Thor Forums

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Mr.Goodbar

I am in the NEVER, NEVER, NEVER camp, but for one exception in which I was very, very, very careful. I was parked with the toad on a slight incline (front was uphill) near a fast food place on an access road near the interstate. Their parking lot did not look like it was "safe". I waited for the DW to come back with lunch. For some reason, I don't recall, I needed to back up a few feet. Aware of the physics involved, I just put the MH in neutral and let the toad roll straight back, as it was in neutral and the wheels were straight. Letting weight of the toad keep the tension on the towbar was the key here. It seemed as safe as having the toad disconnected and letting it roll back in neutral. I did not and have not and will not ever attempt a powered back up of the MH with the toad attached. I do not want to take a chance of damaging the towbar or the baseplate.

Two or three of times, we have had to disconnect the toad and maneuver and reconnect. Since then, if I am not planning to stop at a "truck stop" for the next fill up, I always use Google maps to check out the access in and out of the stations.

It didn't occur to you that with both vehicles in neutral that gravity was pulling both vehicles backward and there may or may not have been any tension on the tow bar?

If tension on the tow bar was a requirement for straight tracking what would happen when the MH downshifted or applied brakes more strongly than the toad?

Tension or compression make not difference on the toad's steering while backing; it's how far out of a straight roll that matters and causes the caster to crank the toad's wheels against the roll.