What is Better Flat Tow or Dolly - Full Time RV Living
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- čas přidán 22. 02. 2019
- What is Better Flat tow or Dolly - Full Time RV Living: Flat tow vs Dolly tow. Which do you choose? We will tell you why flat tow is better for us that dolly towing as we finally get rid of the dreaded dolly! RV dolly towing has not worked out for us so it was time for a change. Although some people swear by the dolly for towing a car while RVing we are out! Of course that means we had to say good-bye to the Acura. Guess what vehicle we ended up with!
In part 2 to this video, we answer your tow questions: • Flat Tow Follow Up - Y...
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Great Video! Thanks for taking the extra time to explain how to setup the flat towing for the vehicles.
Awesome. Welcome to the Jeep family and congratulations on the new tow👏🏻🎉👏🏻🎉👏🏻
Thanks! We are super excited.
Thanks for this video. We too ended buying a 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and this video was very helpful in walking us through the steps required to get the car into neutral and ready for towing. We found another video online, but he kept getting the steps wrong, Phil did a perfect job, as we read the manual while following along with Phil. Thanks for the information, love following you guys.
We are so glad it was helpful! That is always our goal!
Thanks for all that information about the pros and cons of each towing solution. I've always leaned toward the tow bar and am glad your confirmed my thinking. Best wishes for more happy times on the road!
Glad to help!
Thanks for the info! Considering getting into RVing part time in the next few years, so all your information really helps!
Glad it was helpful!
Woohoo! We decided on a Trailhawk as well. Such a great vehicle. One thing we did on our Trailhawk was change the battery to a higher Cold Cranking Amperage. My wife was having problems with Check Engine Light and also it wouldn't start sometimes even if showed a full charge on the battery. Haven't had a problem since changing the battery. Great car.
Thanks for the info. We will keep an eye on the battery.
Yay Jeep! I was so sad when I traded in my '97 Wrangler that I almost went back to rescue her. LOL! (289k miles and still ran great! Just too hard for me and my bad back to get in and out of anymore...) You two do the BEST "this is how it's done" videos. Thank you!
As a 22-year veteran of the USMC and USAF, I enjoyed the Navy reference and the inter-service back n forth...thanks for the videos...Happy Trails!
Good decision you guys! We also went with the blue ox tow set up and SMI Stay N Play braking system. I think it’s the best set up!
Good choice! That’s what my husband and I did and we’ve never regretted it. We toyed with the idea of a dolly to start with, but ultimately decided to bite the bullet and do it the way we felt would be best for us. It was definitely costly up front, especially since we also had to buy the Jeep, but it was worth every penny! Enjoy!
I think you are right! If we had to do it over we would do it before hitting the road as well even with the extra cost.
Happy for you. Thanks for the informative video! #HappyCamping!
Hi Phil and Stacy enjoyed your video on towing, back in the day when we first started the years 1999 and 2007, we had a Safari Ivory Diesel Pusher no slides, we towed our 1/2 ton pickup with a Blue Ox tow bar, it was so easy to hook up, at an escapade rally in Chico, Ca we found a brake system for the pickup. But the Blue OX is what was suggested to us and it was the best. We are going back to full time in 1 to 2 years and are budgeting for the tow bar now.
It is because of videos like this that allowed me to move directly to a flat tow system when we purchased our RV. You are right that they aren't cheap, we were just under $5k for ours. We had a little savings in that we packaged with our RV. Bought the Roadmaster All-Terrain and paired it with the Airforce One. It is a great combo. Really enjoy your channel, you guys sound like my wife and I. I too have spend time wearing her down.
Well I guess Phil isnt the only one! lol
Great video. I had heard you guys discuss the switch before, but now that I have actually set mine up for flat tow it takes on new meaning. I have the same set up as you, but am towing a CRV. The steps are definitely a little simpler for me on the car side though. We haven't actually "traveled" with our set-up yet, but we already feel so much more freedom. Trying to see the country with9out a TOAD is a non-starter from my perspective. I've learned so much from you guys. Keep up the great work.
Glad it helped!
Great vid. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Safe travels!!
We just recently purchased a Chevy Equinox to pull 4 down. We used a tow dolly once, just once! The wife didn't know there were so many words to describe a dolly!
I think we can totally relate to that! hahaha
great video. One step omitted in video is pulling motorhome forward until both bars on blue ox lock in place.
Happy trails.
Great video guys! Very informative.
Thanks
A few recommendations for additional prevention:
1) Always double and triple check your AF1 air connections once plugged in. They can come disconnected, and then you lose your aux braking.
2) Spend the $15 and get spare connection fittings for the air connection. The airline is not standard part at most RV dealers, ( I drove from Fredricksburg to San Antonio and back and lost 1/2 day to be sure I had the brakes working.
Thanks so much for that. I wouldnt have thought about extra fittings. It is now on the list.
Awesome informative video! Thanks for sharing 😀
Thanks!
We did the same thing, had two cars that couldn't be flat towed and didn't want to get a different vehicle, so we started out with a dolly. After one year of a lot of headaches and back aches we got a Jeep Wrangler and a Ready Brute Elite tow system and haven't looked back! We love it!
Sounds like you had the same opinion of Miss Dolly as we did. Good riddance!
Excited for you both. That’s a great Jeep in so many ways and i think you’ll both find a lot of positive uses. It’s more than a car, it’s a Jeep! And flat towing a toad is AWESOME! I wouldn’t drag our Natasha any other way.
Natasha! I love that name! We need a name for your new ride!
Congrats on your new purchases!!!!
Thanks so much
My 2008 Chevy HHR SS was $500 for the base plate,another $500 for the tow bar,$35 for the wiring kit and one day to install it all in my driveway. Phil.I was 70 years old when I did it myself.
That is awesome Robert! Great price as well!
We absolutely love our Blue Ox tow bar system like you got. It works great and I am able to hook up/unhook in less than 5 minutes. The tension release is great and can unhook on any incline. Enjoy!
Awesome! We are so excited about it!
We had that set up too! Worked great.
TNX FOR PUTTING TOWING GUIDE ON VIDEO... JUST HAD OURS DONE AND NOW GOING TO PRACTICE DRIVING IT STRAIGHT AND AROUND CORNERS WITH OUR CLASS C. sorry about caps. can't wait for our trip to texas.
Don't you just love it! So much easier.
@@todayissomeday so much easier agreed
Nice Jeep, Congrats! Great job the video guys!!
Thanks Dean
Great video. We have used a dolly for towing and never really liked it for many reasons. Just bought a 2020 Chevy Sonic HT for our toad. Great gas mileage and very easy to get ready to tow. Involves taking out 3 fuses out that are very easy to get to and you are ready to tow. Not our main driver. If it was would probably look at Jeeps also.
Looks Good. We are taking our Trail hawk in on Monday to do the same thing. We went with the Roadmaster night hawk and the RVI3 braking system. Phil's comments steered us away from a dolly. I to have a bad back and hooking up that Acura made my back hurt just watching. Great video's guys, look forward to many more.
Thanks! So glad we can help save your back!!
Holy mother mary of pearl. I had no idea how many things you've got to connect at the bumper then the 19 steps just inside the Jeep. Love the videos keep them coming.
Even with all the cables it was easier than the dolly so Ill take it!
I was flabbergasted when I saw/heard that 19-point checklist! OMFG!!!! =8-O
Great show that flat tow system is awesome. Cant wait to see it in action up here in Massachusetts. I like the jeep too its a nice choise. It comes in good in foul weather and snow which we real have not had this season.
We are hoping to get up there this summer!
I just wanted to thank you for your service.
Thanks so much for that. It means a lot.
I hated using a dolly until I got the right height on the hitch and made some wood ramps that the dolly ramps set on making the angle very minimal. My van now rolls up almost without hitting the gas. Before I did this, I pulled the front end off of two vehicles. But I got a new transit van connect that I haul my music gear in. Good for you for making the switch!
You cant tell in the pic but we did add that to our dolly and it did help with the front end. But the Acura was still so low the dolly wheel covers were digging into the car just under the doors every time we turned. Part of the time it took was trying to make sure the car was exactly centered to prevent as much damage as possible.
Y’all done good...We done the dolly towing for a couple years, then switched ourselves to a 2014 Jeep Wrangler. Using blue ox tow system, the only way to go. It was just too much to be moving the dolly around by hand. . Makes life so much easier and less tires to keep up with for a dolly.
We are so glad we wont have to worry about that dang dolly any more!! You are so right it is just to much to move around at every campsite!
I'm with you, it didn't take us long to get tired of the dolly either. We went with a Jeep Rubicon, everything is installed waiting for weather to break so we can do a test run. Safe travels.
Awesome! Looks like we arent the only ones who didn't care for that girl! Good-bye dolly!
We also tow a Jeep behind our Class C. Texas RV in San Antonio set ours up as well. They are great folks! Thank you for your service Phil.
Thank you!
longhornz30 I don’t think so since I have a 2006 two door. My F-450 Ford doesn’t have any problems pulling it.
longhornz30 Not at all.
Just bought an older Motorhome and looking into towing my 2009Dodge Ram 1500 pickup and also looking into Flat towing so good Video, a lot to learn, Thank you for your service Safe travels
Good luck!
Awsome congrats on your Jeep now ur a member of another adventure family.
Thanks!
We just wanted to compliment you on your video editing. The car start up and drive away sequence was very nicely done..
Thanks so much guys! I hope you are doing well!
we tow an automatic ford fiesta only 3 steps to set it up to tow, we love it
golfnut hi I am thinking about getting a Ford Fiesta also !! May I ask your pros an cons on it an also do you flat tow it ? how is that going with what set up? Thanks from Texas !!
Great Video... Love the install, and flat tow setup on the Jeep.
Thanks!
This is our first time watching you guys - You do a nice video and we look forward to seeing more - I would like to voice an opinion that the tow dolly is a better option - I don't care for the flat tow option because of the added wear on the moving parts in the drive train - bearings, tires and who knows what is in play in the drive train and the expense to fix it when the expensive drive train parts eventually need service - Pulling a front wheel drive vehicle on a tow dolly is minimal wear on the freewheeling rear wheels of a front wheel drive vehicle - A Ford Edge in my case - May I point out that there were a number of things I do differently to prepare my toad for a trip on the tow dolly - I load it by myself - I can lean out the window and see my front left wheel as it comes up the ramp and against the stop making loading / positioning EASY - Not scary, not a pain, not any damage to my car, not ever - And my Ford Edge is as wide as you can get on a dolly - My Demco Kar Kaddy is a much better tow dolly as it steers with wheels that actually steer / turn making corners more natural - my Kar Kaddy has surge brakes making stopping less stressful on the RV - When I buy a new car I don't have a substantial expense of transferring all the hookup gear to the new car - Each has its advantages and disadvantages but I wanted to point out the advantages of my little tow dolly - A good dolly and a few tricks in the prep and I stand with your poor rejected "Fiscal Decision" - LOL - But I appreciate your presentation and some folks may well prefer the flat tow depending on personal strengths / preferences / toad vehicle - Thanks
Love the Cherokee!!👍👍👍😎😎😎 Neat set up! Friend of mine bought a Class C from a guy who, unfortunately, had a heart attack moving the dolly around at one of his first campsites. Wife said RV had to go. Thanks for showing set ups👍👍. My wife says same, on the wear down mode😂😂😂
OMG!! That is terrible. So glad we ditched that thing!
Great information about the different types of towing thank very much
Thank you!
I've never felt comfortable using a dolly. I'd our rig was a motorhome I'd for sure make your same choice. All 4 on the floor. Happy RVing guys.
We are so excited to be 4 down!!
Great video guys as alway I get a lot of knowledge from watching your videos get job and you know my favorite thing is your video Bloopers at the end so funny your friends George and Flor
The bloopers are the easy part!
Nice job! When we had an A class we had a dolly for the front tires only...but what a pain!
It was a pain and that is why she had to go!!
Well after using a tow dolly for a couple of years, we also decided to switch over to flat tow. We have a 2021 2 door Rubicon on order that should arrive soon. We already have the Roadmaster tow bar, so we're having the dealer add the taillight cable kit, the Roadmaster base plates, RVi braking system and the AMP Research swing down steps. So we too will have a tow dolly for sale soon.
If you're looking for info/advice on where to go, what to do, what to avoid along the east coast, contact or watch Motorhome Experiment. They are the only channel I've seen who has gone there. From Florida to Maine and into Canada. Plus, they're wonderful fun to watch just like you guys are. Enjoy and have fun!
We watch them too! They are really cool people.
Wow to prepare my 2011 Xterra to tow is put the manual transmission in neutral, turn the ignition to ACC and pump the brake a few times via the brake controller and go. I know my day is coming when I’ll have to upgrade my tow and I’ll be where you are now. Enjoy.
I am in the process of setting up my Jeep JK Wrangler as a toad. Super simple way to tow. Nice video.
Thanks for joining us! We are so glad we did it.
We have a Jeep Wrangler and we love that little car, it can and has gone where no other car can go.
Thanks cool! That was Phils first choice but the Trailhawk was our compromise.
Congratulations!! You are going to love flat towing once you get used to all the steps to follow.
We already love it!! We are so excited!!
Im so happy for you guys, no more scary times. We have our class C Rv and we dingy tow our Jeep Patriot. It rides awesome. Hope to see you guys on the road one day. P.S. That chick that did not stop at the sign was terrifying. That has happened to us in the past. Stupid people. I loved your hubby's choice of words, my hubby uses the same. Lol . Airforce mom and dad here learned with our son... lol. Be safe, enjoy your new Jeep and dingy. Be safe and roll easy ! Have fun.
It was really scary! I just dont understand sometimes! People just dont pay attention. I mean how can you miss us? We are huge and were already turning! Please thank him for his service!
You, Me & the RV I will for sure. Be safe on the road. God bless you guys.
another great video and congrats on the win phil lol... i hope you all do a meet in greet in Massachusetts, England area maybe we can meet for an awesome kayaking in Maine , i know of a lot of great places in Maine and Massachusetts you can visit and have a place in Maine your class A will fit let me know when you get here and i can fill you in, i will be watching looking forward to your north east journey safe travels Nancy
Thank you so much Nancy! We are looking forward to exploring both places.
We are going to have future meet ups for sure just not sure where yet.
Good choice. This is the exact setup I want. We aren’t full time so it is a little difficult to convince my wife to spend the money to make life easier when towing behind our Motorhome. Good luck.
It is worth it! If we were part-time, sometime or anytime we would still divorce Dolly!
Glad you're done with the dolly. I too have a bad back and that dolly hookup looked like trouble in the making. all it takes is a wrong twist and down to the ground, ya go.
That's a good looking jeep. But man that's a lot of steps to freewheel the transmission. but a small price to pay for your health. Have fun and enjoy.
It is quite a few steps but at least the battery and fuses are not involved! But as you said it is a small price to pay to save the back!
I was happy to learn that my 2005 Jeep Liberty is flat towable. It may be old but it’s paid for and still runs great (knock on wood) so I’m planning to just start with it. Being a single traveler, I’d hate to mess with a dolly.
Nothing better than Paid in Full!! I dont blame you I can't imagine having to deal with the dolly without Phil. It would be a total pain!
I installed my Blue Ox base plate on our Jeep Wrangler. I only use TX RV supply for state inspections. Iron Horse RV for repairs is my choice.
Love the videos, lots of great info. Just curious, what did you do with your bikes?
Thanks Damon. We have our mountain bikes on the back of the rig and the e-bikes we carry in the Jeep.
Great info! I'm thinking of flat towing my 2017 f-150 with our 24' class C, rated for 7,500 lbs. Plan is to throw extra water, etc. in the bed of the truck. Trying to get an idea of "all-in" price to get this set up for next year?
This is super helpful as we search for our first motorhome and toad. We just looked at a Trailhawk yesterday
Sweet! Good luck with your toad search
@@todayissomeday thanks
Phil, I would love to see a video on the Air Force one breaking system. Also curious how much the shop charged to install. Thanks guys. Love the videos.
You got it! We have had a couple of questions about our video. We are going to do a follow up this week.
Congratulations on simplifying your life. It must have made the stress level of moving day drop considerably.
Yes, It really did!
Thank you for the information on Divorcing the Dolly. I’m I the process of getting our Jeep Wrangler set up for flat towing behind our Allegro Open Road. Do you have any special driving tips when flat towing? Thanks again for all your videos. They are very informative and well done.
Thanks,
John
Hi
Just recently discovered your videos while chilling at the Outdoor Resort near Gatlinburg, TN after a day at the Quiltfest at Leconte Center in Pigeon Forge.
Really like you videos, as I can some what relate, as my wife and I enjoy our 2017 Thor Challenger 37TB Gas Class A.
I am a 100%Disabled Veteran with Back , and Neck issues having served 10 years, 3 months in the Worlds Greatest NAVY ! I can relate to the back issues, as I have good days , and not so good days, but I'm not ready to give up, and hit the rocking chair just yet ! We to use a Tow Dolly and I to though that was the most practical solution for taking a vehicle along. I was surprised at how heavy the dolly is, and how difficult it is for me to maneuver it, as in my mind I
still had the strength of 30 years ago !
I enjoyed you video on the pros and cons of Flat tow, and Dolly towing which pretty much confirmed my research, and like you folks we will eventually go to flat towing as well. Right now the dolly is still more practical for us as we only are able to RV for short 1-2 week stints, as as every third week we take out turn taking care of a Elderly family member.
We just traded our 15 Ford Edge, for a 18 Explorer, and made sure it was flat towable, for the eventual crossover to the Flat Tow world !
We love being able to utilize the Military Famcamps, having traveled from our home in the foothills of Western North Carolina, to The Florida Keys and back staying in nothing but Famcamps along the way, including a stay at the US Cost Guard Station on Marathon Key, with its 4 full hookup sites, well except for the 7 day cruise in the middle. It was our "10th Anniversary Camp/Cruise ! Manatee Cove on Patrick Airforce Base, near Coco Beach was one of our favorites !
Onslow Beach, on Camp Lejune, in our home state of North Carolina is one of our favorites for a quick getaway to the Beach !
I'm rambling so I'll close by saying Thanks for Doing your part to keeping our Great Nation safe, and thanks for sharing your RVing experiences!
You have taken the trip we really want to make down to the Keys! It sounds like an amazing trip! Sounds like you and Phil have much in common. Can you dolly tow the explorer? We also love the FamCamps and stay in them often! Safe travels to you. PS Thank you for your service!
Thanks to you both for your service ! The Explorer fits our Acme Ez-Tow with about 1-1 1/2" to spare on each side ! My wife drives when loading, and we've got it down to a science. I just watch the left front tire, and know if it's good the right side is ok ! We use hand signals ( no hand gestures) only, seems to work better, I guess it's less confusing.
The Challenger pulls the Explorer with ease , and I cant really tell much difference in mileage. We pulled Old Fort Mountian's 6% 7miles long grade at 50-55 mph which is plenty fast !
We loved the Keys, we went in August so you know it was hot ! It's alot less crowded in the Summer months, as all the "Snow Birds" head back north. There are two Famcamps in Key West, neither of which we've stayed at, and the 4 full hook up Famcamp on Marathon Key at the Coast Guard STATION. I highly recommend Manatee Cove, on Patrick Airforce Base near Coco Beach, Pelican Roost, On Naval STATION Mayport, FL.
Hope to see ya some time ! We want to go back to the Keys in our Motorhome, as we were in our 5th Wheel, and F-350 King Ranch ! The view will be much better from the Motorhome!
@@maxjr758 I have read about the coast guard station but I wonder how hard it is to get into. We are going to try to get into the keys and will start calling at the 6 month window so we will see. Thanks for sharing Manatee cove. I will check it out! Safe travels to you. We will see ya out there.
Former RV technician here, you can pretty much flat tow anything some vehicles have to be modified more extensively than others
Way to go guys. We love our flat-tow package as well, it's similar to yours, expect we have a Wrangler. Once you go "flat", you'll never go back :-)
I cant imagine going back to a dolly! Never!
Nice setup, but with the tow bar, safety cables, and breakaway cable all hooked to the hitch you are depending on the hitch to never fail and come off the RV. It is rare, but it has happened unless it is part of the RV frame itself. At least connect the breakaway cable to something else, but preferably the cables as well.
Hello from Cabot Arkansas looks like a nice set-up not back-breaking Stacy I bet you are glad Phil won't be throwing his little fits in the floor anymore he got what he wants lol you guys are my two favorite rvers have a blessed day
Thanks! Thats funny!
Wish I would have known you were coming to Ft Sam Houston. I would have stopped by and visited. Congratulations on your Jeep purchase. I know as a person that deals with back problems that Phil is very happy.
Thanks so much! It is such a huge relief.
congrats guys smart move happy travels
Thanks! We love it!
Congrats on letting go of the dolly...we currently using a trailer for the SMART car. Look us up if you ever near Knoxville, TN ...Travis & Darlene
Thanks! We will do that!
Congrats! So love our flat tow! Hated dolly too!
Thanks
From watching other video's and using the same set-up; it's recommended to use locks on the pins at the Jeep. It has happened to some RV'ers that someone pulled the lock on the pins and you know what happens next as your driving down the road. Be safe and thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the info. We are ordering them!
Thanks for the link to the dingy list.
Great video with good explanations and camera work. Thank you. What is the air connection for on the flat-tow setup? The Jeep doesn't have air brakes.
It is the air braking system we installed to flat tow. The compressor is on the RV
Great Jeep purchase ! I have a full size Cherokee and love it. That bleeped F bomb make me LoL 😂
It didnt make Phil laugh! hahaha
I agree with your choice for a Toad. We had a 2 door Jeep Wrangler for our daily driver and flat towed behind our Class C. The ride in the Wrangler turned out to be too rough for our 68 & 63 year old bones so we traded for a Trailhawk and love it. The ride is great and it tows great too and you can put the back seats down if you need space for extra storage. Marc and Julie Bennett of RV Love have video's of when they switched to a Trailhawk that you might check out if you haven't already. Enjoy your new ride.
That is exactly why we went with the Trailhawk! So glad someone gets me!
Yes I think I do. I also went with a Pressure Pro TPMS to monitor the pressure in the tires. It gives piece of mind knowing your tire pressure is good or if a tire is getting ready to go flat or blow from excessive heat. If you don't have one, please consider it. You don't want to be towing your new Jeep with a flat tire. Are you going to name your Jeep or have subscribers name it like the loofah?
Congrats on your upgraded towing system. I will go ahead and put the Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar and all accessories on the market place since you won't be needing that system. Have fun traveling East and take care!!
Thanks Dino. Good luck with the sale. This opportunity just fell into our lap and we had to go for it. Thanks for thinking of us. We do appreciate it.
Of course...that what we military retired do for each other :)...hasta pasta!!!!!
@@DinoCarroll You rock! Thanks for making me smile today!
Very good Vid many thanks 🙏
I think you guys just saved me a huge hassle. I was going to buy a dolly, but I heard your interview on the RV show USA a few weeks ago and the one thing you said would change was the dolly, so I thought, hmmmm, found your channel and have watched your videos for clarification. Now I'm piecing my own blue ox system together. I already bought a new, never used, preowned "avail" bar, safety cables, with a bonus coiled cord, and a still in package tow bar cover from some guy who sold his mh for only 575. I still need a base plate and to wire up the toad. I'm just still trying to convince the wife to get an automatic awd 2014 honda crv first now before we buy the base plate for our 2006 manual honda civic.
Glad we could help. Having our flat tow setup has been a game changer for us. Good luck convincing the wife on the CRV.
I have a 2021 Chevy Spark with a manual transmission which I really like. The only negative thing about the Spark is its maximum recommended speed is something like 110 KmPH and occasionally I like to go a little faster. I too had a tow dolly very similar to yours but after one trip to Arizona I decided I enjoyed it as much I could stand and sold it and also purchased a Blue Ox system. I also purchased a Patriot 3 brake system to keep in compliance with laws requiring a brake system. I had the Blue Ox system installed by the RV dealer and have yet to install the brake system but it’s pretty simple, mostly just plug in the proper places. My motorhome handles the towing with no problem but as I mentioned I have to keep in compliance with the state or provincial laws or pay the consequences. I also like the brake away features of the Patriot 3 but it is extremely unlikely with the Blue Ox system unless it has been sabotaged by some kind individuals. So, check for security before leaving every stop. I’m glad you purchased a Air Force one brake system. Go Air Force. Ha Ha
you guys a great...and informative
Thanks for watching!
Congratulations on your tow bar setup. We are still using our dolly but leaning towards going four down. I'd wait another couple of months before heading to the northeast. We get snow into April and May in western New York. Let us know if you come into the Rochester to Buffalo area. Maybe we could get together for an adult beverage or two. Safe travels. ❤
That sounds fun! We wont be headed east for a few more weeks and we will hit GA and VA first since I have family both locations. Trust me know is not on my radar! lol Phil's mom is in upstate New York so we will be hitting up NY.
My husband bought me a Jeep Wrangler to eventually tow behind the motor home once we get to full-time but he was a U-Haul dealer for almost 20 years so he wants the dolly, because he is used to moving them around, I want to flat tow, much easier to hook up & tow and won't create issues with his back. Going to use the wear down tactics in reverse!! We have our experiment motor home now to make sure we can do this by taking small trips with "Abby" before we sell the house, truck, bike etc and buy the big rig like you have. 15 months and counting!!!
15 months is not very long! It will go by quickly....at least it did for us with all the prep we were doing. I the Jeep wrangler a 4 wheel drive? If so it cant be dolly towed only flat tow or all 4 wheels up on a trailer. (does that help?? I am trying to give you some ammo! lol) Also, when booking campsites there has to be enough room for them. Nothing is worse than it eating up the only spot you have for chairs. Dollys dont seem that big until you start moving them around a campsite. If you are going to stay at National parks, state parks or COE parks there isnt always room for them. Good luck wearing him down!
To use a dolly with a Wrangler you would need to disconnect the front driveshaft before putting front wheels on dolly. After removing from dolly you would then reinstall front driveshaft. Not sure if it's worth it. Unless you plan to permanently remove front driveshaft, which would mean you can operate Jeep in 2 wheel drive only
Get a couple of folding recumbent trikes like the Catrike Dumont. Fantastic.
Did not realize you were now pulling 4 down until I watched this video. I know you'll be happier. Oh, Phil? In your travels have you heard about Sailors Corn? No?? It's a buck an ear! Happy trails! - Scorpio
OMG! Hahahahaha!
Hey folks, great video. We had a 14" Cherokee which had the infamous "death wobble" I'm sure you heard about it - I believe it could effect 14 through 17 MY Cherokees. The solution in short was to power the steering system during towing. It required a special harness (free of charge) from Chrysler-Fiat which installed a switch in the center console to couple battery power to the steering system. This allowed the steering to better follow the RV when being towed - eliminating the "death wobble". Since power was applied, the battery could lose charge which meant a supplemental harness from your RV battery to the towed battery was required (your tab and time to install), otherwise the towed battery would require intermittent starting every few hours or you could have a dead battery if driving over four +/- hours. Again, that was due to the battery power applied to the towed steering system. Anyway, if you have a later MY Cherokee (maybe 18 MY and up) this issue may have been resolved, but not sure. Great to hear that you dumped your dolly, but just wanted to let you know about the Cherokee flat-tow issue. We spent way to much time on this with Chrysler corporate. Have fun with your Jeep.
Our is a used 2019 and thankfully it has been resolved.
Very good to hear. Thanks for the reply.
Glad you bought a Jeep! You are helping to support my retirement.
Sweet!!
SOLD...on the idea, as it reaffirms my plans for when we get around to buying our RED 33AA and Jeep TOAD - Cheers!
You wont be sorry!! I wish we had done it from the beginning!
Wondering how your Trailhawk is working out for you? I'm thinking about one but have seen others having transmission issues etc. Also, would your decision to full time change with grandkids? We've got five and thinking about taking a couple along on shorter trips - we had a blast with our kide RVing when they were younger with many fond memories. Thanks for your service and the well done videos! I'm ex-USAF so thanks for buying our braking system (grin).
Best move you made, to un$##, the dolly. I missed two turns, while flat towing. stuck on the road, traffic backing up, and can unhook in three minutes, and clear the road.
I am suspicious, retired AF here, why you got an AF tow bar, and your favorite place is AF Academy.
Be safe,
Todd
I see you have noticed! A few other AF peeps are chiming in on this one! lol
Todd Anderson Fellow Air Force Veteran Thank You for Your Service . Aim High ! Go Air Force ! Go Blue !
It is about time you guys moved on up to flat towing. We will be looking at the same JEEP when the house sells and some extra$$$$ flood the immediate local market :). In the mean time we are flat towing with a blue ox set up and small sports car (Hyundai Veloster ), It take Pat (she does the main disconnect and we share the hook up process) under 5 min to do. Also DO NOT forget to check your lights (brake and signal) after each hook up when you are ready to travel.
We are so excited about this change! You have no idea!! Light checks are the last thing we do before pulling out.
That preready procedure is wild 19 steps! Holly cow
Awesome video. I am looking to purchase a Jeep Wrangler for this purpose.
Awesome for you guys! Dolly was just too much mental stress for you guys. BONUS! the flat tow system has been Navy proofed 😉😃 love the color of your new adventure-mobile but watch your speed when driving it because that color is also known as "arrest me red" 😉😉
We are so excited! And yes...Sailor proof! Lucky for Phil.
Another great video!
Thanks for popping over!! Hope you guys are doing well.
Doing great guys! Looking forward to running into y’all again!
Hey guys I just bought a wrangler and installed the air force one brake system in our 33aa if your in PA we do this at our shop great video
Awesome!! Then you know how excited we are!