Towing With A Motorhome

Many motorhomes are able to tow a commuter vehicle behind them. This is a great way to have access to a smaller vehicle during your vacation. Use your car to run a quick errand to the grocery store without needing to drive a bulky motorhome through town. Easily reach hiking trails, tourist attractions, and other hotspots that are at the end of a winding trail. These are just a few examples of the benefits of bringing along your car. 

If you want to tow your vehicle with your motorhome, use the following strategies for a safe and successful drive. For more travel tips or to shop motorhomes for sale, visit Broadmoor RV. Our dealership is based in the Tri-Cities, Washington, and we also serve those in Spokane and Seattle.

Preparing To Tow

Start by making sure that your motorhome can safely tow your vehicle. This involves looking up several key measurements and finding out towing limitations.

First, look up the curb weight. This relates to the full weight of your car and is often found in the door jam sticker. 

Next, find out the max gross trailer weight. This is the maximum amount that the hitch can handle and is usually written on the hitch's sticker. 

Then, look up the gross vehicle weight rating for your motorhome. This number tells you how much weight the motorhome can handle before anything gets attached - the weight of your camping supplies, all your passengers, etc.

Finally, check out the gross combined weight rating. This refers to the maximum weight of the motorhome and car.

Once you have all these numbers, it's time to do some analysis: 

• Your car weight needs to be within the max gross trailer weight limit. 
• The weight of all your passengers and supplies needs to be within the gross vehicle weight rating.
• The weight of the motorhome and car need to be within the gross combined weight rating.

Always stay well within the weight limits. They exist for a reason! Exceeding them is illegal and incredibly unsafe. It’s also a way to end up with damage to your motorhome, your car, or both.

Towing Options

The different towing options range in their cost and intensiveness, giving you the flexibility to find something that suits your needs.

Tow Dollies

Tow dollies are a small two-wheeled trailer that your car gets loaded onto. Once the car is secure on the trailer, two of its wheels will be off of the ground.

The perk of this approach is it offers impressive stability on the road. The downsides are that turning and braking can be challenging. Plus, some states will require a license to operate tow dollies.

Tow Bars

This towing approach requires installation of a towing plate, which is usually best handled by a professional.

Once the initial installation is done, the setup and towing process is quite easy. But it is only compatible with vehicles that have manual transmissions and four-wheel drive.

Enclosed And Flatbed Trailers

This approach is compatible with any vehicle and doesn't involve any vehicle modifications. Plus, you can use the trailer to handle other cargo. It is the most expensive and heaviest option, but it provides the most versatility.

We hope you enjoyed this guide to towing with a motorhome. If you have any questions or want to shop motorhomes for sale, chat with the experts at Broadmoor RV. We strive to make your life easier and are happy to assist with anything you need. Explore our inventory online or visit our dealership in the Tri-Cities, Washington. We also proudly serve those in Spokane and Seattle, Washington.