From: "Skid"
To: "GMC Motorhome.com mailing list post address"
Subject: Toad prodecures
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 12:25:29 -0700
Heinz Wittenbecher - you asked about correct procedures for towing
4-wheels down, and I'll be glad to share our experience - we towed our
'94 Olds van behind a 454-powered Executive, and then (and much more
successfully!) behind a 300-hp Cummins/6 speed Allison Safari
Continental.
You're absolutely correct in your hitching procedures - key in
ignition column in unlocked position (but not "on") and transmission
in neutral. Our van had the remote locking feature, so we just put
the ignition key/transmitter on a key ring that easily separates, and
when we're ready to go, close the van up and lock the doors. This
made me feel better about leaving the key in the ignition and walking
away from the van - even if it was just for a short time!
We also used locking pins where the tow bar attached to the motorhome
and the van, and in the hitch (for our first tow bar). (Our second
tow bar was one of those that had the universal joint at the motorhome
hitch receiver, and detached from the van - no hitch ball involved at
all. It was much easier to use, and towed a lot better, too! =) )
Regarding backing up, all of our literature gave the same information
that you've repeated: NEVER BACK UP! I know the reasons why - it can
mess up the front rolling parts of the toad very quickly (tires,
alignment, etc.). I don't know about you, but I figure that it's easy
to write a manual, and sometimes real life is different! So once in a
great while - it probably happened only 4 or 5 times in 30,000+ miles
of towing - I'd try to make sure that I was as much in a straight line
as possible (m/h & toad), turn the back camera on (if it wasn't
already...), and back up vvvveeeerrrrryyyyy
ssslllllooooowwwwwlllllllyyyyy, watching the front wheels on the van
to make sure they didn't jack-knife, and also try not to hit anyone or
anything!
I found that I was able to back up for 10-15 feet, once even a bit
more, before anything happened that made me stop. Fortunately, in
each case whatever distance I was able to reverse was enough to do the
job.
Hope this helps you - and I certainly applaud your light weight choice
for towing; we ended up using the van as a trailer, carrying lawn
chairs, folding bikes, etc., etc., etc. (!), and as a result, I knew
(from stopping at a truck scales) that loaded, and with a 1/2 tank of
gas, the van weighed about 4100 lbs. Behind the big diesel we hardly
noticed - but I promise that I'm never going to try it behind the GMC!
Have fun!
Bill Marx
'76 26' Eleganza II
To: "GMC Motorhome.com mailing list post address"
Subject: Toad prodecures
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 12:25:29 -0700
Heinz Wittenbecher - you asked about correct procedures for towing
4-wheels down, and I'll be glad to share our experience - we towed our
'94 Olds van behind a 454-powered Executive, and then (and much more
successfully!) behind a 300-hp Cummins/6 speed Allison Safari
Continental.
You're absolutely correct in your hitching procedures - key in
ignition column in unlocked position (but not "on") and transmission
in neutral. Our van had the remote locking feature, so we just put
the ignition key/transmitter on a key ring that easily separates, and
when we're ready to go, close the van up and lock the doors. This
made me feel better about leaving the key in the ignition and walking
away from the van - even if it was just for a short time!
We also used locking pins where the tow bar attached to the motorhome
and the van, and in the hitch (for our first tow bar). (Our second
tow bar was one of those that had the universal joint at the motorhome
hitch receiver, and detached from the van - no hitch ball involved at
all. It was much easier to use, and towed a lot better, too! =) )
Regarding backing up, all of our literature gave the same information
that you've repeated: NEVER BACK UP! I know the reasons why - it can
mess up the front rolling parts of the toad very quickly (tires,
alignment, etc.). I don't know about you, but I figure that it's easy
to write a manual, and sometimes real life is different! So once in a
great while - it probably happened only 4 or 5 times in 30,000+ miles
of towing - I'd try to make sure that I was as much in a straight line
as possible (m/h & toad), turn the back camera on (if it wasn't
already...), and back up vvvveeeerrrrryyyyy
ssslllllooooowwwwwlllllllyyyyy, watching the front wheels on the van
to make sure they didn't jack-knife, and also try not to hit anyone or
anything!
I found that I was able to back up for 10-15 feet, once even a bit
more, before anything happened that made me stop. Fortunately, in
each case whatever distance I was able to reverse was enough to do the
job.
Hope this helps you - and I certainly applaud your light weight choice
for towing; we ended up using the van as a trailer, carrying lawn
chairs, folding bikes, etc., etc., etc. (!), and as a result, I knew
(from stopping at a truck scales) that loaded, and with a 1/2 tank of
gas, the van weighed about 4100 lbs. Behind the big diesel we hardly
noticed - but I promise that I'm never going to try it behind the GMC!
Have fun!
Bill Marx
'76 26' Eleganza II
