Has anybody towed with a tow bar? If so what were your experiences and what did you tow?

I need to tow a stock 1977 f250 2 wheel drive. I tried looking to rent a car hauler/trailer to tow it though there are practicaly none in south florida. U haul has a tow dolly though the truck exceed the weight the dolly can take. I have heard the truck is like 5000 to 6000 lbs.

 

I have one of those A-frame towbars like Ryder used to rent. I've put it on everything from an '82 Dodge Colt to my brother-in-law's '94 Dodge diesel. It's okay for emergencies, and out of town. The lighter the vehicle you're pulling, and the heavier vehicle you're using to pull, the better. My experience has been that running a full-size pickup on a towbar is a low-speed-only undertaking, especially if the front end has any play in it. Smaller cars, I've run at highway speeds.

I have seen full-size trucks and SUVs on permanent, bolt-on towbars behind big RVs though. I've never used one of them, would imagine it's rated for both heavier loads and higher speeds.

 

I towed a Gremlin from Cincinnati, OH to Omaha, NE in 1984 or so with one of the chain-on tow bars from U-Haul. I was towing with a 1971 half ton Ford 4x4 360 4 speed (1st creeper gear). I did tie the steering wheel once underway so the car would not sway. Once that was done clear sailing at whatever speed I wanted. I also pulled the driveshaft off the diff and tied it up under the car.

On the way back I came across a guy broke down with a full size Impala (much bigger and heavier car back then) and towed him a while (maybe 20 - 30 miles or so) to some help. Same thing, car towed just fine.

Dave / Believer45

 

If you are going to tow it with your Ranger, I wouldn't. I have done several 600 mile tows with my tow bar and things went ok ...pull the driveshaft, check air pressure hook up lights (I made up a light bar) and go. The tow vehicle was either my 79 F150 or 86 F250. Used a Uhaul trailer to bring my son's 70 F100 from Columbus, OH to NY. they said it would not fit but it did.

 

I second - it is probably a bit too much to ask of a Ranger pickup.

Dave / Believer45

 

Yea, the UHAUL dolly is only good for 3500#, many tow dollies do not have brakes. I got so used to the surge brakes on their 6x12 tandem axles, that when I rented the 5x9 I did not realize it did not have brakes until it (almost empty) pushed me downhill past the street I wanted to take. Went a lot slower after that.

If you are going to tow bar the F-250 then plan on driving real slow (45 mph or less) and rent or drive something bigger then it. A dual rear wheel 17 foot box van might do well enough.

 

No, I wan't planning on using my ranger. It's just a 4 cyl. anyway. I was considering using another f250 but now after hearing the stories I might just pay a vehilce transport company. Thanks.

 

I've towed alot of truck with just a simple A frame tow bar. I love it!

Last thing I towed was my 88 F150 parts truck to the dump, only box, engine/transmission on the frame, and box full of scrap.


I also have a car dolly witch I did tow 3 cars with, can't tow trucks as trucks are to wide for it. It's a really old dolly. And I have to say I like alot better the tow bar, only thing is with a tow bar, depending how long, and speed you'll be doing on the trip, you have to disconnect the driveshaft to not damage the trans.



In my opinion, long distance tows, car dolly for sure! Short tows to scrap, or towing vehicle with no driveline, tow bar best thing!