Need the Experts Tow Bars

[FieroBUZZ]

Anyone have any experience with a tow bar. Specifically mounting the car end, or designing a bracket to fit a Fiero.

My dad made one for my Fiat 124 years ago, but I have forgotten whatever I knew.

[FieroBUZZ]

I'm basically interested in a cheap way to recover broken or parts cars from nearby. Tows would be short distance, probably less than 25 km.

I've read threads from people who want to tow four down behind a motorhome, but no actual experience from anyone having done so.  I hear the auto tranny won't like it, but then who wants to save one.  Is a short haul at a low speed going to kill it?

While it generally states that a vehicle specific plate needs to be made and mounted to the car, I want to be able to add the car end of things with no welding or drilling. I think some kind of contraption (engineers get your kleenex now) can be made that will bolt to itself while 'capturing' the car. A separate piece may be needed to span the car to the actual hitch.

Okay, burst my bubble..................   

[aaron88]

There are only a few types of transmissions that can lubricate while in neutral (if the bottom gears don't turn in neutral they can't pick up the oil from the pan).  Basically the axle turns without oil getting.  Long enough and you need a new transmission.  So if you don't need to save the transmission you can tow it that way (because after a few K, it needs a rebuild).

Aaron

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[dguy]

While it generally states that a vehicle specific plate needs to be made and mounted to the car, I want to be able to add the car end of things with no welding or drilling. I think some kind of contraption (engineers get your kleenex now) can be made that will bolt to itself while 'capturing' the car. A separate piece may be needed to span the car to the actual hitch.

Food for thought?

I rented a universal tow bar a lifetime ago; as a rental it was definitely not intended for hard-mounting to a bumper.   

The end plates in the photo above were significantly larger, padded, and really only intended to transmit braking force through to the towee vehicle's bumper.  Pulling force was applied via heavy chains fastened between the underside of the bar and the victim's undercarriage.

[FieroBUZZ]

That's the kind of thing I hope to do.  I don't have a bumper, just a big plastic fascia. 

[dguy]

The only catch really would be making the padded plates such that they capture the victim's bumper vertically.  If the tow bar slipped off the bumper while pulling, the next time the tow vehicle slowed would be... exciting.

[FieroBUZZ]

Bahh!  The naysayers.  Simple braking solution is to bolt a 2x4 to the tow bar. Put a big soft boxing glove on the car end and feed it through the nose intake so it will rest on the radiator.   

[aaron88]

Just use a rubber tire mounted on the "push" vehicle and put a driver in he "pushed" vehicle to operate the steering and brakes, then push the thing to where you want it.  When you are comming to a stop let the front vehicle go forward so you don't smash it when they hit the brakes.


Aaron

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