I'm planning on borrowing my grandfather's '99 F-250 SD RC 4x4 gasser to tow a car this weekend. Car's a '90 Turbo Grand Prix, weighs in at 3450 (give or take, missing hood/bumpers...). Tow dolly from U-haul weighs in at 650. He doesn't have a permenant hitch on his truck, so we were kind of hoping we'd be set using the bumper. I'm not too sure about this though. Towing it from the center of WV back to RI, it's like a 700* mile trip. Any opinions on this? Are there different bumpers with different ratings? Because I couldn't tell ya which one he has if so, at least not right now. Also, I'm wondering about height problems with the bumper.. I think he has 31"s on the truck but I'm not positive. I know I'm leaving a lot of unknown variables but if you can give me any help from that it'd be appreciated.

Thanks

*corrected

 

I have used some of the newer Dodge trucks to bumper pull a car dolly, biggest car yet was a 1973 Chevy. Though for 1500 miles I would not recommend it. You can have some real problems going down a steep grade and having the towed car trying to pass you. Since the dolly probably does not have brakes, it means you have 5000 extra pounds to add to your braking and no way to control a swaying or side tracking load.

Plus, forget backing them up with a car on them, I have tried, almost impossible.

I wold go for a frame hitch (<$ 130) and a car trailer.

 

I guess it's more like 700 miles actually because it's only one way that we're towing it.. thanks for the input though. I suppose a full trailer on the bumper is absolutely out of the question (weighing in at 2000 lbs, somehow )

Just trying to minimize the already magnified costs this transport is presenting to me..

 

The bumper on my truck is rated at 9,000 lb. with 700 lb tongue weight. The frame mounted hitch I have installed is rated at 12,000 lb, with 900 lb tongue weight. Provided that the dolly is not raked too high, because of ball hieght, it would be ok with my bumper - I am assuming if the truck came with a bumper, it would be the same one my '02 came with.

 

Yes the truck will do the job.
Yes it can be done safely pulling from the bumper.
Yes you can still get into an accident and kill yourself and/or someone else.
Yes you can still get into an accident & kill yourself and/or someone else even if you DON"T go get it.
Myself.... I would rather use a full trailer but would consider the cost of doing so.

 

Yes, the truck will do it
Yes, the bumper will hold up to the job.
No, Uhaul will not allow you to do it without a reciever hitch.I've tried.
The F-250 brakes will be fine as long as no long downgrades. If you have them, gear down instead of breaking.
Dont forget to pull the driveshaft on the towed vehicle.
There isnt a bunch of tongue weight like on a trailer. Most of the force is a sheer type.