Log In | Register
Skip to main content
Topic: Protecting the tow vehicle (Read 12 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Protecting the tow vehicle
Yahoo Message Number: 158883
I use the Protect-A-Tow net and it served me well throughout the western United States and a bit of Canada.
http://protectatow.tripod.com/
 We are going to tow to Alaska soon and I have heard the roads can throw quite a bit of gravel.
Should I get a shield type protector also for our CR-V? I'm leaning towards not getting one because the net did so well over thousands of miles the last trip.
2021 Mid Bath
Re: Protecting the tow vehicle
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 158886
I considered that when we picked up  our 13 31 IB 4/14.  After 16,000 miles towing (almost none on gravel), the lack does not seem to have been a problem.   Last month we got caught in snow on I-95 in Nevada (violating my 'snow is something to drive to when you want to' policy but was the least bad alternative).  Had to unhook the towd in Tonopah to get unstuck out of a snowy gas station.   The frozen buildup on the towbar connections was significant.  I wonder how much there would have been with a Protect-A-Tow (Collect-A-Snow?) installed.  I know that doesn't answer your question.

We're considering a similar trip next year, but not the P-A-T at this time.
YMMV

Joel 2013 31 IB / 2011 CRV towd

Joel & Terry Wiley
dog Zeke
2013  31 IB   Orwan   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
Re: Protecting the tow vehicle
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 158890
We have over 100K between two LD's and have used Protect-A-Tow from near the beginning in 2004.  The one time I decided that we would be on what appeared to be good solid highway/state roads and did not bother to hook up the P-A-T, we ran into a repaying where they were pretty much laying a tar layer followed by small pebbles.  I could not stop to hook up the P-A-T resulting in a new windshield on the tow.  Since then I have used it religiously.

Same goes for the solid rock shield at the rear of the coach.  With both the shield and the P-A-T, we avoided damage to the tow when we could not avoid "road lizards" (retred  rubber) deposited on our roads by the 18 wheelers.

Just our experience.

Cheers, Bob. SE 5.  2007 30IB. AE (Initial unit was a 26.5 RB, which we loved)
Kathy and Bob on the Go
Re: Protecting the tow vehicle
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 158907
When we started fulltiming just over 7 years ago we were towing a Chevy HHR which is relatively low to the ground We didn't start out with anything to protect since we had read someone's comment here that they didn't have a problem. I should add or LD is 30' IB.

We quickly learned by the rock chips on the front bumper that didn't work. We started with the Protect A Tow based on our friend Chris H's recommendation and have been happy with that solution. A friend had the shield which she referred to as the "cumbersome shield" since it was a bit of a pain to store and set up. The one instance in which I recall her shield being really a pain was after driving over fresh asphalt. She had sticky specs of asphalt on the back of the rig from the bumper to the top of the rear of the LD. We assumed it bounced off the shield. I have also heard of that happening on graveled roads with a shield.

In 2012 we traded the HHR for a Subaru Forester. Since we still use the PAT I can't tell if there is a difference. I do see some evidence of chipping to the clear coat of the front bumper but not sure if that is driving the Subaru or if it is the result of being towed behind.

The one word of warning about the PAT. I don't think it was over 2 years old and we were towing in New Mexico only to get to our destination to find that the fabric was entirely missing and the bar damaged. Apparently the bungee had broken. What may have accelerated the deterioration of the bungee is the fact that when we are parked we roll up the PAT fabric fairly tightly and secure it to the drawbar and maybe sun exposure worked on it. So keep an eye on the condition of the bungee. We ended up making a new bar from PVC and fabric from sun type fabric from Home Depot.

As Joan might say, "YMMV".

Jim C