Can You Tow A Honda Pilot Behind A Motorhome? Find Out

Yes, you can very safely tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome, except for the 2016 model of Honda Pilot which is not recommended for towing behind a motorhome according to the manufacturers.

Specifically, the manufacturers recommend that you should not for any reason flatbed tow a Honda Pilot, but in the alternative, you can utilize a tow dolly in towing any front-wheel driven car like some models of Honda Pilot.

Should you attempt to flat-tow a Honda Pilot, there is the chance that you may damage its transmission system whether it is a 4 wheel or a front-wheel-drive version. Motorhomes, also known as RVs( recreational vehicles) are a very convenient way of traveling to campsites for leisure.

Commonly, with small cars or trucks, you may not have to keep your gear by pulling up the stakes anytime you want to go somewhere. Hence, it is not uncommon to find big RVs pulling behind them comparatively smaller vehicles. The extra wheels of the smaller cars make it much easier to move around without stress.

If you are using either a 4-wheeled trailer or even a 2-wheeled tow dolly, it is understandable that any vehicle can be flat towed behind an RV, as long as the weight of the car or truck is not more than the weight carrying capacity of the RV.

An effective alternative to flat towing is commonly known as 4-down towing or dinghy towing. In this procedure, all you have to do is attach a tow bar to a suitable car, SUV( Sports Utility Vehicle), or even a pickup and allow it to move along behind the motorhome on all its 4 wheels, hence the name 4-down. 

The absence of a manual transmission system and also the proliferation of cars that are fitted with Continuously Variable Transmission(CVTs) and a front-wheel-drive or even a full and part-time 4-wheel drive system have reduced tremendously.

Notably, all vehicles with CVT can not be flat towed with their wheels on the ground. Therefore, vehicles that are fitted with a CVT cannot be flat towed with all their wheels on the ground, which can damage the transmission system too.

How do you tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome?

The manufacturers have recommended that although you can tow some models of Honda Pilot behind a motorhome, it is still better to tow them on the flatbed of a trailer or truck.

Again, dolly towing is much more preferred with the front wheels off the ground in the 2-wheel drive models of Honda Pilot.

The 2007 Honda Pilot model, for instance, can be flat towed, although Honda vehicles are known to have specific instructions which should be very closely monitored to prevent any damage to the vehicle about which you should always refer to the user manual.

The 2012 Honda Pilot can be flat towed behind a motorhome by following the usual procedures of towing Honda vehicles behind a motorhome.

Consequently, you will have to bear the risks of a warranty denial, especially since Honda lawyers have got the issue covered. Also, while towing a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome, you should not drive at speeds exceeding about 60 mph or 100 km/h.

Otherwise, you risk certain damage to its transmission system.  Before you endeavor to tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome, make sure that their weights are compatible and again, you must ensure that the two vehicles are properly attached throughout.

This you can do with due reference to the accompanying user manual which has every conceivable information on the matter.

What can you use to tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome?

   To tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome or RV, you must first make sure that the towing capacity of the RV is compatible with the weight of the car. This can be done in consultation with the user manual which has the necessary specifications on weight compatibility and towing capacities.

Next, you have to ascertain that the two vehicles are properly attached before you set out with the use of the appropriate tow hitch. While still on the subject, you must also make sure that your rearview and side mirrors are well positioned too and are also in perfect working condition.

Similarly, your parking lights and trafficators must also be in order too. Your brakes should also be working perfectly for obvious reasons. Finally, you must not tow at speeds exceeding that which is recommended for safe towing behind a motorhome.

Is it safe to tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome?

  Yes, it is perfectly safe to tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome as long as the manufacturers have recommended that you can do it without any risks.

On the contrary, since not all Honda Pilot models can be towed behind a motorhome safely, you must refer to the user manual to confirm whether you can safely tow your model behind a motorhome or not. Next, you should use the appropriate tow hitch in attaching the two vehicles.

Also, make sure that your lights, brakes, and mirrors are working perfectly too, and drive within the permitted speed limits for towing. If you take care of all these requirements, towing a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome can be very safe, much as it is with other models of vehicles.

When should I tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome?

  You can tow a Honda Pilot behind a motorhome only after you are certain that the weight of the car does not exceed the towing capacity of the RV. In addition, the two vehicles must be well attached throughout towing.

Also, every important component for towing such as mirrors, lights, and brakes must be working as expected. Finally, do not attempt to tow the vehicle behind a motorhome unless that is recommended safe by the manufacturers.

Whenever you are sure about all these conditions, you can proceed to tow the vehicle behind a motorhome.

Can you tow a Honda Pilot with a tow dolly?

Tow dollies are used mainly for front-wheel-drive cars with overall weight not exceeding about 5,000 pounds or less. Towing with a tow dolly is permitted mainly in front-wheel-drive cars with their front wheels off the ground.

And although some models of Honda Pilot cannot be towed behind a motorhome, there are still others that can be so towed or with the aid of a tow dolly.  As long as your model of Honda Pilot is not an AWD or an FWD model, you can dolly tow it without the fear of damage to its transmission system.

In such situations, the best option is to tow the vehicle on the flatbed of a trailer or truck with all its wheels off the ground. So, yes, you can dolly tow a Honda Pilot if it is not a FWD or a model, whose towing is best done on the bed of a trailer or truck.

FAQs

(1). What kind of cars can be flat towed?

There are different models of cars that can be flat towed without the risk of any damage to them. Commonly, therefore, cars that are 4 wheel drive( FWD) or even the front wheel types must either have all their wheels totally off the ground or in the case of FWD cars, the front wheels must be lifted from the ground.

Conversely, if you fail to raise the wheels as the case may be with either AWD or FWD vehicles, you risk certain damage to any of the transmission systems or the drivetrain of the car, or both. So, any car can be flat towed except the AWD or the FWD models.

(2). Can a Honda Fit be towed behind an RV?

 Yes, Honda Fit can be towed safely behind an RV, although a lot depends on the year and model of the vehicle. On a general note, third-generation Honda Fit cars from around 2008 to 2013, are specifically designed for safe flat towing.

Although both manual and automatic transmission vehicles can be flat towed behind a motorhome or an RV. However, Honda Fit models produced from around 2013 onwards can be towed easily and safely as long as they are produced with only manual transmission systems.

On the contrary, if they are equipped with automatic transmission systems or if they are AWD models, you may require the services of the flatbed of a trailer to move them.

Conclusion – Can You Tow A Honda Pilot Behind A Motorhome?

Whatever the case may be, you can tow any vehicle regardless of its model, year of production, and the type of transmission system it has. For example, any car with a manual transmission system is fully towable even with all its 4 wheels on the ground.

However, with an automatic transmission, other factors have to be put into consideration before towing whether on its wheels or the bed of a trailer.