RV Towing, RV Towing Accessories & Towing Parts | HitchSource.com

An essential ingredient in safely flat-towing involves a properly designed and installed mechanical link between the motorhome and the towed vehicle. Hitch receivers, tow bars and baseplates must all be in good working order, rated for the weight you intend to pull and, designed for the specific application. HITCH RECEIVERS Check the rating of your hitch receiver to ensure that it is rated for the heaviest load you intend to pull. If a receiver is already installed on your coach then the weight limits and class will be visible on it. The riding height of a motorhome rarely matches up with that of the chosen towed vehicle (or “Dinghy”), which can necessitate the use of an adjustable drop receiver to allow the tow bar to ride level. TOW BARS Tow bars are available in two basic styles: A-frame or self- aligning. Self-aligning tow bars are available in two styles: dinghy- mounted and coach-mounted. Coach-mounted units are the most desirable as there is less chance of damage when not in use and hitching is a simple, one-person operation. These tow bars can typically be folded up and locked to the vehicle when not in use. Hitchsource.com recommends a cover or bag (also available with each manufacturer) to keep the bar safe from nature’s elements. A-frame tow bars (offered as “solid” or “folding”) are designed to fit a limited number of baseplates (the mounting brackets affixed to the front of a dinghy – see below) or specific applications; however, the folding design will fit a wider range than the solid design. These types of tow bars are strong, but heavy and require storage space when not in use as they will not fold up behind the RV in the receiver. Hitching is easier with a helper to guide alignment. BASEPLATES Baseplates are perhaps the most critical variable in this linkage. While tow bars and hitch receivers are intended for a variety of vehicles within a certain weight range, most baseplates are designed to fit specific vehicle models and years. Installing a baseplate typically entails very specific procedures. On some vehicles the bumper covering (fascia) must be temporarily removed. Some minor drilling may be required and the bumper covering and/or grille may also require some trimming. Today’s baseplates do a good job of blending into the exterior lines of the dinghy vehicle and when not in use are barely detectable. Remember too, that all 50 states require properly rated safety chains or cables to keep the dinghy from separating from the motorhome if the tow bar or ball fails. Safety chains or cables should be connected securely to the dinghy and crossed under the tow bar and then secured to the hitch receiver. They should be long enough to allow full turning without binding, but not drag when slack.