I need to share an unpleasant experience with my RVing friends.
First, understand that I have not had a ton on experience with towing anything behind our class A motor
home. Now, what happened to inspire this post.
My wife and I decided that we wanted to take a 9 hour drive to Yellowstone National Park with the motor
home. To be a little more fuel efficient, we decided to tow our 2009 Hyundai Elantra along on our tow dolly.
My owner's manual (Hyundai) said to tow this vehicle with the front wheels off the pavement. No problem.
We would drive the car around in the park for the three day visit while the motor home was parked in a
nearby forest service campground.
The morning we were to hit the road for Yellowstone, I loaded the car on the tow dolly and made sure
everything was tight and connected. Off we went and had no problems. After a great time in Yellowstone, I
again loaded the car on the tow dolly while in the campground and readied for the return trip home. Again, I
checked connections and made sure everything was tight (I thought).
We hit the road for the return trip and drove for 8 1/2 hours uneventfully. 30 miles from home all hell broke
loose! We were going up a gentle grade when a car pulled along side us in the left lane (4 lane highway) and
the people inside were yelling for me to pull over. 5 seconds after that, I thought we had a blowout! The
motor home starting yanking back and forth with a terrible grinding noise. I slowly applied the brakes and
pulled over to the shoulder. The car behind us pulled over as well. My wife and I got out of the motor home
and wnet around the rear to survey what had happened. The people behind us were extremely frightened
and asking us if we were okay. The 2" ball had come off the hitch and we were dragging the tow dolly
and car by the safety chains!!! The nut holding the ball had worked loose and had fallen off. The ball was
still securely attached to the tow dolly. I had checked everything but the tightness of the nut securing the
ball to the hitch! The couple in the other car behind us said that the dolly and towed car were flying all over
the road and it was a miracle that nobody got hurt or hit. Because I was going up a slight grade, there was
tension on the dolly and safety chains as I pulled over and slowly stopped. Otherwise, the dolly and Hyundai
would have smashed into the rear of the motor home!
We were able get the car off the tow dolly and drive into a nearby town, but a new 2" ball, install it tightly to
the hitch, load the car back up, and get home.
So, please don't let this happen to you! Before towing anything, check everything, I mean everything!
Never assume something is okay. It's the one thing you don't check that will get you!
First, understand that I have not had a ton on experience with towing anything behind our class A motor
home. Now, what happened to inspire this post.
My wife and I decided that we wanted to take a 9 hour drive to Yellowstone National Park with the motor
home. To be a little more fuel efficient, we decided to tow our 2009 Hyundai Elantra along on our tow dolly.
My owner's manual (Hyundai) said to tow this vehicle with the front wheels off the pavement. No problem.
We would drive the car around in the park for the three day visit while the motor home was parked in a
nearby forest service campground.
The morning we were to hit the road for Yellowstone, I loaded the car on the tow dolly and made sure
everything was tight and connected. Off we went and had no problems. After a great time in Yellowstone, I
again loaded the car on the tow dolly while in the campground and readied for the return trip home. Again, I
checked connections and made sure everything was tight (I thought).
We hit the road for the return trip and drove for 8 1/2 hours uneventfully. 30 miles from home all hell broke
loose! We were going up a gentle grade when a car pulled along side us in the left lane (4 lane highway) and
the people inside were yelling for me to pull over. 5 seconds after that, I thought we had a blowout! The
motor home starting yanking back and forth with a terrible grinding noise. I slowly applied the brakes and
pulled over to the shoulder. The car behind us pulled over as well. My wife and I got out of the motor home
and wnet around the rear to survey what had happened. The people behind us were extremely frightened
and asking us if we were okay. The 2" ball had come off the hitch and we were dragging the tow dolly
and car by the safety chains!!! The nut holding the ball had worked loose and had fallen off. The ball was
still securely attached to the tow dolly. I had checked everything but the tightness of the nut securing the
ball to the hitch! The couple in the other car behind us said that the dolly and towed car were flying all over
the road and it was a miracle that nobody got hurt or hit. Because I was going up a slight grade, there was
tension on the dolly and safety chains as I pulled over and slowly stopped. Otherwise, the dolly and Hyundai
would have smashed into the rear of the motor home!
We were able get the car off the tow dolly and drive into a nearby town, but a new 2" ball, install it tightly to
the hitch, load the car back up, and get home.
So, please don't let this happen to you! Before towing anything, check everything, I mean everything!
Never assume something is okay. It's the one thing you don't check that will get you!
