Tow bars

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Aug 17, 2005 | 02:41 PM

greenmachine76

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 12

Likes: 0

Tow bars

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.

Aug 17, 2005 | 07:24 PM

mikebon08

Posting Guru

Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 1,157

Likes: 0

From: Wichita, KS

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.

Aug 17, 2005 | 08:24 PM

believer45

Posting Guru

Joined: Nov 2000

Posts: 1,005

Likes: 1

From: Cincinnati, Ohio

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

Aug 17, 2005 | 08:35 PM

GLR

FTE Legend

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 54,030

Likes: 2,409

From: NY and VA

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.

Aug 17, 2005 | 11:34 PM

believer45

Posting Guru

Joined: Nov 2000

Posts: 1,005

Likes: 1

From: Cincinnati, Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLR

If you are going to tow it with your Ranger, I wouldn't.

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

Dave / Believer45

Last edited by believer45; Aug 17, 2005 at 11:38 PM.

Aug 18, 2005 | 11:54 AM

rebocardo

Post Fiend

Joined: Jun 2002

Posts: 13,873

Likes: 3

From: Atlanta GA

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.

Aug 18, 2005 | 08:43 PM

greenmachine76

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 12

Likes: 0

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.