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Protecting a tow vehicle
What do you use to protect your tow vehicle from rocks and debris?

I've been using "PROTECT-A-TOW" for a long time but it's kind of a pain pain to mess with.

Would those brush style rear flaps be just as effective if I mounted one behind each dually?
2021 Mid Bath

 
Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #1
"What do you use to protect your tow vehicle from rocks and debris?"

Rocks & Debris? What's that?

I've spent the last nineteen (19) years towing two different Hondas', Civic and CRV, and have had NO damage!

Perhaps the reason is the eleven (11) foot overhang between the dual's and the bumper.   ;D   ;D   ;)
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #2
"What do you use to protect your tow vehicle from rocks and debris?"

Rocks & Debris? What's that?

I've spent the last nineteen (19) years towing two different Hondas', Civic and CRV, and have had NO damage!

Perhaps the reason is the eleven (11) foot overhang between the dual's and the bumper.   ;D   ;D   ;)
The bumper on the car or the bumper on the motorhome?
2021 Mid Bath

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #3
  The first thing I noticed about my friends tow vehicle was that it looked like someone took a shotgun to the front of his engine hood. After I set up up our (Her) Honda CRV with a Roadmaster tow bar, the very next item was the Roadmaster 4750 tow defender. It adds a little more time getting set up to tow, but there's no shotgun effect on our (Her) Honda.

As an added benefit, I'm convinced it has added to our marital bliss since that Honda is her favorite vehicle ever and she babies that thing. Gotta keep Momma happy!

Ron
2009 31' IB "BoonDoggle"
2014 Honda CRV Towed

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #4
  The first thing I noticed about my friends tow vehicle was that it looked like someone took a shotgun to the front of his engine hood. After I set up up our (Her) Honda CRV with a Roadmaster tow bar, the very next item was the Roadmaster 4750 tow defender. It adds a little more time getting set up to tow, but there's no shotgun effect on our (Her) Honda.

As an added benefit, I'm convinced it has added to our marital bliss since that Honda is her favorite vehicle ever and she babies that thing. Gotta keep Momma happy!

Ron

I've noticed on my old 2002 CRV we were using as a tow vehicle had that exact same shotgun blast look on the edges of the front bumper where the netting did not quite cover.
2021 Mid Bath

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #5
"The bumper on the car or the bumper on the motorhome?"

Either one... the overhang is long enough on the 30' so that any road debris kicked up by the duals does not reach far enough to damage anything. Many folks criticize the 30/31' LD but this feature is a winner!  ;D
Steve S.
Lazy Bones & Cedar
2004 30'IB (Island Bed)
Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery
Live for the day!

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #6
Tedeboy wrote: I've noticed on my old 2002 CRV we were using as a tow vehicle had that exact same shotgun blast look on the edges of the front bumper where the netting did not quite cover.

There is no way around this as I the same stone marks on the front outer edges of the fenders of my (past) Jeep Cherokee when using the Roadmaster Tow Defender mat over the Roadmaster Sterling tow bar. The rest of the front grill had no stone damage. The mat did its intended job. The same applies to the Honda CRV I towed before the Jeep. I keep the mat rolled up and strapped down above the tow bar that lives on the LD back bumper (see photo). I have always used the Blue Ox base plate on my toads (and still do) and use the Roadmaster to Blue Ox hitch adapters for the connection to the toad.  I like the Tow Defender as all I have to do is unroll it and connect it to tow bar hitch pins using two snap pins connecting the mat. There are two hydraulic tension arms on the mat arms at the coach end to keep the mat edges in place when turning. I just recently traded the Cherokee in for the Chevy Trax ACTIV that is now set up for towing. The new Blue Ox hitch points are closer together than what the Cherokee had and all I had to do was drill new matching holes in the Tow Defender mat metal brace square tubing to match the new hitch points for the snap pins. It all works quite well. As the mat is now wider than the front of the Trax we will see if any rocks will hit the front outer fenders in the future.
2010 RB "Monty"  & currently: 2021 RB "Villa Verde"
2004 Born Free 26'
1998 Beaver Patriot 33'
1992 Barth Breakaway 28'
1982 Fleetwood Jamboree 23'
1982 Dolphin/Toyota 22'


Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #8
The degree of chipping depends on the vehicle. 
My Jeeps have not been badly damage by towing, being high off the pavement.
Our friend’s 2014 CRV doesn’t have much chipping after 30,000+ miles of towing. One thing nice about older toads is not worrying so much about the cosmetics.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #9
I bought my 2011 CRV in 2013 as a lease return. Looked good but not showroom quality.  After nearly 60K miles, still not showroom quality. There are some stone dings in the paint down low, but nothing remarkable for 130K total miles.  Maybe halfway across the County from the rear duals has something to do with it.
YMMV
joel
Joel & Terry Wiley
dog Zeke
2013  31 IB   Orwan   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE

Re: Protecting a tow vehicle
Reply #10
One thing nice about older toads is not worrying so much about the cosmetics.

That's my philosophy regarding the toad.  We bought a used 2015 Forester in 2020 which already had a couple of minor dings and blemishes so, as long as the windshield doesn't get hit by a rock, I'm good!   ;D
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264