jimbrightly@worldnet.att.net

Brett, just a small reminder. Engine torque is given as pound-feet; wrench torque is given as foot-pounds. Jim

Keep your eyes open for an upcoming article in FMC on MPG. The differences in MPG vs. speed is covered thoroughly, plus several other suggestions on how to improve or maintain your fuel mileage.

Hi Seajay If you're happy with your motorhome's performance while towing your pickup, you're going to be just as happy towing a trailer, especially if it's an aluminum one. I tow a 21-ft Carson flatbed, which is steel with wood planking deck, with a 1999 25-ft Allegro Type A coach with a GM 454 gas engine. On the trailer I haul my 1982 CJ7, which weighs slightly more than 4,000 lbs. If the inclines are 6% or less, I haven't had a performance problem. Over 6%, I have to have patience. But I strongly suggest a good brake controller, like a Prodigy, and an equalizer hitch. The hitch keeps the porposing down, and its sway bar cuts way down on side sway. I would also suggest using a pair of jackstands at the rear corners to support the trailer when loading or unloading the car. You'll love the convenience of a trailer, which you can actually back up into those non-drivethrough campsites. Out here in the West, unlike what folks have told me about other areas of the country, I've never had a problem in a campground because of a trailer. Send me your email address and I'll send you some pictures of my set-up off-line. I think I'm up to a half cup so far....

Shadow, our 5-year-old 120-lb Lab/Great Dane mix, is also known as "Mr. Nosey." He's the most curious dog we've ever owned, and he's watching the following Jeep to make sure it's negotiating the trail correctly. He loves the motorhome and Jeep equally. Kaya, our 6-year-old 30-lb coyote/terrier mix, is in the Jeep also but below the sight line. Given her choice, Kaya will stay in the motorhome rather than ride in this Jeep.

Ah so, that wasn't clear in your earlier post. Still, if you're comfortable doing the work yourself, an extra set of belts in storage could save you from another emergency tow to a shop. If a belt breaks again, you could replace it and then drive to the nearest shop.

I would venture a guess that your coach's receiver is rated at 5000 lbs. Make sure of this; it should be written/stamped on the receiver. I towed a 22-ft. 1950 Silver Streak travel trailer with a 1967 Ford Bronco for many years, so you shouldn't have a problem towing a flatbed trailer with a 33-ft. motorhome. However, I strongly recommend an equalizing hitch with a sway control, and you'll need a dash-mounted brake controller for the trailer brakes. If you settle on an aluminum flatbed, you'll save quite a bit of weight (which is good). I also strongly suggest buying an aluminum toolbox--as I did--at Lowe's or Home Depot (Sam's club may carry them as well) rather than building one. They are pretty much weather proof, have locks, and look good. And you can apply the car's product decals to the inside of the lid. If you wait until they go on sale, you can pretty much buy one cheaper than building one. Seajay, if you keep asking questions, maybe I can work your advice payments up to a cup of coffee--and I mean coffee, not late, not mocha, or any of that kind of stuff. Coffee like I used to get in the Air Force or at Pier 91 in Seattle!

My street is the same, so I drive the right front wheel up onto the driveway until the coach is almost level (as level as any campground I've ever stayed in). This also makes it easier to pack the coach for a trip.

You should also check the January issues of FMC. Go to the year of the 4Runner you're looking at. The January issue has the complete list of approved vehicles each year.

Hi Seajay I use a flatbed trailer for my trail Jeep, but some of my friends had the enclosed type, so I'll try to answer your questions. First, though, I mounted a pickup toolbox on my flatbed's tongue. I mounted it high so that I still had room to use an equalizing hitch--which I highly recommend for a vehicle hauling trailer--and it effectively blocks any road debris from the motorhome's tires. It doesn't keep the Jeep clean in a rain or snow storm, tho. 1. Our longest car is 19 feet from bumper to bumper. Concerning this, how long should the trailer be to haul this car? I found one that is 24 feet long and considering I will need to get in front of the car to ''tie down the wheels'' I would assume that I will need one at least this long so I will have some working room between the wall and the front of the car when I tie it down. MUCH ADVISE NEEDED HERE... I'd say this should be your minimum length. You'll appreciate the room and you may find you need it for additional storage. (I use the extra room on my flatbed for carrying the Jeep's paddle tires when we head for the dunes.) 2. I see trailers with a ''front access door''. Do I need one of these to help with loading and unloading and tieing the car down ?????????????? MORE ADVISE NEEDED HERE.. Depending on your size, you may find you'd rather have the front door for easier access instead of sliding along the sides of your car and possibly scratching it. 3, I presume that the ''back door'' on these trailers is the ''ramp'' for loading and unloading the car. If so, will I need to get help to lower and raise said door? Of the trailers my friends owned, the backdoor was also the ramp, but you shouldn't need help. Their doors had cables and springs to support most of the door's weight. 4. I presume these car haul trailers come with ''pad eyes''. (tie down thingies built into the floor) (pad eyes is a Navy term). Don't "presume" anything! You know what happens when you assume something. Ask and make sure, they might be selling the trailer as a simple furniture hauler.

Yep, Tom, that sounds about like what I remember reading in my Avalanche's owner's manual. I've never done it, so I can't say whether my T-case controls suffer from the same malady.

Thanks, Tom, for the information on the receiver. We also have a 2004 Avalanche, which I've never towed because my coach's receiver isn't strong enough, but I remember reading that switching the transfer case into neutral for towing can be somewhat difficult until you become used to it. Read the owner's manual and follow its instructions very carefully. You'll love the Avalanche with its convenient lockable side compartments and all that weather-proof storage.

I'm not refering to the towing capacity of the coach (GCWR - GVWR), which I believe you are, I'm talking about the receiver (trailer hitch) rating. Most of them are rated at only 5,000 lbs. Others have heavier weight ratings, but you have to check to make sure.

That's a very heavy towable. Make sure the receiver on the coach is rated to tow that much weight. I'm assuming you're making the same verification on the tow bar and base plate.

Take a hint from the off-roaders. When you buy a used motorhome, change all the fluids, belts, and hoses so that you're starting as fresh as you can with a used coach. Make notes of the part numbers, date of change, and the mileage. From then on maintain the factory change intervals. Also, keep the older belts in a storage unit just in case one of the newer belts breaks before its time (the spares could save you a tow to a garage).

Don, you were on Xantrex's website. Why not go directly to the company's customer service? Try: Customer Support Inverters, Inverter Chargers, Battery Chargers and Accessories Tel: 408.987.6030

In my opinion, if the dolly manufacturer says not to tow backward (and they all do!), and rental agencies such as U-Haul tell you not to tow backward, there's no need to investigate further. If they could sell more dollies for those folks who wish to tow backward -- without fear of liability lawsuits -- they would okay it. I've been flat-towing vehicles for over 40 years (I even had auxiliary brakes on my '74 CJ5) without an incident. I continue to flat-tow my '07 JK, as you've probably seen in test coach photos, while I trailer my CJ7 (its tires are too expensive to flat-tow and the transfer case doesn't allow it). I've also used a rental dolly when forced to do so. In one case, my son loaded his '68 Jeep Commander on a dolly backward, secured the steering wheel, and almost rolled it when traffic suddenly stopped in front of him. He had loaded it backward because it had free-wheeling hubs on the front. He pulled off the freeway and called me to tell me what happened. I told him to turn it around, put the engine's weight on the dolly (as the weight distribution is supposed to be for a trailer), which he did and he finished towing it home without an incident. I suppose it would be safe enough to tow a rear-engined car such as a VW bug or a Porsche backward, but I still wouldn't do it.

Hi, Gary. I'm sure you have, but that doesn't make it safe. In every towing seminar I've hosted, tow dolly manufacturers have stressed that towing backward is unsafe and shouldn't be done.

A tow dolly is a short, two-wheeled trailer that transports the towed vehicle with two of its wheels off the ground. Things to keep in mind before using a tow dolly: Weigh your towable, hopefully with separate weights for each axle, so you'll know that you're not exceeding the tow dolly's rating. Tow dollies are fairly universal, but there are different options available. Know the dolly's weight capacity, but unless you're going to tow a Suburban, a loaded minivan or something in that neighborhood, the weight shouldn't make much of a difference. Tow dollies are adjustable for width, and some of them articulate in the corners. When considering a dolly, remember that they absolutely cannot tow a vehicle backward. For that reason, tow dollies are not applicable to rear-wheel-drive vehicles. You should not consider a tow dolly without brakes or without an emergency breakaway device. And for safety's sake, you'll also need additional auxiliary lights on the towable even if the tow dolly has lights. If you're considering buying a dolly, I would suggest renting one first and trying it out on a trip before buying one. You might not like using one.

We live in the Arizona desert and have never had a problem with heat-generated odor when we used good ole Thetford blue (we also have a wind vane vent cap). But you should also use an additive in your gray tank. We use a combination of Pine-Sol and fabric softener in the gray and no longer have offensive odors coming from there.

Towing my '07 Wrangler did kill the battery the first time. I haven't allowed it to die since. Simply "turning off the key" will not work because the steering wheel will then be locked.

Lilly and Marty: Did the service writer indicate how it could have become so heated while the engine wasn't running?

Go to http://www.reeseprod.com. You'll find a reciever that's rated at 6000 lbs straight pull and 12,000 lbs if an equalizer kit is used. Check with the manfacturer of your receiver, they may have the same ratings.

Roadmaster offers an automatic battery disconnect kit for this type of situation. You'll find it on their website.

Chrysler decided that it was cheaper to remove the ignition key position that allowed the wheel to be unlocked but did not turn on any electrical equipment. They did it to the Jeep model lineup in '07, but I think some of the Dodges were so equipped earlier. Your owner's manual should have told you to disconnect your battery while towing, as my Jeep manual does. I simply start my Jeep and let it idle for a few minutes whenever I stop for a break, fuel, etc. I also have a Battery Brain that is supposed to automatically disconnect the battery when it still has enough "juice" to start the engine. Roadmaster (800.669.9690) is offering a fuse kit for some models that eliminates the need to disconnect the battery, but I don't have a list of the available models.

Call Roadmaster (800.669.9690). I understand they offer fuse kits for vehicles that require a battery disconnect while towing. I've asked them for an application list but have not received it.