Unstable TOAD

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jlf

New member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Posts
3
I had something occur a few weeks ago that I thought I'd share, just for information purposes.  I've been towing cars behind my motorhomes for 22 years and never had this happen.  After completing a 90 degree turn from a two lane road onto a two lane road and going no more than 5 MPH, my 2013 Ford Focus began violently swaying back and forth.  It was violent enough to cause my Allegro RED Open Road to sway as well.  I pulled over a fast as I could and went to inspect the Toad and towing equipment.  I thought I may have broken the tow bar or hitch assembly.  I could find nothing wrong with either, but decided to unhitch the car and have my wife drive it to the campground which was less than a quarter mile away.  En route, neither the MH or car acted abnormally.  Once at the campground, I took the car out for a test drive, with no problems.  I decided we'd hook up as normal the next morning and do a test drive around the campground roads.  The next morning, I looked on-line and was surprised to find this also happened to towed Jeep Cherokees.  It happens when four wheel towing and the front tires go over an uneven surface.  There was a You Tube Video that depicted exactly what I had encountered.  When I made the 90 degree turn, I do remember the front right wheel of the Toad going down a slight incline from paved to unpaved surface, no more than 2-3 inches.  To counter what they referred to as the "Death Wiggle," is to completely stop.  Once stopped, you can drive off without issue.  We've continued to tow without any recurrence since.  I've learned to make my turns wide to endure the Toad stays on a flat surface.
 
It seems like that can happen when a toad goes extreme lock on a tight turn. Since the wheels on the toad are always following the rig, it takes a little longer for the toad wheels to straighten out. If they don't straighten quick enough, you can get that violent back and forth shaking that you experienced.
 
This has happened to me once on highway 58, just before Kramer Junction, in California. There is a "S" curve that crosses over the railroad tracks and is a bit uneven, my HHR started swaying back and forth. I had never experienced anything like that before and it really shook the wife and me up. Once the steering wheel starts moving back and forth there isn't much you can do but stop.

Bob
 
I got this extreme toad wobble when towing a Smart Car without having a bungee cord to center the wheel.  It would cause the whole coach to wobble.  It does seem strange that this has not happened before and just started doing it.  The Smart cars almost always would do the wobble without a way to center the steering.  I guess that the steering was too loose without the electronic power steering on.
This probably is not your problem, but maybe something like this.
 
yolo said:
I got this extreme toad wobble when towing a Smart Car without having a bungee cord to center the wheel.  It would cause the whole coach to wobble.  It does seem strange that this has not happened before and just started doing it.  The Smart cars almost always would do the wobble without a way to center the steering.  I guess that the steering was too loose without the electronic power steering on.
This probably is not your problem, but maybe something like this.


I do tow a 2009 Smart for two and I do use a 32" bungie cord, passing it through the steering wheels and attaching both ends under each side of the driver's seat and it works great; the reason mentioned is that the wheel base of the toad is too short
 
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