I've towed from coast to coast a few times . You won't know its bac there if it is a light car. Never tried a trailer but it should be easy. I did lose a Volkswagen bug into a cotton field in North Alabama back in 1980 but it wasn't my fault. There were only two bolts in the bumper and they were undersized . Lesson : don't hook to your girlfriends car unless you inspect the car!
Cdimples67
Advanced Member
Yep theres one camping next to me right now
Cdimples67
Advanced Member
I 4 down tow my 2003 jeep wrangler and it works great!
Yukon Cornelius-SKO
Senior Member
Just a thought, (I think the towing a trailer has been covered adequately so I won't kick a dead horse.) But my thought is..... if you have a bus, and you're towing a vehicle that can't be flat towed, and if you are going to the kind of RV spots that are tight as mentioned. Why not a car dolly? typically speaking unless you've added some low hanging fruit to the bottom of the bus at the back. you should have enough real estate to tuck the dolly under the back of the bus, thus not costing you any of your usable site space?
Just my two bits, not really a campground kind of guy....
Just my two bits, not really a campground kind of guy....
rtdillon1960
Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2017
- Posts
- 24
Trailer hookup.
Make sure of your trailer accessories. I leant my trailer to a co-worker. He left in fine shape. When he returned the trailer he used the wrong size ball. Used 2" needed 2 5/16. Needless to say, trailer came off the ball. Since he used the safety chains it only hurt the nose of the trailer and his bumper. Cost him some money but nobody was hurt. Take your time loading and connecting. Remember how long you are. It's easy, just different.
Make sure of your trailer accessories. I leant my trailer to a co-worker. He left in fine shape. When he returned the trailer he used the wrong size ball. Used 2" needed 2 5/16. Needless to say, trailer came off the ball. Since he used the safety chains it only hurt the nose of the trailer and his bumper. Cost him some money but nobody was hurt. Take your time loading and connecting. Remember how long you are. It's easy, just different.
Seriousracer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2017
- Posts
- 334
Well having towed a million plus miles with just about every combination you can imagine. I would whole hardly go for a small tandem axle trailer. We just went to Road Atlanta and didn’t have a problem getting a spot at 64 foot trailer combination
If you can flat tow the smart car get a tire monitoring system for it. Biggest thing is losing a tire and never know you did.
worring about a trailer coming uncoupled is almost a non existent worry if you maintain it and watch for wear. And keep in mind you will have to maintain and watch for wear on a flat tow set up the same way.
Only have had three trailers ever come on coupled. Two were my fault and the third the fifth wheel lock was damaged and failed to lock. There is a good scare as a 15,000 pound hydraulic tail trailer comes off the back of your power unit shifting into sixth gear. And yes it passed a pre trip and a tug test.
If you can flat tow the smart car get a tire monitoring system for it. Biggest thing is losing a tire and never know you did.
worring about a trailer coming uncoupled is almost a non existent worry if you maintain it and watch for wear. And keep in mind you will have to maintain and watch for wear on a flat tow set up the same way.
Only have had three trailers ever come on coupled. Two were my fault and the third the fifth wheel lock was damaged and failed to lock. There is a good scare as a 15,000 pound hydraulic tail trailer comes off the back of your power unit shifting into sixth gear. And yes it passed a pre trip and a tug test.
BigPaul367
Advanced Member
You are talking about as guarantee! NOT towing a trailer will guarantee you DOP NOT have a failure! This is, of course, an absolute. But then you sacrifice your guarantee when you climb behind the wheel, however, then you take measures to make sure you MINIMIZE the threat of failure. check you tires, are they inflated correctly, have enough tread, how OLD are they? Fluids! Do I have enough engine oil, transmission fluid, differential gear lube, COOLANT! Did I change the Fluids recently enough or should I change them now, are they at the correct level, did I use the correct type of fluid per my application.
This is true every time you operate/navigate a vehicle down the highways and by ways of this nation. THAT is the bad news. The GOOD news is; it is easier when applied to a trailer. First of all, NEVER tow a trailer, with a vehicle, on board, that does NOT have brakes ON THE TRAILER. Make sure you secure the vehicle to the trailer so it moves WITH the trailer. The vehicle should NOT move independently of the trailer. Do NOT secure the vehicle at the wheels, secure the FRAME of the vehicle to the FRAME of the trailer. THEN check your hitch, then check your brakes, tires and brake function, make sure when you pull the 'deadman switch' the brakes actuate and stop the trailer, then check your lights and light functions! The KEY here is called Preventive Maintenance. You do the PM on your ride, RIGHT? The same is true for a trailer. so the PM and you have Peace of Mind. Use an additional camera/monitor to be able to see/watch the trailer and it is smooth sailing, so to speak! You can't buy confidence, you MAKE it!!
BlackJohn
Senior Member
^^^^^^
Great post Big Paul... bang on man.
Wise information, well stated, thank you.
Put's the onus where it belongs for sure.
John
Great post Big Paul... bang on man.
Wise information, well stated, thank you.
Put's the onus where it belongs for sure.
John
Jolly Roger bus 223
Senior Member
All of big Paul's quote is true.
I really like and agree with his parting words.
YOU DONT BUY CONFIDENCE?
YOU MAKE IT!
Everyone can give there experience and lessons learned and it might give you some confidence? But in my mind???
until you have done it Yourself and are comfortable doing it?
Then your not competent enough to do it.
Researching and buying all the right stuff to tow a trailer with a load or a vehicle 4-down takes practices in all aspects of which you choose to do?
But your own experience with it is the only thing that is going to truly teach you what is needed from you to make it happen and work safely.
After 20-years of being with me? My wife was happy that she backed a trailer up twice without me around? She complains at me saying I drive better backing a trailer than I do driving forward???
I have quite a few stories of trailer and hitches not being correct but my experience's are some of the same important stuff as the others.
Correct hitch,correct height of the hitch to match the trailer? Ball tightened in the hitch? Correct wiring for the truck to trailer wiring?
I agree with a tandem axle for towing anything more than 500 lbs.
you can still get good tandem axle trailers with a hydraulic brake system on tandems that work very well if maintained but it is an old school easily maintainable system if you know hydraulic brakes.
The electronic brakes are very nice.
If your truck and trailer are set up for them?
I use both.
Don't be scared of a tandem axle trailer with a brake master cylinder in the tongue of the trailer instead of electric.
That just means? One you have to get used to it cause that trailer tongue with a (my experience 16-18 thou) load? You are going to feel it move as you stop and go but if you ever need to really stop the hydraulic system is there.
The electronic system is better if you vehicle is set up for it?
Don't know anything about flat towing a vehicle?
Wanted to do my sons Honda CR-V once and Honda said no?
Tried talking to Kia about my wife's little Kia Soul and they said no.
For 4-down?
My other option if a 77-ford truck that I can use for storage in the bed and for my piece of mind drop the drop the driveshaft to tow 4-down?
Or just buy/build/find/ get a trailer to haul what I want behind my bus that I am comfortable with?
You need to decide what experience you can and will be comfortable with.
Others experience are the issues they have had and worked through and reading about others is problems is a great thing BUT until you have experienced it YOURSELF then you won't know?
Trailer management.
Make sure the chains are twisted to not drag the road?
Chris-chross the chains from left to right and vise versa? There is a theory behind that?
Make sure the ball is tight???
I have ripped a few of the metric thread balls out of the hitch??
Heavy loads in neck deep mud pulling a 20-grand load ?
But long story short?
You need to be happy/comfortable with pulling and backing a trailer or toad on a normal vehicle before you ever do it with a bus?
Unless your around other skoolies? Some might talk to you about it and some might wanna help ya? But you need to be comfortable with what you are putting on the road in your mind and family needs as the kids grow up?
I built to what was needed at the time and we had many a great camping trip but now I need to rebuild to accommodate momma and I without the 19 and 20 year old.
But they have jobs and it is finally ours?
I built permanent for our exact needs? It served us well. Never thought about the future? Only the moment??? That one has bit me in the but a few times?
Food for thought?
I really like and agree with his parting words.
YOU DONT BUY CONFIDENCE?
YOU MAKE IT!
Everyone can give there experience and lessons learned and it might give you some confidence? But in my mind???
until you have done it Yourself and are comfortable doing it?
Then your not competent enough to do it.
Researching and buying all the right stuff to tow a trailer with a load or a vehicle 4-down takes practices in all aspects of which you choose to do?
But your own experience with it is the only thing that is going to truly teach you what is needed from you to make it happen and work safely.
After 20-years of being with me? My wife was happy that she backed a trailer up twice without me around? She complains at me saying I drive better backing a trailer than I do driving forward???
I have quite a few stories of trailer and hitches not being correct but my experience's are some of the same important stuff as the others.
Correct hitch,correct height of the hitch to match the trailer? Ball tightened in the hitch? Correct wiring for the truck to trailer wiring?
I agree with a tandem axle for towing anything more than 500 lbs.
you can still get good tandem axle trailers with a hydraulic brake system on tandems that work very well if maintained but it is an old school easily maintainable system if you know hydraulic brakes.
The electronic brakes are very nice.
If your truck and trailer are set up for them?
I use both.
Don't be scared of a tandem axle trailer with a brake master cylinder in the tongue of the trailer instead of electric.
That just means? One you have to get used to it cause that trailer tongue with a (my experience 16-18 thou) load? You are going to feel it move as you stop and go but if you ever need to really stop the hydraulic system is there.
The electronic system is better if you vehicle is set up for it?
Don't know anything about flat towing a vehicle?
Wanted to do my sons Honda CR-V once and Honda said no?
Tried talking to Kia about my wife's little Kia Soul and they said no.
For 4-down?
My other option if a 77-ford truck that I can use for storage in the bed and for my piece of mind drop the drop the driveshaft to tow 4-down?
Or just buy/build/find/ get a trailer to haul what I want behind my bus that I am comfortable with?
You need to decide what experience you can and will be comfortable with.
Others experience are the issues they have had and worked through and reading about others is problems is a great thing BUT until you have experienced it YOURSELF then you won't know?
Trailer management.
Make sure the chains are twisted to not drag the road?
Chris-chross the chains from left to right and vise versa? There is a theory behind that?
Make sure the ball is tight???
I have ripped a few of the metric thread balls out of the hitch??
Heavy loads in neck deep mud pulling a 20-grand load ?
But long story short?
You need to be happy/comfortable with pulling and backing a trailer or toad on a normal vehicle before you ever do it with a bus?
Unless your around other skoolies? Some might talk to you about it and some might wanna help ya? But you need to be comfortable with what you are putting on the road in your mind and family needs as the kids grow up?
I built to what was needed at the time and we had many a great camping trip but now I need to rebuild to accommodate momma and I without the 19 and 20 year old.
But they have jobs and it is finally ours?
I built permanent for our exact needs? It served us well. Never thought about the future? Only the moment??? That one has bit me in the but a few times?
Food for thought?
Deezl Smoke
Senior Member
I can always tell when an outsider comes into Oregon without seeing their license plate. The trailer lights work.
If you have not towed a trailer yet, look for a friend or someone experienced that is willing to help you get started in person. There's no better education than hands on with an instructor.
You will "white knuckle" for a while until you get some time on the road at speed towing. But load placement on the trailer and knowledge of how it effects the trailer manners is key to having good experiences towing a trailer. I dont care how great of trailer you have or how awesome the hitch is, if the load is placed wrong, the tow will go bad.
If you have not towed a trailer yet, look for a friend or someone experienced that is willing to help you get started in person. There's no better education than hands on with an instructor.
You will "white knuckle" for a while until you get some time on the road at speed towing. But load placement on the trailer and knowledge of how it effects the trailer manners is key to having good experiences towing a trailer. I dont care how great of trailer you have or how awesome the hitch is, if the load is placed wrong, the tow will go bad.
CaptSquid
Senior Member
White knuckle trailering is coming down from the CA-OR border with a 53' reefer loaded all up with monkey pickles. Speed limit was 17 mph!
Pizote
Senior Member
I have an 06 LJ and have flat towed it more than 10,000 miles - four of that was through Mexico on rough roads.
Pros:
- No tongue weight (no compression of rear suspension, better ride)
- No trailer hassle
- Hookup takes less than five minutes
- Disconnect takes less than five minutes
- Better handling
- Tracks very well
Cons:
- puts milage on tires and drive train (drive shafts spin at all times due to the locked hubs)
- Can't back up connected (Jeep goes where it wants)
- Takes longer to load/unload and connect/disconnect
- Your black water tank leak goes all over **** - including the TOAD (long story there)
All-in-all, I prefer flat towing over trailer towing.
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