Blue Ox 2013 Dinghy Towing Guide - Manual (Page 8)

Things to Know Before You Tow
The Motorhome/Dinghy Link
A
n essential ingredient in safe dinghy
towing involves a solid, properly
designed and installed mechanical
linkage between the coach and the towed ve-
hicle. Hitch receivers, tow bars and baseplates
must all be in good working order, rated for
the weight you intend to pull and, when appli-
cable, designed for the specifi c application.
HITCH RECEIVERS
Check the rating of the hitch receiver to en-
sure that it is rated for the heaviest load you in-
tend to pull. If a receiver is already installed on
your coach, the weight limits and class should
be visible on it.
However, the riding height of a motor home
rarely matches up with that of the chosen din-
ghy, oftentimes necessitating the use of a drop
receiver to allow the tow bar to ride level. These
are available in 2- to 10-inch variations. Receiv-
ers should be bolted (not welded) in place,
using at least Grade 5 bolts and lock washers,
locking nuts and thread-locking sealer.
TOW BARS
Tow bars are available in two basic styles:
A-frame or self-aligning. A-frame tow bars
(offered as “solid” or “folding”), while the
most economical, are designed to fi t a limited
number of baseplates (the mounting brackets
affi xed to the dinghy) or specifi c applications;
however, the folding design will fi t a wider
range than the solid design. These types of
tow bars are strong, but heavy, and require
storage space when not in use. Hitching is
easier with a helper to guide alignment.
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 one-person operation.
Highly adaptable, self-aligning tow bars fi t a
broad range of vehicles by attaching to model-
specifi c baseplates: Class III (5,000-lb) or Class
IV (10,000-lb) models are available. Contact
tow-bar manufacturers to fi nd out if baseplates
are offered for the dinghy you plan to tow.
BASEPLATES
Baseplates are perhaps the most critical vari-
able in this link. While tow bars and, obvi-
ously, hitch receivers are intended for mass
fi tment, various brands, models and years of
dinghy vehicles require different baseplates
and installation procedures, so proper selec-
tion and installation are essential.
Installing a baseplate typically entails very
specifi c procedures. On some vehicles the
bumper covering (fascia) must be temporarily
removed. Some minor drilling may be re-
quired and the bumper covering and/or grille
may also require some trimming.
On some vehicles, the baseplate installa-
tion process can be even more intricate. For
example, the air dam may need to be trimmed
or the factory-installed belly pan may require
either trimming or permanent removal. Such
requirements are described in the manufac-
turer’s fi tment charts — hopefully eliminating
any unpleasant surprises at installation time.
A) Baseplate installation doesn’t require welding or
specialized tools, but can be involved. If you have any
reservations, have a professional do it. B) To hook up
using a telescoping tow bar, the dinghy vehicle only
needs to be near the center and mid-length of the bar.
C) Connecting tow-bar arms to the baseplate requires
the use of pins and clips. Then secure the safety cables
and plug in the electrical umbilical cord. D) Once the
pins are in, the motorhome is driven ahead slowly (or
the dinghy is backed up) to lock the arms in position.
A B C
As You Go
• Observe the speed limit for towing in each
state or province you traverse.
• Maintain adequate stopping distance
from the vehicle in front of you. A minimum
fi ve-second interval is recommended.
• Avoid towing in snowy or icy conditions.
• Pay particular attention to traffi c merging
onto the freeway, and be prepared to take
evasive action to avoid “daydreamers.”
• Plan ahead — most fl at-towed dinghies
can’t be backed more than a few feet, so
it’s necessary to focus on easy ingress and
egress. Most tow-bar manufacturers will
not warrant damage caused by backing.
Dollies tend to jackknife quickly. It’s
better to disconnect the dinghy and drive
to a safe place to reconnect.
• Avoid having to make tight turns; they put
a lot of pressure on tow bars.
• Towing in deep sand or gravel may cause
the dinghy’s front wheels to turn to one
side. If this happens, you must manually
re-center them before continuing.
• Walk around the coach and dinghy to
inspect all connections, check tire
pressure (or use a monitoring system like
the nVision TPMS from Hopkins) and look
for signs of trouble every time you stop.
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