Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2012 Smart fortwo Behind a Toyota Tacoma

Question:

Flat towing a 2012 smart car with my tacoma what parts do I need?

asked by: Terry S

Expert Reply:

To flat tow your 2012 Smart fortwo behind your Toyota Tacoma you will need base plates, a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking.

First, for base plates I recommend the Blue Ox model # BX1987 because they are generally easier to install and cost a little less than the competition.

For a compatible tow bar there are a couple of ways to approach it. You could go with a tow bar that costs a little more and end up saving money on the braking system or you could go with an inexpensive tow bar and get a higher cost braking system. I recommend the first method since a tow bar that costs a little more will make it easier to connect the Smart car to the motor home.

So what I recommend is the Alpha tow bar, # BX7380, which comes with safety cables so you will not have to purchase any additional cables.

For lighting you have a couple of options. The most inexpensive option is a magnetic light kit # RM-2120. Or for a more permanent option you can use # RM-154. It also appears that the battery has to be disconnected on your Smart car to flat tow it. Check the owners manual to confirm.

To keep power going to the battery you can use # HM47054. You would have to cut off the 4-Way end on the light system and wire it into the 6-Way included with this kit. Then you would add some wire, # 10-1-1, sold by the foot, wired into the 6-Way with the other end connected to the positive battery terminal on the Smart car. I have linked a help article showing how various trailer connectors are wired that should help.

If the Tacoma does not have a 7-Way trailer connector, let me know the year of it and I can tell you what you will need to add a 7-Way.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking on the vehicle being flat towed. One of the preferred systems for our installers and what I recommend is the SMI Stay-IN-Play DUO proportional system, # SM99251. It will apply the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Be sure to consult your vehicle owners manual for specific information on flat towing the vehicle. I have also included some helpful links to our series of help articles on flat towing for you.