I am very new to MHs and towing. I travel alone. The only suggestion I learned from my first trip this weekend is. If you have a pin that connects a tow bar arm to the tow vehicle that will not come out. Put something over the release lever on the tow bar arm to unlock it and then move the tow vehicle forward an inch or two. I used the heavy break away cable. My tow bar is Blue Ox.
Always unhook the safety cables last. Hopefully AFTER you have set the parking brake, and the car will not start rolling down the hill, and into a ditch!
I would not be going anyplace without a second car along with me. I only went once to Washington with just my motorhome, and left my van in Lake Tahoe because I was going to stay with my sister, who has an extra car, and then right back to Lake Tahoe. It was not really a trip where I was planning on doing any sightseeing.
wny_pat wrote: Don't go anywhere without our toad,
EXACTLY!!!!!
I can't imagine going anywhere without some form of a toad. The reason, I don't care if your coach is 5 minutes old, (brand new) or, it's years old, a $5.00 part can break or cease to work on your motor home leaving you stranded in the middle of no where or even in a city some place that you're unfamiliar with. The small headache of hooking up without a partner is nothing if you experience a problem out in the outback and have "0" transportation. As has been discussed here, go out and practice a few times to get the system down.
Now, when you're out by yourself and, you want to go toodleing around, you don't need to take Amtrak with you, just your toad.
Scott
Scott and Karla SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 White Honda CRV EX-L,4WD w/NAV Toad 2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing KI60ND
ALL EXCELLENT ADVICE....My only comment is to be very careful whenever you pass through Calgary, as there is a railroad route through the center of town...Tourist info person gave us directions that would have us travel under these tracks in a 11' tunnel....we measure 13.5.....OOOOOOUCH... we saw height limit about 50 feet from entrance, luckily we could turn parallel and follow tracks for about 3 miles until road crossed tracks above ground. Calgary Banff and Jasper is a GREAT trip - enjoy.
ron
PS - we tow and wouldn't be without it...
2007 National Tropical T370 LX CAT-350
2010 Honda CRV awd
Blue Ox Baseplate
SMI aux. brake
Thanks everyone for the advise and support. I am now planning on towing the Jeep up to Banff and then drive the toad into Calgary to pick up my wife at the airport. Planning on taking 95 north from Nevada thru western Idaho and into B.C.. Good choice taking 95 going from Carson City to Banff?
We don't tow because of cost, convenient though it would be to have a toad. When we bought pur '03 Kia Sedona (new), we'd given up the RV lifestyle for an indefinite period. When we could afford (marginally) to do it again we got the MH in our signature.
Unfortunately, the Kia weighs 4800 pounds empty. We have a 5000-pound hitch. Converting it for four down would cost about $3000, primarily because so few people tow Sedonas. It's not worth much more than that.
Putting it on a dolly won't fly because a dolly to take an FWD car that heavy would weigh at least 800 pounds, putting us over the hitch limit. We're stuck either not having wheels at our destination, renting for a couple of days locally (and paying an extra fee because the rental is full of Labrador hair!), or having DW drive the Sedona while I drive the MH.
It would be nice to be able to trade the Sedona on a lighter 4-down-capable station wagon, but Kias have horrible residual prices. We'll probably keep the old bird another 10 years. We're at 94,000 miles after 10 years and it's still in excellent shape.
I'm still trying to find something suitable as a cheap second vehicle. Locally there have been two RWD cars that might have worked (an old Volvo 760 wagon and a Toyota Previa, both for less than $1500), but the current manufacturer of d/s disconnects doesn't list either of them. I can't find any already-equipped toads for sale in western WA.
Since we might have to sell the MH after a couple more seasons because of dwindling retirement funds, maybe we'll just admit defeat on this one.
Frank Damp, DW - Eileen
Anacortes, WA
'02 Georgetown 325, F53, V-10, bought used in 2010 at 13,000 miles.
Dogs - 2 Labs again, both yellow males, both 9 yrs old and both adopted.
I don't see what the wife has to do with towing. I do all the driving,and hooking up. It only takes one person to drive the MH,wether or not you are towing.
2008 Newmar Canyon Star - 2007 Dodge Dakota Toad - Ready Brute tow bar & brake system - one cat - Sassy 14
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