What Cars Can Be Flat Towed Behind Your RV?

Motorhomes and recreational vehicles (RVs) let you bring the comforts and conveniences of your home to wherever your road trip takes you. But their considerable bulk, poor handling, and high fuel consumption make them less than ideal for short trips.

One possible solution is to flat tow a smaller vehicle behind the RV and switch to that when you head to a nearby town or go where no motor home has ever gone. Unfortunately, not every vehicle is suitable for flat towing. Let’s review the concept and find out what vehicles can be flat towed.

What Cars Can Be Flat Towed?

Flat tow-compatible vehicles must have either:

• Rear-wheel drive (RWD) with a manual transmission; or
• Four-wheel drive (4WD) with a manual transfer case that can shift into neutral gear.

Some variants of the following popular vehicle models are suitable for flat towing:

• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Jeep Wrangler
• Chevrolet Colorado
• Dodge Durango
• Ford F-150
• GMC Canyon
• RAM 1500
• Chevrolet Spark
• Ford Focus
• Mini Cooper

Before you hook up one of the above models to your RV, consult your owner’s manual to see if you can flat tow your particular vehicle.

Search for the section on towing or recreational towing. The manual will make it clear whether or not you can tow the vehicle on all four wheels.

What Automatic Cars Can Be Flat Towed?

You cannot tow vehicles with an automatic transmission as they are, or you risk damaging the transmission. The transmission relies on transmission fluid to lubricate its parts, absorb excess heat, and carry the heat out of the system. The engine needs to be running for the transmission fluid pump to circulate the transmission fluid. Since the engine would not be running while the vehicle is being towed, the transmission fluid won’t circulate and the transmission might be damaged.

Other negative aspects of flat towing automatic cars include increased wear on front tires, shocks, and wheel bearings, and wear and tear on the towed vehicle.

Flat towing an automatic vehicle is bad enough. It’s worse for a continuous variable transmission (CVT). If you tow a CVT-equipped car with all four wheels touching the ground, you’ll damage its transmission.

Jeep Wranglers With Automatic Transmissions

The main exception is the Jeep Wrangler. Both manual and automatic versions of the iconic off-road vehicle are factory-ready for towing, including flat towing.

Jeep designed the Wrangler to facilitate flat towing. Not only is it easy to set up for a flat tow, but its size and weight make it easier to pull than a low-riding car, tall SUV, or long truck.

Furthermore, you can flat tow a Jeep Wrangler at any speed over any distance. It reduces travel time and lets you go longer distances without risking something breaking in the flat towed Wrangler.

Thanks to these qualities, the Jeep Wrangler is one of the best choices for a flat tow. If you pass by an RV towing another vehicle, chances are that the smaller machine is a Wrangler.

Modifications

Some automatic vehicles can support modifications that remove the limitation on flat towing. You can install driveshaft decouplers that prevent rotating shafts from moving the rest of the transmission or lubrication pumps that use a different power source. These parts keep the transmission at a safe temperature during a flat tow.

There are several problems with this approach. For one thing, these parts cost a lot. Their complexity complicates installation and maintenance, adding to the expenses. And if you don’t operate the vehicle in the right way, you might damage the drivetrain or the engine. The manufacturer’s warranty won’t cover any damage caused by installing non-factory-issue parts.

If you intend to modify your automatic vehicle to support flat towing, approach a trusted RV dealership or auto repair center. They can perform the modifications for you.

What Is Flat Towing?

Flat towing is a method where a motorhome or RV pulls another vehicle. You install a tow bar on the front of the car, SUV, or truck, then you can hook it up to the larger vehicle for towing. After arriving at your destination, you can unlatch your vehicle from the RV.

You might know flat towing by its other names. Many call it dinghy towing because the set-up looks like a yacht pulling a dinghy behind it. Others call it four-down towing since all four tires of the towed vehicle touch the ground.

Advantages of Flat Towing a Vehicle

Flat towing lets you bring another vehicle with you during road trips without driving the second car yourself or getting another person to operate it on your behalf.

It also reduces your fuel bill. While the motorhome or RV will burn more fuel towing the other vehicle, you still pay for fuel for one vehicle.

The flat tow method is the most affordable option for towing a vehicle behind your RV or motorhome. You only need a tow bar, which usually costs less than a dolly or a flatbed.

It also takes less time and energy to attach and detach a tow bar-equipped vehicle than to load and unload a flatbed.

Flat Towing Tips

Here are some helpful things when you flat tow a car:

• Flat towable vehicles might need special treatment. You might have to stop to run the engine, remove various fuses, or switch the transmission to the park position and shift the transfer case in neutral. Consult your manual.
• If your vehicle uses an ignition switch-triggered steering lock system, keep the key in the ignition and change the ignition to the accessory position to unlock the front wheels.
• In almost all states, most flat-towed vehicles require auxiliary brakes that operate together with the brake system of the motorhome or RV.

How Much Does A Tow Bar Cost?

You can’t flat tow a vehicle if you don’t have a tow bar. The part can cost anywhere between $160 and $890, with the exact price tag varying according to factors like your vehicle’s details and the product’s manufacturer.