Saturday, November 05, 2005
You Can't Tow THAT!
The surprises never end!
In early 2000, the duchess and I bought a new 1999 Suzuki Vitara. At the time there was a glimmer of the future which said, "We'll tow this behind our Motorhome!"
Now, some 41,000 miles later, the Vitara (this is the jeep-style canvas top with two doors, but roomy seating for four) is suddenly our vehicle of choice for what we then only dreamed about.....Our Town Car will sit home....I am NOT towing that!
Now we have the Coach.....it has a hitch system and light connectors....Ready to rumble!
EXCEPT!
The 1st call I make to a hitch person to set up towing of my little Vitara gets me a near laugh-off. "You can't tow that!" I am informed.... "The Suzuki, even your 2WD stick shift, has to be towed on a dolly BACKWARDS!"
Check the owner's manual stupid! I do....They are apparently right. Oh boy! I hate the concept of a tow dolly. They are bulky, expensive and have to be locked to a tree or some such while you are camped so someone else does not borrow it! Plus it makes our unit & its little trailer a good bit longer!
Time to re-trench!
Memory of the time of purchase of the vehicle tells me someone at the Suzuki dealership told me of a place which installs "driveline disconnects" which offer you the chance to disengage the drive shaft and tow this little car. However, I cannot, five years later, remember the name of the place.
Suffice it to say I spent the better part of two days chasing down leads, and finally found a firm named REMCO which makes these things. Through a local dealer they inform me that I don't need to disconnect for this towing! Opposite of my owner's manual information.
Current status: Monday I call the REMCO folks and get the information straight from them.
Hopefully we'll have our "toad" (name for the towed vehicles) hooked up and ready to rumble.....
Ain't camping fun?
Duke
UPDATE: Moved to top!
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In early 2000, the duchess and I bought a new 1999 Suzuki Vitara. At the time there was a glimmer of the future which said, "We'll tow this behind our Motorhome!"
Now, some 41,000 miles later, the Vitara (this is the jeep-style canvas top with two doors, but roomy seating for four) is suddenly our vehicle of choice for what we then only dreamed about.....Our Town Car will sit home....I am NOT towing that!
Now we have the Coach.....it has a hitch system and light connectors....Ready to rumble!
EXCEPT!
The 1st call I make to a hitch person to set up towing of my little Vitara gets me a near laugh-off. "You can't tow that!" I am informed.... "The Suzuki, even your 2WD stick shift, has to be towed on a dolly BACKWARDS!"
Check the owner's manual stupid! I do....They are apparently right. Oh boy! I hate the concept of a tow dolly. They are bulky, expensive and have to be locked to a tree or some such while you are camped so someone else does not borrow it! Plus it makes our unit & its little trailer a good bit longer!
Time to re-trench!
Memory of the time of purchase of the vehicle tells me someone at the Suzuki dealership told me of a place which installs "driveline disconnects" which offer you the chance to disengage the drive shaft and tow this little car. However, I cannot, five years later, remember the name of the place.
Suffice it to say I spent the better part of two days chasing down leads, and finally found a firm named REMCO which makes these things. Through a local dealer they inform me that I don't need to disconnect for this towing! Opposite of my owner's manual information.
Current status: Monday I call the REMCO folks and get the information straight from them.
Hopefully we'll have our "toad" (name for the towed vehicles) hooked up and ready to rumble.....
Ain't camping fun?
Duke
UPDATE: Moved to top!
