Well with the purchase of a new house and a new S-10 balzer for the wife i have finally come to admitt that unckle sam dont believe in rick folks and i cant buy a trailor, so is it possible to buy a tow bar and just drag it behind my TR? I have a bumper on the front that i built so i have no idea if it will work and is it safe?? The only place that i have to tow is to Uhwarrie and its about 200 miles one way. Give me some input please. TIA
CK5
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can i use a tow bar??
- Thread starter sapper
- Start date
chevyracing
1/2 ton status
Problem using a tow bar is lack of stopping power due to the brakes on the towed vehicle not functioning. Also with a tall 4x4 the tow bar will be at a negative angle toward the towed vehicle, basically meaning if you stop quick enough the likelyhood of the towed vehicle running over you is greater. (most tow bars are basically hinged at each end) If the towbar is at such a negative angle it really does not have much resistance in a stopping situation until the vehicles contact each other. If the tow bar was at a slight positive angle, meaning the towed vehicle was lower than the tow vehicle feasably it would have to go under you in a quick stop which of course is not likely. Also, if you have an automatic tranny I think it is recommended that you disconect the drive line. Seems to be you could put the transfer case in nuetral to solve that, someone else will have to give you a more difinitive answer on that.
All in all I think a tow bar is a bad idea for the tall, heavy trucks unless what you are towing it with is of equal or greater mass and height.
John
All in all I think a tow bar is a bad idea for the tall, heavy trucks unless what you are towing it with is of equal or greater mass and height.
John
I agree with John. Tow bars are not a good idea for trucks of our size and weight to be towed. One option for you is to rent a trailer when you need it. A second option is to make a tow dolly. My brother made one with an old trailer axle he widened with tubing sized to slip over the cut axle tube. He then made a frame to hold his tires in a pocket in font of the axle to add tounge weight (basically another rail parallel with the axle- like a wheel lift on a tow truck). He welded a tounge and some cross bracing and it was done. The advantage of a dolly over a tow bar is you now have a proper hitch height and tounge weight and you can have a braking axle to help slow down all that weight. I didn't cost him much (mostly because we already had the axle and most material) and is much easier to load/unload and less weight to tow around. I could get pics if you are interested.
Stickseler
3/4 ton status
Havent you ever flat towed a Hummer?? Kinda scarry over 30 mph
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I agree with John. Tow bars are not a good idea for trucks of our size and weight to be towed. One option for you is to rent a trailer when you need it. A second option is to make a tow dolly. My brother made one with an old trailer axle he widened with tubing sized to slip over the cut axle tube. He then made a frame to hold his tires in a pocket in font of the axle to add tounge weight (basically another rail parallel with the axle- like a wheel lift on a tow truck). He welded a tounge and some cross bracing and it was done. The advantage of a dolly over a tow bar is you now have a proper hitch height and tounge weight and you can have a braking axle to help slow down all that weight. I didn't cost him much (mostly because we already had the axle and most material) and is much easier to load/unload and less weight to tow around. I could get pics if you are interested.
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I agree that a tow dolly could be better if the axle is braked.
If it's not, tow bar is better because you don't have too many hinge points for the truck to jacknife behind you, ask me I know from experience.
I have done all the above and now I flat tow with a tow bar untill I can buy a trailer.
If you don't go faster that 55mph, have the ball and hitch raised to match the hight of the tow bar, and have a truck heavy enough to take the load, i would say yes go ahead and flat tow it.
It's not like you want to do it all the time, you just want to move 200 miles right?
I have done 300+ miles trips with mine and the only think scary was taking a 90 degree turn a little too fast and then trying to brake after I strted turning, now Ilearned to brake before /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
I agree with John. Tow bars are not a good idea for trucks of our size and weight to be towed. One option for you is to rent a trailer when you need it. A second option is to make a tow dolly. My brother made one with an old trailer axle he widened with tubing sized to slip over the cut axle tube. He then made a frame to hold his tires in a pocket in font of the axle to add tounge weight (basically another rail parallel with the axle- like a wheel lift on a tow truck). He welded a tounge and some cross bracing and it was done. The advantage of a dolly over a tow bar is you now have a proper hitch height and tounge weight and you can have a braking axle to help slow down all that weight. I didn't cost him much (mostly because we already had the axle and most material) and is much easier to load/unload and less weight to tow around. I could get pics if you are interested.
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree that a tow dolly could be better if the axle is braked.
If it's not, tow bar is better because you don't have too many hinge points for the truck to jacknife behind you, ask me I know from experience.
I have done all the above and now I flat tow with a tow bar untill I can buy a trailer.
If you don't go faster that 55mph, have the ball and hitch raised to match the hight of the tow bar, and have a truck heavy enough to take the load, i would say yes go ahead and flat tow it.
It's not like you want to do it all the time, you just want to move 200 miles right?
I have done 300+ miles trips with mine and the only think scary was taking a 90 degree turn a little too fast and then trying to brake after I strted turning, now Ilearned to brake before /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
