How to Flat tow your 80 series... safely. (2 Viewers)

[Mikesta]

Since this thread is titled with "Safely", there is more to towing long distance if you want to be safe.

Because I have 4 kids with me, I researched how to monitor the tires back there. I've heard horror stories of TOAD's burning up or causing extensive damage because of a flat tire. If your Towing rig is diesel, I can see how this rings true... you might not know your Toad has a flat.

Through all my research, I determined my needs needed the TST 10 Wheel system. 6 for my coach and 4 for the Cruiser. RV Tire Systems. This system was NOT the cheapest but not the most expensive either. Their sensors also monitor Temp and at 157 degrees, tires fail. They also put their Phone number on the packaging which tells me they are customer support driven. There is a 3 year warranty. They will replace the tire sensors if the battery dies in that time. However after that you will need to buy new tire sensors as the battery's cannot be swapped out (I'm sure they can with some disection). EDIT: Most RV forums recommend this system too... always nice to learn from others.

I monitor the PSI of all my tires as well as the temperature from within the cab of my coach. You set the PSI Settings to 15% above the recommended tire PSI and 10% below. For my coach it was 95PSI on all 6 tires so I set it to 110PSI/85PSI. For the cruiser it was 45 PSI on the tires so I set it to 52PSI/40PSI.

The first time I set up the system I did it wrong with the Cruiser tires to test the system. It beeps at you loudly when one of these settings get crossed.

I've noted that the cruiser tires rarely fluxuate but the RV tires do quite a bit.

Just wanted to add this for your safety if you are towing long distances. When I'm done with our trip, I'll move the monitor to the cruiser. Keeping your tires inflated at the right pressures not only save gas, they also save on wear and tear.

Here is a good read if your interested. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/tire-pressure-monitors-70802.html

 

[Mikesta]

Today we are at Blue Ox.

My cable broke as we were extending the slide. Need to figure out what needs to be done to fix it. My left slide awning is also broken.

 

[Mikesta]

Took all 4 kids on the factory tour of Blue Ox today. They loved it. Kids rarely travel in Motorhomes that pull cars... Its usually retired people they see. At the end of the tour they put together a cool goodie bag for the kids.

Blue Ox Stickers
Blue Ox cup
Blue Ox Neck strap thing
Blue Ox memo pads for coloring on
and a SODA from the Blue Ox fridge

The kids had a blast and got to go where people rarely get to... to see how the NEW cars get towbars fabricated... they had one with the bumper peeled off... and to talk to the guy that fabricates them in autocad. He showed my older son (7) what he was making (top secret) and also had a Mater (from cars) soap dispenser at his desk.

My son liked it so much that he wrote a letter to Blue Ox.

I'm glad we went this route. It cost us a few hundred more in Gas, but I wanted to see how these suckers are made... and the history of Blue Ox goes way back to 1926. In 1984 they started making tow bars. They still make one piece of Farm machinery, but 80% of their business is towbars.

Mike Swan is your contact if you ever need to call Blue Ox. Stand up guy. They have an RV Park here for Cheap... cheaper if you are a Blue Ox product owner.

I suggested to Mike that they rip a front end of an 80 and a 100 series off so they can fabricate some Mounts up for us Cruiser lovers. If everything goes well with this trip we will touch base again.

I'm just curious if there is actually a market out here??? Would you want a Base Plate?

I also suggested that they extend the tab of the Patriot system about 1/4 inch which will allow no metal to metal contact when putting it in the 80. Right now there is a little contact with the remote patriot system.

We will be here till Friday... Hopefully Gulfstream will send us the needed parts in time to depart by then.

 

[Mikesta]

I told my son to stand there and look like an engineer... he did a good job.

Few more. Super secret design for a super secret vehicle. My son getting edumakated.

The Hummer and Army application towbar poster and the read deal (not to ship to army... as those are painted green)

 

[93CRUISERE]

flat towing


we need a up date please

 

[Land Speeder]

I'll add to this thread, since it's so good:

When checking and then double checking your trans and xfer to see if it's in neutral-neutral.... don't forget to make sure the CDL is off as well!
This past weekend it took me 4 turns and a few miles to FINALLY realize why the junk wouldn't turn behind the Tundra... I had left my CDL on from trail riding...

 

[93CRUISERE]

flat towing

o crap that cant be good.So the cdl will lock front and rear to the same revolution??
hence making it hard to turn??
y don't more people flat tow?

 

[93CRUISERE]

Hay Land Speeder are you going to the Colorado 2011 Toyota jamboree ??
I hope to see a lot IH8MUD folks there .

 

[Mikesta]

Been on vacation so its been a while since my last post. We are now in Wisconsin at the family farm.

While we were in Pender, NE... the guys at blue Ox said that what I had fabricated up on that ARB bar was sufficient... however they suggested that I take the wagon into town to the welding shop and get the 1" holes filled in to fit the 1/2" Base Plate Locks.
Great experience and got out of there on the cheap $50. Greg (guy who's been there 40 years) punched out some thick plate steel and grinded out the holes on my bumper a bit more then welded them in.

If you look at the first picture you will see where braked hard and the steel got a tad indented... but not bad for 2000 miles. At 2000 Miles I had the plugs put in.

 

[Mikesta]

Some more.

In the beginning I was going to go a whole different route. But Tor of Toyota Off-Road Fabrication | Home said meh... lets do it this way. I'm really happy with this way and again Blue Ox said this works just fine other than having the 1" hole there... it would of eventually broken the Locking pin due to slop or widened the hole more till it eventually gave... maybe 20,000 miles of towing.

Some more pictures.

I'm Glad Tor talked me into Keeping It Simple.

 

[semlin]

looks good. i would maybe have gone with some bushings

 

[Mikesta]

looks good. i would maybe have gone with some bushings

I think your talking about rubber or Poly.... rubber wouldn't last too long in this application.

 

[semlin]

I think your talking about rubber or Poly.... rubber wouldn't last too long in this application.

yes poly. they seem to last ok on control arms in a similar situation.

 

[Mikesta]

yes poly. they seem to last ok on control arms in a similar situation.

Good point. I wonder why Blue Ox doesn't do this. Might be the application. None of their stuff has bushings from what I saw. Might be because the only points that would get stressed would be the horizontal points of the Poly... whereas the control arms, they are flat and the pressure is applied somewhat evenly. I think the most wear would come from the stopping... so the forward most part would get the most wear. It is Static, there is NO movement with the setup I have now, with Poly there would be a little give which is what I had before and you could really feel it though just 1/2 inch. I think with Poly, it would be easier on the Locking pins for sure.

Shoooot (mater talk), if these towbar companies were smart, they'd offer poly in their setups. Wearable parts that have to be replaced would mean more money for them in the long run. Makes business sense to me.

 

[93CRUISERE]

well

still whating for a up date

 

[Mikesta]

Ok, we took the long route to Boston, 3300 miles turned into 8 short of 4,000.

So 4,000 Miles.

Tranny in Park
Tcase in Neutral
Key, 1 Click to right

I towed all this way without turn signals but did have the Patriot brake unit so I had brake lights, now that I'm stationary for a few, will be wireing in the turn signals (hard wired to truck).

I have driven the cruiser in most of the states we went through... Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pensylvania, New York, Taxachussettes.

Everything welded is holding up 100%. I used the cruiser a ton in Cleveland, over 400 miles alone on it. Some states its 10 miles others, a tank of gas run through it.

NO, I REPEAT NO issues noted, no noises, no tweaks, no weird shifts, fluid levels fine... they don't smell burned etc.

Again, I kept tranny in PARK, T-Case in neutral, others keep Tranny in Neutral as well, but for sake of testing, I kept it in park and will continue to do so.

Cheers

 

[93CRUISERE]

towing

how about swaying? any side to side at all?

 

[Mikesta]

how about swaying? any side to side at all?

None of that. 20,000lbs in front of it... possibly if there was only 6,000lbs pulling it.

I have a video I'll post up of the rig in tow, but its bumpy in the back of the coach so it may cause harm watching it.

 

[Mikesta]

Integrated / Internal Wire harness config.

How to hardwire your Cruiser like a trailer without backfeeding into the electrical.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
I take no credit for this next part. The credit goes to Christo for the schematic's and verbal training, Drew for more advice about diodes and Bram for the electrical pzaz and follow through.

Tools needed.
1. Wire cutter
2. Soldering iron
3. Solder
4. Schematic's
5. Voltmeeter

Parts needed.
1. (3) 3amp diodes (50piv or 200piv) - Radio Shack part number 276-1143
2. 25' + wire harness
3. 6' scrap wire
4. 4pin or 7pin female plug.

Here is what I did, there are many other people that have differring oppinions so feel free to post them up if you have done it and been successful.

1. Take the left door and side panels off. Take the rear passengar side panel off.
2. Figure out where you want to run the wire from. I ran it through the firewall and simply cut an X in a open gromit in the firewall.
3. Run your cable through the truck to the drivers side rear tail light area.
4. Remove the jack mount
5. Remove the tailgate area carpet sill plate and lift up the carpet a few inches.
... grunt work done.
6. My unit is a lexus. I've heard the wireing is a tad different, and it is as it doesn't match the diagram. So this is what I recommend.
7. TEST Brakes and Running lights with a voltmeeter. Mark them.
... now for the real work
8. Take three 3amp diodes and bend the ends in a U-shape.
9. Place them where the schematics tell you. There will be two diodes on the drivers side rear panel and one diode for the running lights (blinker) on the passengar side. There are two pdf's with schematics, study them, one has the connectors and likely color of the wire. HINT: Make sure the mark is facing the rear of the wagon.
10. We took some scrap wire and ran it under the carpet from the running lights to the passenger side after diode location.
11. Under the hood, configure your 4 or 7pin female plug.
12. Run a ground to the battery -
13. make sure no wires are grounding out where you soldered
14. Plug in and test.

When we tested the right blinker acted like flashers so the RV itself was wired wrong. We had to simply take the female 7pin plug and swap two cables around. Success.

15. Carefully tape all solder points and now put everything back together.

From start to finish it took about 4 hours. Bram helped out for 3 and I owe him one. I was very intimidated by this process and have been delaying it for 3 months now. It really isn't that hard, having gone through it. It would have taken me 8 hours as I am intimidated by electrical... so hopefully this walkthrough helps someone out there that is as intimidated.

 

[Mikesta]

Here is the schematics. Hopefully this helps! Again thanks to Bram and Christo!