Considering Four Down Need Input

We are considering two vehicles for four down. 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or 2014 Honda CRV. Both appear to be good to tow behind the PC.

The Honda is used and has a Roadmaster InvisiBrake installed. Anyone use this braking system? Good? Bad? Seems to make setup easier.

The Jeep would be a new install.  They seem to have solved the wobble problem with a wire harness. 

We have a Blue Ox tow bar and Patriot brake system which could be used.

Any comments on either vehicle or the systems to use appreciated. This decision is driving me crazy!

Ron

Ron,

First, the feedback I can provide from direct experience:
--I tow a 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk.  Super tow vehicle in my opinion.  The 2019's are the first models that DO have the previous "death wobble" issue fixed internally--no need for the previous separately installed wiring harness to prevent the issue.  I've got over 4000 miles of seamless towing on my rig so far--easy to pull and easy to handle--I'm very happy with it.  (Do like Honda as well--previous owner of Accords and Civics--think the CRV would make a great tow).
--Since I had no previous RV towing experience (although I had previously towed trailers) I did extensive review and research on towing setups before I committed to one.  My arrangement is Blue Ox baseplates, a Roadmaster Nighthawk towbar, and the SMI Stay-In-Play Duo brake system.  I really like the Stay-In-Play Duo.  I knew I wanted a permanently installed brake system, since I didn't want to have to move the brake system in and out of the tow vehicle and adjust it each time I hooked and unhooked the tow.  The S-I-P provides a permanent, out of sight installation--you never know it's there, and to tow you just hook up the towbar and flip one switch in the Jeep.  Has progressive and proportional braking--it applies the toad brakes at the same level you're applying the RV brakes.  Requires two signals to activate the toad brakes--first the RV brake system must activate and then the accelerometer must sense deceleration--so eliminates inadvertent applications of the toad brakes.  I have been highly satisfied with the effectiveness of the braking of my rig and how it performs.

I have no experience with the Roadmaster InvisiBrake.  It is a permanently installed system like the Stay-In-Play and uses some of the same type components.  From what I can gather from a quick look, two differences that seem to be in place are that it does not provide truly "proportional" braking (by use of an accelerometer), but instead when brakes are activated ramps up braking in steps to the maximum of a preset level (which you can adjust).  Also, it apparently is activated simply by the same electrical signal that turns on the RV brake lights.  There do seem to be some complaints online regarding inadvertent brake applications, but there are also a lot of positive comments.  Maybe someone else on the forum has used that system and can provide first hand impressions.

I assume, between your two listed choices, the 2019 Trailhawk with a new tow install would demand a greater cash outlay than the used CRV with tow capability already present.  That might be a pretty major factor in your decision.  Also, the CRVs are very solid and popular units; I know they make great tows because I see a lot of them in use.  However what I can say with no reservation is that I am delighted  with my decision to go with the Trailhawk.  I'll be the first to report any problems or shortfalls that surface, but based on the somewhat limited 4000 mile experience I've had so far, I can completely recommend the setup I'm using.

All the best,       Mike

Our tow brake is "UNIFIED" By US Gear.  I installed it myself and it stays put in the tow vehicle and is out of sight.  Under the driver seat is a large solenoid with a cable hidden under the carpet that is always attached to the brake pedal from behind.  I consider it a fairly decent system.   The little brake controller on the RV dash board changes the sensitivity as to "when" the brake is activated.  It might have inertia-sensitive-progressive-braking but ours always works like an all-or-nothing system, braking fairly well but not too much if you understand my point.  I personally like to set the sensitivity to apply the tow vehicle brake with mild RV braking.  Doing so helps slow down the motor home under more conditions which I appreciate.  My setting is harder on the tow vehicle brakes, but I do all my own brake work so increased brake pad and rotor wear on the tow vehicle is of no concern.

I don't know if the other tow vehicle brakes systems have this, but I really appreciate the Unified's vacuum pump under the hood of our tow vehicle.  It keeps the power brake booster fully charged so the braking system offers great braking power.

CLICK HERE to see the wiring diagram.  It was initially a bit intimidating for me, but it really wasn't so difficult in the end.

If I were to replace tow vehicles, I would remove the Unified system from our old vehicle and install it in the new one.  If buying a new braking system, I would do my research again and get the best system.  I assume there is something better out there that I did not find back in 2010 when I bought and installed the Unified.

I reused our Roadmaster Falcon-II tow bar from our previous tow vehicle, and bought Roadmaster's Jeep Liberty tow bar bracket kit and Unified system very cheap on Ebay.  They were overstock items at an RV and hitch dealership.  As I recall, the tow bar bracket kit was missing some hardware.  A simple call to Roadmaster's customer service quickly got me what I needed.

Our Roadmaster towing system works fine with no complaints.  I like it but many people endorse the Blue Ox system which intrigues me.  I would compare the two brands and then make a better educated decision.

Ron Dittmer

Roadmaster InvisiBrake installed

We have that system on our rig and have had no issues.  it is "invisible" to the user mostly.   They installed it under the driver's seat and I just put the floor mat back on covering it up so no one even knows it is there.

We tow a 2017 Cherokee, (not trail hawk) and have to deal with the anti-wobble harness.  It really is not a big deal, just a couple extra steps when hooking up or unhooking.  But I am glad they have a real fix for the 2019 model.

I like the Cherokee and it has been a good tow.  The CRV's are also well recommended so I do not think you will go wrong with either.  Just a matter of cost and if you want new or used.  I almost bought an older Jeep Liberty based on Ron's comments on his but it was 10 years old and I decided with the cost of adding the tow equipment I would just go new.  The 2017 will last us as long as we can travel so it is primarily dedicated as our tow vehicle.  I use it as my daily driver but I really don't drive much so I'm not adding many miles to it.

@MikeH Do you need to do anything on your 2019 Cherokee for the anti-wobble or is it automatic?

John,

As I mentioned somewhere else in a much earlier post, I don't actually know exactly what Jeep did to the 2019's to correct the wobble issue.  They may have done it electrically with a modification to the wiring harness, or I have seen speculation that they added some sort of dampning to the steering that prevents the wobble from initiating.  In any case, there is no operator action involved, and Jeep does not address the issue in any way--whatever they did works automatically.  There is a tech paper out from Jeep (though not a formal technical bulletin) that states that the prior wiring harness requirement in place for earlier models does not apply to the 2019 models.  In addition, the warnings that were previously in the owner's manual addressing the requirement to install the wiring harness prior to towing the Jeep have been removed for the 2019's.  There were "reports" of imminent corrections for the problem for the previous 2 or 3 years--that the 2016, 2017, then 2018 models would have the wobble issue fixed--like you, I'm happy that they finally got it done for 2019.

Mike

We tow a 2014 Honda CRV and are very pleased with it.  Unfortunately Honda chose to make a change to 2015 and later models that do not allow them to be towed.  For a braking system I installed a Stay-In-Play duo and am definitely happy with it as well.  As someone already said, your decision is primarily driven by whether you want a used toad or a new one.  Can't go wrong with either choice.
Gary

Thank you so much for your feedback.  I see the desire to use a more permanent brake system. Less time to hook up and consistent performance. 

We have a 2014 Escape that would require a dolly. The combine weight with gas, bikes and kayaks would be about 4600-4700lbs.  That is little too close for me to 5000 lb limit.  So the CRV or Cherokee would replace the Escape.  I love Honda’s but that upgrade may not get me anything better that the Escape except Four down. Especially since they are running $17,000-$20,500 for a 2014 with lower miles. New Cherokee has good deals now and is 4x4 along with 4500 lb towing with the package. I will look at both to see how they fit and if we like them before choosing one.

In the back of my mind I still considering  Chevy sonic of Ford Focus.  But not sure about either. They would require an extra car and would not replace the Escape.....decisions decisions..

Oh I retired May 1st and loving it! 

Ron

I'm reading this thread with interest.  I tow a 2012 GMC Terrain.  I bought it because- 1)  I liked it;  2)  It was listed by FMCA as being towable 4-down,  3)  The owners manual specifically stated it was towable and gave specific instructions to prepare it for towing.  Not once did I consider how much the car weighed...it's a mid-size car.   Don't misunderstand, I wouldn't tow a full size Hummer, because it is obviously too heavy.  In short, buy the mid-size toad you want, have the tow bar of your choice installed, hook it up and roll.

Finally, how many instances has anyone heard or read where a motorhome's hitch was ripped off the chassis or damaged because of towing a car too heavy?

Cheers and Happy 4th of July 
Barry T

Checkout the Ready Brute Elite system.  No electronics.

Mikey
Thanks for your comments. How do you activate lights for the Jeep when brake applied?  Do you use a drop hitch for the Jeep? Or is it a straight shot.

Ron

Ron,

As you know, the Trailhawk sits measurably higher than a standard Cherokee (due to the increased ground clearance that Jeep employs on the "Trail Rated" units).  Because of the extra height, I'm using a Blue Ox hitch adapter that raises the standard center line of the RV receiver 2.5 inches.  The stock angle wasn't super severe, but enough that correcting it was the right thing to do--a standard Cherokee would not have needed the adjustment.

Electrically, power routes back to the Jeep from the standard connector on the RV to a six-pin connector at the Jeep front--provides power for the lights, the brake system operation, and even a trickle charge for the Jeep battery if needed (but since the Jeep battery is not in use in any way, no reason for it to deplete).  In my installation, rear turn/brake lighting is provided by separate bulbs installed in the standard Jeep taillight housings that are fed from a small custom wire harness that just plugs into the regular Jeep harness--rear lighting while in tow bypasses the standard Jeep lighting entirely.  I like the arrangement--it keeps factory appearance on the outside and everything in the original Jeep housings for weatherproof operation.  I can't tell the difference between the original Jeep lighting and the add-in lights when watching from the rear--they look identical.

All the best,         Mike   

Sarz272000 - Just back from our cross country trip to AZ and NM. The new Buick Envision towed flawlessly, 4800 miles 22 days, most at 70 mph on the interstates. Six days out, four days back and 12 days in various camps racing bikes and recreating.
Only the highest passes in the Rockies slowed our progress which sent the tranny hunting for gears sometimes as many as three downshifts. Help is on the way though, I just received the 5 Star Tuning chip to find more horse power, torque and better shifting patterns. Not yet installed so I don't have any feed back at this time.
Our Blue Ox towing system worked perfectly as well, baseplate, Accent tow bar and the Patriot 2 braking system (which takes all of 30 seconds to either install or remove) made the towing easier than expected. We left the toad connected for each of the traveling legs and disconnected when at our final destination. Had the weight certified along the way and the Buick full of bikes and gear weighed 3995 lbs, front axle of our 2552 an even 9000 lbs and the rear axle 13,450 lbs. The front axle is at spec for the coach however we have a 4x4 with a front differential and transfer case together with larger brakes, sway bars and springs. Quigley also upgrades all the wheels and tires to accommodate the heavier front and rear running gear. Axle ratios are also a little lower giving the coach a bit more power albeit at the cost of fuel economy.
All in all our set up performed better than we ever expected, if it wasn't for the two rear cameras reminding us, we would have forgot the car was connected. Once when stopping for fuel I caught a glimpse of the car in my side view mirror and said to the Mrs. why is that jerk tailgating us so close. 

Sarz272000 - Please disregard the vehicle weights from my first post today, My memory was way off. Front axle 5000 lbs, rear axle 8840 lbs. and the toad 4100 lbs. grand total 17,940 lbs. well under the max. - Dick

Mike
Thanks for your input on the Trailhawk. Sharing your research is very helpful. Why reinvent the wheel!

Dick
I didn’t realize you have a 4x4. That is one fine unit. Thanks for your input on pulling the Buick. I have a patriot system so will use that initially and see how that goes. But sounds like it may work fine. That was one heck of a trip. I am not ready for mountains yet. Maybe some day.

Now we will drive some vehicles and make a decision. I want to replace our escape with this vehicle so it must do double duty.

Ron

As a side note, is there anyone who towed four down for say a few years and went to no toad? 

We really want to go to a one car household so considering selling our toad and going without. I met some rv’s on This last trip who rent a car on occasion when they felt the need.  I hate the thought of rolling up the carpet every time we want to go see anything but I reaaaaallly want to get to one car and in doing so the smart car isn’t big enough to be our sole vehicle.  Curious as to anyone who goes without a toad and has a 2552 or larger M/H.....