Procedure for connecting Toad

[Snipechief]

So, I've got the Toad, Nsa ready brake, toads base plate (blueox), lighting wiring, and emergency brake away box.
Now I need to know the procedure to connect to our motorhome. I've never done it before. I have a 2024 jeep wrangler with an automatic, and 4wd, With a transfer case with a neutral position.
Do I drive up close to the MH and connect towbar, and then go into the neutral position? I'm just clear as mud on the procedure. Any help would be appreciated. No trips coming up for awhile, so I have plenty of time to practice.

[Snipechief]

I found the Info needed. Thanks anyway.

[Morich]

Each toad and each tow bar will make it a bit different in some points.
So does that tow bar extend/retract at the arms? This helps as you can then pull the car up close to right, set the park brake or turn it off so it doesn't roll and then get out to connect the tow bar. Critical it not roll when you have your hands in the wrong spot!
We had Blue Ox tow bar and each arm could be pulled out to reach the connection on the car. This was important as it allowed connecting even if the car was not exactly the right distance or if one side was closer than the other.
Once the tow bar was secure to the car, we needed to let it move back until the tow bar snapped into final length. Sometimes she started it and moved it, other times she just let it roll back a bit. We tended to like a bit of upslope but not a big thing if she had to start the car to back a few inches.

Once car was fixed and secure to the RV, I then connected security cables, breakaway tether and light cable. We got the distance set first with the bar and that allowed me to wrap and run the other parts so that they were laid out in a way they would be less likely to drag if one end came loose! On cornering, there needs to be a bit of slack in the lines, so I often left a fold of cord tucked into the spring coils of the security cables.
As I was finishing the last details at front and when the cable connections from RV to car were good, she would be setting the brake box in the floor and connecting it.
At that time she was also moving the transmission, etc. in the car and finished at about the same time.
The car with electronic transmission took several seemingly meaningless moves to get it's brain in order. For that she kept a hand written set of instructions as it had to be in the correct order. That part is something to get out of the car instructions as it is critical for transmission, etc.

Final was to go to driver's seat and do a brake and light check, both front and back, checking both the car and RV lights all around. Critical as a last step for us was checking the car park brake was off and the front wheels were swiveling on corners!
We failed those both at different times and it was very easy to spot something wrong but I felt better if we avoided the screwups!

Our worth cases seemed to be small points, screwed up once and then stress leading to other mistakes! We tried to be efficient but not rushed as rushing is sure to waste a bunch of time!

Have you ever been in such a hurry to fish that you launched the boat without putting the plug in?

Whoops! I type too slow at times!

[202235f]

The only accurate source for toad connection instruction is your vehicle owners manual.

[Snipechief]

I understand that. but I was just trying to figure our the steps in the actual moving the toad close to the MH and how that worked. Morich handled that for me. Thanks

[Snipechief]

Yep I have tbe blueox, and the tow bar arms do extend and or retract. Thank you Sir!

[Ray,IN]

This might be useful::https://www.thervgeeks.com/how-to-ho...ur-rv-tow-bar/
Create your personal checklist for hooking up and unhooking that is specific to your towed vehicle, then follow it every time. If someone/thing distracts you it will assist you with remembering everything.
Many years ago we stopped at a CG for the night. While signing-in a man entered the office and asked if they had a spot so he wouldn't have to unhook his towed. The office guy looked out the window and asked the man, "what towed?" Somewhere it had detached and the guy didn't have a clue.

[Morich]

Okay, for the Blue Ox we had, we only had limited complaints! Mostly it worked very well but it did tend to be a bit heavy! That was usually only a bother when first moving it to the hitch and after that we liked it being big and sturdy!
with the arms to extend to be longer or shorter, the swivel joint to let the arms go higher or lower let us get the car even somewhat in the right position to let us move the tow bar parts in all the ways needed to make the connection.

One point that can get to be a problem in different spots where you may want to disconnect is not hard to figure but perhaps worth mention.
If you pull in to a spot and want to disconnect, there will be times when the RV and car have been going uphill slightly. This may wind up with the car pulling back as the RV comes to a stop. This can make pulling the cotter pins out of the connections difficult due to the drag, metal to metal. Hard to describe but you will likely soon spot the problem when you come to it!
That can be cured by pushing the lever that releases the adjustment for tow bar arm length. Rather than having the car pulling away from the RV, it is easier to have the car pushing gently toward the RV. Then when you push the arm release on the bar, the arm can move shorter to relieve any binding at the connections.

Not a big deal and most will find it easy to figure what to do to cure the problem. Harder to describe than deal with it as it is kind of like getting a shirt button undone?
You can't get the button out of the hole until you take the pressure off a bit.

If you have not bought safety cables yet, there are some things like over others, even though not a big thing to worry. I like cables with snaps at the ends over those that have connecting links that need to be screwed together to close.
We did a fair amount of running in snow and slush and those screwed together were not fun to get loose at times! They tend to get rusty or grit in the threads.
Big snaps, not these? Just a convenience preference!
https://www.grainger.com/product/1RC...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

I like these better with the guard to keep them in place!


But then an old sailor may have his own favorites!

[Snipechief]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

This might be useful::https://www.thervgeeks.com/how-to-ho...ur-rv-tow-bar/
Create your personal checklist for hooking up and unhooking that is specific to your towed vehicle, then follow it every time. If someone/thing distracts you it will assist you with remembering everything.
Many years ago we stopped at a CG for the night. While signing-in a man entered the office and asked if they had a spot so he wouldn't have to unhook his towed. The office guy looked out the window and asked the man, "what towed?" Somewhere it had detached and the guy didn't have a clue.

Holy Cow!

[Snipechief]

Excellent info ����

[202235f]

Originally Posted by Snipechief

I understand that. but I was just trying to figure our the steps in the actual moving the toad close to the MH and how that worked. Morich handled that for me. Thanks

Sorry, Chief! Completely misread your post.

[Snipechief]

Originally Posted by 202235f

Sorry, Chief! Completely misread your post.

Lol, no worries:-)>
Thanks for helping. I appreciate it.

[TravatoJohn]

Snipechief, practice whatever method you use. One bit of advice. Don’t talk to anyone or let them talk to you as you do the hook up. Last thing to do is release brake and be sure vehicle in neutral. Put a note on your steering wheel to remind you. Good luck, Travato John

[Lov2roam]

Morich explained it quite well! One thing I do is to snap the safety cables first and unsnap them last. Prevents chasing my jeep if one of us misses a step��

[BobC]

Above all, make sure you don't have your parking brake on when you start out (don't ask how I know). I did get to see a lot of smoke and got a new tire out of the experience. Fortunately it was a test run, I had a spare, was close to home and there wasn't any other damage.

The same goes for making sure you're in neutral.

I also agree with Travatojohn about not talking to anyone while hooking up. When I had a TT, I never had a problem until a friend was talking to me as I hooked up to head home. As a result, I forgot to put the hitch pin in the receiver. Fortunately the hitch pulled out on a dirt road in the campground at about 3 mph so no damage was done except to my ego.

[7997redtail]

That’s a lot of good advice. So here are my few.

Definitely, definitely, definitely have a checklist. One for driving without the toad and one for with the toad. And, if you’re going to make a list USE IT (same story “how do I know”

In your manual it’ll say something about not backing up if the toads attached. I tried it to see how it works. Basically, if the toad wheels, and you would need to watch this every inch of the reversing action, don’t go the direction you want they will flip the opposit direction. Instantly. It’s not a slow motion thing they just quickly point the wrong way. Then you are trying to push the toads front wheels and stressing out your tow gear.

Use your check list. Us pilots do it before we fly, while we fly, while we land, after we stop and before we leave the aeroplane. I must be for a good reason.

Ok. Back to my beer

[Brooks]

I guide my wife up to the tow bar she puts it in park and then she gets out to help me hook it up then I get in and go through the procedure, just make sure you do the same procedure every time

[BobC]

Originally Posted by 7997redtail

Use your check list. Us pilots do it before we fly, while we fly, while we land, after we stop and before we leave the aeroplane. I must be for a good reason.

As ex-AF and AF Brat, I've always thought we should use red "Remove Before Flight" tags.

[cruizerEd]

I use an app that has checklists and this is what mine looks like.
I check ist helps make sure everything gets done even if you are distracted or interrupted.

[V] Parking brake off
[V] Key in ignition
[V] Steering Wheel free
[V] Wheels straight
[V] Transfer neutral
[V] Transmission neutral
[V] Windshield shade
[V] Steering wheel light (we have a light that straps to the steering wheel so we can verify it is tracking well via the backup camera
[V] Tow bar pin (all pins not just the baseplate pins)
[V] Wire tie pins ( I put wireties on my baseplate pins as a belt and suspenders approach to safety and security)
[V] Tow lights
[V] Brake air line
[V] Safety chains ( visually verify each hook is properly attached)
[V] Break away line
[V] All doors closed completely

This section is for anything on the toad.
[V] Bike rack hitch pin ( I use wireties on this too)
[V] Bike rack tilt pin
[V] Bike rack lock
[V] Bike wheels front and rear strapped
[V] Kayak straps

You read about toads coming loose because a pin was missing, people even blame it on theft. If you used the checklist and put on wireties, you'll know it was theft and not user error.

[202235f]

CruizerEd
Please tell us more about your steering wheel light. Sounds like a great idea!