Our rig is our RV and a small towed vehicle. This is a common configuration for full-timers, from our experience. Many of the attractions we are visiting have size limitations that would prevent us from taking the RV. A small, towed vehicle solves that problem and makes errands easier.
Our RV
We purchased a 2019 Tiffin Allegro Open Road in Feburary of 2019 and spent the months before the trip making sure it was ready for the trip. Amanda immediately named our RV “Tina.” Tina is a “Class A” motorhome, which means that it has an engine and we can drive it. To learn more about types of motorhomes, check out https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_recreational_vehicles.
Tina is built on a Ford F53 motorhome chassis with a v-10 gasoline engine, dual rear wheels and an automatic hydraulic leveling system. She is over 39 ft. long and 12 ft. tall.
Tina has a master bedroom, bunk beds for kids, two toilets, a shower, a full kitchen, a residential fridge and much more. With all that stuff, we had to choose a small vehicle to tow behind Tina, to stay under the maximum weight rating.
Our Toad
We learned that towed vehicles are sometimes called “toads,” and there are a couple ways to pull them. To minimize the amount of stuff we had to drag around to each campsite, we decided on a “flat-tow” or “four-down” towing scheme, in which all four of the towed vehicle’s wheels are on the ground while being pulled.
We bought a 2018 Chevy Equinox, because it was reported in a number RV publications and towing guides, as being easy to flat-tow behind an RV. Also, our pick-up and minivan would have exceeded the maximum weight rating, so we sold them.
Amanda named the Equinox “Toby.” Before we could pull it, we had to have it outfitted to be towed. This included a towing face plate, wiring harness, battery minder, a tow bar, a brake robot, and cables. All of this stuff can be purchased as a package and installed by an RV dealer, which is what we did.
Towing
When it is time to move to another campground, we position Toby behind our RV then connect the tow bar and cables. We then install the brake robot onto the brake pedal. When the brake pedal in the RV is pressed, the robot pushes the brake in the towed vehicle. Lastly we shift Toby into neutral, switch to “accessory mode,” and turn off all electronics. This process takes about 10 minutes.
Living in a class A motorhome and pulling a small SUV has proven to be an easier way to travel compared to our previous RV which was a 5th wheel. We think we have the ideal configuration for our trip.