AirForce One and the Roadmaster
InvisiBrake.
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