List Of Flat Towable Cars Under 3000 lbs, 3500 lbs, 4000 lbs
As most RVers know, flat towing is where you hitch up your vehicle behind your RV and keep all 4 wheels on the pavement. However, not every car can be flat towed. While auto makers are making adjustments to this there still may not be many vehicles that can be flat towed.
One vehicle that can be flat towed and weighs under 3000 pounds is the 2009 Pontiac G5 Coupe. Its 2751 pounds should not interfere with your towing capacities. There are more vehicle models that can be flat towed.
To learn more about those vehicles that can be flat towed, just continue to read our article. It creates a list of three categories so you can know if your vehicle is one of the lucky ones. To flat tow, you do need special equipment.
Flat Towable Cars
Flat Towing Equipment
Before we get to the lists of cars that can be flat towed, here is a list of the equipment you will need for most cars:
- Tow bar
- Base plate kit
- Safety cable set
- Tow bar wiring
- Supplemental braking system
You can get these items at any qualified towing or RV accessories outlets that sell them. There are many different models of these items and you will need to make sure that they are compatible with your car
To read more about these items, just click this link. That web page goes into a lot more detail and provides you with the best information you can get on this topic.
Do your research well as your car is depending on you to get the right items that will tow their weight safely. Make sure the items you buy are durable and strong.
The Flat Towing Setup Guide
Once you get the equipment, you still need to know how to attach it correctly. This step-by-step guide will help you make sure you can go on the road with some peace of mind.
1. Park & Position
Park your RV on level ground. This is just a safety measure as some tow bars allow for uneven terrain hook-up Watch out that you do not exceed the maximum arm length of the tow bar.
Also, you want to be as close to the center of your RV as possible. Then fixed arm tow bars need your vehicle to be parallel to your RV’s rear.
2. Attach the tow bar
There are two different types of tow bar connections. One is a vehicle mounted and the other is a hitch mount. The latter needs to attach to the base plate and there are several different methods to do this.
3. Attach Safety Cables
These go under the tow bar and attach to your vehicle. These chains need to crisscross so that they form a basket to catch the tow bar if it should come loose.
4. Plug-in Electrical Wiring
An easy step but make sure you use the manual to get the best instructions for your vehicle. At this time you should also attach the emergency breakaway cable.
5. Set Up Supplemental Braking System
With different types of brake systems, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for connecting the supplemental braking system. Once this is done, test the brakes to make sure your towed vehicle’s brakes engage when you press on the RV’s brakes.
6. Prepare Dinghy for Flat Towing
Once you have done all of this, you will need to prepare your towed vehicle for towing. Since there are so many different vehicle models, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific vehicle.
This information may be found under the title recreational towing.
7. Lock-Out Tow Bar Arms
This is done by releasing the parking brake on your towed vehicle and then moving your RV slightly forward to lock in those arms. Have a friend help you and they should watch those arms to make sure they lock into place
8. Unbinding the Arms to Disconnect the Tow Bar
While there are tow bars that come with a quick-release mechanism. Not all tow bars are going to have this feature. Make sure to read the instructions on how to disengage the tow bar so you can use your vehicle while on vacation.
9. Test Entire Flat Towing Setup
Once you are all hooked up, do a test. This will ensure that you connected all the components correctly ad that you should have no trouble as you drive. You will want to test everything besides just the connection.
Test the lights and brakes to make sure they work when they are supposed to. This is important as state troopers do keep an eye out for the towed vehicles that are not set up correctly.
List Of Flat Towable Cars Under 3000 lbs
- Jeep Wrangler
- Honda CR-V
- Chevrolet Spark
- Toyota RAV4
- Dodge Grand Caravan
- Jeep Renegade
- Chevrolet Equinox
- Pontiac G5 Coupe
- Honda HR V
- Hyundai Elantra
- Kia Forte
- Kia Soul
- Toyota Corolla
- Fiat 500 & 500 Abarth
- Ford Fiesta
- Hyundai Accent
- Kia Rio
- Toyota Yaris
This is not going to be an exhaustive list for this or the other two categories. Some websites do not organize their lists by weight making it hard to find more vehicles that can be flat towed
List Of Flat Tow Vehicles Under 3500 lbs
First, you can add the vehicles in the previous list to this category. They are under 3500 pounds.
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Nissan Sentra
- Ford Focus
- Chevrolet Equinox
- GMC Terrain
- Ford Escape
List Of Flat Tow Vehicles Under 4000 lbs
As with the previous category, the first two lists will apply to this one. Since technically they are under 4000 pounds, they deserve to be included on this list as well.
- Jeep Cherokee
- Ford Fusion Hybrid
- Ford C-Max Hybrid
As we said earlier, most websites that create their lists, do not list them by weight. There may be more that could be added to these three lists so check your owner’s manual or call your dealer to see if your specific model can be flat towed.
Also, there is a good list of vehicles that weigh more than 4000 pounds that can be flat towed. That list is coming right up
List Of Flat Towable Cars Over 4000 Pounds
- Lincoln MKX
- Jeep Wrangler JK
- Ford Edge
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Ford Explorer
- Lincoln Navigator
- Ford Expedition
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Chevrolet Suburban
- Ford F-150 4WD
- Dodge Ram 1500 4WD
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD
- Ford F-250 4WD
- Ford F-350 4WD
- Dodge Ram 2500 4WD
- Dodge Ram 3500 4WD
- Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 4WD
- Chevrolet Silverado HD 3500 4WD
Again these are not exhaustive lists. There are many car brands in the world that are sold on the American market that may have vehicles that fit these three categories.
To find out if there are any more, contact your local dealers and see what they say.
Flat Towing Tricks
1. You have to pay careful attention to the details surrounding your vehicle. For example, some vehicles that can be flat towed need to have you stop every so often and run the engine. This will lubricate the transmission.
Also, there are vehicles that need specific fuses removed before they can be flat towed. As well as vehicles that need their transmissions in park with the transfer case in neutral.
2. Some flat towed vehicles come with a locking ignition. This makes it difficult to flat tow. When your vehicle has this ignition system, your front wheels won’t turn. That means no flat towing.
Unless you put the key in the ignition and turn the key to accessory. This will unlock the steering Of course, most vehicles come with this system so make sure you have an extra set of keys to unlock the steering mechanism.
3. Just because an earlier rendition of a vehicle could be flat towed, do not assume that later versions have this ability. Car makers make design changes all the time.
One good example would be the 2nd generation Ford Escape. Up until its 2013 redesign, this vehicle could be flat towed. After that redesign, it cannot. Double-check your manual to see if the more recent vehicle can be flat towed or not.
4. Auxiliary brake kits are essential. There are some states that require these systems on any vehicle being towed 4 down. While there are some states that do not require this feature, it is always best to add it on.
It is best to be on the safe side of things. Unexpected events can arise which can harm your RV, towed vehicle, and more. Play it safe and go with the best auxiliary braking system on the market today.
5. Check and re-check the manual there is good reason for doing this. You will want to know everything the manufacturer says about flat towing your current vehicle.
The manual will tell you, or it should, which fuses to pull, the proper position for the transmission lever, how often to run the engine to lubricate it and the transmission, and more.
If the manual does not have this information, chances are it cannot be flat-towed, But double-check with your local dealer to make sure. Then double-check the information you get from the dealer to be sure.
6. To narrow your vehicle selection, if you have not bought one yet, pare the list of possible vehicles down to the ones that will meet your needs. Then decide how much you can spend.
Even used vehicles are very expensive these days so be careful and watch your budget. Also, select the brand of car you like the most. No sense in buying a brand you do not like.
What To do When Your Vehicle Cannot Be Flat Towed?
Some RV owners go to the after-market to get some add-ons that enable their vehicle to be flat towed. These devices include driveshaft decouplers and transmission lubrication pumps.
While these devices can work well for you, there are some risks. The first risk will be the cost. These devices are not cheap and you need to make sure you have enough room in your budget to pay for them.
The second risk is that many of these devices are very complicated to install. You may be paying a professional even more money to install one or several of these devices. Then if you do not maintain them, and it can be hard to do this, you run the risk of damaging your vehicle.
The next risk is that if you are still under warranty or an optional extended warranty plan, adding these devices can negatively impact those coverages. This is something you have to check with your warranties or the dealer who honors them.
Finally, if these devices are not installed correctly you can damage your vehicle’s engine or drive train components. If these items get damaged, you are also looking at a very expensive repair bill.
Before you go adding any of these devices to your vehicle for flat owing, make sure you know where you stand with all of these situations. Make sure they are compatible with your vehicle before installing them.
If Your Vehicle Cannot Be Flat Towed
This would be a situation where the after-market components will not work on your vehicle and when your vehicle is not designed for flat towing. You are left with a couple of options if you really want your vehicle with you as you vacation.
It is a good idea to tow your vehicle as it relieves you of any stress trying to move your RV in and out of small campground roads. Here are the two options you have available when all else fails.
1. Tow dolly- these are two-wheeled dollies where you put the front tires onto of them. These are easy to use and store when they are not in use. However, they do come with their share of problems.
One problem would be fishtailing. The best you can do is buy a dolly that comes with anti-sway bars and good braking systems. Then the other problem will be clearance.
Since the front of your vehicle will be elevated, you have to make sure the rear of your vehicle is elevated enough to clear bumps, etc.
2. Trailers- this option comes in a variety of designs that can help you tow your vehicle. The key is to make sure the trailer can carry the weight of your vehicle.
The type of trailers you can pick from will be a car, flat, or box. Each style has its pros and cons but once your vehicle is on the trailer, you do not have to worry about it till you are ready to unload and use it.
Smaller vehicles, like an ATM, motorcycle, and similar ones, can get by with a hydraulic cargo lift. These won’t work for your towed vehicle but they do come in handy when you want to bring your toys along.
Some people are against using a trailer or a tow dolly. They say that these are too expensive to maintain and purchase. Plus, you have to make sure that either device is strong enough to hold the weight of your towed vehicle.
Then, you may not have any storage space when you get back home. You will have to pay a monthly fee to have either item stored in a storage lot. These are issues you have to determine for yourself if they are doable or not.
The Weight Is The Issue
This is a factor you have to take into consideration. When you are thinking about towing your vehicle, you need to make sure that whichever system you employ, you cannot go beyond your tow weight capacity.
Trailers, dollies, and even flat-tow equipment will add a lot of weight to your RV and make it impossible to tow your vehicle. Do some good calculations before you decide which method will be best for you.
No matter what you do, you always have to be concerned about the weight. Once you have figured everything out, buy the right items and enjoy your vacation.
Some Additional Words
The above lists are not exhaustive. We probably left a few vehicles off merely because their weight was not mentioned or there were no compatible categories to help out.
To figure out if your vehicle can be flat towed, check your manual. It will have the information you need to follow to be successful. If the information is not there, then most likely, your vehicle cannot be flat towed.
You can always go with the after-market devices but you may be taking a big risk especially if you are still under some type of warranty or extended coverage.
Pick the method to tow your vehicle that works best for you.
