Having a Fit! November 23, 2012, 04:25:56 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135349Hey Andy, my friend Sonja just bought a 2013 Fit and is getting the Blue Oz tow system installed on Tuesday. We have been doing some research but would appreciate any advice you can provide. Specifically, the 2012 dinghy towing guide indicates going through the startup procedure at least every 8 hours. Is that really necessary? It also states that the 30A radio fuse should be removed when towing for long periods. What is considered a long period? Finally, do you think an auxiliary braking system is really needed? If so, what do you recommend? Thanks for your help.............. mike & Sonja @Lone Butte Casino, Chandler, AZ
Re: Having a Fit! Reply #1 – November 23, 2012, 04:51:13 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135350"the 2012 dinghy towing guide indicates going through the startup procedure at least every 8 hours." The Dinghy Guides are useful, but the final authority is Honda's owner's manual. Do whatever the manual for your friend's FIt advises with regard to startup/shifting procedures. If you don't follow their procedure, you could void your warranty, so it pays to stick with what they say. "It also states that the 30A radio fuse should be removed when towing for long periods." If the tow gear installation is done correctly, there should be a charging line from the rig to the toad, to ensure that the car's battery isn't drained over the course of a long day's tow. If the installer can't or won't do this, find another installer. With a charging line in place, you won't need to remove that fuse."do you think an auxiliary braking system is really needed?" Yes! Common sense says that when you add a ton and a half to the mass your rig's brakes are asked to stop, its stopping distance will lengthen considerably. That can mean the difference between stopping in time and hitting whoever's in front of you. You have only to think of that 100-car pileup in Texas yesterday to know how important that is. And common sense aside, auxiliary brakes are required by law in almost all US states and Canadian provinces. No ifs, ands, or buts--toad brakes are a must."If so, what do you recommend?" If you can find somebody to install it, the ReadyBrake system is the least expensive way to go. Otherwise, SMI's Stay-IN-Play Duo system and US Gear's Unified system are equally highly rated by users. You can't go wrong with either one. I recommend avoiding "brake in a box" systems such as Brake Buddy, unless you plan to tow multiple vehicles and need to be able to quickly switch the auxiliary brakes from one to another. It doesn't sound as if that's the case with your friend. You can read more about towing setups and braking systems for a Fit on my web page: http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2009/towing.htmAndy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Having a Fit! Reply #2 – November 23, 2012, 09:35:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135357Thank you so much Andy for your quick and insightful response. It was well above and beyond the call of duty. Cheers for now..... Mike and Sonja
Topic: Having a Fit! (Read 3 times)
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Topic: Having a Fit! (Read 3 times)
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