Forum Survey - What do you normally tow behind your bus conversion?

[olebusman]

  2005 suzuki xl7 4x4 automatic

[dtcerrato]

Looks like the flat tows have it?

[chessie4905]

Tow dollys can be a pita. If you get stuck and can't get dolly/car to cooperate, you first have to remove vehicle from dolly, then unhook and move dolly out of the way. Then, when you are using the car, dolly is in the way. With so many vehicles all wheel drive now, a dolly usually doesn't work. And you have two possibilities of something coming unhooked. Vehicle coming away from dolly, or dolly/car coming unhooked. As we get older, some of the dollys can be hard to move around. From former dolly user.

[windtrader]

thinking same thing. 3/4 four down towing. Still not decided which way to go: tow dolly or 4-down.

The major benefit of dolly is you can load just about any available vehicle, FWD, RWD, Auto, Manual, without any incremental cost once dolly is purchased.

Four down model specific base plate hardware (Roadmaster, Blue Ox, etc.) is required for most toads. The cost and effort is non-trivial, especially if outfitting several vehicles. Jeep Wrangler is a vehicle that does not require specialized hardware but it's a leap for me to buy a specific car based on towing requirements. If living OTR FT and dealing with one vehicle it works for some.
Searching for a used tow dolly now, hopefully one with surge brakes. One observation thus far is these things are very niche, especially this time of year. Every one I've contacted that's been for sale for months are still available. Good for buyers, not so for sellers. Make a smart decision the first time around, quick flip may not work out.

[Dave5Cs]

Don buy my Jeep so I can get a new one, LOL

[chessie4905]

They do make transmission pumps so you can tow, at least, fwd 4 down. We did that on a Olds Ciera several years ago, with no issues, other than the weight behind our 4104, esp when stopping.

[chessie4905]

If you are handy at fabricating and welding, you could use a universal tow bar and fabricate your own connections at the vehicle. Did that on the 4104 with three different vehicles over the years. I have a Roadmaster 5000 bar and found the adapters on Craigslist cheap. Had to look for about a year before they came up for a Vitara. Popular toads adapters come up all the time, including the tow bars. Now also check Facebook Marketplace. It seem to be even more popular than Craigslist lately.

[blue_goose]

2011 Terverse

[Dreamscape]

2011 Buick Enclave. Air Force One auxiliary braking system. Aluminator tow bar system by DEMCO.

[neoneddy]

Tow Dolly 2013 Town & Country, it ain't pretty but it gets the job done.

For a family of 6 our options are limited.  I do like the idea of 4 down with an aux trans pump.

On the other hand, with the angle that the tow dolly puts our T&C at and our 6v92 oil pan leak that van may never rust.  It's got a fine mist of oil all over the underside.  But managing the dolly is the worst.

EDIT: Also, I have been able to backup 4-8 feet before without issues, any more than that and things get wonky back there, but it's saved us unhooking a few times.

[chessie4905]

Exactly! A rear view camera helps. By the time you see it turning to sharp in the mirror, stop and start over. They are also a pain backing up attached to a pickup. Go about  6 or 7 feet and they start taking a mind of their own.

[buswarrior]

Best trick i've seen is to flood the transmission for towing.

George Brock RIP, had a chrysler minivan, a suitable sized wrecking yard sourced radiator overflow bottle that fit under the hood, tee'd into the transmission cooler line with a diverter valve.

Engine off, open valve, contents of bottle drained down into transmission, overfilling it.

Overfilled, it couldn't harm itself.

Tow away.

To resume normal operation, start van engine, open valve, transmission would pump the extra fluid back up into the added bottle, close the valve when the level reached the line drawn in magic marker...

Correct level now in transmission, off you drive.

I sure miss George.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[TomC]

I flat tow my '84 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel. I had to get a drive line disconnect installed at the rear differential since Mercedes automatics have two pumps-one on the input shaft and one powered by the drive shaft. If you flat tow a Mercedes, you'll blow the transmission above 30mph without the disconnect from the built up oil pressure without the engine running and no place for the oil to go.
Even though my overall weight with towing the car is 34,750lbs, which is below the 36,000lb gvw rating and I had no problems stopping the bus with the car behind, I was a bit afraid of what would happen if the car broke loose. So last Quartzite, I had the Roadmaster 8700 Invisibrake installed. It is a combination air compressor and vacuum pump that mounts under the driver's seat with a pull cable attached to the brake pedal. The air compressor operates the pull cable on the brake pedal and the vacuum pump maintains power brake vacuum in the car. With the running lights on (I always run with my lights on-mainly to keep a load on the big Delco DN50 alternator) the unit keeps the car battery charged. When you hit the brakes on the bus, the brake lights activates the braking system on the car. There is also a wireless set of warning lights to let you know up front in the driver's seat that it is working. It has a break away switch on the front bumper-in which I've tested to make sure the car would stop on it's own in case. The unit is convenient-only attachment is the break away lanyard and the 4 pin plug that is plugged into the car lights. Very pleased with the unit. Good Luck, TomC

[robertglines1]

chev HHR  automatic---unlock steering wheel leave in neutral. pull Ign fuse/install bypass switch --prob over 40,000 miles on tow bar. Still keep it for this reason.  Check your owners manual.  Still has hidden oil from 2 strokes. Not any from 60 series.  Have pulled a grand cheerocee and Wrangler flat.

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I tow my Lexus LX-470 wheels down with a Superior Driveline disconnect and a Roadmaster tow bar system.   I had a trailer before and always had problems storing the trailer.