THAN MORE 5 7 LES B A W O T How to Tow Like a Pro 8 Popular Dinghy Braking Systems Essential Accessories For Safe Travel Supplement to MotorHome April 2013 www.motorhome.com 2013_dinghy_guide_cover.
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Tow & Go I f you enjoy the thrill of exploring the open road in your motorhome, you’ve probably found a few instances where bigger is not always better. That’s where towing a dinghy behind your coach becomes advantageous. Want to know more? The 2013 Guide to Dinghy Towing provides a selection of informative articles and a listing of new vehicles ready-made to enhance your RVing lifestyle.
24 Contents 6 TOWING ACCESSORIES Prepping your dinghy for safe travel BRAKING 26 DINGHY SYSTEMS THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TOW Linking up with the proper equipment Popular devices to improve stopping power 12 2013 DINGHY ROUNDUP Our annual guide to manufacturerapproved flat-towable cars, trucks and SUVs Publisher Bob Livingston Editor-in-Chief Eileen Hubbard Art Director Rick Damien Managing Editor Laura Michaels Contributors Rich Cox, Chris Hemer EDITORIAL/BUSINESS OFFICE 3300 Fernbrook Lane N #200
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Things To Know Before You Tow The Right Equipment Adds Safety, Simplicity and Convenience T raveling with a dinghy vehicle is almost a given with today’s larger motorhomes. Although the trend to bigger coaches has injected camping with more creature comforts than a luxury hotel room, it’s not without its drawbacks.
w 3 c s w- Roadmaster’s aluminum Sterling All-Terrain tow bar is rated to handle vehicles up to 6,000 pounds. Non-binding design facilitates hookup. Roadmaster’s Black Hawk 2 All-Terrain has a rating up to 10,000 pounds. Aventa LX from Blue Ox uses a ball-in-socket design, which allows the arms to swivel 360 degrees for quick hookup. The tow bar is rated to tow vehicles up to 10,000 pounds. choices based on weight alone.
Things to Know Before You Tow A B C The Motorhome/Dinghy Link A n essential ingredient in safe dinghy towing involves a solid, properly designed and installed mechanical linkage between the coach 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, when applicable, designed for the specific application.
com C D A) Baseplate installation doesn’t require welding or specialized tools, but can be involved. If you have any reservations, have a professional do it. B) To hook up using a telescoping tow bar, the dinghy vehicle only needs to be near the center and mid-length of the bar. C) Connecting tow-bar arms to the baseplate requires the use of pins and clips. Then secure the safety cables and plug in the electrical umbilical cord.
Things to Know Before You Tow Modern baseplates are secured to the frame of the dinghy vehicle. While some installations are a little more complicated, the end result usually is a clean appearance. Other Towing Equipment S hould you choose (or already own) a vehicle that is not flat-towable as produced, there are retrofit kits for many models. One retrofitter, Remco Manufacturing (www.remcotowing.
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Dinghy Towing 2013 Fuel-Efficient Hybrids and Small SUVs Top This Year’s List T he practice of towing another vehicle four-wheels-down behind a motorhome is still the most practical way for motorhome owners to get around once they’ve reached their destination. In the early years, only a handful of manufacturers recognized the practice, but by the year 2000, it seemed that the movement was finally gaining steam.
, by Chris Hemer to press. Therefore, we cannot stress enough that you check with the dealer to be certain that the vehicle you are considering is dinghy towable. Ask to see a copy of the owner’s manual; somewhere in the index, there should be a notation for “recreational,” “four-down,” or “flat” towing. If the owner’s manual states that the vehicle is not towable, consider something else, or be prepared to modify the vehicle and probably void any stated warrantees.
2013 Dinghy Roundup Where Are They Now? Each year, we see models come, and models go. This year, a few real favorites are no longer approved for towing by their manufacturers, including the Ford Escape and Suzuki Grand Vitara. As we’re sure you’re aware, the Ford Escape was completely redesigned for 2013, and that update includes a non-towable six-speed automatic transmission as its sole offering.
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2013 Dinghy Roundup Make/ Base Speed/ Towable Towable Mileage Approx. Special Procedures Model Curb Distance with Manual with Auto City/ Retail (see owner’s manual for Weight Limits Trans. Trans. Hwy. Price detailed instructions) Buick Enclave FWD/AWD 4,724/4,922 65 mph/None N/A Yes 17/24-16/22 $39,270-$46,450 Regal 3,600/3,671 60 mph/None Yes No 19/31-25/36 $29,900-$35,865 Run engine at beginning of day and at each fuel stop for 5 minutes.
es l for ons) ng of top for 5-amp , and ng of top for ng of op for ft lever anual ve, e. , 24 ck. ng of top for se 32. ng of top for se 32. ng of top for se ly ve, e. ve, e. ng of top for 5-amp s, and ng of top for 5-amp s, and al. al. nsfer park, utral. ransfer ssions, trans‑ com Make/ Base Speed/ Towable Towable Mileage Approx. Special Procedures Model Curb Distance with Manual with Auto City/ Retail (see owner’s manual for Weight Limits Trans. Trans. Hwy.
2013 Dinghy Roundup Make/ Base Speed/ Model Curb Distance Weight Limits Towable Towable Mileage Approx. Special Procedures with Manual with Auto City/ Retail (see owner’s manual for Trans. Trans. Hwy. Price detailed instructions) brake pedal; deactivate ignition, press start/stop button, disconnect negative cable from the battery. After towing, start engine within 15 minutes of reconnecting battery cable.
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13 Dinghy Roundup Make/ Base Speed/ Model Curb Distance Weight Limits Towable Towable Mileage Approx. Special Procedures with Manual with Auto City/ Retail (see owner’s manual for Trans. Trans. Hwy. Price detailed instructions) Yukon 4WD 5,567 None N/A Yes 15/21 $45,440-$49,770 Only 4WD models equipped with a 2-speed automatic transfer case are towable. Yukon 4WD Hybrid 5,917 None N/A Yes 20/23 $56,625 Transfer case must be set to neutral.
es l for ons) Make/ Base Speed/ Model Curb Distance Weight Limits uipped atic ble. set (V-8 models) are towable. Shift transfer case to neutral, transmission must be in park. See “Shifting Into Neutral,” in owner’s manual.
2013 Dinghy Roundup Make/ Base Speed/ Model Curb Distance Weight Limits Towable Towable Mileage Approx. Special Procedures with Manual with Auto City/ Retail (see owner’s manual for Trans. Trans. Hwy. Price detailed instructions) MKZ 3.7-l 3,719-3,874 65 mph/None N/A Yes 22/33-22/31 $35,925-$39,045 Run engine at beginning of FWD/AWD day for 5 minutes and every 6 hours thereafter. See “Neutral Tow,” in owner’s manual.
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Towing Accessories Plug receptacles added to the dinghy and coach allow easy hookup of an electrical connector for taillights, turn signals and the supplemental braking system. T he research has been done, the financing arranged, the papers signed … and that new dinghy vehicle is now sitting in your driveway.
e - h Accessory kits such as this one from Demco include everything needed for a safe hookup, including wiring kits, pins, locks, receptacles — and a cover to keep the tow bar protected from the elements. directly to the motorhome, eliminating any connections to the vehicle’s existing wiring harness. This modification usually involves drilling a large hole in the tail-lamp reflector. Fortunately, special snap-in sockets are available that make this job somewhat easier.
by Chris Hemer Dinghy Braking Systems More complete and better than ever I f you’re like a lot of motorhome owners, you’d probably like to put a bumper sticker on the back of your towed vehicle that reads, “It’s a motorhome thing. You wouldn’t understand.” Because only motorhome owners realize the benefits of dinghy towing — the freedom to travel anywhere without having to break camp.
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Dinghy Braking Systems HOPKINS MANUFACTURING What’s Included: Diagnostic wireless remote and emergency breakaway system. BrakeBuddy DIGITAL CLASSIC portable supplemental braking system MSRP: $1,149 How it’s Installed: First, install the emergency breakaway system. Next, set the BrakeBuddy on the dinghy’s driver’s side floor in front of the driver’s side seat and attach the clevis to the brake pedal. Adjust the driver’s seat forward to touch the adjustable handle of the BrakeBuddy.
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Dinghy Braking Systems mounts anywhere in the towed vehicle you desire. Patent-pending all-in-one adapter mounts at the front of the vehicle, and the dual controller mounts inside the motorhome where it is easily viewed and within reach. How it Works: Senses the inertia of the braking event, and communicates the exact amount of pressure to apply the towed vehicle’s brake pedal. After braking, the vacuum pump restores vacuum to the towed vehicle.
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Dinghy Braking Systems the same pressure to the dinghy vehicle. Features and Benefits: • Proportional braking means the towed vehicle’s brakes respond to the coach’s brakes, at the same time and at the same intensity. • Emergency breakaway system is included. • Works in virtually any vehicle with power brakes. • Monitor light in the motorhome’s dash illuminates when the towed vehicle’s brakes are applied. • Meets U.S. and Canadian braking requirements.
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Dinghy Braking Systems and cable pulley are installed on the brake pedal arm. The entire system is designed to stay in the vehicle. How it Works: InvisiBrake uses the towed vehicle’s electrical harness — the same electrical signal that activates the towed vehicle’s brakelights also activates InvisiBrake. Features and Benefits: • Nothing to put in or take out to tow or drive. • Hidden from view — no unsightly equipment in the car.
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