Towing Camper

[whitestar505]

All,
 
   Has anyone had service done on the highway by AAA for their RV ? Have been thinking of getting the RV plus package. Can the popup be towed off the road to a dealer by them ? I wonder how they could .

[angelsmom10]

I had thought about the same thing, but I just figure that hopefully someone with a hitch would come along and tow off the highway to a safe area.  
 
There was a bad accident a few weeks ago involving a full size van towing a camping trailer.  The van was beyond drivable, and I had seriously thought about turning around and coming back to offer to tow off interstate, but since I only had the car and it capacity is only about 2,000lbs, I was afraid I'd tear up the car, if I had had the truck, I would have come back to offer.

[Calstate361]

We have it and it sure came in handy a year ago when we were on our way to Montana for a family reunion.   The truck lost a back wheel (severed all the lug nuts at the back plate).  We were just outside Winnamucka (sp?) Nevada at about 9:00 p.m.   When the tire flew off, we were all over the road and ended up jackknifed accross the highway.  Luckily a Semi saw us and slowed the traffic down so no one hit us.  Anyway we needed two tow trucks, one for the truck and one for the hybred.  They towed us to the tow truck lot and were kind enough to bring out a hose and an electrical cord so we could spend our anniversary in the lot.  I just whipped out my AAA Card and it took care of both tow trucks, no questions asked.   The next day they took us to get the truck repaired, took us back to the trailer (still in their lot) and back again when the truck was done.  These were great people, family owned and operated.

Bottom line, we think it is worth it, especially with the 100 mile towing distance.   You never know when you will be in the middle of no where and need towing.  
 
Joan

[gsm x2]

All,
 
Has anyone had service done on the highway by AAA for their RV ? Have been thinking of getting the RV plus package. Can the popup be towed off the road to a dealer by them ? I wonder how they could .

At least in our area, most of the towing isn't done with the "hook and lift" method.  Most of of the tow trucks just lift the vehicle onto a flatbed.  That would work perfectly for a PU.
 
gsm x2

[AustinBoston]

WARNING!  No matter what your AAA paperwork may say, RV coverage is not available in many parts of the country.

Each region is more-or-less independent, and if you are stuck in ana area that doesn't offer RV coverage, they do not have to honor the RV coverage.  Let me give an example.

If you live in South Succotash, and have South Succotash AAA Plus with RV coverage, then both vehicles will be towed when you break down in the South Succotash area.

If you then travel to North Maize, and the AAA section covering North Maize doesn't offer RV coverage, they don't have to (nor will they) honor the RV coverage.  So if you break down there, they will leave your trailer on the side of the road, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE RV COVERAGE.

Austin

[tlhdoc]

Our AAA doesn't have RV towing in central PA. :eyecrazy:

[Gone-Camping]

Having spent the better part of the last 15 years behind the wheel of a tow truck, and answer the call of Triple-A, I can tell you this. Not once did I ever tow someones trailer off the hiway. In such cases the trailer was left there. If the owner insisted on it being moved off the hiway, the State Police would find someone to do it, at a rather high cost no doubt.

That's not to say it can't be done. When I was working for the auto dealer, I had a roll back wrecker (flatbed) with a hitch, and could have...unfortunately I wasn't doing auto clubs with these people.
 
Now, I understand that the roadside services provided through Good Sams Club does offer this service, but I don't have any real knowledge of this service, didn't deal with it as a driver, and don't have the service myself.
 
I currenlty have a free towing service. If it breaks down, I call one of many friends that I've made in that business, and get towed for free. I also have people I can call for towing the trailer too. None of this will work if I'm very far from home though, so the old addage that "you get what you pay for" rings true!

[Tim5055]

Our AAA doesn't have RV towing in central PA. :eyecrazy:

Tracy,

According to the AAA East Central (AAA East Central serves AAA members in the following area(s): Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, South Central Ohio and Jamestown, New York) this is what they provide.

AAA Plus RV is a comprehensive program that extends emergency road service (ERS) and AAA Plus benefits beyond your family car to cover your motor home, travel or boat trailer (provided the boat trailer is not in water), pickup truck with camper and motorcycle. (5th wheel trailers excluded.) AAA Plus RV coverage may be added at any time during your membership year, pending a 10-day waiting period, by paying a pro-rated dues amount.

Your AAA Plus RV membership includes all services provided under the basic AAA and AAA Plus memberships in addition to the following exclusive benefits:

100 miles of towing for eligible recreational vehicles (RVs), motorcycles and travel/boat trailers* that have become mechanically disabled.
 
Extrication of eligible RVs, including delivery of services by a second truck and operator for up to one hour at the scene.

Tire changing for eligible RVs and travel/boat trailers.*

Delivery of a sufficient amount of fuel (to reach the nearest service station) to eligible RVs and motorcycles, at no cost to the member.

* Members may be required to pay for towing of boat trailers in affiliate club territories and submit for reimbursement.


If you are already a member and want to enroll in AAA Plus RV, call the TeleService Center or visit any local AAA office.

Now, AAA East Penn, which takes in all of Lehigh County, and parts of Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Montgomery and Northampton Counties say they have:

Plus RV Membership:
The Plus RV Membership rider, when added to an existing AAA Plus Membership, extends the benefits of the Plus Membership to include motorhomes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers, and motorcycles.  Plus RV Memberships do NOT cover boat trailers, utility trailers, large cargo-only vehicles, horse trailers, limousines, or snowmobile trailers.

Now, eastern PA (I used a PHILADELPHIA zip code) it is AAA Mid-Atlantic (the one I have) and they also offer PlusRV.  Now they say:

If you have AAA Plus RV: You get all AAA Plus services and benefits plus the following services for RVs, campers, motor homes, motorcycles, and travel and boat trailers:
Flat Tire Service

[Kelly]

Speaking from experience  ~ sad story in another post somewhere on this board!  My poor little PU has been towed twice.  The PU is covered under the TV's insurance policy, which includes towing.

The first time our bearings burned up on the PU ~ they just pulled the PU onto a flatbed ~ made me cry following it down the freeway!

The second time (less than 2 weeks later on the same trip!) we lost a wheel ~ yes, the whole thing! ~ on our TV.  That time they pulled the 'burb up onto the flatbed and then hitched the PU behind.  Kids and I rode in the 'burb ~ ex rode with the driver.  What an adventure!!  I had to keep an eye on the PU and flash the lights or something if he "lost" it ~ he couldn't see it back there!!  (Most amazing was that he backed it into a spot perfectly without being able to see it.)

Basically a really long way of saying ~ look into coverage available with your current insurer ... they may be able to offer something.  All three tows (PU twice and 'burb once) were fully covered.

[tlhdoc]

Tim thanks for the information.  I had called the sub-office for my AAA branch and was told they don't offer RV insurance.  I will have to call them again at the main office and see what they have to say about it.

[tlhdoc]

I stopped in at the local AAA office today.  While I was there I asked if AAA would tow my PU if I broke down.  The first woman said no, the other woman working gave my a pamphlet that said that the trailer is covered except ....  I read the brochure and it said duel tire trailers are not covered for ....  So I said I have only a single tire on each side of the axle.  The woman said that my PU would be covered with out any additional coverage.  This makes me very happy.