TOAD questions

matemike · 03-10-2023, 12:39 AM

Planning to get a Class C for the summer and acquiring/using a TOAD. I have experience camping with our TT and seen mostly Jeeps as TOADs at campgrounds. Also searched the internet and find that manual transmission cars and Jeeps are the way to go. BTW I need 5 seatbelts in the TOAD. So the 2 door jeeps are not an option.

My Questions are:

Do ALL Jeep brand models have the ability to be a TOAD? Is it something about their trans and gear boxes/differentials that make them the best? i.e. do Jeep renegades and cherokees have the same capabilities as the manual wranglers and rubicons?

I've read and heard that every basic manual car can be a TOAD, but they are not the best because some of their components are starving for lubrication while the wheels are turning but the engine is off.

I have a lot more looking to do at the local used car lots in my home town. Houston, Texas area. Today I found a 2017 chevy cruise manual that fit our budget.

I'd prefer to have a small SUV for the TOAD so I can easily mount a bike rack on the back of the TOADs hitch. This would be the safest option I can think of.

Looking for all opinions and options as well as some things I might be overlooking.

Thanks for your input.

nvs4602 · 03-10-2023, 01:05 AM

The quick answer is no. For the Cherokee and grand Cherokee they have to be the trailhawk version with the switchable transfer case.

Here is a list to look at. Good luck!!

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-best-ve...behind-rv.aspx

nvs4602 · 03-10-2023, 01:10 AM

You can Google search for rv toads for sale to find one already setup too.

Some in this listing.

https://www.rvnetwork.com/forum/25-r...oads-for-sale/

MevetS · 03-10-2023, 04:57 AM

Most 4x4 or AWD vehicles can be a TOAD, as long as they have a Neutral position that is either electronically or mechanically engaged. On the very few manual transmission 2wd vehicles, they may be towable. But either way, check the Owners manual and one of the towing guides, to be sure. These may be helpful.
https://thecampingadvisor.com/2022-g...dinghy-towing/

Don't make a expensive mistake. Our Cherokee is flat towable, but only if you have the Active Drive II "transfer" case.

Falcon900Guy · 03-10-2023, 07:26 AM

As stated above, there are many "towable" vehicles.
HOWEVER, there are steps to be taken on most tows that makes them a no go for me. I wanted KISS. I found the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk to answer for me. It is a very comfortable vehicle and pretty much much a button, put in neutral release the brake and away you go.. No stopping every 200 miles and crank the engine and let it run for 5 minutes. What a pain.
Research and you will come to your own conclusion as to what YOU want.

Happy camping!

matemike · 03-10-2023, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MevetS

Most 4x4 or AWD vehicles can be a TOAD, as long as they have a Neutral position that is either electronically or mechanically engaged. On the very few manual transmission 2wd vehicles, they may be towable. But either way, check the Owners manual and one of the towing guides, to be sure. These may be helpful.
https://thecampingadvisor.com/2022-g...dinghy-towing/

Don't make a expensive mistake. Our Cherokee is flat towable, but only if you have the Active Drive II "transfer" case.

Thanks for the replies so far and helping me along a little more.

What's confusing me about the manual transmission cars is I thought they were all towable. Turns out I find "most are" One thing my wife and I are proud of is that we can both drive manual. A lost skill nowadays. We will be sure to teach our kids too, though. I already knew this, but manual transmission cars are hard to find nowadays.

I have looked at the available near me 2017 chevy cruiz manual and it does give directions for flat towing this manual model. So that's good, but I'd really like to find a small SUV with a rear hitch.

The consensus I'm getting, is to check the manual, check the manual, check the manual. Since I don't own the car yet, that is becoming a chore, especially when I look at used car lots. Many of the cars don't even have one in there, sad but true.

As far as the "checking the online guides" suggestions, those are making my head swim, many sites don't work, come with a million ads, take ten pages to get to some answers, or are outdated. They are setting my confusion deeper and creating more of my own questions.

As far as lists of TOAD ready vehicle for sale online. Again, many are out of date, already sold or incorrect info or not near me. Kind of in a time crunch to get this trip plan going and have a lot of other life things to do between now and then. I will keep looking though, thanks for the links.

Back to the local used car lots, fat chance I can ask any sales man if their Jeep has an Active Drive II transfer case or if this 4wd vehicle transfer case can be put in neutral. Can't ask anything specific like that for any certain vehicle. All those guys know is how much the car costs and if the seats will keep my butt warm. Nothing else. They don't care. But they will tell you this..."Of course you can tow it! WHY couldn't you tow it?" Like I said, they don't know.

I found some TOAD ready vehicles in Houston at RV stores online. One store showed 6 readily available vehicles. Called them. They said they didn't have anything available. Had to tell them well your website is showing 6 cars, right now, all ready to TOAD and Politely told them their website is incorrect and left it at that.

I'll keep asking and looking for what I know to look for now. Thanks again guys.

BehindBars · 03-10-2023, 07:58 AM

As you already heard, check the manual. Most owner’s manuals are available on-line.

Don‘t try to generalize too much about which types of transmissions are flat towable, as there are many different designs. And as you know, sales people know nothing and will just lie to you anyway. I’d advise making a list of vehicles that might work for your general needs, then checking their owner’s manuals for recreational towing instructions. Yes, it’s a lot of work. For example, I’m interested in the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid (automatic). I check the owner’s manual and see that it is flat towable, and the manual gives specific instructions on how to do so. Other vehicles of mine, say a Honda Ridgeline, state clearly in their manual that the vehicle cannot be flat towed behind a motorhome. We currently use a Ford Fiesta automatic as a toad, and it can be flat towed all day with no concern about transmission lubrication.

If you get a vehicle not yet set up to tow, be aware that there is a lot of work to do, installing the baseplate, a braking system, wiring for lights, etc. Either budget a fair amount of money if you pay someone, or a fair amount of time and money if you do it yourself. Modifying a vehicle to be a toad is way more work than say, installing a trailer hitch.

TowPro · 03-10-2023, 08:54 AM

even the owners manual does not help. Ford listed some 07-11 escapes as flat-towable but they were not, once they started experiencing trans failures they they said raise the trans fluid level, than they said don't flat tow it but the original owners manual does not reflect this. . Best to use internet search but check several sites.
Once I pick what I want to toad, I than research forums to see what others have experienced. some modern fords are setup to be toads with electronic settings to allow flat towing, but I also read of transmission failures. Was it not put into flat tow mode? Was it the battery going dead that caused it? we will never know.
oh, and also wire a way for your MH to charge the battery on the toad.

With Jeep as other have said, you need the manual transfer case with the N position. (some don't have this N position). I bought a 2006 Jeep Liberty off a dealers wholesale lot, it was in good condition, I might have had to spend a couple hundred dollars to get it right, but ended up with a great Flat tow vehicle. (the transfer case position indicator was wrong, and a $75 switch fixed this). your also going to need a brake system. I would recommend one of the solutions you sit on the floor that attaches to the brake pedal. sure others are "more convenient" at least until you sell your toad and have to start all over again. With the ones that sit on the floor you can move them to your new toad.

cmulvey · 03-10-2023, 10:17 AM

Here is a site that list 4 wheel down towables by year. But as others said, attempt to verify information via owners manual or others who've towed such vehicle.

https://www.fmca.com/motorhome/videos/player/24/38

matemike · 03-10-2023, 11:53 AM

When it comes to the Jeeps Chreokees and Compass, does it have to say Active Drive II transmission on the sticker?
I ask because I went looking again today and found a trailhawk Compass but sticker did not say Active Drive II and I found a Cherokee Trailhawk and sticker did say Active Drive II. Pro to the cherokee is that is already had the hitch I want. But was a little more expensive than the Compass. Compass is a little lighter, did not have the hitch. Of course I could add that as I will be installing the tow plate and bars and all that.

matemike · 03-11-2023, 01:24 AM

Well we did it. We bought a 2016 jeep cherokee trailhawk with the active drive II trans online with carvana. Traded in our 2016 ford expedition for a darn near even trade. First time ever buying a car online. It was almost simple as "add to cart...proceed to checkout"

This might be the craziest thing my wife and I have done together. And we've been sky diving in texas, bull fighting in costa rica, hang gliding in brazil, cliff diving in mexico, scuba diving in tahiti and the list goes on. Tomorrow we will call the rv dealer and hopefully (seriously, fingers crossed) secure the class C we've been eyeing for a couple days now, And trade in our TT.

Now on to getting this cherokee delivered and set up to tow. We have about a month to get going.

nvs4602 · 03-11-2023, 04:59 AM

Congratulations. We have a 2020 Cherokee trailhawk elite it has been a good vehicle so far. My wife didn't think she would like it, but I can't get her to drive her own car now.

We bought the ReadyBrake brake system with a roadmaster all-terrain tow bar and base plate. We also bought the roadmaster tow Defender Protective Screening. It has all worked well for us so far.

MevetS · 03-11-2023, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matemike

Back to the local used car lots, fat chance I can ask any sales man if their Jeep has an Active Drive II transfer case or if this 4wd vehicle transfer case can be put in neutral. Can't ask anything specific like that for any certain vehicle. All those guys know is how much the car costs and if the seats will keep my butt warm. Nothing else. They don't care. But they will tell you this..."Of course you can tow it! WHY couldn't you tow it?" Like I said, they don't know.

Can't unequivocally state that all Cherokees (KL) Jeeps will have this, but more recent models all have a badge on the hatch that states Active Drive II. Ours is a 2019.

Not sure about this but I believe Grand Cherokees are similar.

nvs4602 · 03-11-2023, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MevetS

Can't unequivocally state that all Cherokees (KL) Jeeps will have this, but more recent models all have a badge on the hatch that states Active Drive II. Ours is a 2019.

Not sure about this but I believe Grand Cherokees are similar.

Only the Trailhawk version comes with active drive II.

MevetS · 03-16-2023, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvs4602

Only the Trailhawk version comes with active drive II.

Only if Jeep changed their model line up.
Previously that was definitely not the case. There were a number of models that had Active Drive II. Ours is the Overland. But the Limited and others also had the Active Drive II, typically as a option.
Another way of knowing, not being familiar with the various model year changes that have been made since 2019, is to check if you have the Neutral Position and the detent mentioned at around 3':30" in this video. The actual video may be of a older model year. But the process is similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wXOQRyy268

jacques1543 · 03-20-2023, 06:16 PM

We towed a 2019 Ford Fusion Titanium Hybrid from Ottawa Ontario Canada all the way to Harlingen Texas and will be heading back next week and it was so easy to set it up to be flat towed! Loved for our first time towing!

Oltimer13 · 03-20-2023, 06:49 PM

We have a 2018 FWD Equinox as a toad. It follows the MH very well. Made the mistake of having the Chevrolet dealer install the components. Unfortunately, the mechanics had not experience so it wasn't done right and was way too expensive. Find an RV service that has experience setting toads up to be towed.

Racerx1059 · 03-20-2023, 07:11 PM

As for the Jeeps the wranglers and gladiators are the easy ones. The cherokees and grand cherokees can be but the MUST have the 4x4 with a neutral option on the 4x4 transfer case. Mine was called the Quadra trac 2 in my grand Cherokee. Same goes with the Cherokees. You can find them but as for the Cherokees they are difficult to find. Both models in the trailhawk package are an automatic yes. I went to a dealer and we searched renegade and compass are a no go for using as a toad. Happy hunting!

5er_tom · 03-20-2023, 08:53 PM

I guess we are lucky. We purchased a new 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee in the fall of 2016. We had a fifth wheel at the time and no thought of a motorhome and towing.
Then in 2021 we moved to a class c (SOB). Turns out the Jeep we bought has the advanced 4 wheel drive system and we can ( and do) flat tow it.

HYDROG · 03-20-2023, 09:41 PM

I have towed 4 door Jeep Wranglers for many years and I find them to be terrific toads. But that is not the reason for my reply. You said in your original post that you wanted to use a bike rack in the toad's hitch. I did that for several years but I did not like it. With only one point of contact at the hitch, the rack was very unstable and wobbled and bounced a lot. I tried hooking bungee cords and ropes from the rack to the bumper but nothing helped.
Several years ago I got into ebikes and I didn't want to put them on the bouncy hitch mounted rack. I did quite a bit of research and found several better systems. The one I selected and really liked is called the Swagman RV Bumper Rack 2. It has two separate holders for the bike wheels that mount very firmly on the 4" square rear bumper of the RV. It is rock solid and the bikes to not move at all, even on the worst roads. Another bonus, it was relatively cheap, about $125 Canadian, versus about $1,000 for some of the other alternatives. I was a bit concerned that this rack might interfere with the toad tow bar but it does not. The bikes stick out a bit over the RV hitch for the tow bar, but it is still simple to hookup or unhook the toad.
This rack will only work with the rear 4" steel bumpers. If you are getting a newer RV that does not have the square steel bumpers this rack will not work.

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