Ford Edge as a Toad?

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by RamblerGuy

The following Ford webpage gives links to capabilities of Ford vehicles by year model for towing trailers and for being towed. It will tell you if your vehicle can be flat towed.


https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

THANKS Rambler,,, I will check it out !!!

[mkekflyers]

I pull my 2012 Edge - use Blue Ox hitch gear & baseplate With RVI brake system - don’t even know its back there except pulling long steep grades...no fuses to pull - everything spelled out in owners manual...takes about 15 min to hitch/unhitch...

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by mkekflyers

I pull my 2012 Edge - use Blue Ox hitch gear & baseplate With RVI brake system - don’t even know its back there except pulling long steep grades...no fuses to pull - everything spelled out in owners manual...takes about 15 min to hitch/unhitch...

Sounds Good !!!
From I am reading out 2011 can be flat towed !!!

[I5PhilGa]

We had a 2014 Edge Limited that we purchased in early 2015 that we towed behind two different motorhomes and it towed better than the Jeep Cherokee I traded it for. It had the push button start so it had to be towed in the accessory position. This was not a problem since I used a blue ox "towed charge" to keep the Edge battery charged. The Cherokee requires a dealer installed "tow harness" which keeps the electric power steering operational during towing to prevent the dreaded "death wobble" from occurring. My brother experienced the "death wobble" several times while towing his Chevy Equinox behind his motorhome also. Good luck with your selection!

[toothman79]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this thread. Based on this info, I felt confident in purchasing my 2018 Edge and having it set up to flat tow at Bob Ledford's in Greer, SC. They set up my full Blue Ox system and I'm loving it so far.

[Ohinaz1970]

I5PhilGA mentioned the "death wobble" phenomena. We tow a 2010 HHR and have experienced that wobble several times, always when travelling over uneven pavement. What caught my eye was the mention of the Electric Power Steering on the Jeep they mentioned.
I suspect that with the HHR having Electric Power Steering Assist, perhaps that is a factor and if so, has anyone addressed it with some type of method of keeping the steering "active".
I also have noted that the front tires on the HHR, which gets many more miles being towed than driven, wear out a double the rate as the rears. We've gone through several sets of tires in the years we've had this vehicle.
Any thoughts?

[RamblerGuy]

Originally Posted by RamblerGuy

We also tow a 2016 Edge SEL AWD 3.5 V6.


I bought a kit to power the taillights but although the RV parts vendor's online catalog showed it fit ours, it didn't. I called the manufacturer's customer service and was told they didn't make a kit for the 2016 SEL LED taillights. I made a light bar that fits the trailer hitch. I'm not crazy about it but it's all I could make work.

Update on setting up the Edge's taillights to operate when towing it instead of the light bar that I built.

I recently installed a Roadmaster "Smart Diode" kit that works with our LED taillights. The problem was that our model uses one set of LED's for both running (tail) and brake/turn light functions by varying the voltage to the LED's. Roadmaster has two kits. Their 153789 includes a four-wire cable that reaches from the front of the car to the taillights. Their 789 only includes the diodes.

Here's a link to their webpage on the "Smart Diodes":
https://www.roadmasterinc.com/produc...art_diodes.php

Here's a link to the instructions:
https://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdf/85-6081.pdf

A problem I had was that there were TWO pins on the Edge's wiring harness connector that were powered for the brake/turn functions. Of course, the one I connected to didn't work. Rather than blindly cutting into more of those tiny 22 gauge wires and risking damaging them, I contacted Roadmaster's technical service. They quickly told me the correct wire to use.

[RamblerGuy]

Originally Posted by toothman79

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this thread. Based on this info, I felt confident in purchasing my 2018 Edge and having it set up to flat tow at Bob Ledford's in Greer, SC. They set up my full Blue Ox system and I'm loving it so far.

Be sure to read your owner's manual thoroughly before you tow your Edge. Your year model, engine and transmission combination may have different requirements, but to tow ours we must:

1. Drive it for a short distance, including using reverse, to lubricate the transmission prior to towing it.
2. Disconnect the battery.
3. Put the transmission in neutral with the parking brake released. (This should be obvious. If you forget like I have done, you'll know it pretty quickly.)
4. Every four hours run the engine and move the transmission into both reverse and drive a few times to lubricate it again. I then have to disconnect the battery again.
5. We don't lock the doors when we tow the Edge because with the keyless locks we'd have to use the emergency key to open it since the battery will be disconnected. If we will leave it for a while, like at a restaurant, I can connect the battery and lock it. If you haven' t tried the emergency key, do it now so you'll know how if you ever do, in effect, lock yourself out. You need to know how to use it anyway in case your battery ever dies.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Ohinaz1970

I5PhilGA mentioned the "death wobble" phenomena. We tow a 2010 HHR and have experienced that wobble several times, always when travelling over uneven pavement. What caught my eye was the mention of the Electric Power Steering on the Jeep they mentioned.
I suspect that with the HHR having Electric Power Steering Assist, perhaps that is a factor and if so, has anyone addressed it with some type of method of keeping the steering "active".
I also have noted that the front tires on the HHR, which gets many more miles being towed than driven, wear out a double the rate as the rears. We've gone through several sets of tires in the years we've had this vehicle.
Any thoughts?

One thought that might solve both issues............Have you considered a Tow Dolly? It would get the front end up off the ground eliminating the death wobble and poor tire wear on the front tires, would it not?

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

One thought that might solve both issues............Have you considered a Tow Dolly? It would get the front end up off the ground eliminating the death wobble and poor tire wear on the front tires, would it not?

I have thought about them many times relative to Toad options but dismissed the concept because:
1) Another piece of equipment that has to be stored, maintained, protected;
2) Does not materially change the Toad decision;
3) Does not make the reverse prohibition go away.

But really its #1 that knocked it out of consideration for me.

[DouglasReid]

[QUOTE=vlamgat;2594518]I have thought about them many times relative to Toad options but dismissed the concept because:
1) Another piece of equipment that has to be stored, maintained, protected;
2) Does not materially change the Toad decision;
3) Does not make the reverse prohibition go away.

But really its #1 that knocked it out of consideration for me.[/QUOTE

I get #1 but it is really just another set of wheels to be lubricated. As far as storing it, it could be connected to the rear of your MH and stay with it wherever you park it, cover it with a tarp, easy, could it not?

What I do not understand is the reverse prohibition. The front, drive wheels, would be on the dolly, the two rear wheels are not connected to the drive train, why no back up?

Im NOT trying to sharpshoot you here just trying to learn. Thanks!

[vlamgat]

[QUOTE=DouglasReid;2594520]

Originally Posted by vlamgat

I have thought about them many times relative to Toad options but dismissed the concept because:
1) Another piece of equipment that has to be stored, maintained, protected;
2) Does not materially change the Toad decision;
3) Does not make the reverse prohibition go away.

But really its #1 that knocked it out of consideration for me.[/QUOTE

I get #1 but it is really just another set of wheels to be lubricated. As far as storing it, it could be connected to the rear of your MH and stay with it wherever you park it, cover it with a tarp, easy, could it not?

What I do not understand is the reverse prohibition. The front, drive wheels, would be on the dolly, the two rear wheels are not connected to the drive train, why no back up?

Im NOT trying to sharpshoot you here just trying to learn. Thanks!

More than just lubrication, tires and alignment given the state of the roads.

The reverse challenge is that the pivot point is (like the Toad) extremely close to the hitch. This means that one the Dolly starts to turn it takes major wheel input from the TV to stop it. Something that is usually not available in the places that required the reverse maneuver in the first place. Fundamentally, this is why an 18 wheeler can usually maneuver more easily than many RV set ups. Their tractors are way short as compared to the trailer - the exact opposite of a Toad and Dolly arrangement.