Towing a car behind a motorhome leaves it open to damage from rocks, especially when you’re traveling on unpaved roads. Nobody wants to have to deal with their towed car suffering from chipped paint or, even worse, a cracked windshield. Fortunately, there are options for protecting tow vehicles… but is any towed vehicle rock protection 100% effective?
In this post, we’ll tell you the best ways to protect a towed vehicle from rocks as you travel down the road, and what you need to be aware of as you shop for that protection.
What Kind of Towed Vehicle Protection Is Best for Your RV?
There are several good options available to protect a towed vehicle as it rides down the road behind a motorhome. The type of protection that works best depends to some degree on the type of motorhome and tow vehicle you have, as well as the type of tow bar system you have. Let’s take a look at the variety of different options available that can serve as an RV towed vehicle shield to protect your toad from damage as you travel.
Mudflaps
Adding a full-width mudflap (sometimes referred to as a rock guard) to the back of your motorhome can help prevent rocks and other road debris from being kicked up onto your towed car. We used this style of protection for a couple of decades. We had an Ultra Guard on our first motorhome for two years, and then we had a factory-installed equivalent on our Newmar Mountain Aire diesel pusher for the next 18 years.
At the top of this photo you can see how our factory-installed, full-width mudflap extended almost to the road, helping to protect our toad car!
This level of protection worked quite well for us, although it’s not 100% effective for everyone, depending on where you travel. Based on our travel style, and considering our motorhome and tow car setup, we never needed to use any additional product for tow vehicle protection… and we never had a single chip or crack in our windshield due to towing the car.
However, our setup offered some extra protection due to the large, black plastic bumper on our 2003 Honda CR-V. It was nearly impervious to everything and extended fairly far up the front of the car, providing good protection from anything flung up by the RV. All of this, combined with our style of travel (we never took our motorhome to Alaska, and we drive slowly and carefully on unpaved roads), meant that the full-width mudflap was perfectly sufficient for our needs.
Our 2003 Honda CR-V had a large, black plastic bumper that came up high enough to protect the vehicle from any road debris that might get past the full-width mudflap on our motorhome.
If you frequently travel on unimproved roads and/or have a tendency to catch yourself going a little too fast on them, this may not be sufficient protection for you. One year, we planned to travel to Alaska and decided to install a barrier like the Roadmaster Tow Defender/Protect-a-Tow (highlighted below). We chose this option because we’d read a lot of information indicating that it was the best choice for keeping the rocks and gravel on the beat-up sections of the Alcan Highway from being flung up onto the car.
As it turned out, we had to scrap our plans for that trip, so we never did need the Tow Defender. All of this is to say that under normal travel conditions, a high-quality full-width mudflap may well be all the protection you need.
NOTE: some people feel that these rubber-style mudflaps can cause rocks and debris to be flung up from the road onto the towed vehicle. We never experienced that issue, but that could be due to our particular setup, so your mileage may vary.
If you want to add a full-width mudflap to your RV, this model from UltraGuard is a good choice:
- Provides tough shielding for the back of your coach and your vehicle in tow from rocks, diesel oil, gravel, tar and other road debris
- Made of a special blend of rubber with reinforcing fabric and ribs molded in to reduce wind sail and to ensure durability
Bras/Covers/Nose Masks
Adding a bra, cover, or nose mask to your toad when it’s being pulled behind your motorhome can also offer good protection against rocks and debris. A bra can have the added advantage of protecting your toad even when it’s not attached to your motorhome. The downside of bras is that they can sometimes result in paint/finish damage, particularly if you don’t regularly clean under them (fine dirt and grit can get washed/blown under the bra, acting like sandpaper that abrades the finish as the bra material moves/flaps in the wind).
Covers can provide even more complete protection, making sure the windshield is covered to prevent chips and stars. The downside of a cover is that it has to be put in place each time you connect, which may be something you’d prefer not to deal with.
This cover is called the “Tow Car Shield”. It offers great protection but has to be attached every time you intend to tow the car behind your rig. (Photo credit: RV and Off-Road)
Tow Defender / Protect-a-Tow
These are mesh/fabric devices that extend between the two vehicles (RV and towed car), creating a barrier to anything that’s thrown up by the RV. This piece of gear prevents road debris from reaching the hood or windshield of your towed car: the debris simply continues underneath the car and out the back.
Like the Tow Car Shield cover above, however, this type of tow vehicle protection requires more setup when connecting. However, these are very effective and are particularly popular among travelers planning trips to Alaska because the construction and unpaved sections of the Alcan Highway are notorious for rock damage to towed vehicles.
We should note that if you have a diesel pusher, it’s possible that hot exhaust from the engine can damage the vinyl fabric of these devices. This occurs because diesel pusher exhaust pipes come out at the rear bumper. So unless they’re angled to direct the exhaust out the side of the RV, they direct their heat backward toward the toad.
To address this issue, Roadmaster offers an accessory called the “Heat Shield”, which is an add-on to the Tow Defender. It puts a heat-protective layer on the passenger-side front corner of the Tow Defender, preventing the hot exhaust from damaging the vinyl mesh fabric.
Roadmaster Tow Defender Model 4750
This model of the Roadmaster Tow Defender is for Blue Ox, Demco, and Roadmaster tow bars with “direct connect” baseplates.
- Product Compatibility: The Roadmaster 4750 Tow Defender Rock Shield fits Roadmaster Direct Connect & Blue Ox / Demco Baseplates; Does not fit Crossbar...
- Maximum Protection: This Roadmaster Rock Shield not only protects your RV and vehicle from rocks and road debris but also from exhaust smoke
Roadmaster Tow Defender Model 4700
This model is for Roadmaster tow bars with “crossbar style” baseplates.
- Powder-coated steel supports and heavy-duty gas struts for maximum durability, support and cornering flexibility
- Country of Origin : China
Roadmaster Heat Shield
This is the piece noted above that attaches to the Tow Defender to protect it from the heat of the exhaust on diesel pushers. The Roadmaster Head Shield can be purchased through eTrailer.
Protect-a-Tow
The Protect-a-Tow has a universal fit for regular 8′ and wide-body 8.5′ width motorhomes. This product isn’t recommended for diesel pushers with rear-exiting exhaust pipes (see the Roadmaster Tow Defender and Heat Shield above for that application). Also, if you’re using a tall drop/rise hitch (or a hitch extender) with your tow bar setup… or if you tow using a dolly… you may need an extended-length Protect-a-Tow. In all of these situations, it’s best to contact Protect-a-Tow directly (1-888-264-5444) to inquire about compatibility.
- Protect-a-Tow is the ultimate protection for your towed vehicle.
- Protects your towed vehicle, Motorhome and tow bar from flying road debris.
Rock Shields
Rock shields are hard plastic barriers that mount to the front of the towed car, usually to the lugs that connect the tow bar to the base plate. They stick almost straight up, creating a wall against rocks and debris being flung up onto the car from the road.
Examples of rock shields or guards are shown below.
Please note: if you’re interested in a rigid shield like this, you’ll need to check your towed car’s owner’s manual before purchasing one. Some vehicles have transmission coolers and require good airflow through the grill when being towed. Blocking airflow to the radiator using one of these shields could lead to damage.
Roadmaster Guardian Rock Shield
This rock shield only works with Roadmaster tow bars that have the “crossbar style” baseplates.
- Not compatible with EZ5, MS, or MX baseplates
- The package length is 116.586 centimeters
Blue Ox KarGard
This type of rock shield attaches to Blue Ox baseplates at the triple-lug connections. Note that these fold in half for easier storage.
- Protects from Debris: A polyethylene shield protects the towed vehicle from road debris, rocks, bugs, and road-splatter
- Quick Installation: Aluminum mounting equipment attaches to brackets of your tow bar and is designed for quick and easy installation; mounts onto the...
Demco Sentry
Demco offers two models. The first model shown below is for use on flat-towed vehicles. For much more information on flat-towing, please see our posts on what cars can be flat-towed behind an RV and what is the best tow bar for flat-towing.
- Unique position and 30º angle deflect debris down and away from your vehicle; Messy cleanup and costly paint chip repair are minimized
- High density polyethylene retains its shape and takes destructive abuse; Lightweight but strong, the Sentry Deflector is durable, yet pliable and...
This next Demco model can be used when towing with a dolly (for more information on this type of towing, see our post on how to choose and use an RV tow dolly):
- Unique position and 30 degree angle deflect debris down and away from your vehicle. Messy cleanup and costly paint chip repair are minimized
- High Density Polyethylene retains its shape and takes destructive abuse
We hope all of this information is helpful to you as you consider what might be the best tow vehicle protection for your particular use. If you use any type of towed vehicle rock protection that has performed well for you, drop us a comment below to let us know about your experience. Be sure to include some information about your motorhome and towed vehicle and the type of roads on which you typically drive.
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Debbie
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
You only reviewed one RV attached rock guard! Wondering why you didn’t review any other RV rock guards? Like the one that looks like a brush.
TheRVgeeks
Tuesday 3rd of June 2025
Hi Debbie! Sorry we didn't include that type of rock guard. We weren't actually reviewing them so much as providing examples of the various types. For guards that hang down under the rear of the RV, we mentioned the solid type because that's the one we have extensive experience with. In looking over the availability of the brush type, we see that they're very well rated, and not especially expensive. Here's an example: https://amzn.to/43WMioK Hope this helps!
Jay
Saturday 31st of May 2025
Driving over the gravel areas of the Alcan destroyed the car bra, the loom and its contained wiring to the car's lights and the sensors that attached to the tire valves on the car. My concerns with the guards that mount on the tow hitches is that they mostly protect the upper portion of the car, might interfere with (diesel) engine cooling and increase wind resistance, which would further worsen the fuel economy when towing. Most of the damage to our car's front bumper is below the tow bar connections. Extended mud flaps might work better.
Stan
Wednesday 30th of October 2024
We use a Protect-o-Tow in front of our Cherokee and it seems to work well. We were convinced by several people we met on the Alaska highway that swore by them. The owner of an RV repair shop in Whitehorse claimed that our full width mudflap was actually causing gravel to fly up on to the toad, and we certainly got a lot of it thrown up! We removed the flap when we got home and have not missed it. The Protect-o-Tow only takes a couple of minutes to snap on, and our rig (32' Country Coach pusher) has a side exhaust so there are no clearance issues. Safe Travels!
Greg
Wednesday 26th of June 2024
I’m looking to buy a used vehicle that is already set up to be towed. I have a 2021 Newmar Canyon Star front engine diesel with a 6,000 lb rated hitch. I live in the Vancouver, B.C. area. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Tks Greg
TheRVgeeks
Friday 28th of June 2024
Hi Greg. That's certainly a harder task. We'd recommend looking for a Honda CR-V (model years 2014 and older will work... after that they went to a continuously-variable transmission that can't be flat towed) because it's a relatively inexpensive, reliable, and lightweight vehicle. Probably the best place to look would be in RVing forums on places like Facebook or iRV2.com (here's the iRV2.com classified section for toads: https://www.irv2.com/rvclassifieds/showcat.php?cat=22). Hope this helps.
Loggenrock
Saturday 1st of June 2024
As one who has driven to Alaska, I'd say the biggest source of windshield damage comes not from the vehicle towing, but rather from oncoming vehicles going in the opposite direction at higher rates of speed. I found simply slowing down and pulling over when meeting oncoming traffic was the best approach.