2019-2020 toad

[tamdle]

Hello friends,

I am in the market for a new small SUV that has the GVW less than 5000 lbs for towing behind my Georgetown. I am thinking of the 2019 or 2020 Honda Pilot and the Ford Expedition. Does anyone know that if these vehicles may be able to be toad with 4-flat?

If you know where I could download a 2019 dinghy publication (not sure if there is a 2020 publication), I would really do appreciated. I search on Google and could not find one.

Thanks in advance.
Tam Le

[tamdle]

Ha ha ha... right after I posted the question, I found the publication... So I post here for anyone who may need it.

https://webcontent.goodsam.com/motor...inghyGuide.pdf

[Dodge Guy]

We tow an Explorer. You said Expedition, I think you meant Explorer.
Most popular, Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and Cherokee. Ford Explorer and Escape. Not sure if the 2020's are still capeable? Not sure on the GM vehicles.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Curious as to what's the most preferred towing method. We have TT and don't and never have used a Toad. Just wondering what most prefer. Flat tow or Dolly ? or even trailered. I've heard good things on both sides. Just wondering.

[Gumpster808]

Depends on the vehicle and what you have etc.

As I get older I didn’t want to mess with straps etc and getting car onto a dolly. Plus dealing with the dolly when not traveling.

Needed a new vehicle as well so bought an 18 Hyundai Elantra sport six speed and had it setup to flat tow.

Even behind our Forester I hardly know it is there. Tows great.

Had stay and play braking system installed since we won’t be getting rid of the car for a long time.

Hookup, neutral, emergency brake off, flip braking system on, DW double checks all, and go.

We also had a charging system for the toad installed since the braking system uses power brakes.

One thing my installer did was run the light for the toad brakes engaged up to the dash in the coach. Very easy to tell when they are in that way.

Personal preference but I keep all the towing stuff in the trunk of the car and hookup or unhook takes just a couple minutes.

I do track towing mileage as well since the Elantra does not roll miles while towing. I use that number for most of the maintenance times.

Others have dolly towing and love that setup as much as I do flat towing [emoji3]

[tamdle]

Originally Posted by Dodge Guy

We tow an Explorer. You said Expedition, I think you meant Explorer.
Most popular, Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and Cherokee. Ford Explorer and Escape. Not sure if the 2020's are still capeable? Not sure on the GM vehicles.

Ha ha ha, you were right, I meant the Explorer. Currently I have and flat tow a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have already put about 230,000 miles on it... I am thinking that it is about time for me to get a new car which could be flat tow. I am torn between the Explorer and the Pilot because of the engine. I never like anything "turbo", but the Explorer offered a much more well equipped car than the Pilot for the same level that I am looking at, however, the Explorer is much more expensive than the Pilot, and not even sure if the Pilot is a flat towable car.

[tamdle]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Curious as to what's the most preferred towing method. We have TT and don't and never have used a Toad. Just wondering what most prefer. Flat tow or Dolly ? or even trailered. I've heard good things on both sides. Just wondering.

Hello WolfPaq,
I am not sure about the preferred method, for me, I found that driving my 352QS which approximately 36 to 37 foot long, I would rather to make the towing as simple and as firm as possible, for that reason, I chose the "Flat Tow" or people technically called it TOAD. I ran into some situation that I have to turn my RV around with very limited space, I just simply pull couple pins and free up my toad, and with the RV alone, I could maneuvering it quite easy. Then plug the pin back up, I am ready to move on. If I were having the dolly, I have to undo the car, then the dolly or I have to fight with backing up and have to deal with the extra length, and the extra piece of equipment attached to my tail.

However, the best part about the dolly is you could use it to tow just about any car, while the flat tow apparatus can only use for a specific car and specifically designed model.

That said, the trailer is out of my choice, unless that I want to tow a jeep wrangler, and a golf car or ATV at the same time which I would need a heavy-duty RV anyway because of the car and trailer weight could be greater than what a Gaser RV towing capability. With my RV towing capacity is 6,000 lb, and I am towing a jeep 4,500lb, sometimes I already have a hard time to go up some steep hill between Houston and Los Angeles, much worse when you have to deal with the weight "downhill" such as between Durango, CO to Silverton, CO.

The bottom line is I do prefer the flat tow over dolly or trailer. However, whatever you are towing, make sure that you have a sway bar install on your rear axle to help you from swinging your tail during high wind.

Good luck on your RVing.

[H3OHIO]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Curious as to what's the most preferred towing method. We have TT and don't and never have used a Toad. Just wondering what most prefer. Flat tow or Dolly ? or even trailered. I've heard good things on both sides. Just wondering.

We have done both dolly & flat tow. We prefer flat tow, much easier and you don't have a dolly or trailer to store at home or at your campsite. We got lucky and one of our vehicles we already owned was flat towable. If we wouldn't have lucked out we probably would have just stuck with the tow dolly, I don't think its worth investing in a new car just to flat tow unless you're full timing then maybe.

[sstewart]

Pilot is great vehicle, but a NO GO for towing.
Traded for a Jeep Wrangler. Great TOAD.