Would you or do you tow anything behind your Class B RV?

[SteveWolf]

A Mini Cooper to and from my hanger where I can store the Roadtrek. Not really into towing the Mini outside of to get me to and from the [winter indoor] storage location.

I towed a '79 Jeep CJ-5 with a 34 foot Winnie. That was HEAVY. So was a Caddy SRX. I wouldn't even think of either with my 190P.

[Joe]

Just bought one like yours used. Has small tires which worry me. Can't put bigger one due to fenders. Anyway, have you had any problems or concerns. I will be towing from Maryland to Florida came back. Thanks for any advice!

[BillsPaseo]

We're usually towing... we have two trailers, and which one depends on where we are going and what toys we are taking. If it is just the two of us headed to a motorcycle riding destination, we take the little 5x8 enclosed trailer with the two bikes on board, total towed weight about 2000 lbs. If it is a family trip where we are taking lots of toys, we take the 7x12 flatbed trailer, total towed weight about 3000 lbs.

With either trailer, we get 12.5-13 mpg vs. about 16 with no trailer. I prefer towing the smaller trailer until I have to back it up... the shorter length means it will jacknife on you before you know it. The longer trailer is a breeze to back up.

I've had the flatbed trailer for about 10 years now, and have lots of experience with it, but I'm getting better with the shorter one now with practice. Just yesterday I had to back it down a fairly steep hill from a campsite on my son's property that has no room to turn around. About 300 ft, dirt two track road, lots of trees on either side. Did just fine, and with no spotter, but it took me about 10 minutes going really slow, and with a couple of pull forward to straighten things out maneuvers.

[Deano]

The one thing I did not read in all of this was about BRAKES.
The short story, in my experience with my 2005 RT 210 with the 6 liter engine the RT handled the extra weight of a Jeep Compass on a dolly relatively well. It handled very good, almost unaware of the toad.
But, the BRAKES did not. Even allowing for extra stopping distance, several times others prevented that and it came too darn close.
If you tow, you should consider having brakes on the towed vehicle.

[peteco]

Originally Posted by Deano

The one thing I did not read in all of this was about BRAKES.
The short story, in my experience with my 2005 RT 210 with the 6 liter engine the RT handled the extra weight of a Jeep Compass on a dolly relatively well. It handled very good, almost unaware of the toad.
But, the BRAKES did not. Even allowing for extra stopping distance, several times others prevented that and it came too darn close.
If you tow, you should consider having brakes on the towed vehicle.

I strongly suggest replacing the brakes on your RT 210 or any Chevy class B, especially if you are towing. I suspect the brakes are a weak point on other B's as well. Search other posts in this forum for details. I replaced with Hawk pads and rotors and the stopping is much better. I also recommend replacing the brake fluid on a regular basis.

[BillsPaseo]

Many states require brakes on any trailer over 3000 lbs. This is why most single axle trailers are rated for 2990 lbs even though they often have 3500 lb rated axles. A Jeep Compass is over 3000 lbs, so you really need a toad brake system for towing it.

[Oldbagpipe]

We tow an open trailer and our race car with ours. And yes, trailer brakes were an absolute must! We don't get anywhere fast....we save fast for the racetrack

[TC8]

I tow a fishing boat enough said.

[Rockwood27]

I tow my Chevy Sonic hatchback, 4 down behind my 190P. I go between NH and FL. Total weight of the RT and car is about 13K pounds. The fuel economy drops from around 16 to 12 mpg.

[bigfelipe]

I don't know about a car but my rig tows a boat and a utility trailer regularly... Obviously not at the same time...

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by Joe

I just bought one of the small clam shell type used. It has small tires which I am concerned about. I added buddy bearings and bought a spare tire and wrench to fit. Plan on towing it behind my class B from Maryland to Florida and back. Any advice or problems?

One thing to watch is that some of those small wheels are only supposed to run to 55mph.

Some years back I bought a simple knock-down flatbed trailer from Harbor Freight and cut down / welded the frame and extended the tongue to fit the size of a Sears car top luggage box to use as a luggage trailer for a Goldwing bike.

I wasn't overly worried about the speed rating as the trailer was very lightly loaded compared to its rating the way I was using it. In fact I even had to remove one of the leaves of the leaf springs to give it a softer ride. It worked well fot several cross country bike trips and I typically towed it at around 65mph.

Brian.

[White Cloud]

We tow an aluminum (Aluma) 5x8 flat-front enclosed trailer, 4-1/2' tall behind our 2017 Era 70X. Tare weight is 700 pounds with spare wheel/tire.

Usually carry chairs (2-4), bicycles (2), Coleman Road Trip grill, 10x 12 sun room, fishing gear, water filter system, bike accessories, jack stands and chocks, tool and hitch kits. Most gear is in totes. Bikes are upright in modified rooftop carriers built on a 2x4 frame.

Total weight still under 1,000 lbs. Tows like it wasn't there. Tongue weight at about 15%. 14" wheels w/radial tires.

No problem backing -- just go slow.

Mileage drops from 18.5-19 to around 16 when towing.

BTW factory M-B hitch is goofy -- electrical hookup interferes with using a locking hitch pin. Had that modified to move the electrical out to one end of the hitch frame.

[engnrsrule]

I have a Sprinter and I flat tow a subaru forester on some trips. The engineer in me even had me build a spreadsheet - total distance, expected in and about mileage at destinations, and other factors - to do cost benefit on bringing the car along. With the 2.7L diesel, I get 22 mpg without the car and 18 with. That penalty usually is cheaper than the cost of trying to rent a car at the destination, and at some of our destinations (like New Orleans) it is not easy to navigate city streets. Where this worked well was the Outer Banks Bluegrass fest where nearest campgrounds were 5-10 miles from the parking, and we are going back and forth every day. After a busy day its nice to not have to unpack and set up repeatedly.

The Subaru is a manual and about 3400 lbs. It tows well, like its not even there. I use a Brake Buddy which is a contraption with an air compressor with a pneumatic cylinder that actuates the brake pedal based on an inertia switch. I have had it go out and it definitely makes a difference.

My wife does not like to drive if we are pulling the car. But quite frankly I see very little difference - just have to stay mindful of the longer length.

My Subaru is getting long in the tooth and we are considering upgrading the toad. I will be looking for a more toad specific thread (or starting one) to discuss ideas.

[Jon in AZ]

No plans at this point to tow another motor vehicle, but we do bring our guest room with us...
F18D7188-7B60-47AE-A4D9-F2A41B02B862.jpg

[Davydd]

The way I see it, if you want to tow you may as well get a probably less expensive, more comfortable to live in, much bigger RV.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Davydd

The way I see it, if you want to tow you may as well get a probably less expensive, more comfortable to live in, much bigger RV.

Funny you say that. The RV tech who did some work on our RT (knowing we have four in our family) said the same thing: we should sell it and get a Class C. Been there, and it wasn’t a happy experience, but I did give it a lot of thought at the time (we could net $20-30K or more by making the swap) and decided to keep the van.

I understand your point that towing diminishes the light-on-your-feet, drive-and-park-like-a-regular-vehicle appeal of a Class B. But even with a small trailer in tow, I still find a Class B more maneuverable than a traditional Class C (and safer, too). It fits in two end-to-end parking spaces, and being articulated, can make a tighter turn than a longer wheelbase motorhome. It does not require an oversized bay for routine service.

But more important, it gives us maximum flexibility. We can unhitch and leave the trailer in camp for day trips. When the kids leave the nest, we can travel without the trailer, and when the grandkids come along we can hitch it back up. We can trade the travel trailer for a utility trailer and haul kayaks and bikes if we want. It just depends on where we're going, why we're going, and with whom.

Once we're retired it might also eliminate the need for one of our daily drivers.

I do not equate bigger with more comfortable, just more work and more headache. Small is beautiful!

Speaking of small, I ever were to pull a second vehicle, I want a Mazda Miata with a stick shift. Some of the places we visit, it would be a hoot! Silver Miata, black top.

[engnrsrule]

Well said, Jon in AZ. There is no one size fits all. We chose a class B for the option of driving it around, plus drivability and fuel economy, but appreciate still being able to pull a car along when we want. That realization came when we planned a trip where we rented a local runaround car and it cost a lot more than we expected. The Forester behind us gives space for some tools, music gear, golf clubs or all of the above. The toad decision for a B is a narrower field, and dollies or trailers plus a car can push towing capacity. My sprinter can pull 5,000 lbs.

[wny-pat]

I haul a "Small Cargo Trailers" Vacationer (Small Cargo Trailers by Hybrid Trailer Co., LLC ? Huron, Ohio). Yep, that the name of it. It is a enclosed 105" Long x 56" wide x abt 40" high. It holds a volume of 30 cu feet. Its dry weight is 250 lbs and has a gross vehicle weight of 980 lbs. It has a 1000 lb full length rubber torsion axle, independent suspension and 175/80/R13 steel belted tires. It has a locking hinged lid of UV-resistant high impact ABS plastic. The lid has full length tie downs for attaching bikes or what ever. The trailer and frame is constructed of aluminum.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/..._AC_SX425_.jpg

[BillsPaseo]

Since my post above from a few years ago, we've upgraded our trailer to one with brakes. We're only towing about 2K lbs, but felt like we were pushing the safety margin on braking. We had to special order the trailer, because none of the local trailer dealers stock 5x8 enclosed trailers with brakes because they are not legally required.

Once you get used to towing, it really is no big deal as long as you stay within the limits of your tow vehicle. In the pic below, we were about 2 miles off the pavement, boondocked outside DVNP. We've been able to get into some pretty remote places with this setup.

With the bikes, when we are venturing off pavement in an unfamiliar area, we usually park the van, unload the bikes and scout ahead. Once we've found a good spot and made certain that we can safely get the van/trailer into it, one of us will stay at the campsite and the other will go back for the van. We use a motorcycle rack system that allows us to load or unload a bike in just a few minutes.

[mikes47]

I wouldn't tow behind my "B" for camping or recreational purposes. However, I have towed a rented trailer from one side of the state to the other to deliver some furniture to my son. I might also rent a trailer next year when we move to the other side of the state.