sandsprite
West Virginia
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Joined: 01/28/2008
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I'm closer to taking the plunge and getting a class A. Have a 2005 GMC Envoy that can be towed 4-down. While browsing at a dealership yesterday, I asked the sales guy about the cost of setting up the Envoy as a toad. Is is just me or is $3,500 - $4,000 a bit on the high side?
Thanks in advance for any opinions/comments/suggestions.
Pam
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RicJones
So. Cal.
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Joined: 10/29/2007
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Maybe a little on the high side. I'm getting ready to set up my Edge and I'm looking at just over $1000 for the baseplate and getting it installed and the wiring. You're looking at probably a little more than that for the tow bar.
The best thing to do for a tow bar is buy used if you can. I got mine for $250 about 1/4 the cost of new.
If you can do the install and the wiring yourself you should save a bunch of money. I did all the work on my Liberty but I'm paying someone to do it this time around.
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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$750 for a stainless steel and aluminum self-locking towbar with built in surge brakes.
$10 for magnetic lights at Harbor Freight.
$60 for EZ Coil wiring harness.
$400 for a Demco baseplate.
I have always put my own baseplates on but if you had to pay someone, add another 2-3 hours labor.
My Kharma ran over my Dogma.
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gemsworld
Sunny Southern California
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Joined: 03/08/2009
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Big Katuna wrote:$750 for a stainless steel and aluminum self-locking towbar with built in surge brakes.
Do you have a link to one of those tow bars?
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Hank MI
Brighton, Michigan
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I was quoted around $1,100 for base plate, wiring and install. I purchased and installed them myself for about $400. Tow bar was a little over $500. Prices have gone up some since, BlueOx has instituted a minimum price policy on their dealers. Then add cost of supplemental brake system for toad. Seems high to me but depends on if that includes toad brake system, even then maybe a little high.
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docj
Fulltime--Home is where we park it
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Big Katuna wrote:$750 for a stainless steel and aluminum self-locking towbar with built in surge brakes.
I won't comment on the other items in this list, but a ReadyBrute tow bar with integrated surge braking system is ~$1000. Maybe that isn't the one this person was talking about, but it is what I own as do many of the other folks on this forum
Sandie & Joel
2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12
2009 Chevy Malibu LTZ with ReadyBrute tow bar/braking system
Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels
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Big Katuna
Deland, FL
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gemsworld wrote:Big Katuna wrote:$750 for a stainless steel and aluminum self-locking towbar with built in surge brakes.
Do you have a link to one of those tow bars?
READYBRUTE CLICKY
I paid $750 for mine but that was a few years ago. There are some on Ebay too. Another advantage to the tow bar is that you can buy tabs for all the various baseplate providers so you can change brands if you want.
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Horsedoc
Dixie --- N. Georgia
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Sure would like to see the surge brake towbar in action. Blue Ox rep tells me they will have an air brake system this year. Going to be close to a grand. Does the Ready Brute have to be plumbed into the brake system of the toad? I checked the clicky and saw it mentioned, but no explanation of how it worked. About to put a 4 dr Wrangler in service and would like to see how this thing works.
horsedoc
2008 Damon Essence
2003 Honda Element
Blue Ox tow
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Ro646a
New Boston, MI
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I used one of these before with our old motorhome and toad. I'm going to buy another one. It works great.
This link should help you visualize how it works.
http://www.readybrake.com/brake-systems.html
2001 Fleetwood Southwind 35R on 2000 Ford F53 Chassis
V10 310HP
Roadmaster Sterling All terrain tow bar
Ready Brake
2002 Chevy Tracker V6 4x4 SUV
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docj
Fulltime--Home is where we park it
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We've used a ReadyBrute for 15,000 miles with no issues. The ReadyBrute has no connection to the toad's brake system other than the cable that gets attached to the pedal. The relative motion of the toad towards the MH results in the cable being pulled and the brakes being applied. There are lots of people on this forum who are using them without problems.
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