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  1. Flat Tow
man hooking up flat tow.
man hooking up truck to flat tow.

FLAT TOWING PARTS & TOW BARS

Flat towing, also called dinghy towing, lets you bring your vehicle with you by towing it behind your RV with all four wheels on the ground. Find the parts that fit your vehicle and build a complete setup with base plates, tow bars, wiring, and braking systems that work together.

Start Your Setup

  • Check your owner’s manual for flat tow compatibility
  • Find a custom-fit base plate for your vehicle
Once you have those, you can choose the rest of your setup.
Blue Ox Base Plate Kit on front of Jeep.

1. Tow Bar Base Plates

A base plate creates a secure, vehicle-specific connection point for your tow bar. Each one is custom-fit to your vehicle so everything lines up correctly and performs the way it should.
etrailer Invisible Base Plate Kit.
REMOVABLE ARMS BASE PLATES
etrailer Classic Base Plate Kit.
FIXED ARMS BASE PLATES
Roadmaster Tow Bar Adapter.
TOW BAR ADAPTERS
Roadmaster Replacement 1/2" Tow Bar Base Pins.
TOW BAR PINS & CLIPS
How a Flat Tow Setup Fits TogetherBase plates are where everything starts. Here’s how the full system connects:
1. Tow Bar Base Plates 2. Tow Bars 3. Safety Cables 4. Flat Tow Wiring Harness 5. Flat Tow Brake Systems6. Additional Wiring Components
White SUV connected to tow bar.
Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow Bar attached to RV.

2. Tow Bars

The tow bar connects your vehicle to your RV’s hitch. A quality tow bar keeps your vehicle tracking straight, reduces sway, and makes hookup easier.
Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar.
HITCH STYLE TOW BARS
Curt adjustable tow bar.
COUPLER STYLE TOW BARS
etrailer SD non-binding tow bar.
TELESCOPIC (NON-BINDING) TOW BARS
Roadmaster Tracker tow bar.
FIXED TOW BARS
Demco Kar Kaddy SS tow dolly.
TOW DOLLIES
Roadmaster EZ Hook Safety Cables in blue.

3. Safety Cables

Safety cables act as a fail-safe. If your tow bar ever disconnects, they keep your vehicle securely attached to your RV.
Roadmaster coiled safety cables in red.
COILED SAFETY CABLES
Roadmaster straight safety cables in blue.
STRAIGHT SAFETY CABLES
Dutton-Lainson safety cables in grey.
SNAP HOOK SAFETY CABLES
Blue Ox Permanent base plate safety cables in black.
QUICK LINK SAFETY CABLES
Demco Safety Cable Extensions.
SAFETY CABLE EXTENSIONS
Installing Wiring Harness.

4. Flat Tow Wiring Harness

A wiring harness syncs your vehicle’s brake lights, turn signals, and tail lights with your RV. It's required in most areas for safe, legal towing.
Curt Custom Tail Light Wiring Kit for Towed Vehicles.
CUSTOM-FIT WIRING HARNESSES
EZ connector magnetic extension cord.
WIRING EXTENSIONS
Blue Ox 7-wire to 6-wire coiled electrical cord in blue.
WIRING ADAPTERS
Roadmaster diode 7-wire to 6-wire flexo-coil wiring kit.
DIODE KITS
Roadmaster tail light wiring kit with bulbs.
BULB & SOCKET KITS
Hopkins magnetic tow lights.
REMOVABLE TAIL LIGHTS
Brake Buddy Brake System in cab of truck.

5. Flat Tow Braking Systems

A supplemental braking system applies your vehicle’s brakes when your RV slows down. This helps your vehicle slow down with your RV and is required in many states.
Roadmaster Even Brake portable braking system.
PROPORTIONAL BRAKING SYSTEMS
Roadmaster InvisiBrake braking system.
PRE-SET BRAKING SYSTEMS
Demco Air Force One braking system.
FIXED BRAKING SYSTEMS
Brake Buddy portable braking system in red.
PORTABLE BRAKING SYSTEMS
Blue Ox replacement RF controller for Patriot braking systems.
REPLACEMENT PARTS & ACCESSORIES

6. Additional Wiring Components

Complete your system with electrical and performance add-ons:
Roadmaster stop light switch kit.
STOP LIGHT SWITCH KITS
Roadmaster Brake-Lite relay kit.
BRAKE-LITE RELAY KITS
Roadmaster Battery Disconnect with switch.
BATTERY DISCONNECTS
Roadmaster Fusemaster fuse bypass switch.
FUSE BYPASS SWITCHES
Roadmaster battery charge line kit.
BATTERY CHARGE LINE KITS

Tow Bar Accessories

Upgrade and protect your setup with:
Blue Ox accessory kit.
TOW BAR ACCESSORY KITS
etrailer Universal Tow Bar Cover.
TOW BAR COVERS AND STORAGE
Roadmaster replacement tow bar quick disconnect kit.
QUICK DISCONNECTS
Roadmaster High-Low Adapter.
HITCH ADAPTERS
etrailer lock and keys for tow bars.
TOW BAR LOCKS
Roadmaster second vehicle kits for Invisibrake braking system.
SECOND VEHICLE KITS

New Flat Towing Products

etrailer High-Low Fixed Adapter for Tow Bars.
ETRAILER HIGH LOW ADAPTERS
Ultra-Fab All-Terrain Tow Bar for Roadmaster Base Plates.
ULTRA-FAB ALL-TERRAIN TOW BAR
Curt Seeker Non-Binding Tow Bar.
CURT SEEKER TOW BAR
Roadmaster Falcon 3HD Tow Bar for Blue Ox Base Plates.
ROADMASTER FALCON 3HD TOW BAR
Curt RVi Series 4 Portable Flat Tow Brake System.
CURT RVI FLAT TOW BRAKE SYSTEMS
Curt RVi Series Bullseye Wireless Monitor.
CURT RVI SERIES ACCESSORIES

Flat Towing Guides & Resources

Guide to Must-Have Flat Towing Components Article.
What is Flat Towing Article.
Hooking-Up to Flat Tow Article.

Help From People Who've Done It

Flat towing setups can feel like a lot, especially the first time.We’ve installed thousands of flat tow systems and tested these products ourselves. If you’re not sure what fits your vehicle or how everything works together, we can help you figure out what fits before you buy.
  • Talk through your setup with our team
  • Find parts that work together
  • Get help before and after your install

What is flat towing?

Flat towing (dinghy towing) is when you tow a vehicle with all four wheels on the ground behind another vehicle, like an RV.

What’s the difference between flat towing and using a tow dolly or trailer?

Flat towing is simpler—no bulky dolly or trailer to store or deal with. As long as your car is flat towable, it’s faster to set up and easier to disconnect when you reach your destination.

Can I flat tow my car?

Not every vehicle can be flat towed. Check your owner’s manual under “Recreational Towing” to see if it’s approved and whether there are any special instructions. You can also use our Flat Tow Index as a starting point to see many compatible vehicles and setup notes. If your vehicle isn’t listed, your owner’s manual will have the most up-to-date information.

What do I need to flat tow a car?

You’ll need a few key things:
  • Tow Bar Base Plates: These attach to your car to connect it to the tow bar.
  • Tow Bar: This links your car to the RV.
  • Safety Cables: A backup connection in case the tow bar fails.
  • Wiring Harness: To sync your car’s lights with your RV.
  • Supplemental Braking System: A braking system for your towed car, which is required in most states.

Do I need a braking system?

In most cases, yes. A supplemental braking system improves stopping performance and is required by law in many states.For more information, check out our FAQ.

Can I flat tow an automatic car?

Some automatic vehicles can be flat towed, but it depends on the make and model. Always check your owner’s manual for restrictions or required steps.

How do I connect my vehicle’s lights?

You’ll need a wiring harness to sync your vehicle’s lights with your RV. Options range from plug-and-play kits to more permanent wiring solutions.

Are there speed or distance limits when flat towing?

Some vehicles have limits on speed or towing distance. Check your owner’s manual for specific guidelines.

Can I have my flat towing setup professionally installed?

Absolutely. Flat towing setups can involve multiple components which need to work together safely and reliably. If you’re not comfortable drilling into your vehicle’s frame and handling electrical wiring, professional installation is a smart choice. Use etrailer's Local Installer Locator Tool to find a trusted installer near you.