Toad Vehicle

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pete&mindy

Toad Vehicle

Post by pete&mindy »

We are gearing up for fulltiming in our 2001 RSB. We plan to get a tow ready Saturn as a toad but have never pulled a toad before. Anyone have any tips or helpful hints?
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Mel Wilbur
Posts: 617
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:39 pm

toad vehicle

Post by Mel Wilbur »

Hi Pete, There are different tow bars/base plates and braking systems on the market today and all will do the job well. My personal preference is the Blue Ox bar and base plate with the bar stored on the coach. Most states require auxillary braking systems on the tow vehicle and again my preference is for one that uses some type of vacuum assist vs brute power to actuate the brake on your toad. The saturn is an excellent choice as most models are towable with automatic transmission without any modifications. Towing is no problem, you just need to remember to plan ahead so you do not have to back up with the toad attached. Good luck and keep in touch.
Mel & Connie
Jim Hofmann

Saturn, as a toad

Post by Jim Hofmann »

Unless the later models have changed, it is necessary to pull a couple of fuses each time you get ready to tow. The only problem this presents "is to remember".
bill crommett

Post by bill crommett »

You CAN get along without toad brakes, but you may run afoul of the law in case of an accident. And be assured that you insurence company will view you with suspicion , if not abandon you , if you are invoved in an accident. Many states have a limit of 2500 pounds for trailers without brakes, and some people claim that a toad is not a trailer. Consider the risks and take your chances. I recently installed an SMI vacuum assisted toad brake system and it works like a charm and does not have to be removed or unpluged to drive the toad.
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BornFree_n_Now
Posts: 168
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:28 pm

Post by BornFree_n_Now »

Just installed a Unified Tow Brake from US Gear on our Toad, and am very impressed with the performance ~~ they claim to have the only progressive and proportional braking system on the market, and it is totally out of sight ~~ We did go for years without auxiliary brakes on our Toad, and do believe we were safer than most, although we were obviously putting more stress on our coach’s brakes than would be the case without the extra load ~~ After the fact, I can’t overstress the difference that this product has made in our comfort level ~~ I do also agree that there appear to be an ever growing number of legal concerns vis-à-vis going sans brakes on your Toad.
Larry & Sharon
2002 26' RSB
Suzuki X90 4x4 Toad
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Mel Wilbur
Posts: 617
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:39 pm

toad vehicle

Post by Mel Wilbur »

We also have used the Unified Tow Brake for the past 5 years with no problems. Last November I switched cars and it was a fairly simple job to reinstall the toad portion and check it out. It certainly is nice to just hook up and go with only the wiring harness to connect to the coach.
Mel & Connie
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Chev Malibu Toad with Blue Ox Tow Bar and Brake Buddy brake

Post by whemme »

I had used a 1998 Chevrolet Malibu LS toad for 6 years and 45,000 miles behind our BF and just 4 months ago traded it for a 2005 model (which by the way has been totally redesigned and is a much improved car) and have towed it 2000 miles so far.

Like Mel, I also like the Blue Ox motorhome mounted tow bar system and have used their Aventa II model for all of my towing so far. I also use a 6" drop receiver so that the tow bar is level from the BF rear hitch to the Blue Ox base plate mounting tabs on the toad. If I were to get a new tow bar I would probably select their newer Alexus model. Over that same time period I have used a Brake Buddy aux breaking system that has work fine and is easy to install and remove each time we hookup to and remove the toad from the BF.

All 1997 thru 2005 Malibus can be towed 4-wheels down without any transmission modifications required similar to the Saturn. This car can be made even simpler to tow with a little known and simple modification by disconnecting a cable going to the automatic transmission shift lever. This car can then be towed with no key in the ignition and with no fuses needing to be removed. Hookup the tow bar and lighting cable, put in the Brake Buddy, put the transmission in neutral and tow away - very easy and simple!
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Trisha

Post by Trisha »

I concur with both Bill & Mel.

I have the Blue Ox tow package, (tow plate on car) I am using the Alexis and like them alot, and I currently use the brake buddy but would definitely consider what Mel says if I change toads at some point.

Let me just say this. Some yahoo in an Audi who lives near Los Angeles is very happy (he doesn' tknow it tho) that I had the brake buddy on my car,, when he cut in front of me in stop and go traffic near LA. If I DIDN'T have the aux brake, he would not have his Audi anymore. What a yahoo. When towing, I'm 17,000 lbs. And he just cut me off like I was driving a sports car. He got lucky that I care enough to spend the dough.

Auxiliary braking systems might make all the difference in a tight situation. Or in a downhill in the mountains. I wouldn't do either without my aux. brake system regardless of brand/make/model.

If you do, well, you have more than just the law to consider. Just how convenient is it to get in an accident? I'd just rather avoid the whole thing. Forget fault. How about just avoid the problem in the first place. It's no accident, (no pun intended) that my driving record is clean. I like to drive but I'm just as much an idiot as the next guy in that my attention wanders at times and sometimes I get tired and SHOULD pull off but only have a few miles to go, and you know..... I ain't perfect and neither is anyone else, but why take extra chances you really don't need to take?

Not only can you avoid an accident (which is inconvinietn and potentially expensive) but it does not take much to mess up the alignment of your human body, and I know more than a few folks who, the accident long past, are still aching and semi-crippled as an after affect of an inconvenient accident they could have avoided. Once broken, the body is never the same again. You will never have as much fun as you do now, once aching and pain and stiffness are part of your daily life.

Better avoid the entire thing, proctect against the possibility and maybe, just maybe, you won't even know your luck :) Better safe than sorry (or stiff, or in pain, or uncomfortable, or in jail if you broke the law, or broke if you have to pay 3x the $ for insurance) when you could be happily enjoying yourself never knowing what you're missing :)

Trish
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