Flat towing with overnight stops - how do you handle this?

[Chad Heiser]

For those of you who are flat towing your Bronco, what do you do when you stop for a quick overnight while on your way to your destination? Do you leave everything connected in the status quo and just hit the road the next morning? Do you just check to make sure the Bronco is still in flat tow mode before leaving the next day? Do you take it out of flat tow mode when you stop and put it back into flat tow mode before leaving the next morning? Or do you have some other procedure you follow?

I tried finding what people were doing with their set ups via a search of the forum, but didn't find anything specifically on topic (and I have read a lot of the flat towing threads). Any tips or insights would be greatly appreciated. I have a lot of experience flat towing other vehicles (specifically a Jeep for several years and then a Smart car for several years). With my previous vehicles, it was pretty much set it and forget it until you got to your final destination. Of course, I would always do spot checks along the way to make sure there were no issues. With the Bronco and the few stories I have seen with transmission and transfer case failures early on, I don't want to take any chances.

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[grtharris]

I open the drives side door when I arrive to check that the Tow Mode Warning is active, then again before pulling out in the morning.

 

[DC1]

I open the drivers door every morning to check for the tow mode message before departing. Also will check it again at fuel stops. Once in the campground in the afternoon I will quickly check the battery voltage with a multi meter and if I think it’s low I will charge it overnight with a 10 amp NOCO charger. I have a charge line installed from the RV so I usually only need the NOCO charger every third or forth night. I have an Air Force One brake system so there is very little draw on the bronco battery. Inn my opinion the battery is a major issue with the bronco’s issues so it needs to be watched carefully and more often as it ages. You need to be proactive on the Battery in modern vehicles with all the electronics

 

[SuperDave150]

Like others, I open the door and check every daytime stop.
Overnight stop, in the morning I start the Bronco, shift out of tow mode, and idle the engine for 15 minutes while I sip coffee & do other things to break camp. Before I turn off the engine I shift the transmission into reverse & drive, pausing for a few moments to let fluids flow. Of course, after all this I have to do the Neutral Tow Mode procedure again.

(I steal this concept from similar vehicles such as Ford Edge, etc. I also try to limit my sustained highway speeds for same reasons.)

 

[ksdon]

Even when I open the door to see on the dash that it is still in flat-tow, I always ask Mrs. to pull forward as I observe the tires making certain they all turn and not drag. Many times a place we stop for the night might require a few sharp turns to get out and this gives opportunity to look at the tires again using the sideview mirror.

All the above posts are valuable. A good flat tower is on who is a worry wort.....and keeps and follows check lists.

 

[Chad Heiser]

Thanks for the feedback. All good suggestions. One last thing, do you lock the doors after hooking up and putting it in tow mode? If so, do you use the key fob or some other method. My most recent towed vehicle (the Smart) used a battery kill switch as part of the towing process, so there was no way to lock/unlock the doors once the battery was turned off.

 

[Ranbronc]

I open the door at every stop, pee, lunch or Fuel.
Overnight I take it out of tow mode .

 

[DC1]

Thanks for the feedback. All good suggestions. One last thing, do you lock the doors after hooking up and putting it in tow mode? If so, do you use the key fob or some other method. My most recent towed vehicle (the Smart) used a battery kill switch as part of the towing process, so there was no way to lock/unlock the doors once the battery was turned off.

 

[DC1]

It’s unlocked while towing. I do lock it at night and use the key fob

 

[SuperDave150]

It’s unlocked while towing. I do lock it at night and use the key fob

Ditto

 

[dgorsett]

Interesting about the "Neutral Tow Mode" message on door open. Mine flashes by so fast, and is replaced with the mountain graphic, I can't actually read it. And, I swear, sometimes doesn't appear at all. Never had any problems though
I do unplug the RVI system so the compressor won't run overnight if there is an issue.
I do lock the doors using the FOB

 

[Tilzbow]

I don‘t lock the doors when towing and keep the key fob in my pocket. I was reminded by a forum member that if the key fob isn’t in the Bronco the double honk will sound when you close the door if you forget the last step in the flat towing procedure and don’t press the accessory switch to shut those off. It’s good insurance to have a reminder if the last, very important, step is skipped.

For one night stays I level and setup the motorhome and then take it out of flat tow mode and lock the doors. Them in the AM, I put it back into flat tow mode and then start the motorhome and get that ready to leave.

With a diesel motorhome with air bags it’s especially important to have the Bronco in flat tow mode so it can roll as the coach drops when the air bags are deflated. The same is true when starting the motorhome in the morning and the air bags inflate, which is why I put it back into flat tow mode before starting the motorhome and getting it off its jacks and ready to roll. If you’ve got a motorhome without airbags I can’t speak to that situation since I don’t have experience with those rigs.

 

[Bill K]

Thanks for the feedback. All good suggestions. One last thing, do you lock the doors after hooking up and putting it in tow mode? If so, do you use the key fob or some other method. My most recent towed vehicle (the Smart) used a battery kill switch as part of the towing process, so there was no way to lock/unlock the doors once the battery was turned off.

I don't ever lock the doors in flat tow mode while taking breaks during driving. I will lock the doors if leaving the vehicle hooked up over night while flat towing, but unlock them in the morning when I check and see flat tow is still engaged.

 

[evofxdwg]

I leave it in flat tow hooked up overnight frequently. And I usually leave the aux braking system turned on overnight as well. (I installed a power pushbutton on the dash for it)

I do check (if I think of it) in the morning before moving and sometimes at a stop. Open the door and the "flat tow" message is still on the dash display. It has never failed.

I do lock it while towing with the fob from outside. It will not lock with the inside or outside door lock button for some reason after I put it in flat tow. Maybe it does not know if the fob is insider or outside.

I have the 12V charge line hooked up but I know it is only live if the motorhome ignition is on.

I know my aux braking system has zero or near zero parasitic draw (Demco Stay and Play). This is key! Apparently, some systems have significant parasitic draw.

 

[Cooperhawk]

I have a 12 volt line run to the battery and I monitor the voltage with this.
https://www.amazon.com/ANCEL-Transm...d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1
This will tell me if the voltage drops.
We just returned from six weeks and about 5000 miles of towing without any problem at all. I make it a habit to take it out of tow mode each night and start it and run it through the gears before putting it back in tow mode each morning.

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