Do I Need a High-Low Adapter to Flat Tow My 2011 Mini Cooper Behind a Class C Motorhome

Published 12/22/2022

Question:

I will be flat towing a mini cooper behind my class c motorhome. How do i know if i need a drop behind it? What angle is acceptable for flat towing?

asked by: Dawn

Expert Reply:

Great question!

Tow bars have a standard "safe zone" where the height difference can be no more than 3" between the centerline of the motorhome hitch receiver to the middle of the base plate kit where the arms attach (see attached photo).

This can be challenging if you don't already have a base plate kit to take this measurement for. Thankfully our teams do a great job at digging up information and we've already done half of the homework for you as we list the bracket height for the base plates that fit your vehicle.

For example, the Blue Ox Base Plate Kit # BX1307 that fits your 2011 Mini Cooper has a bracket height of 13-1/2". If you compare this to the centerline of your motorhome hitch receiver and the difference is greater than 3", that means you'll want to choose a high-low adapter that gets you into the safe zone.

Attached is a helpful article that talks about this as well as an installation video of the base plate kit on a 2010 Mini Cooper for you to reference.

For a complete flat towing setup you will need a base plate kit, tow bar, safety cables, vehicle tow bar wiring, a supplemental braking system, and possibly a high-low adapter. If you do not have all of these components just let me know and I can make some additional recommendations for you.

expert reply by: Jon G