Finally completed the modifications work to flat tow my '17 manual transmission Fit behind my motorhome. Have been wanting to do this for awhile and it is a dream to hook it up. Takes less that 5 minutes to hook up/unhook. Is anyone else doing this I'm open to input, precautions, recommendations etc.

 

No sorry no info on that

 

What does the manual say? Most MT cars share exactly the same towing regime: leave it in neutral. You can flat tow or just rear wheels, the latter of which have no involvement with the drivetrain.

 

I have been waiting for 3 weeks (and been told probably 2 more) for my Roadmaster Direct Connect Base Plate Kit (RM 521569-5).
They claim a steel shortage....covid.....labor shortage.... is the delay.
I have a 2015 Fit/EX/Manual.
Did you go custom base plate or universal on yours?

 

I have a 2012 MT Fit which we flat tow. I installed a BlueOx baseplate and tow bar. Also use a Roadmaster braking system. I hardly notice it behind my E450 motor home. Have towed it all over USA, about 6k miles this year. I prefer the manual trans over the auto for towing because there is no max speed limitation in the owners manual. The owners manual restricts the towed speed with the auto trans to 65 mph. Not that I wanna go fast, I am comfortable at about 70-73 mph. Cannot do that with the automatic.

 

 

Thanks for the reply Btim. I guess I should have paid the extra and did Blue Ox instead of Roadmaster but I already had a RoadMaster tow bar so I thought I was "doing myself a favor". Week 7 now still on backorder....

 

I bought a roadmaster compatible base plate. My mechanic had no trouble installing it and when not set up to tow there are only two very small brackets extending from the front of the car. Everything else comes off easily without tools. I looked at the blue ox and others but they all seemed complicated and more expensive. Beside my RV came with all the roadmaster stuff. It tows very well, is quite easy to put on and off and so far not a problem. It cost around $800 to have the baseplate installed and I think i paid less than $200 for the base plate from etrailer, they were great to deal with.

 

Its etrailer that I had it on order from, waited 8 weeks then cancelled. Roadmaster said they had no "steel" to make it from (and of course the standard Covid excuse).
I found a roadmaster adapter bar on Facebook marketplace for $35 and since I already had all the other parts, I am now able to tow my Fit.
It tows well (mine is a manual) and very stable at 70 mph. I just got new tires on the Fit so I think that helps with stability also.
Thanks for the reply and info.

 

Lucky you found one. We waited 7 months for our new pontoon boat to be delivered, and when it came it was missing the accessories we ordered another 4 months for them. Anyway we are loving the FIT as a flat tow. Best of luck with yours.

 

When flat towing our Fit, owners manual says to start engine and run through the gears every eight hours. When we head out for the day, our GPS shows our destination as less than 8 hours away. But it sometimes takes an hour or two longer due to pit stops and lunch stops. Should we still follow the 8 hour restart guidance or is it actually eight hours of actual towing time? Or miles based?

 

I can only tell you what works for me.
Mine is a manual 6 speed. Once I reach my destination....or a days drive. I disconnect, start it up and make sure the fluids get "moving".
I flat tow about 6-9,000 miles per year and I have never had an issue.
If I was to guess at what the engineers at Honda were thinking during manual creation, I doubt they meant exactly 8 hours or XX miles, just that the fluids (and all the fluids) get moving to lubricate the unused but moving components at least once per day when towing.
I hope you enjoy your trip.

 

This is a better option than flat towing.

 

A tow dolly is certainly another option to flat towing, but whether it's better depends on the specific needs/goals of the person towing.

If you don't want to deal with a tow dolly stuck on the back of your tow vehicle every time you unhook the vehicle you're towing, a tow dolly is not a great option.
If you don't want uneven wear on the rear vs front tires of the vehicle you're towing, a tow dolly is not a great option.
If the vehicle you're towing is all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and/or sits low to the ground, a tow dolly is not a great option (you might prefer a full trailer).
Conversely, if the vehicle you're towing is a front-wheel drive A/T, a tow dolly might be a good option.

It all depends on what you're towing, what you're comfortable with, and personal preferences. There isn't a universal best option when it comes to towing.

 

A tow dolly makes sense towing a Fit since it's FWD.
And it saves the transmission from getting damaged by flat towing.