RV Flat Towing Guide

Everything you need to know about towing a car behind your motorhome four-down, from first questions to your pre-trip checklist.

Basics

Motorhome flat towing an SUV on a highway with all four wheels on the road

What Is RV Flat Towing?

Flat towing, also called dinghy towing or four-down towing, means pulling a car, truck, or SUV behind your motorhome with all four wheels on the road.

Side-by-side illustration of a flat tow setup, a tow dolly, and a car trailer

Flat Towing vs Tow Dolly vs Car Trailer

There are three common ways to bring a car along behind a motorhome.

Equipment

Flat Towing Equipment Checklist

A safe flat tow setup is a system, not a single part.

RV-mounted tow bar connected to a motorhome hitch receiver

How to Choose a Tow Bar for Flat Towing

The tow bar is the most visible part of a flat tow system.

Vehicle-specific base plate mounted behind a front bumper with removable tow arms

Base Plates Explained

The base plate is the bracket system bolted to the front of the towed vehicle.

Wiring harness running from a motorhome to a flat-towed vehicle with a diode kit

Towed Vehicle Lighting and Wiring

The towed vehicle must show the same tail, brake, and turn signals as the motorhome so drivers behind you know what you are doing.

Safety & Laws

Portable supplemental braking system installed in the driver footwell of a towed vehicle

Supplemental Braking Systems for Towed Vehicles

A supplemental braking system applies the towed vehicle's brakes when the motorhome brakes.

Map of the United States with state outlines for towing and braking law research

Towed Vehicle Braking Laws: What RVers Need to Know

There is no single national standard for braking on a vehicle towed behind a motorhome.

Crossed safety cables attached beneath a flat tow bar

Safety Cables and Breakaway Systems for Flat Towing

Safety cables and a breakaway system are your backup if the main connection fails.

Chassis certification label showing weight ratings and a hitch receiver rating plate

Flat Towing Weight, GCWR, and Hitch Ratings Explained

Weight is the most important number in towing.

How-To

Person connecting a tow bar to the base plate of a vehicle parked behind a motorhome

How to Hook Up a Flat Towed Vehicle: Step by Step

Once your equipment is installed, a hookup follows the same sequence every time.

Hand holding a printed pre-trip checklist beside a flat-towed vehicle

Pre-Trip Flat Towing Checklist

A few minutes of checking before every departure catches most flat towing problems.

Flat tow bar and cables with a red warning icon highlighting a common setup mistake

10 Common Flat Towing Mistakes to Avoid

Most flat towing problems come from a short list of avoidable mistakes.

Vehicles

Owner's manual open to the recreational towing section next to a vehicle key

Which Vehicles Can Be Flat Towed?

Whether a vehicle can be flat towed is decided by its manufacturer, not by the tow bar.

Jeep Wrangler connected to a tow bar behind a motorhome at a campground

Flat Towing a Jeep Wrangler Behind an RV

The Jeep Wrangler is one of the best-known vehicles for flat towing because its transfer case can be shifted to neutral.