John Stephens
Well-known member
I'm getting to the age where I really don't want to climb underneath my tow dolly to hook up my toad anymore. The wife and I planned on getting a new car this or next year and after doing considerable research, we've decided to buy a 2018 Chevy Equinox, wanting a crossover SUV that can be flat towed. Now, I have to determine the best equipment to have installed to do the job. It seems all the hitch installers here in town as well as my RV mechanic think Blue Ox is the best and I don't disagree as far as the face plate and tow bars are concerned. I'd appreciate opinions from those of you familiar with the equipment as well as its competition. I'm thinking of getting an Ascent, since it's aluminum and weighs less, and also is adjustable as opposed to fixed when trying to connect.
The brake system, though, is where my mechanic and I break away from Blue Ox since it appears from their website the only system they have is the Patriot, which is a portable system. My mechanic is of the opinion that portable systems can oftentimes fail because they can turn over or become dislodged between the brake pedal and the seat during turns. I don't mind having a permanent installation made for several reasons and am looking for opinions of what may be the best. We won't be trading this car so I don't have to worry about portability and I would prefer to already have the system installed so I don't have to mess with it every time I hook up the toad. So far, I have looked at the SMI DUO and the Roadmaster Invisibrake. Since the Invisibrake has a built in battery charger, it seems more practical and will negate the need to install a charger and voltage regulator that my mechanic indicated would be required. If anyone has experience with either of these systems, please share.
The brake system, though, is where my mechanic and I break away from Blue Ox since it appears from their website the only system they have is the Patriot, which is a portable system. My mechanic is of the opinion that portable systems can oftentimes fail because they can turn over or become dislodged between the brake pedal and the seat during turns. I don't mind having a permanent installation made for several reasons and am looking for opinions of what may be the best. We won't be trading this car so I don't have to worry about portability and I would prefer to already have the system installed so I don't have to mess with it every time I hook up the toad. So far, I have looked at the SMI DUO and the Roadmaster Invisibrake. Since the Invisibrake has a built in battery charger, it seems more practical and will negate the need to install a charger and voltage regulator that my mechanic indicated would be required. If anyone has experience with either of these systems, please share.