Recommendations For Flat Towing A 2012 Chevy Equinox Safely

Question:

I have towed many types of vehicles and i understand the wiring and tow hitch however what do you have to do to tow a equinox with the automatic transmission is there a kit you can find to protect the trans. thank you

asked by: Alan Y

Expert Reply:

Your 2012 Chevy Equinox is towable with an automatic transmission with speed restriction of 65 mph. You will want to check your owners manual for any other restrictions, but there aren't any others that I'm aware of. In most cases they suggest starting your vehicle whenever you stop and allowing it to run for 5 minutes to prevent battery drain.

For the complete system, I recommend the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit - Removable Arms # BX1689 along with the Blue Ox Alpha Tow Bar - Motor Home Mount - 6,500 lbs # BX7380. This will have the safety cables needed. I recommend the Blue Ox Base-Plate and Receiver Lock Kit - Qty 4 # BX88177 to secure your vehicles.

For wiring, I recommend the Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit # RM-15267 which will give you a 12V power wire option to maintenance charge your vehicle battery so you don't need to charge it by starting it at every stop. This will use diodes to protect and use your factory wiring for a clean look. Your owners manual requires fuses to be pulled for this system and an automatic battery disconnect will not work on your vehicle.

For your supplemental braking, I recommend the SMI Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System - Proportional # SM99251. This system only needs to be adjusted at installation and then it becomes a plug an play system. The Roadmaster Stop Light Switch Kit - Chevrolet Equinox # RM-751439 is required which will allow your RV's monitoring system to alert you whenever the brakes of your Equinox are being applied. This assists to ensure syncing the braking systems to avoid costly damage.

The last thing you need is a high-low adapter. I've attached an article and linked the page to help you determine the correct fit for your combination of motorhome and vehicle.