TOAD?!?!

[POPS&KIKI]

Selling house...Check

Selling land...Check

Storing & selling our house stuff...Check

Selecting our new RV...Check

Selecting a TOAD...HELLLLLLLLLLP

 

Which one? We prefer a 4x4 or AWD.

[2gypsies]

You'll find many Jeeps out there. They are easy to tow and will take you wherever you want. We got so much enjoyment out of ours in the western states and met some great friends through Jeeping as a group. If buying used look for a late model Jeep Liberty. The Liberty is a very comfortable, roomy car. If looking new, the Jeep Cherokee replaced the Liberty. It's different from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Cherokee is really an extremely nice vehicle with lots of room. Friends have one and are very satisfied with it for towing and pleasure.

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are here to help so visit often and join into any subject or start a new one.

 

I suggest that you start by reviewing the current Dingy Towing Guide from Good Sam. If you are thinking of used, then visit the Good Sam towing guide index pages and get a copy of the years that you are interested in. We towed 2 different Honda CR-V's and love them but only the 2013 and prior year models can be towed unaltered.

[Ray,IN]

Jeep is the most popular to tow 4-down. They require no modifications, no fuses to pull, etc. The only thing you must do is buy the correct transmission. They make 3 versions of their 9 speed transmission/transfer case combo, 2 are towable 4-down; Select-trac II has a 4-low position and a neutral position. The Select-Trac I transmission does not have 4-low, nor a neutral position and cannot be towed 4-down. The 3rd is Active Drive Lock used only in the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, all of which are towable 4-down.

NO 2wd Jeep is 4-down towable unless it has a manual transmission.

 

My wife has a Lincoln MKZ, AWD that is 4-down towable without modification, but we decided to tow my Silverado 1500 4WD instead.

 

The most important item is tow rating of your MH. A gas powered MH normally has a 5,000# tow rating, a diesel powered MH has 10,000, and a few high-end diesel MH's have over 10,000# rating.

[scouserl41]

Absolutely DO NOT BUY a Ford Fiesta. We bought one because it could be towed but after 45.000 miles it's on it's 3rd transmission and needing a 4th this winter. Ford extended the transmission warranty out to 150,000 miles. They all have the same problem.

BnB

[Jimalberta]

Jeep is great especially the ones 2004 and older with the manual transfer case. CRV by Honda is good especially ones that are a few years old. 4x4 pickups with manual transfer cases are good as well. I personally would shy away from any of the new vehicles.....more electronic stuff to go wrong.

[Dutch_12078]

There are quite a few other 4WD/AWD vehicles that can be towed 4-down with the addition of a Remco transmission pump. Expect it to add around $1200-$1500 to the setup cost though.

[Bill Joyce]

I question if Jeep is the most popular. Up through 2013, I would say the Honda CRV was probably the most popular. 4WD Jeeps do not get that good of fuel economy and the new ones do have a towing procedure that many ignore, but is that smart? We tow a 2012 AWD Chevy Equinox 4cyl and it works great and the 4cyl has good fuel economy and plenty of power. We towed a 2002 AWD Honda CRV for ten years and wore it out.

[Chris-n-Dennis]

We went a bit sideways on this choice - mainly due to weight and cost. In 2014 Jeep had the 5spd manual Patriot. Without electric windows and a couple of other bells and whistles the toad's weight came in at about 3250 dry. With a full tank, some lawn chairs and the base plate installed total was 3450 which was under our (at that time) max toad weight. It also got about 28mpg which was nothing to sneeze at.

 

We've gone bigger in our rig since then and have over doubled our tow weight availability. Still very happy to have the Jeep which is such a joy to drive on and off highway.

[Fire5]

We just bought a 2012 GMC Canyon 4x4 crew cab SLE. Prior to this vehicle we towed a 2002 Suzuki Vitara.

[teacher's pet]

We towed a 2003 Sport Track for about 110K miles and drove it for another 159K.. (no towed miles registered). Then about 3 months ago my mechanic noticed the start of the dreaded rattle in the 4.0L V-6. His exact words "Time to look for a new vehicle in earnest". Timing chains due for change, 3 chains one at the rear of the engine ..Option 1 pull engine fix and replace, at about $2900 for the job. Option 2 install a Ford re-manufactured engine at about $7000. Both options end up with all old accessories except water pump (Starter, Alternator, AC, ignition system, power steering pump, radiator ) for the $ amount shown. 4 weeks ago the rattle was lasting 5-8 seconds on startup. We now have a 2014 Ford Flex SEL AWD with an expense of $1250 for a Blue Ox base plate, plus wiring for lights and brake-away for our Patriot Braking System. The Sport Trac had a fiberglass camper shell making it and the Flex weigh within a few pounds of each other. Great ride, tows great and better fuel mileage. Put it in neutral turn the ignition switch to the left as far as it will go and close the door, ready to tow.

[rpsinc]

Check out the Trailer Life literature on tow vehicles as well as towable vehicles. I think it is published each year as some vehicles change their capabilities for towing. IE-the Honda CRV, a popular TOAD, used to be able to be towed 4 down, but I understand that it changed in 2014-15??

You can use the TL guide to make your list of vehicles that suit your specific choices and then search for what you think will fit you.

[Ray,IN]

I question if Jeep is the most popular. Up through 2013, I would say the Honda CRV was probably the most popular. 4WD Jeeps do not get that good of fuel economy and the new ones do have a towing procedure that many ignore, but is that smart? We tow a 2012 AWD Chevy Equinox 4cyl and it works great and the 4cyl has good fuel economy and plenty of power. We towed a 2002 AWD Honda CRV for ten years and wore it out.

Please explain the towing procedure for new Jeeps that is different than-say our 97 Grand Cherokee. There is nothing to do but put the transfer case in neutral, turn off key, lock doors, and tow DW's 2017 Grand Cherokee per the owners manual.

The only caveat is to buy the correct transmission/transfer case that has a neutral position. That is the buyers responsibility, not Jeep mfg.

 

re: 2012 Chevy Equinox flat towing: bullet point, "It is not recommended to tow a Chevy Equinox of any production year equipped with all-wheel-drive."

[Mike and Claudia]

SEE: http://www.motorhome.com/download-dinghy-guides/

[Bill Joyce]

Please explain the towing procedure for new Jeeps that is different than-say our 97 Grand Cherokee. There is nothing to do but put the transfer case in neutral, turn off key, lock doors, and tow DW's 2017 Grand Cherokee per the owners manual.

The only caveat is to buy the correct transmission/transfer case that has a neutral position. That is the buyers responsibility, not Jeep mfg.

 

re: 2012 Chevy Equinox flat towing: bullet point, "It is not recommended to tow a Chevy Equinox of any production year equipped with all-wheel-drive."

2012 instructiions for Jeeps - With engine off and ignition switch in ON position, press brake pedal, shift transmis- sion into NEUTRAL, press recessed transfer case neutral button for 4 seconds, start engine, shift transmis- sion into REVERSE, release brake pedal, shift transmis- sion into DRIVE, release brake pedal, turn engine off, shift transmission to PARK. Yup, you had to do more in 2012 as friends who bought one found out and were irritated. It sounds like Jeep (or Fiat) made changes to get rid of that need on newer models.

 

Glad you searched for an unofficial webpage to tell me not to do what many others are doing successfully, towing AWD automatic Equinox models. Especially since Chevrolet has not officially changed their manuals or recommendations.