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Dinghy Towing Basics
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The basic facts about towing a vehicle behind a motorhome
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MotorHome
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March 2003
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Towing a vehicle behind a motorhome, commonly referred to as "dinghy towing," is very popular among RVers. The convenience and the freedom of economical transportation when you arrive at your destination are the main reasons so many motorhome owners have opted to tow.
The equipment used to tow small cars or trucks behind motorhomes typically does not need extensive maintenance. A bit of grease on the hitch ball usually will suffice when a tow bar is used. Wheel bearings should be repacked every year on a tow dolly, and if the dolly has brakes, they should be inspected annually. The most important aspects for safe towing are the necessary equipment, installed and used properly, along with vigilance.
A prerequisite for safe towing is use of a proper combination of vehicles. A variety of compact cars, sport-utility vehicles and trucks, including those with front-wheel drive and power steering, are approved by their manufacturers for towing over long distances without speed restrictions. In order to determine whether a vehicle is suitable to be towed behind a motorhome, check the owner's manuals of the models you are considering; this is the only way to be sure the vehicle can be towed without drive-train modifications. The owner's manual will have specific written instructions on how to tow behind a motorhome, if it is approved.
Most vehicles that are not approved by their manufacturers for towing on all four wheels can still be towed using aftermarket accessories such as a cable-operated driveshaft-disconnect device (rear-wheel-drive vehicles only), a driveshaft-disconnect device, or free-wheeling hubs (front-wheel drive), a dolly, or a trailer.
The RV Repair & Maintenance Manual, by Bob Livingston, from Trailer Life Books, has additional information.
Links to dinghy-towing guides for 2002 to the current year can be found above. For guides published prior to 2002, e-mail your request to us or call (805) 667-4341. Copies are $3.95 each. You will receive the guide(s) you ordered in approximately two weeks, along with a notice of the amount due.
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