Service & Repairs · Flat Towing
Guide · Stream RV
Flat-Towing a Car Behind Your RV
Flat towing — all four wheels on the road, no dolly, no trailer — is the fastest way to bring a car along and the easiest to get wrong. The equipment is straightforward. The part that matters is whether your specific vehicle is approved for it, because towing one that isn’t will destroy a transmission on the first trip. Here’s how to find out, what a complete setup takes, and how it compares to a dolly or trailer.
or call or text 919-891-9577
What Flat Towing Actually Is
One of three ways to bring a vehicle. The other two always work.
- All four wheels stay on the pavement and roll as you drive — nothing is lifted or carried
- Also called dinghy towing, toad towing, neutral towing, or four-down towing — all the same thing
- Unhooks in a couple of minutes and leaves nothing to park or store at your destination
- Requires the vehicle’s drivetrain to tolerate being turned by the wheels instead of the engine
- A tow dolly lifts the front wheels; a trailer carries the whole car — both work with vehicles that cannot be flat-towed
Which Vehicles Can Be Flat-Towed
The manual is the only answer that is actually binding.
- Open the owner’s manual to “Recreational Towing” or “Dinghy Towing” — if there is a procedure, it’s approved
- If the manual says the drive wheels must be off the ground, no aftermarket part changes that answer
- Commonly approved: manual transmissions, and body-on-frame 4WDs with a transfer case that has a true neutral
- Usually not: continuously variable transmissions (CVT), and most all-wheel-drive crossovers
- Also disqualifying: an electronic steering lock that engages with the engine off, or any damaged wheel, axle, or suspension
- Approval is model-year specific — the same nameplate can be approved one year and not the next, so check the manual for your year
What a Complete Setup Takes
Five pieces, and they have to match each other.
- Baseplate — a steel frame bolted to the towed vehicle with two arms for the tow bar. Vehicle-specific, and it stays on permanently
- Tow bar — mounted on the RV’s receiver. Self-aligning bars are far easier to hook up solo than rigid ones
- Safety cables — required by law in many states, and the only thing between a failed connection and an unmanned car in traffic
- Wiring and lighting — the towed vehicle’s tail, brake, and turn signals have to mirror the RV’s
- Supplemental braking — a system in the towed vehicle that brakes with the RV. Required by law in many states and most Canadian provinces; check every state on your route, not just your own
- For some automatics: a lube pump or a driveshaft disconnect, so the transmission is not turning dry with the engine off
What to Weigh Before You Commit
The costs that show up after the install.
- Tires and suspension wear at full driving rates while towed — service on towed miles, not driven miles
- Many vehicles accumulate odometer miles while being towed; the manual usually says whether yours does
- Converting a non-approved automatic with a lube pump or driveshaft disconnect is expensive, and can affect warranty and insurance coverage
- Some vehicles need the key left in accessory to keep the steering unlocked — worth a tow bar lock and a plan for parking
- Confirm your policy covers a towed vehicle before the first trip; not every standard policy does
- Practice in an empty lot first — and remember most flat-tow setups cannot be backed up
What We Do at Stream RV
Complete setups, or a pre-trip look at what you already have.
- Baseplate installation matched to your specific vehicle and model year
- Tow bar and receiver mounting on the RV
- Wiring and lighting so the towed vehicle signals correctly
- Supplemental braking system installation, sized to the towed vehicle and the RV
- Pre-trip inspection of an existing setup — connections, cables, wiring, and wear
- A straight answer on whether your vehicle is a good candidate before you spend anything
Flat tow
Fastest to hook up and unhook, nothing to store when you arrive, least equipment to haul. Only works if your vehicle is factory-approved for it. Best when you unhook often.
Tow dolly
Lifts the front wheels, so it works with many front-wheel-drive vehicles that cannot be flat-towed. Cheaper than a trailer, but you still have to park and store it at your destination.
Trailer
Carries the whole vehicle, so it works with anything, running or not. Heaviest option and the biggest fuel and storage penalty — but the only choice for some vehicles.
Good to Know
Flat-towing questions we hear most.
What vehicles can be flat-towed?
There is no universal list, and it changes every model year — the only reliable answer is your own owner's manual. Look for a section called "Recreational Towing" or "Dinghy Towing." If the manual gives a procedure, the vehicle is approved. If it says the vehicle must be transported with the drive wheels off the ground, it is not, and no aftermarket part changes that. As a general pattern, manual transmissions and body-on-frame four-wheel-drives with a true neutral transfer case are the most commonly approved; continuously variable transmissions and most all-wheel-drive crossovers are not.
What equipment do I need to flat-tow a car?
A baseplate bolted to the towed vehicle, a tow bar on the RV, safety cables, and a wiring connection so the towed vehicle's lights mirror the RV's. Most states also require a supplemental braking system in the towed vehicle. Some automatics additionally need a lube pump or a driveshaft disconnect. The baseplate and tow bar have to match each other and the specific vehicle — this is not a universal-fit purchase.
Does flat towing add miles to the odometer?
On some vehicles, yes. Whether the odometer accumulates while being towed depends on how that model measures distance — many newer vehicles read from a transmission or wheel sensor that keeps counting with the engine off. The manual's recreational towing section usually says. Either way the tires and suspension wear at normal driving rates, so plan maintenance on towed miles, not driven miles.
Is flat towing better than a tow dolly or a trailer?
It depends on how often you unhook. Flat towing is fastest to connect and disconnect and stores nothing when you arrive, which suits trips with frequent side trips. A dolly or trailer works with almost any vehicle, including ones that cannot be flat-towed at all, but you have to park and store it at your destination. If your vehicle is not approved for flat towing, a dolly or trailer is the answer — not a workaround.
Can I flat-tow an automatic transmission vehicle?
Sometimes. A number of automatics are factory-approved, and some require a lube pump so the transmission stays lubricated with the engine off. A driveshaft disconnect is the other option. Both must be installed by a technician, both add cost, and both can affect your warranty or insurance. If flat towing matters to you, buying a vehicle that is approved from the factory is almost always cheaper than converting one that is not.
Do you install flat-tow setups at Stream RV?
Yes — baseplate and tow bar installation, supplemental braking system installation, wiring and lighting connections, and a full inspection of an existing setup before a trip. We work on all makes and models regardless of where you bought the RV. The shop is in Creedmoor, NC, open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Get On the Schedule
Ask us about your setup.
Tell us what you’re towing and what you’re towing it with, and we’ll tell you what the setup takes. Prefer to talk it through? Call or text 919-891-9577, or use our contact page.
Stream RV Service
Check the manual before you buy the hardware.
Not sure whether your vehicle is a candidate? Send us the year, make, and model — we'll tell you straight.