setting up a toad

[peteg59]

Why not just a 2 wheeled tow dolly for that car, being front wheel drive?

[turf]

good question!!!!


i got no answer.

never been a fan of them. it would not work with my other vehicle. never really considered it. i guess surge brakes would solve my problems though.

another option for those inclined!

[o1marc]

No brakes or break away required on private trailers under 3000lbs.
How does a toad break away when it is properly connected and safety chained?
The state you are registered in are the rules that apply to you no matter what state you're in.

[Oscar1]

Originally Posted by o1marc

No brakes or break away required on private trailers under 3000lbs.
How does a toad break away when it is properly connected and safety chained?
The state you are registered in are the rules that apply to you no matter what state you're in.

When you pull in to the Quickie Mart for a coffee and burrito and some sh*t rat messes with your chains! When your significant other screams from the front of the coach and you rush to see what’s going on and forget to finish hooking up!
Why not try and be a little safer then just what the law requires?
In Ontario and the prairies a motorist can tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel and a boat as well, essentially pulling a B train, when he gets to the BC border there are great big no go signs on that. All research I can find on US travel is its the state rules that apply when towing. In California all rv’s towing a trailer are restricted to 55mph so now your commercial bus registered as an rv is subject to these rules. Texas 75 daytime is 65 after dusk. California requires brakes on trailers over 1500 lbs. on and on and on, I’d say we all need to read up on where we’re traveling because the fuzz aren’t going to give us a pass if he’s having a bad day.
Cheers

[Rock-N-Ruth]

Originally Posted by turf

i don't... except for a breakaway switch, maybe? but without a braking system, what would the switch operate?

As far as not launching your road into traffic if the hitch fails, make your safety chains go from frame to frame. Our tow bar could vaporize and the road would still be chained to the bus. We use safety links rather than hooks on the ends of the chains. We also fasten the chains to the tow bar. If a connection point should fail control may become a little sloppy but not out of control.
This even prevents the toad from colliding with the bus if we forget to latch the hitch. (That never happens. )

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

If you survive your first brake fade experience the second thing you will buy is a new or used toad brake system. The first thing you will buy is a new pair of tighty whities!

You know you want to do it. Toad brakes show up cheap on Craig's list all the time and that little tug you feel from your toad as you apply your brakes serves as a reminder what a smart thing you did.
Jack

Proof of your common sense.

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by BeNimble

The brakes on a Fiat500 will do NOTHING to slow down or stop a bus towing it.

Not intended to stop the bus just the little toad and not add it's weight to what the bus has to slow down.

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by LargeMargeInBaja

re:
braking on towed vehicle
.
We delivered RecreationVehicles and heavy machinery manufacturer-to-dealer and dealer-to-shows.
We preferred motorhomes and heavy-trucks such as cranes and concrete-mixers so we could tow our truck for sight-seeing along the way back.
.
One point:
* level the tow-bars
.
* Tow-bars at an incline 'down' from the front of the towed vehicle have the potential of sliding the towed vehicle under the rear of the tow vehicle during braking.
* Tow-bars inclining 'up' from the front of the towed vehicle to the hitch of the tow vehicle can slightly lift the rear axle of the motorhome or heavy equipment during braking.
.
The technical term for this lifting is 'unstick'.
In racing, getting unstuck can put you into the wall... resulting in frowns from the owners, no kissy-face from the trophy-girls in the winner circle.
.
You wouldn't think that little lift would make much of a difference on a forty-ton crane... but it happened to us about thirty years ago in Yuba City, California.
We suddenly faced the traffic behind us, an instantaneous one-eighty faster than you could blink.
If you believe you can control-steer out of events happening faster than your eyes and brain can process...
.
In the 1970s, I was a commercial pilot.
I am experienced with the effects of inner-ear de-stabilizing.
That reversal in Yuba City was:
* instant
* utterly devoid of warning
My inner-ear didn't have time to alert me to the spin.
That quick.
.
My advice:
* don't mess around
Do it right.

Good advice, then you can go on to worrying about something else.

[turf]

shipping from etrailer has been less than perfect.

6 weeks after my order of in stock items - most of my shipment has arrived.

the setup got overly complex with the choice from me and the etrailer people.
base plate to adapter, to an adapter, to an adapter to make the 1st adapter work right.

the last adapter is due here september 15.

it only required 1 adapter before the wind guard - now it needs 3.

going to start installing now, all the parts internal to the car are here.

still missing clevis pins to attach the tow bar to the bus and a quick disconnect plate to be able to remove the tow bar from the vehicle.

[turf]

not me

https://www.kktv.com/video/2021/08/1...isconnects-rv/

[Drew Bru]

That seems like a lot of drop to that hitch. Our first setup was like that and we dragged the hitch and tow bar and scraped up the clevis pretty good when we'd hit a severe dip in the road and at some approaches to parking lots. We switched to a different base plate that attached higher on the car so there was more clearance. I know your options are probably limited as far as base plates, esp. on a smaller car. Just wanted to give you a heads up more than anything else.

[turf]

thanks!

the drop i got is too much. the tow bar had 1 1/2" drop built in.

if i remember right, my bus was 26" the toad was 16". i got an 8" drop and the 1 1/2" i thought it be close. i think i'll try it without the drop. its not too far off.

i got it put together today. no electrical

Etrailer.com is not been a very good source this time. mid day, after the the base plate was installed, i started on the electrical. etrailer didnt't ship half of my electrical parts. i called today and they said it was out of stock. i wouldn't have known, tore the place apart looking for the missing parts. glad i took pictures when it came, since thats how i figured out i was shorted. their changing the parts since the cable was unavailable and shipping it out tomorrow.

the tow bar was shipped missing 2 parts. the wiring was missing half the parts. and i still don't have it all a couple of months afterwards.

i've liked etrailer, but this order sucked a big goose egg.

getting closer, towable, no lights yet.

[turf]

meh,

the drop i got was fine.

its hard to tell for a newb like me, but two nuts at the center of the towbar arms is at 15" and the tow pins on the toad are at 15". it just looks like its pointing downhill. car is also in a bit of a dip.

[WIbluebird]

This is what I'm hoping to do when my Jeep Gladiator shows up....I already have a 10k blue ox tow bar (used on marketplace).

Just need to figure out a good way to mount a Class IV or V hitch on a BB AARE and run wiring Oh and a winch bumper that is compatibile with blue ox tow bar (looks like Smittybuilt, Rockhard 4x4 and LOD are the only mfgrs that make winch bumpers rated for flat towing Jeeps).

[LargeMargeInBaja]

Dolly.
Two wheels off-pavement.
Done.
.
Pro Tip:
* Make sure the two wheels off-pavement are either on the front... or on the rear.
Doing the side-ways thing looks unprofessional.

[Drew Bru]

Originally Posted by turf

meh,

the drop i got was fine.

its hard to tell for a newb like me, but two nuts at the center of the towbar arms is at 15" and the tow pins on the toad are at 15". it just looks like its pointing downhill. car is also in a bit of a dip.

Eh, that looks A-ok. Ours drop was much worse and was only a problem when we hit dips in the road. I like the bug/debris/exhaust deflector!

[turf]

Originally Posted by Drew Bru

Eh, that looks A-ok. Ours drop was much worse and was only a problem when we hit dips in the road. I like the bug/debris/exhaust deflector!

maybe!!!

i have a 10" drop for towing a trailer and i frequently dig into the concrete with that drop. it pulls trailers flat, but leaving walmart, or big road cuts, it'll scrape the sidewalk leaving the property.

im sure the 8" will scrape too, just less often.

[ol trunt]

My Blue Ox tow bar is set up flat at 13.5 inches above the road. That seems to be enough clearance 99% of the time. For that other 1% I've learned to angle across a steep apron to keep from dragging the hitch.
Jack

.

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Originally Posted by LargeMargeInBaja

Dolly.
Two wheels off-pavement.
Done.
.
Pro Tip:
* Make sure the two wheels off-pavement are either on the front... or on the rear.
Doing the side-ways thing looks unprofessional.