Newbie Car Towing questions

[cdrcos@gmail.com]

I'm new to Class C's having just purchased a 2006 Jayco Granite Ridge 2900GS. All my previous experience has been with tent campers and fifth wheels, so towing a vehicle is totally new to me.

I have a 2000 Mazda Protege which I would like to tow with the motorhome. Am I correct in assuming that this can be towed with a dolly (front wheels off the ground) since it is front wheel drive vehicle?

Is there anything else that needs to be done to take care of the towed vehicle besides putting the wheels up on the dolly and attaching some magnetic trailer lights?

Any help appreciated - thanks.

Joe

[29BHS ECO]

You may want to consider a " bra" if the nose of the car has not be abused in the pasy.

[jloving]

Hi Joe,

What did you end up doing? I am a new Greyhawk owner this past year and want to start towing next spring. We have a small 2 wheel drive spyder to tow and was thinking of a dolly as well.

Did you go that way and if so, how did it go?

Thanks,

Jim

[Gma-n-Gpa]

Jim,
As i am not familiar with your spyder - is it front wheel drive? if so you should be able to do the same - load her up - lash her down - get camping. Magnetic lights work well (i used them last year). My Fusion tows great behind my Greyhawk.

[cdrcos@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by jloving

Hi Joe,

What did you end up doing? I am a new Greyhawk owner this past year and want to start towing next spring. We have a small 2 wheel drive spyder to tow and was thinking of a dolly as well.

Did you go that way and if so, how did it go?

Thanks,

Jim

Well, I started out by finding a tow dolly on craigslist and used that for a month or so to tow my 2000 Mazda Protege with the front wheels up. However, I got real tired of that since one had to get down under the car and ratchet down the tow dolly straps and hook up the chains. I also got a set of the magnetic lights and used them (should note that the wires running along side the car to the motorhome tended to scratch the car when you were towing).

Phase 2 was to sell the Protege and find a standard transmission vehicle I could tow with a tow bar. Found an 03 Mazda pickup and bought a tow bar setup from a fellow on craigslist. Got real lucky on that as he had used it to tow an 03 Ford Ranger, which is the same vehicle as mine, and his brackets for the truck fit mine exactly. So with $90 labor from my neighborhood mechanic, I was good to go for $250 + $90, instead of the $1400, I was quoted by Camping World.

I really like the tow bar setup. Unhooking the toad is as easy as unhooking a trailer: disconnect the lights and safety chains and unhook the tow bar and you're good to go. The only thing I might have wished for would be a tow bar that remains on the rear of the motorhome when disconnected instead of the towed vehicle. I just have to remember I have that thing on the front of the toad when I am driving it around.

Joe