I could not. After being in a van I enjoy practically no set up . I just make sure I’m prepared so I don’t have to leave to get things . Great video guys 💕
Towing my jeep has been a great decision, once I park my home, I do everything in the Jeep. When I installed my Tow bar I complemented it with a 12,000 lbs winch, and besides the safety cables secured to the frame to avoid a "runaway jeep", I secure my winch cable to the RV hitch, (Tripple Security) Of course I always do and recommend a Visual Inspection of the Towing assembly at least every 100 miles thru out your Trip. So far never had a problem. I usually End Up helping others to get released from the "Awful Grip of SandTraps".
To be clear, using a towbar is a two-part system. The towbar itself and equally important the attachment plate that is permanently bolted or welded onto the vehicle being towed. Expect to spend $200-$500 on the attachment plate. A good towbar is quite heavy and I wonder if a lady who is alone would enjoy handling it. It seems a lot of ladies travel with partners, and together they certainly could do this. It is a bit more difficult to drive. As a person who began professionally running a tow truck and using a tow bar in 1969, it seems second nature to me, but I certainly enjoy driving my short class a coach when not towing. It feels like driving a sports car compared to when I am towing my wrangler. The benefit of having a toad definitely outweigh the hassle, the additional expense, and the responsibility. Brian does a good job of explaining the process in this video.
The Suzuki Samurai and Geo Tracker are both pretty good vehicles. They’re pretty much the same vehicle since they both have Suzuki engines. For folks that really want to tow a Jeep Wrangler, the older models (2006 and earlier) are considerably lighter than the more modern versions. The 4.0 straight six is bulletproof.
We love having a tow vehicle. Every car’s owner manual should say in it whether it can be towed. We tow a 2019 Chevy Equinox which is a manual transmission. Something you didn’t talk about is break assist. Many states require a break assist component in your tow vehicle. Ours cost $1700 so a very big investment. Be sure to know the laws in your state.
Please do a follow up video explaining that many States require an auxiliary braking system. Your Geo may be light and be acceptable in many States, but others have lower weight requirements. Safety is the issue here and that was not discussed.
I have been curious about towing a vehicle. I'm so happy you guys did this video. Brian explained it so well. Great Video Bob, Brian and the CRVL Crew! Thank you so much. 😄❤👍🏻
I used to own a Toyota Land Cruiser with a tow bar that had a handle you twisted down to secure it to the ball hitch. The key to it was lightly spraying WD 40 on the trailer ball before connecting the tow bar and then traveling about a 1/4 mile and retighten if necessary. The WD 40 made it so much easier to release the tow bar from the trailer ball.
it's probably cheaper to drive a truck and tow a cargo trailer with a bed in it. it's only one vehicle technically and you can disconnect the trailer when you want more mobility. or better yet, get a 4 wheel drive van that is just big enough and don't use a trailer at all, assuming you are okay with the smaller living space
I look back with such fond memories skiing the Rockies with my 1977 amigo motorhome that was my castle on wheels and then I towed my Nissan pickup truck with a motorcycle in it and all my tools and painting equipment those were without a doubt some of the best days of my life now I may not have known it at the time but that was the most avant-garde filled fun-filled excitement filled day to day who knows what's going to happen existence that may seem like pure wild chaos at the time but looking back it was a smorgasbord of daily exquisite Ness!
Hey Bob, You're an inspiration to me and my wife and I have been traveling around the country for the last 3 years and we tow a Kia Soul on a dolly with our 34' Southwind motorhome. I don't know what we would do without our car, last October I was in a bad car accident and our car was totaled but we got a good deal on the car we have now.
Nice to have a little car or jeep to drive around in and explore. I have a big pickup pulling a travel trailer and that is great because I only have one engine to maintain, but it is not as nice to drive around as one of these little tow vehicles.
In California you would need the brakes on the towed vehicle to be operating so you would need a 7pin installed. Trailer brakes are mandatory when towing.
"Trailer brakes are mandatory when towing." In California, not if the trailer weighs 1500 pounds or less. I have a teardrop without brakes, no problem at the Oakland DMV.
Great video I love Brians set up, In the past Ive done a light trailer with a 6 cylinder truck that worked well. A bit of trade off in fuel economy but I think a wash in the end.
If I were younger I would have an electric bike. But I really like the vehicle y'all are talking about. If possible I would get one of those little Smart Cars.
I tow a 2006 diesel Smart Fortwo ona single-axle tilt trailer behind my 1991 28ft Class C. So glad to have it. Car gets 50+ miles per gallon - huge improvement over rig's consumption. Smart "can" be flat-towed but exteme care needed to secure steering wheel so that it recovers to neutral [straight-ahead] position after turns and curves. I think Blue Ox sells appropriate rig and car connecting components. I found out about the flat tow possibility a couple of years after getting my trailer, so not likely to switch now.
I tow my geo tracker, it's an automatic transmission, make sure the hubs on the front axel are unlocked, transfer case in neutral transmission in park ignition key on asc so steering wheel isn't locked
That 350 in that ancient motor home is a small block Chevy V8, choked by '70s emissions technology. That can be be rebuilt or replaced with engines that bolt in and make gobs more power and torque and are more fuel efficient than that carbureted antique. Or if you're really ambitious, a modern engine design like an LS series engine swap. My 2002 Ford E350 6.8 l V10 started out as a local TV news van. The guy I bought it from was using it to tow his BMW race car on a trailer. It certainly would have no trouble pulling my 2013 Honda Fit behind it. I would not tow my car on its wheels. Instead I'd put the car on an open trailer to avoid putting additional wear on the car.
Instead of a car, I tow a trailer with a motorcycle inside. I get most of the benefits of a four-wheeled toad without any more hassle than a regular trailer. Now I have a garage on wheels for my home on wheels.
I have a small bus, a honda grom that fits in the bus & fixing up a Mitsubishi montero/dodge raider 2dr 4x4 to tow so thanks for this video, now I need to find one of those hitches👍💗
We had a Jeep 4 wheeled drive, Liberty with a straight stick transmition, and a Blue ox tow bar. They make a great setup for your class A Coachman motor home.
No supplemental braking system? I tow a ‘92 Toyota Previa minivan behind my 2002 Lazy Daze 30”. Had to get a driveline disconnect fitted to allow me to disconnect the rear wheels while towing. Also have Towmaster electronic braking. Work done by Just4Towing in Yuma, AZ. Great job, very happy with it.
I had a 36' c class and towed my Kia on a dolly. It's too expensive and hard to afford parking now so I've sold my motorhome and I'm changing a box truck into a home. (Stealth). Kept the car dolly and car though. I drive for Lyft to help with disability income. Will be super happy if I ever get this build done.
We have our freedom elite 2016 motor home and a 2008 Toyota highlander (paid off) we have looked at options and discovered the Toyota needs to be all 4 off the ground. We have chosen to do chase. For long trips. For that very reason mentioned. Unhooking everything to get a loaf of bread doesn't sound fun.
Great video. I have a Class C that I have a tow dolly with. I tow my FWD mini SUV behind. It is a pain, and I am looking to change this year to a truck with a travel trailer. But I agree, having a separate vehicle to keep from pulling up the RV is a must. Do a video on a RV “Extend-A-Stay” for propane. I installed one easily, and don’t have to move the RV if I run low on propane.
Any time you tow anything you hurt fuel mileage, make the rig less maneuverable and harder to back up plus the heavier the load being towed the more strain on the tow vehicles drivetrain. Actually a hitch carrier with something along the line of a small street legal dual sport bike or even e-bikes would provide local run around transportation and would not affect the rv's fuel mileage and in the case of the small dual sport would probably get 70+ miles per gallon on fuel. Main disadvantage would be using it in the rain. With fuel cost going the way it is currently if you plan on traveling rather than sitting or staying in one regional location particularly if you are driving an actual rv that is getting very, very low double miles per gallon or even single digit fuel mileage it makes a difference.
I'll never forget the time I walked into some pep boys or something like it and picked up a $99 tow bar I said to myself what a great country we live in that you can create such a situation for under $100 but to my dismay when I was winding my way through the curvy Topsy turvy highway that streamed through St Louis I noticed that the car or the excuse me the truck passing me with that motorcycle in it sure looked familiar and damn if it didn't look familiar it was my vehicle that got this large from my $99 bolt
I've got a 33' class (A) that I tow a geo tracker with. I also have a break package because some states you are not legal to tow without brakes in the tow vehicle. and again once I unlock the steering wheel i also disconnect my battery.
I'd like to. Planning to buy a 2007 Forester, and also want a diesel shuttle bus. I'll need a car carrier for it, because you can't tow it on the ground.
I had a Class A RV... pulled a car with it..I had the tow dolly and I just did not towing the car... Ok I did not like driving the class A... I think I got 5 miles to the Gallon. I sold the RV and got a activity Bus. Brian however is doing it the right way.. Flat towing with his type of hitch is the way to go if your pulling a vehicle. Also that he only drives the RV so many miles a year... also the way to go with a 5 MPG vehicle
If I do decide to ever get another RV / van for camping I would definitely look into a vehicle to be towed just for the purpose of being able to make Town runs when I needed to I would probably decide on a front wheel drive so that I could use a tow dolly instead of flat towing just to keep the miles off my vehicle
It doesn’t have to be front wheel drive to use a dolly. For 4WD and RWD you can either take the poor man’s route of taking the rear driveshaft out, or they sell driveshaft couplers that you can install and switch between driving mode (coupler engaged) and towing mode (disengaged). It’s an investment, theyre like $1000-$1500 but if you can afford an RV to tow it with then you can afford one of these lol.
Hello Bob and Bryan..!! GEO Tracker is a great option. My 1989 Marathon E350... has a 7.5Liter 460cid V-8 EFI, 114,000plus Odo miles, pulls my little 2010 Jeep Wrangler Sport effortlessly. I get 11 to 13 miles to the gallon. I'm a retired Military "Grease Monkey" MOS 63c10, I take care of all my repairs if & when they happen. (Is your Chevy Carburated Or EFI...???)
The only Marathon I've heard of are those huge beautiful Prevost Marathons built on a bus chassis. An E350 w/ 460 is a Ford van or cutaway. Is Marathon the model name of your RV?
I have flat towed my 2013 Honda Fit since 2015 and now I've gone through two automatic transmissions. I won't continue to flat tow that car. I'm on the look out for an older small pickup to that has a manual transmission to flat tow. Also I use a road master tow bar that stays connected to the RV and folds up and it allows you to un-hook the car while in a turn or under pressure (bind) and many of the other units like blue ox do not.
@@mctigmctiggy1475 Maybe I should have asked them about doing that...but now its almost ready to pick up with the new automatic transmission. I would think fitting the clutch peddle and shifter would be challenging. I'm on the look out for a small standard shift pickup to flat tow now....cheers.
@@mctigmctiggy1475 Thanks for the advice, maybe next time...for now I have a Honda Fit with a new (rebuilt) automatic transmission in it. Someday soon though I will find a small pickup standard shift to use as my toad.....
Ask Brian what happened to the fuel milage on the RV, the least time I spoke to him he quoted a much better fuel milage then what he quoted in this video.
I kind of like Bobs usual idea, the perfect middle ground of comfort and flexibility is a van. If I were to start out van life I’d probably get a minivan and do city/town stealth camping while I continue to work and build up money. Never been a camper or RV-er our in the middle of nowhere. So I dunno about a large gas-guzzling RV and being able to park it somewhere and have a small car to zip around town in. Maybe if I ever leave the area, I can head out west and join a caravan and maybe people can help me with the daunting outdoorsy part, then maybe my desires would change. I’m curious what other small cars people might tow in this fashion, as the GeoTracker would be hard to find. Anybody tow like a Honda Fit, or a Smart Car?
Yeah I really thought I could save some money with that $99 tow bar that you can get from the mail order catalog or even find in a pep boys but let me tell you they're okay but if you bolt them on to a wishy washy fender that doesn't have enough meat on it you could end up seeing that vehicle that you're towing pass you when you're weaving and slamming through curve after curve in St Louis I believe it is and the reason why I know this could be a possibilities because I saw my Nissan pickup truck and my motorcycle pass me by of course I did have a runaway chain that somehow saved me from a world of hurt and between my motorcycle and some quick trips up into the hills looking for good welders which are everywhere across our great fruited planes. But one thing I must say a good welder is worth his weight in gold because my $99 tow bar became this super heavy duty totally trustable part of my tow package and it was a pleasure to go anywhere knowing that the stuff I'm towing will never pass me again
I don't know the secret's out though the deal with the motorhome is you take that motorhome to where you're going and then park it like it's your penthouse apartment in the sky and that's it you then have a vehicle with which too see the sights and trip the lights
To tow or not, yes however in reverse. after three very inexpensive older, almost falling apart motorhomes, I'm now almost purchased a Ford expidecian 4x4 ( prepaid in full) and want a travel trailer behind me. Perhaps subconsciously I'm trying to separate my 'home lifestyle' from my ' I'd drive 500 miles tomorrow if... Or my habits, I smoke in my van or truck, Never in my casa 🏡
With a simple "Bungee Cord" you will be able to back up your motor home with the car still attached.. Check out Eric's setup at his U-tube channel "Nomadic Fanatic"..
The Problem with this video is it doesn’t address the LAW of having a BRAKE for the Towed Vehicle. Most Western States have in on the books. Nevada HP and Arizonia HP will issue a heavty fine.
Tow dolly can not tow anything, front wheel drive,yes. Rear wheel drive auto, no. Not without removing driveline or being a 4wd with a transfer case with a neutral or a manual
Wow, 5-6 mpg is awful. I have a 1999 36ft Class A gasser with a Ford 6.8l V-10 that gets 7.5-8 mpg pulling my Chevy Cobalt toad. Luckily this little 2.4l toad gets 30+ mpg. I only put 7-8k miles a year on my MH, but 10-11k miles/yr on my toad, saving us tons of $$$ on gas, maintenance and repairs by keeping this mileage off our home on wheels. We also have a pair of little electric bikes that saves on gas too. In fact, we charge them with our solar panels, so we are literally riding on sunshine.
I had a carbureted class C RV that was built around a smallblock Dodge powertrain and the problem with using the smallblocks that you hit any incline no matter whether it was steep or not you had your foot to the floorboard trying to maintain speed. I got just as good fuel mileage with carbureted gas big block class A's I owned as those motors did not have to be worked as hard traveling the same terrain and had a much larger space to boot only they were harder to maneuver in small tight places. .
I’ve never had a problem when Boondocking, leaving my campsite. Whenever appropriate, I do respectfully introduce myself to my neighbors. I am careful and discreet about Recording their license plates. Frequently I will give out my phone number to neighbors if there is cell service and ask them to call me if they see a problem in my camp. I think most campers look out for each other even if we are strangers.
Depends on the car being towed. They make a quick disconnect that will disconnect the driveshaft by pulling on a cable, then reverse the process when done towing. This is another option for rear wheel drive vehicles that can't be towed due to automatic transmission.
Yeah I guess you could say that's two vehicles now that you have to feed but the fact that you put on so many less miles on your heavy duty 350 Chevy motor unless it's a Ford I don't know I forget what is it Chrysler is a 360 and Ford is $350 anyway let's face it your motorhome gets a lot less wear and tear I think you're going to start seeing a lot more electric bicycles strapped onto people's motorhomes for sure
You know somehow this makes me think about autonomous vehicles if you had a vehicle that we just follow your track or even go ahead of you because maybe it has a better brain than the driver does anyway just a thought
Aren't you supposed to have emergency braking on the vehicle being towed? Any trailer with brakes has it. Why didn't you cover the other options? There are tow bars that stay attached to the motorhome. You don't have to lift anything. Also, there's a tow dolly or a trailer (enclosed or flatbed). When my Dad retired he bought a flatbed trailer and pulled it behind his Class A. He drove semi-trucks all his life so he knew he could back up a trailer almost anywhere.
I could not. After being in a van I enjoy practically no set up . I just make sure I’m prepared so I don’t have to leave to get things . Great video guys 💕
Towing my jeep has been a great decision, once I park my home, I do everything in the Jeep. When I installed my Tow bar I complemented it with a 12,000 lbs winch, and besides the safety cables secured to the frame to avoid a "runaway jeep", I secure my winch cable to the RV hitch, (Tripple Security) Of course I always do and recommend a Visual Inspection of the Towing assembly at least every 100 miles thru out your Trip. So far never had a problem. I usually End Up helping others to get released from the "Awful Grip of SandTraps".
We take our motorcycles in our cargo trailer so that we can park and use the bikes to run around with. Love you Bob!
To be clear, using a towbar is a two-part system. The towbar itself and equally important the attachment plate that is permanently bolted or welded onto the vehicle being towed. Expect to spend $200-$500 on the attachment plate. A good towbar is quite heavy and I wonder if a lady who is alone would enjoy handling it. It seems a lot of ladies travel with partners, and together they certainly could do this.
It is a bit more difficult to drive. As a person who began professionally running a tow truck and using a tow bar in 1969, it seems second nature to me, but I certainly enjoy driving my short class a coach when not towing. It feels like driving a sports car compared to when I am towing my wrangler.
The benefit of having a toad definitely outweigh the hassle, the additional expense, and the responsibility.
Brian does a good job of explaining the process in this video.
This lady has a toad. My van handles the toad fine and I enjoy the off-roading fun. I’ve used it to help me recover my van from being stuck! 🤩
The Suzuki Samurai and Geo Tracker are both pretty good vehicles. They’re pretty much the same vehicle since they both have Suzuki engines. For folks that really want to tow a Jeep Wrangler, the older models (2006 and earlier) are considerably lighter than the more modern versions. The 4.0 straight six is bulletproof.
We love having a tow vehicle. Every car’s owner manual should say in it whether it can be towed. We tow a 2019 Chevy Equinox which is a manual transmission.
Something you didn’t talk about is break assist. Many states require a break assist component in your tow vehicle. Ours cost $1700 so a very big investment. Be sure to know the laws in your state.
Please do a follow up video explaining that many States require an auxiliary braking system. Your Geo may be light and be acceptable in many States, but others have lower weight requirements. Safety is the issue here and that was not discussed.
This is why I use a travel trailer. I can drop it and make a home base no matter were I go. Only one drivetrain to maintain, insure and fuel.
I have been curious about towing a vehicle. I'm so happy you guys did this video. Brian explained it so well. Great Video Bob, Brian and the CRVL Crew! Thank you so much. 😄❤👍🏻
I chose to tow my motorcycle around and that helped a lot
I used to own a Toyota Land Cruiser with a tow bar that had a handle you twisted down to secure it to the ball hitch. The key to it was lightly spraying WD 40 on the trailer ball before connecting the tow bar and then traveling about a 1/4 mile and retighten if necessary. The WD 40 made it so much easier to release the tow bar from the trailer ball.
Grease works even better
it's probably cheaper to drive a truck and tow a cargo trailer with a bed in it. it's only one vehicle technically and you can disconnect the trailer when you want more mobility. or better yet, get a 4 wheel drive van that is just big enough and don't use a trailer at all, assuming you are okay with the smaller living space
I definitely learn something in every single video! Amazing work Bob & team!!!
I look back with such fond memories skiing the Rockies with my 1977 amigo motorhome that was my castle on wheels and then I towed my Nissan pickup truck with a motorcycle in it and all my tools and painting equipment those were without a doubt some of the best days of my life now I may not have known it at the time but that was the most avant-garde filled fun-filled excitement filled day to day who knows what's going to happen existence that may seem like pure wild chaos at the time but looking back it was a smorgasbord of daily exquisite Ness!
Thanks for doing this, I will keep this in mind.
Hey Bob, You're an inspiration to me and my wife and I have been traveling around the country for the last 3 years and we tow a Kia Soul on a dolly with our 34' Southwind motorhome. I don't know what we would do without our car, last October I was in a bad car accident and our car was totaled but we got a good deal on the car we have now.
This wouldn’t be for me but great info if I change my mind! Thanks guys
Nice to have a little car or jeep to drive around in and explore. I have a big pickup pulling a travel trailer and that is great because I only have one engine to maintain, but it is not as nice to drive around as one of these little tow vehicles.
Amazing little vehicle, I have a few myself. Goes anywhere, and always gets me home.
Two of everything but in a longer Timespan...&.(miles span). Great Video...Happy Trails!!
In California you would need the brakes on the towed vehicle to be operating so you would need a 7pin installed. Trailer brakes are mandatory when towing.
"Trailer brakes are mandatory when towing." In California, not if the trailer weighs 1500 pounds or less. I have a teardrop without brakes, no problem at the Oakland DMV.
Great video I love Brians set up, In the past Ive done a light trailer with a 6 cylinder truck that worked well. A bit of trade off in fuel economy but I think a wash in the end.
Can't tow a vehicle like that behind my Toyota Pickup camper but I do tow an open trailer with a quad and/or a motorcycle.
Another winner Bob!
If I were younger I would have an electric bike. But I really like the vehicle y'all are talking about. If possible I would get one of those little Smart Cars.
I tow a 2006 diesel Smart Fortwo ona single-axle tilt trailer behind my 1991 28ft Class C. So glad to have it. Car gets 50+ miles per gallon - huge improvement over rig's consumption.
Smart "can" be flat-towed but exteme care needed to secure steering wheel so that it recovers to neutral [straight-ahead] position after turns and curves. I think Blue Ox sells appropriate rig and car connecting components. I found out about the flat tow possibility a couple of years after getting my trailer, so not likely to switch now.
I tow my geo tracker, it's an automatic transmission, make sure the hubs on the front axel are unlocked, transfer case in neutral transmission in park ignition key on asc so steering wheel isn't locked
I have a 3' hand trk I use with things over 30 lb. And it is mobile...😁
That 350 in that ancient motor home is a small block Chevy V8, choked by '70s emissions technology. That can be be rebuilt or replaced with engines that bolt in and make gobs more power and torque and are more fuel efficient than that carbureted antique. Or if you're really ambitious, a modern engine design like an LS series engine swap.
My 2002 Ford E350 6.8 l V10 started out as a local TV news van. The guy I bought it from was using it to tow his BMW race car on a trailer. It certainly would have no trouble pulling my 2013 Honda Fit behind it.
I would not tow my car on its wheels. Instead I'd put the car on an open trailer to avoid putting additional wear on the car.
Instead of a car, I tow a trailer with a motorcycle inside. I get most of the benefits of a four-wheeled toad without any more hassle than a regular trailer. Now I have a garage on wheels for my home on wheels.
I have a small bus, a honda grom that fits in the bus & fixing up a Mitsubishi montero/dodge raider 2dr 4x4 to tow so thanks for this video, now I need to find one of those hitches👍💗
Bob again I’m so glad you made this. I’m trying to decide if I want to pull a jeep behind the ambulance
We had a Jeep 4 wheeled drive, Liberty with a straight stick transmition, and a Blue ox tow bar. They make a great setup for your class A Coachman motor home.
Not as much clearance but smaller lighter & AWD - Suzuki SX4 - cute, lightweight, versatile, great towable - get hatchback not eco-sedan
Vitaras, trackers, samurai, gen 1 rav4, etc are referred to as quads with heaters. Great little 4x4
someone did a comparison video $1.5K Samurai/Geo against a new $10K side by side, just as much fun for much less $$$.✌️
Very good explanation video for beginners.
No supplemental braking system? I tow a ‘92 Toyota Previa minivan behind my 2002 Lazy Daze 30”. Had to get a driveline disconnect fitted to allow me to disconnect the rear wheels while towing. Also have Towmaster electronic braking. Work done by Just4Towing in Yuma, AZ. Great job, very happy with it.
I have a '97 E350 van that is extended length, and with a high top. I plan on traveling with it while towing my 2008 Honda fit.
Pre 2014 Honda CRV automatic can be towed 4 down, lots of automatic vehicles can be towed 4 down safely with no modification
I loved this video! Thanks guys
Great content
I had a 36' c class and towed my Kia on a dolly. It's too expensive and hard to afford parking now so I've sold my motorhome and I'm changing a box truck into a home. (Stealth). Kept the car dolly and car though. I drive for Lyft to help with disability income. Will be super happy if I ever get this build done.
We have our freedom elite 2016 motor home and a 2008 Toyota highlander (paid off) we have looked at options and discovered the Toyota needs to be all 4 off the ground. We have chosen to do chase. For long trips. For that very reason mentioned. Unhooking everything to get a loaf of bread doesn't sound fun.
Great video. I have a Class C that I have a tow dolly with. I tow my FWD mini SUV behind. It is a pain, and I am looking to change this year to a truck with a travel trailer.
But I agree, having a separate vehicle to keep from pulling up the RV is a must.
Do a video on a RV “Extend-A-Stay” for propane. I installed one easily, and don’t have to move the RV if I run low on propane.
Any time you tow anything you hurt fuel mileage, make the rig less maneuverable and harder to back up plus the heavier the load being towed the more strain on the tow vehicles drivetrain.
Actually a hitch carrier with something along the line of a small street legal dual sport bike or even e-bikes would provide local run around transportation and would not affect the rv's fuel mileage and in the case of the small dual sport would probably get 70+ miles per gallon on fuel.
Main disadvantage would be using it in the rain.
With fuel cost going the way it is currently if you plan on traveling rather than sitting or staying in one regional location particularly if you are driving an actual rv that is getting very, very low double miles per gallon or even single digit fuel mileage it makes a difference.
y'all have made me obsessed with geo trackers, ford festivas and suzuki sidekicks-such outstanding gas mileage, better then most cars today!?
I'll never forget the time I walked into some pep boys or something like it and picked up a $99 tow bar I said to myself what a great country we live in that you can create such a situation for under $100 but to my dismay when I was winding my way through the curvy Topsy turvy highway that streamed through St Louis I noticed that the car or the excuse me the truck passing me with that motorcycle in it sure looked familiar and damn if it didn't look familiar it was my vehicle that got this large from my $99 bolt
Towing a vehicle that way could be hard on the towed vehicles Trans and or motor. But I understand his need.
The motor is stationary, no movement at all. The manual transmission in neutral oils itself just like the rear axle, minimal wear if any.
Solid advice.
I've got a 33' class (A) that I tow a geo tracker with. I also have a break package because some states you are not legal to tow without brakes in the tow vehicle. and again once I unlock the steering wheel i also disconnect my battery.
I'd like to. Planning to buy a 2007 Forester, and also want a diesel shuttle bus. I'll need a car carrier for it, because you can't tow it on the ground.
I had a Class A RV... pulled a car with it..I had the tow dolly and I just did not towing the car... Ok I did not like driving the class A... I think I got 5 miles to the Gallon. I sold the RV and got a activity Bus. Brian however is doing it the right way.. Flat towing with his type of hitch is the way to go if your pulling a vehicle. Also that he only drives the RV so many miles a year... also the way to go with a 5 MPG vehicle
I've thought about towing a little smart car behind my 22 ft motorhome. Haven't gotten any further than the thought though.
If I do decide to ever get another RV / van for camping I would definitely look into a vehicle to be towed just for the purpose of being able to make Town runs when I needed to I would probably decide on a front wheel drive so that I could use a tow dolly instead of flat towing just to keep the miles off my vehicle
It doesn’t have to be front wheel drive to use a dolly. For 4WD and RWD you can either take the poor man’s route of taking the rear driveshaft out, or they sell driveshaft couplers that you can install and switch between driving mode (coupler engaged) and towing mode (disengaged). It’s an investment, theyre like $1000-$1500 but if you can afford an RV to tow it with then you can afford one of these lol.
Hello Bob and Bryan..!! GEO Tracker is a great option. My 1989 Marathon E350... has a 7.5Liter 460cid V-8 EFI, 114,000plus Odo miles, pulls my little 2010 Jeep Wrangler Sport effortlessly. I get 11 to 13 miles to the gallon. I'm a retired Military "Grease Monkey" MOS 63c10, I take care of all my repairs if & when they happen. (Is your Chevy Carburated Or EFI...???)
The only Marathon I've heard of are those huge beautiful Prevost Marathons built on a bus chassis. An E350 w/ 460 is a Ford van or cutaway. Is Marathon the model name of your RV?
@@sjackson99 Yes, Marathon is the RV Model, built in Elkhart, Indiana, off of a Cutaway model E350 in 1989.
@@yoyojoe9240 Who was the manufacturer?
If that's an original small block Chevy to that vehicle, it's carbureted.
@@SupergurlKara It's a Ford, it's a big block, it's injected.
I have flat towed my 2013 Honda Fit since 2015 and now I've gone through two automatic transmissions. I won't continue to flat tow that car. I'm on the look out for an older small pickup to that has a manual transmission to flat tow. Also I use a road master tow bar that stays connected to the RV and folds up and it allows you to un-hook the car while in a turn or under pressure (bind) and many of the other units like blue ox do not.
@@mctigmctiggy1475 Maybe I should have asked them about doing that...but now its almost ready to pick up with the new automatic transmission. I would think fitting the clutch peddle and shifter would be challenging. I'm on the look out for a small standard shift pickup to flat tow now....cheers.
@@mctigmctiggy1475 Thanks for the advice, maybe next time...for now I have a Honda Fit with a new (rebuilt) automatic transmission in it. Someday soon though I will find a small pickup standard shift to use as my toad.....
Hummm, that's one funky hitch. Way too much trouble...
Kind of random
but curious where Brians hat is from like the color 💪
How about towing a light weight car ON a trailer...all 4 vehicle wheels off the ground? Could you do a video on that?
More added weight
Yes but if you have chosen your towing vehicle properly it should be doable.
Won't you run the battery dead if your key is in the accessory position
Ask Brian what happened to the fuel milage on the RV, the least time I spoke to him he quoted a much better fuel milage then what he quoted in this video.
Do you have any pictures of how the towbar is mounted to the tracker?
I kind of like Bobs usual idea, the perfect middle ground of comfort and flexibility is a van. If I were to start out van life I’d probably get a minivan and do city/town stealth camping while I continue to work and build up money. Never been a camper or RV-er our in the middle of nowhere. So I dunno about a large gas-guzzling RV and being able to park it somewhere and have a small car to zip around town in. Maybe if I ever leave the area, I can head out west and join a caravan and maybe people can help me with the daunting outdoorsy part, then maybe my desires would change. I’m curious what other small cars people might tow in this fashion, as the GeoTracker would be hard to find. Anybody tow like a Honda Fit, or a Smart Car?
Yeah I really thought I could save some money with that $99 tow bar that you can get from the mail order catalog or even find in a pep boys but let me tell you they're okay but if you bolt them on to a wishy washy fender that doesn't have enough meat on it you could end up seeing that vehicle that you're towing pass you when you're weaving and slamming through curve after curve in St Louis I believe it is and the reason why I know this could be a possibilities because I saw my Nissan pickup truck and my motorcycle pass me by of course I did have a runaway chain that somehow saved me from a world of hurt and between my motorcycle and some quick trips up into the hills looking for good welders which are everywhere across our great fruited planes. But one thing I must say a good welder is worth his weight in gold because my $99 tow bar became this super heavy duty totally trustable part of my tow package and it was a pleasure to go anywhere knowing that the stuff I'm towing will never pass me again
I don't know the secret's out though the deal with the motorhome is you take that motorhome to where you're going and then park it like it's your penthouse apartment in the sky and that's it you then have a vehicle with which too see the sights and trip the lights
To tow or not, yes however in reverse. after three very inexpensive older, almost falling apart motorhomes, I'm now almost purchased a Ford expidecian 4x4 ( prepaid in full) and want a travel trailer behind me.
Perhaps subconsciously I'm trying to separate my 'home lifestyle' from my ' I'd drive 500 miles tomorrow if...
Or my habits, I smoke in my van or truck, Never in my casa 🏡
With a simple "Bungee Cord" you will be able to back up your motor home with the car still attached.. Check out Eric's setup at his U-tube channel "Nomadic Fanatic"..
How about a trailer with the tow vehicle all four on the trailer?
The Problem with this video is it doesn’t address the LAW of having a BRAKE for the Towed Vehicle. Most Western States have in on the books. Nevada HP and Arizonia HP will issue a heavty fine.
Tow dolly can not tow anything, front wheel drive,yes. Rear wheel drive auto, no. Not without removing driveline or being a 4wd with a transfer case with a neutral or a manual
“Maintain the integrity of your emergency fund!” Yes! Can’t be said too many times
Wow, 5-6 mpg is awful. I have a 1999 36ft Class A gasser with a Ford 6.8l V-10 that gets 7.5-8 mpg pulling my Chevy Cobalt toad. Luckily this little 2.4l toad gets 30+ mpg. I only put 7-8k miles a year on my MH, but 10-11k miles/yr on my toad, saving us tons of $$$ on gas, maintenance and repairs by keeping this mileage off our home on wheels. We also have a pair of little electric bikes that saves on gas too. In fact, we charge them with our solar panels, so we are literally riding on sunshine.
6 mpg was par for the time period.
I had a carbureted class C RV that was built around a smallblock Dodge powertrain and the problem with using the smallblocks that you hit any incline no matter whether it was steep or not you had your foot to the floorboard trying to maintain speed.
I got just as good fuel mileage with carbureted gas big block class A's I owned as those motors did not have to be worked as hard traveling the same terrain and had a much larger space to boot only they were harder to maneuver in small tight places. .
If you get boxed in at gas station, can a 2nd driver steer the tow vehicle to back up for a correction?
When boondocking, how safe is your RV when you leave it to go into town in your tow vehicle?
I’ve always wondered about that.. even going on a long hike.
I’ve never had a problem when Boondocking, leaving my campsite. Whenever appropriate, I do respectfully introduce myself to my neighbors. I am careful and discreet about Recording their license plates. Frequently I will give out my phone number to neighbors if there is cell service and ask them to call me if they see a problem in my camp. I think most campers look out for each other even if we are strangers.
"Knock on Wood"...Never had a problem in 20yrs.(been all over the 48s, Canada and Mex.)
brian i like the way you talk.
are you there?
Do you not have to disconnect the driveshaft or is that old school?
I think it's old school. I don't think I ever have seen a tow truck do that these days.
Depends on the car being towed. They make a quick disconnect that will disconnect the driveshaft by pulling on a cable, then reverse the process when done towing.
This is another option for rear wheel drive vehicles that can't be towed due to automatic transmission.
If the towed vehicle has a Manual 4x4 Transfer (NOT ELECTRIC)........No need to deal with drive shafts....
👍👍
Hey Bob can you make a video about having to move every 2 weeks when boondocking on BLM land?
Hasn't he already?!
Yeah I guess you could say that's two vehicles now that you have to feed but the fact that you put on so many less miles on your heavy duty 350 Chevy motor unless it's a Ford I don't know I forget what is it Chrysler is a 360 and Ford is $350 anyway let's face it your motorhome gets a lot less wear and tear I think you're going to start seeing a lot more electric bicycles strapped onto people's motorhomes for sure
I don't worry about gas prices I drive a Tesla
You know somehow this makes me think about autonomous vehicles if you had a vehicle that we just follow your track or even go ahead of you because maybe it has a better brain than the driver does anyway just a thought
I'd be more likely to bring a motorcycle.
Would not work for me because I have a Chevy Traverse I would rather go with a electric bike with fat tires.
I believe it to be ridiculous. A bicycle, scooter, or motorcycle is sufficient. Or, live in a van.
It is not true that you can tow any car on a dolly
Aren't you supposed to have emergency braking on the vehicle being towed? Any trailer with brakes has it.
Why didn't you cover the other options? There are tow bars that stay attached to the motorhome. You don't have to lift anything. Also, there's a tow dolly or a trailer (enclosed or flatbed). When my Dad retired he bought a flatbed trailer and pulled it behind his Class A. He drove semi-trucks all his life so he knew he could back up a trailer almost anywhere.