Four owners towed their 17' Casitas with Ford Explorers and one towed with a Ford Expedition. All five claimed no fish-tailing occurred and all except one used a sway bar. None used a weight-distributing hitch.

Of the 2 owners towing with a Jeep Wrangler one said that he had to use caution even with a sway bar. The sole Jeep Cherokee owner said that his 16' Casita towed "great" with a sway bar.

Of the 8 towing with minivans, not a single one experienced control problems. According to the remarks, all used either a weight-distributing hitch, a sway control, or both.

Of the 10 towing with a variety of small vehicles, most wrote that they used at least a sway control and 4 had only minor problems with winds or bow waves from passing trucks.

Overall, this short survey appears to substantiate that towing vehicle wheelbase and trailer size must be matched carefully. Of those who were towing with vehicles of less than 100-inch wheelbase, all agreed that even with a small trailer like the 16' or 17' Casita some caution was necessary (Illustration 1). For those of you interested in learning more about towing characteristics, be sure to order the publication How to Tow Safely Guide CD.

RVCG Staff, Spring 2003