Parts Needed to Flat Tow a 2002 Chevy Silverado 2500 4x4 behind an RV  

Question:

Expert Reply:

To flat tow your 2002 Chevy Silverado 2500 4x4 you will need base plates, a tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking. Starting with the base plates I recommend using Roadmaster base plates. There are a few different ones depending on the specifics of your truck:

If you have a 2500 HD with tow hooks bolted externally to the bottom of the frame AND a 3" measurement when taken from the centerpoint of the lower-most threaded hole, on the frame side, to a center-line dissecting the rear-most elongated hole on the bottom use # 131-15.

If you have a 2500 HD and a 1-1/4" measurement when taken from the centerpoint of the lower-most threaded hole, on the frame side, to a center-line dissecting the rear-most elongated hole on the bottom use # 131-17.

The specified measurements are explained in greater detail on each of the product pages.

If you have a 2500 LD (light duty) and tow hooks bolted internally to the frame rail use # 3101-1.

Next, for a tow bar that is compatible with any of the base plates listed above you can use the Falcon II # RM-520 rated for 6,000 pounds. For safety cables I recommend # RM-643 because the coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground.

For lighting the most common method is a diode system such as Roadmaster Universal Hy-Power Diode Wiring Kit Item # RM-154. But you could also use a magnetic light kit such as # RM-2120 to save some money.

You may also need a high/low adapter to keep the tow bar level. I have linked a help article showing how to measure and a link to the high/low adapters we carry.

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 Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR along with the # RM-88400. 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.

expert reply by: Michael H

0