Parts Needed When Flat Towing A 2014 Ford Focus Behind RV

Question

Question:

I plan to purchase a Roadmaster Falcon 2 Tow Bar and Tow bar bracket for my 2014 Ford Falcon. The center of my RV tow bar receptacle is 15-1/2 inches above the pavement. Do I need an adapter connection before connecting the tow bar. Also I need your recommendation for all the Roadmaster parts mechanical and electrical I need to purchase to enable me to tow the vehicle safely. I do need to buy a supplemental braking system as well. What do you recommend since my owners manual requires me to disconnect the battery ground for towing. Additionally I have a 4 way electrical connection at the back of my RV.

asked by: Cal H

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

In order to flat tow your 2014 Ford Focus, you will need several items. Most tow systems require some sort of hitch accessory to either raise or lower the tow bar to the appropriate height. The safe zone for a motor-home-mounted tow bar ranges from 3 inches above or below level. RoadMaster high-low adapters will provide you with the necessary drop. Simply flip the adapter over to achieve the desired level. I have linked you to a product page for high-low adapters.

One of the first things you need to flat tow is base plates. I recommend the Roadmaster EZ5 Base Plate Kit, part # RM-524430-5. These base plates are easy to mount and simple to remove. The brackets install on your vehicle frame to provide attachment points for your tow bar.

You need a tow bar that is compatible. I recommend the RoadMaster Falcon 2 Tow Bar, part # RM-520. Another item you also need is safety cables. For that I recommend part # RM-643. I have attached links to installation videos for the tow bar and the safety cables.

For lighting, I recommend the Blue Ox Tail Light Wiring Kit, part # BX8869. This kit runs wiring beneath your vehicle and connects to your RV 4-way flat connector. Bulbs and sockets mount inside your car tail light housings. This kit includes all the necessary wiring, lights, sockets, and instructions. I have attached a link to an installation of this wiring kit.

If you have a 4-way round connector on the back of your RV, I recommend the Blue Ox 4-Wire, Coiled Electrical Cord, part # BX8861. This is a coiled 7 ft cord that will enable you to hook the round 4-way plug on your RV to the taillight wiring harness using the included 4-way round connectors.

Most states require a supplemental braking system on the vehicle being flat towed. You want to use a system designed for flat towing. One of the easiest systems to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR. This is a proportional system that ensures the brakes in your towed car are activated at the same time and with the same intensity you apply in your RV. It also features an easy-to-read LED display that shows the sensitivity setting, and has a gain knob that enables you to be able to adjust the sensitivity. This brake system features a wireless, radio frequency remote controller that mounts in the RV cab and plugs into a supplemental 12V outlet.

Since you are going to be using the towed vehicle battery for power to operate the supplemental brake system, it is recommended you stop every four hours and start the towed vehicle, letting it run for a bit to keep the battery charged.

I spoke with my contact at Roadmaster about disconnecting the battery on your vehicle. They told me that every time the vehicle has the battery cable reconnected, the car goes through a rebooting process. during this process the vehicle does a transmission gear selection. This process can last from 30 seconds to 15 minutes. If you unhook the battery cable during the rebooting process you risk damaging the transmission because it has not had time to finish the rebooting process. For that reason you will want to leave the vehicle reconnected for at least 15 minutes each time you re-attach the battery cable.