Equipment Needed to Flat Tow 2007 Toyota Matrix Behind Motorhome

Question:

Have a 2007 Toyota Matrix w manuel transmission. Could you quote me the equipment I would need to tow my Matrix. Base plate, tow bar, electrical wiring, safety chains and anything else. Thanks.

asked by: Diane E

Expert Reply:

I'd be happy to help you with that. You'll need a tow bar, base plates, safety cables, a taillight wiring harness, a supplemental braking sytem and possibly a high/low adapter.

For a tow bar, I'd recommend the Blue Ox Alpha 2, part # BX7380. The tow bar self aligns and the arms will lock into place without binding up as you drive away. No need to have the vehicle perfectly lined up behind the motorhome. Safety cables are included with the tow bar.

For base plates, I'd go with # BX3759 which fits XR and XRS models. For a taillight wiring harness, use # RM-15267. For supplemental braking, I like a portable unit like the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR and the # RM-9332 12-v outlet kit. Going with a portable braking system will avoid the lengthy and possibly expensive installation of a permanent system, and can be moved between vehicles if necessary.

Assuming the vehicle is at factory ride height on the stock 205/55-16 tires, the base plates will sit about 15 inches above the pavement once installed. If this height is more than 3 inches plus or minus different than the receiver height on the motorhome, you'll need a high low adapter to bring the height within that 3 inch range. I'll link to our selection of high/low adapters.

I'll also link you to a help article which will provide additional information about flat towing.