For the longest time, Saturns were the #1 choice among vehicles that can safely be towed 4 wheels down behind an RV with a tow bar.
These days, Jeep Wranglers seem to be the popular choice.
Here’s how to tow a Jeep with all wheels down.
Most Jeep and Saturn vehicles can be towed without modifications, as well as various Chevy, Ford & Dodge cars, trucks & SUVs. Check with your dealer to verify tow-ability; it can be very costly to repair a vehicle that has been towed when it should not have been. Source
Generally speaking, the best vehicle to tow behind a motorhome is one that can be towed with its wheels on the ground, is relatively lightweight, and doesn’t register miles while being towed. (The lighter the vehicle is, the less wear and tear on the RV and towing system as well.)
See if your car is capable of being towed four wheels down…
Cars That Can Be Towed 4 Wheels Down
- Trailer Life maintains the best list of factory tow ratings for vehicles each year. You’ll find tow-rating data for 1999 through the current model year.
- The Ford Towing Guide is helpful if you drive a Ford vehicle. (See also this Ford Towing Guide by Year. Select the year of your vehicle, then “Four Wheel Down Towing”.)
- MotorHome Magazine provides a lot of helpful tips for towing, and they also review the best towable vehicles.
- Towing World has a Dinghy Towing Guide which highlights the best vehicles for towing behind RVs.
It’s worth noting that most vehicles that are not approved by their manufacturers for towing on all 4 wheels can still be towed using aftermarket accessories such as a cable-operated driveshaft-disconnect device (rear-wheel-drive vehicles only), a driveshaft-disconnect device, or free-wheeling hubs (front-wheel drive).
According to REMCO, the towing experts:
- You can tow any front wheel drive manual transmission vehicle as far as you want and as long as you want. However, as an added precaution, you might want to consider a Lube Pump or Axle Lock to ensure that no transmission damage will occur.
- Most four wheel drive vehicles with a manual transmission, manual transfer case, and manual lock out hubs can be towed on all 4 wheels safely with no problems.
- If your four wheel drive vehicle has no manual lockout hubs and/or no manual transfer case, then you will need a coupling device on the rear drive shaft in order to tow it safely.
This video is filled with helpful recommendations and gives you a visual explanation of how and why you need to do some things differently when you’re towing a dinghy behind your motorhome:
Four Wheels Down vs Trailering
Towing your vehicle 4 wheels down — also called “dinghy towing” or “toading” — has many advantages and is becoming more and more popular among RVers.
Four wheel down toading has little or no effect on the handling, gas mileage, and overall wear & tear of your RV. Plus, it gives you the freedom to go sightseeing, shopping, and exploring on a whim!
On the other hand, to tow your vehicle with 2 wheels up or 4 wheels up, you’d have to purchase a trailer or tow dolly.
Trailering your vehicle behind the motorhome comes with some other inconveniences. Here are a few:
- In some states — like Washington — tow dollies must have a separate license plate.
- A tow dolly adds 500 to 1,500 pounds to the towed weight — which will now total 4,000 or 5,000 pounds.
- Due to the added weight, a tow dolly requires on-board brakes — which significantly increases the price and maintenance.
- It’s not easy to back up a tow dolly.
- You need to plan ahead what you will do with the tow dolly once you arrive at your destination.
- It typically takes 2 people to maneuver the tow dolly out of the way while your RV is parked and you’re driving the toad.
- A tow dolly requires regular maintenance and repairs on the tires, wheels, and frame.
- Two sets of safety cables are required: 1 to secure the coach to the dolly, and 1 to secure the dolly to the vehicle. (Tie-down straps frequently fail on tow dollies.)
- It’s not always easy to connect the brake lights, stop lights, and clearance lights on a dolly-towed vehicle.
- Perhaps the only benefit to using a dolly is that the vehicle being towed would not require any special modifications.
I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money -- so I write about "outside the box" ideas that most wouldn't think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I'm truly passionate about. I've worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo -- to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
