Sticker shock: Towing a Honda Fit - Page 3

Mashmaster · 08-11-2020, 08:13 AM

I found a Demco Duo Stay-in-Play system for $200 on ebay. etrailer sells the reinstall kit for $60.

So one part done. I think I will look around for gently used tow bars next, the only local ones so far have been 15 year old Blue OX that looked well used and was used to tow a trailer. So I stayed away for that, others are hitch ball bars. Maybe if I am patient I will find a better one used.

Ebay shipping prices for used ones are pretty steep so those seem out of touch vs. new.

I have a feeling that I will have to buy the base plate new. I don't see those used anywhere.

Mashmaster · 08-11-2020, 08:14 AM

And thank you to everyone for their opinions so far. It is very educational and interesting. Seems like a topic.

JimStreit · 08-12-2020, 02:36 PM

I went the Ready Brute Elite and Blue Ox base plate route as well. With the added light wiring the total was $1,800.

Wakullabob · 08-12-2020, 02:56 PM

I say again , think about a small trailer , brakes , lights already there .

TriGlider · 08-12-2020, 03:28 PM

You will love the ease of using the Stay and Play Duo. I flip one switch for the Honda fuse disconnect and one to turn on the controller and you are ready to tow. Couldn't be any easier. After we got into a routine, we can connect the Sterling towbar and setup the interior for towing in about 5 minutes. Just as easy to disconnect on arrival.

jimbobway47 · 08-12-2020, 07:22 PM

I have used the same setup with three Class A motorhomes and it doesn't take me five minutes to hook up or unhook. A blue-ox baseplate and towbar and an Invisibrake tow braking system for my Jeep Liberty. After 13 years I did the preventive maintenance on the towbar and it was pretty clean under the rubber dust covers. I cleaned off the old grease and re-applied new lithium then sprayed teflon lube into the locking levers. On my way home from the last trip the LED telling me the brake is being applied in the toad stopped lighting. I discovered that the cable that actuates the brake had broken where it attaches to the brake pedal. I purchased a new cable from Roadmaster and just finished installing it. The invisibrake consists of a pneumatic cylinder that pulls on a cable connected via a pulley to the brake pedal. The controller and the pneumatic cylinder go under the driver's seat with the cable routed under the carpet. The controller also has a vacuum pump to activate the power brakes. When the brake pedal is activated a monitor light on the RV dash lights up to tell you the control loop is complete. Added a charging wire to the 7 pin connector and reused the back up pin (center terminal) for the LED monitor. Have to leave a second key in the ignition since it locks the steering but only on the first click before the ignition is turned on.

Mashmaster · 08-12-2020, 09:09 PM

I found a three year old Blue Ox Avento LX towbar for $300. So getting there.

I doubt I will be able to fit the base plate used, so that will have to be new. Maybe I will get lucky. That should be the final expensive part.

Mashmaster · 08-28-2020, 01:34 PM

OK, this is what I have now:
o Blue Ox Avento LX towbar
o Blue Ox base plate kit for the Honda Fit
o Duo Stay and Play brake kit

What else do I need?
o For the Stay and Play kit, I don't have the break away switch. Should I buy this? https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...co/SM6270.html or is that overkill?
o For the lights, What would you suggest for the fused power lead?
o What is a Brake diode kit?
o The tow bar has cables with hooks, the base plate came with cables as well. are those for the same purpose?
o Do I hook the hooked cables from the bar to the breakaway switch or use a different cable for that?

I think I am close to beginning the installation process, once it cools off.

**creativepart** · 08-28-2020, 02:15 PM

Generally the two heavy plastic coated coil cables are attached on RV hitch between the towbar and the RV. Many of us use super strong snap connectors to simplifiy putting them on and off the tow vehicle baseplate, but leave them attached to the RV hitch.

You will need a brakeaway switch and that usually connects via a very light cable with Carabiner to the break away switch.

The "diodes" are for connecting the RV 7-pin cable to your rear brake and turn lights. The diodes prevent power from the lights feeding back up through the car's wiring harness. Think of them as an electrical check valve. You only need this if you plan on using your Honda's stock lights for brakes and turn signals. If you use separate magnetic lights you won't need them. But it's super handy to have it wired this way.

You'll also need a heavy coil cord from the RV's 7 Pin connector to your Toad - to connect the lights. So, what you'll need is determined by how you decide to handle your lights.

Mashmaster · 08-28-2020, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativepart

Generally the two heavy plastic coated coil cables are attached on RV hitch between the towbar and the RV. Many of us use super strong snap connectors to simplifiy putting them on and off the tow vehicle baseplate, but leave them attached to the RV hitch.

You will need a brakeaway switch and that usually connects via a very light cable with Carabiner to the break away switch.

The "diodes" are for connecting the RV 7-pin cable to your rear brake and turn lights. The diodes prevent power from the lights feeding back up through the car's wiring harness. Think of them as an electrical check valve. You only need this if you plan on using your Honda's stock lights for brakes and turn signals. If you use separate magnetic lights you won't need them. But it's super handy to have it wired this way.

You'll also need a heavy coil cord from the RV's 7 Pin connector to your Toad - to connect the lights. So, what you'll need is determined by how you decide to handle your lights.

OK so I just need a lightweight cable for the Breakaway switch.

I am still not sure if it is worth it to buy the reinstall kit or not. It has the switch and a bunch of other connectors, that might be overkill vs. just buying a breakaway switch.

When i got the towbar I got the coiled light cable, so I on need the car side of that.

I still don't know what the two cables are that came with the baseplate. I'll review the install video again, maybe they are a safety for the base plate to the vehicle frame.

I'll look into the diode kit. Is that the same as a fused power lead?

Morich · 08-28-2020, 03:08 PM

Does your Honda have any special requirements for towing with all wheels down? A check on that in the manual gave us a major headache as the electronics of the transmission had to be dealt with.

Mashmaster · 08-28-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

Does your Honda have any special requirements for towing with all wheels down? A check on that in the manual gave us a major headache as the electronics of the transmission had to be dealt with.

It is a 2009 Fit, the only requirement I have found it is ok to tow 4 down. The manual says to start the car put it in Drive, then neutral turning the car to on position with the car in neutral

hank857 · 08-29-2020, 10:48 AM

check craigslist for used towbars etc. There are always some on there. Some folks think they are gold plated or something, others are realistic. We have a guy her that buys and resells, pretty cheap too. I got a set of base plates free from a guy on rv net for my ranger and for $50 got a bar, cables locks to fit them. I already had stuff for our elantra, but wanted to equip the pickup for itself. Look at Cl in tucson for reference.

onholdguy · 08-30-2020, 05:32 AM

I have an almost new towmate magnetic light bar. I used it once and did the coach and am out of rving. I paid 420 for it. You can buy it for 300 including the shipping. All wireless and runs for 10 hours on a battery

Mashmaster · 12-29-2020, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mashmaster

OK, this is what I have now:
o Blue Ox Avento LX towbar
o Blue Ox base plate kit for the Honda Fit
o Duo Stay and Play brake kit

What else do I need?
o For the Stay and Play kit, I don't have the break away switch. Should I buy this? https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...co/SM6270.html or is that overkill?
o For the lights, What would you suggest for the fused power lead?
o What is a Brake diode kit?
o The tow bar has cables with hooks, the base plate came with cables as well. are those for the same purpose?
o Do I hook the hooked cables from the bar to the breakaway switch or use a different cable for that?

I think I am close to beginning the installation process, once it cools off.

After what seems like forever, I completed 99% if the installation. It took a lot longer was very nerve racking but I am so far happy with the results. I never thought I would ever remove the entire front end of a car before to install the tow bar base plate. And removing parts of the engine to route wires through the firewall... My neighbors thought I was crazy. It was a great project for me and my 16 year old son to do together. Bonding time. (he might have learned a few new curse words)

1) Install of the tow bar base plate was not particularly hard but nerve racking because I had to continue to remove parts of the car body hoping that I would be able to get it back together.

2) Install of the lighting with the diodes seemed to go well until it didn't. turn signals worked, Brake lights worked, running lights didn't. After tearing apart the car, dropped a wrench behind the taillight, the car looked like a it was going through a drug seizure. Found out the one of the light bulbs was bad.... and my son pinched a cable putting the taillight assembly back on the car. Ooops.... glad we finally found the issue.

3) Install of fuse bypass was fairly easy, it is a little short so I might add an extension so it isn't in danger of being accidentally pulled.

4) Install of Demco Stay-in-Play Duo brake system. It was straight forward but difficult. Had to remove pieces of the engine to get the wires through the firewall grommet. Drilling into the firewall was harder than I thought it would be. The biggest problem is the car is tiny with very little room to work in. But the brake system seems to work right away. I need to adjust the sensitivity but that is a knob. I also need to install the brake indicator light, that part is confusing so I will call Demco.

Overall, it took a few days to do but I saved a bunch of money and learned how it all works. Experience doing with my son, priceless memories.

Morich · 12-30-2020, 08:37 AM

When willing and able to do the work, it does have some big advantages and getting it put together is one of the big challenges. My first try here in the Austin area burned me so bad, I hated to sell the car but had to anyway.

The first install was done so badly and cost so much that I was really bummed when Covert, Riata, and Mac Haik Ford dealers were all unable to fix the Focus after lots and lots of trial and error but it was getting to be too time consuming and nerve racking even though it was under extended warranty.

We had the install on the Focus done at Spillar Hitch down South I35 and found they did lots of bad work. Put the horn bracket back so that it wore a hole in the lower radiator hose after about a year, drilled a screw down through the start relay to mount the battery tender and didn't get the left front fender clips all engaged as they put it back! So we used different folks on the second try.

Texas Truck and Hitch down on Research did what seems better for now (have not used it yet!) on a Honda HRX and was much cheaper as we had lots of parts we transferred. But they still just don't seem to have the idea of doing good work any place that I've been! Rather than actually fit the wiring to the car, they just folded the slack and put plastic ties on to hold it! Nothing that an hour of cutting and fitting couldn't fix but the whole idea of paying somebody to do it was so I didn't have to !!

But I did find out some things along the way. The RVI Brake battery maintainer is not needed as I broke it open and found it is just a wire going through the box with a diode and LED to show it is charging! Not too often I'm going to stop the RV, leave the key on and go back to open the hood to look at the LED! Just a wire in the tether from the trailer hitch 12 volt to the car and to the battery should do the same thing!

If you want it done right, do it yourself or pay the price when you find out what they messed up???

Mashmaster · 12-30-2020, 09:13 AM

Agreed, it seems so rare that people have no idea what they are doing. Thankfully e-trailer had videos posted for installing the equipment on my vehicle so things were familiar.

The battery tender should probably have a diode to keep it from feeding back to the towing vehicle.

Morich · 12-30-2020, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mashmaster

Agreed, it seems so rare that people have no idea what they are doing. Thankfully e-trailer had videos posted for installing the equipment on my vehicle so things were familiar.

The battery tender should probably have a diode to keep it from feeding back to the towing vehicle.

I often read about the feeding back to the tow vehicle but what does that mean? When I think of what might feed back, I really have not go a good answer yet. Real question, not just fussing!

If we connect two battery together from the car to the RV, what feeds back? We connect the tail and brake lights through diodes to avoid feedback from them but if we connect two batteries together, is there something else that may feed back or is it the same as when we connect two batteries together with jumper cables and don't worry about feedback?

Voltage is the difference in potential between two points like the two batteries. So if we connect the tow car which may be using that battery down while it is not running, I assume that battery will be lower potential than the RV when it is running. Doesn't that mean the current will only be running from the RV battery to the tow battery? We know that is okay because that is why we put charge systems on to use the RV to keep the tow battery charged.

But if we want to be perverse and run the tow engine while the RV engine is not running, what would happen? IF the tow battery is higher voltage than the RV, would it not be the same as using the tow car to jump start the RV?

We do routinely setup a feedback /connection or charge from the coach batteries to the start batteries when we use the boost switch so the coach can "jump start" the engine and we do the reverse when the engine alternator is used to charge the coach batteries as we drive, so I'm missing what is different if there is feedback from the towed car to the RV.

I can agree that there are some times when we could cause ourselves a problem if we worked at it. If we left the car connected to the RV and something in that car is left using battery, like lights left on, and we also left the key on the RV on so that there was a connection between the two batteries, we could run both the car and RV batteries down.

To get more input, I think I will open a question of what this feedback is and how it might work, as I don't currently see it. I'm missing something!

l1v3fr33ord1 · 12-30-2020, 03:57 PM

Richard-

It depends on whether or not you want to leave the umbilical connected when the coach is shut off. If you disconnect, no need for a diode.

If you keep the coach and toad connected (we do), then it depends on the circuit. If it is ignition-switched, and the charge line is the only wire on the circuit, a diode is not needed. If it's not ignition-switched, then someone may want a diode in the circuit, to keep the coach from pulling starting current from the toad battery.

Or. it's coach-specific. Certain years of Monaco coaches (including ours) provide the charge line 12V from a bus off an ignition-switched relay. Applying 12V to the toad end of the charge line will supply 12V to any of the other circuits attached to the same bus. For those who may connect their coach-toad umbilicals before starting the coach, or leave their umbilicals connected overnight, this could be a problem. A diode at the toad end fixes this problem.

Here is a diagram of the problem, for my coach.