Toad damage from road debris.

[dodge_guy]

Next time some one asks about some kind of toad protection from dirt and debris kicking up. Don’t say I’ve been doing it for X amount of years with no damage. Just got back from our Rocky Mountain trip. All highways or primary roads, no gravel roads. My windshield has so many small rock chips (very small) that weren’t there before the trip!

Next time I’ll just follow my own judgement and get some kind of flap at the rear of the MH or something between the MhHand toad!

Anyone that is reading this and new to towing, get some kind of toad protection!!!! And yes I have the mud flaps behind the rear wheels that everyone says is all you need!!

Ughhhh!

[Dutch_12078]

We started using a Protect-A-Tow between our coach and toad in 2008 after paying almost $1,000 for toad body and paint work after traveling on about 20 miles of gravel roads with a "grass skirt". We particularly like the ease of hooking it up and that it also protects the tow bar, safety cables, and wiring.

[dodge_guy]

IB853347201 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Next time some one asks about some kind of toad protection from dirt and debris kicking up. Don’t say I’ve been doing it for X amount of years with no damage. Just got back from our Rocky Mountain trip. All highways or primary roads, no gravel roads. My windshield has so many small rock chips (very small) that weren’t there before the trip!
Next time I’ll just follow my own judgement and get some kind of flap at the rear of the MH or something between the Mh and toad!

Sorry to hear of your toad damage on your recent trip. I assume based on your profile that you have been traveling by MH for at least 8 years? Is this the first time you took a toad? Or is this the first time you had damage?
I hate to be the one to say it but...Here goes...we've been traveling by MH with a toad, all across Canada and the US, North and South, primary and secondary Highways, for over 20 years. No shield or flap across the rear of our MH's and no rock chips or damage yet.

First long trip with the MH. Before this the longest was 3 hours. What’s worse is I just had the hail damage repaired on the car. So the car was perfect! I ran it though a car wash and that is where I seen the small chips in the windshield. I haven’t washed it by hand yet. I vertically hope there is no damage to the hood and fenders. But I’m not holding my breath.

[Y-Guy]

Jeep Wrangler windshields are notorious for getting sand blasted even without being towed. I spoke with one guy that used a winter snow shield on his Jeep to protect it, had to cut it modify it but said it worked well.

[Horsedoc]

Look at the windshield with the sun from an angle sometimes. We have had three different tows over the years and the all had tiny little chips where sand and debris had struck them. The Wrangler seems to be the worst, but it has been towed the greatest distance - that and the windshield is the most vertical. I think that is just part of the experience of RVing with a tow.

[IB853347201]

dodge guy wrote:
Next time some one asks about some kind of toad protection from dirt and debris kicking up. Don’t say I’ve been doing it for X amount of years with no damage. Just got back from our Rocky Mountain trip. All highways or primary roads, no gravel roads. My windshield has so many small rock chips (very small) that weren’t there before the trip!
Next time I’ll just follow my own judgement and get some kind of flap at the rear of the MH or something between the Mh and toad!

Sorry to hear of your toad damage on your recent trip. I assume based on your profile that you have been traveling by MH for at least 8 years? Is this the first time you took a toad? Or is this the first time you had damage?
I hate to be the one to say it but...Here goes...we've been traveling by MH with a toad, all across Canada and the US, North and South, primary and secondary Highways, for over 20 years. No shield or flap across the rear of our MH's and no rock chips or damage yet.

[JoeH]

been towing 4 down for 20 years with multiple toads and no protection.... never had any damage.

[garym114]

Never was a question for me, used a Protect A Tow from day one.

[K_Charles]

A shopping cart hit our toad 2 years ago. Stuff happens but we still tow four down.

[Dick_B]

One popular couple put a board on the front of their toad for their trip to Alaska. Don't know how they attached it, however.

[ferndaleflyer]

A!A that nay be true. I have never flat towed in my life behind the motor home. I either use a dolly, most of the time, or an open or enclosed trailer. Don't remember any damage. Getting ready to roll out next week up to TN and DW wants to take the new Honda SUV so thats what will be on the dolly.

[RetiredRealtorR]

We had the full-width flap on the back of our most recent motorhome (Winnebago Journey) and NEVER had even a chip on our toad(s). I attribute it to the fact that we used a dolly and didn't flat tow. Depending on the trip, we had 3 vehicles that could and did become the toad. Apparently with the front end farther off the ground, any debris went underneath, and not into, the toad.

[mike_brez]

From reading on here seems people take off the big flap in the back. It’s been said it kicks the rocks up. I still have mine on and have no intention of taking it off.

[Johno02]

We have the brush type guard at the rear of the coach, plus smaller mud guards behind each rear wheel. Yes we do have some small marks on the toad, but the brush type guard seems to deflect most, so damage is limited.