how do tow bars work?

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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I was reading an old thread where a member took his car home via a tow bar and it got me thinking that I have seen those before but I don't know how they work.

how can it make turns without the car's front wheel turning??
 

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The front steering has to be unlocked so the wheels turn when you turn to follow the tow vehicle.

The caster of the front wheels allow this.

But there's a slight delay. The back end of your tow vehicle gets a slight push when initiating a turn and when straightening out a turn. Really noticeable when the towed vehicle weighs more than the towing vehicle.


And you can't backup because the caster of the front wheels works against you, they start to turn even though you're going straight.
 
I have an adjustable tow bar like that. Works well as long as it's spread apart enough. Take turns kinda wide and slow to make sure the wheels ho straight again. Towed a to. Of cars with that thing.
 
I've been to wine bars and piano bars and martini bars.. but i have no experience with tow bars.
 
Had an adjustable bumper mount tow bar years ago, but it got borrowed and never returned

Buddy used to to tow a 70 challenger RT home, ice storm that night, he was about 1/2 mile from where he was going and someone lost it hit the challenger in the drivers door and damn near tore the front bumper off

Just yesterday on the interstate seen a truck and car on the shoulder of the interstate, as I got closer seen it was an old caddy convertible. He was towing it with a bumper mount tow bar. Told my wife HAVENT SEEN ONE OF THOSE IN YEARS

Really with everyone having trailers much safer to load it than tow it. With an automatic the drive shaft needs to be removed if going any distance, and under 35 mph if a short distance.

Had a 74 Duster that the original owner towed behind his motor home and had a tow bar. They had to pull driveshaft, it had ears on the front frame rails welded on to attach the bar. He now has a Jeep he pulls behind his motor home, has a blue ox tow bar.

In many states it is law the towed vehicle must have breakaway brakes just like a trailer.

I can hook / unhook the jeep in just a few minutes, put transfer case in nutral leave key in unlock position and good to go. Good thing when you have to unhook to turn around.

Yes you can back up a little bit if you can go straight back, but not very far befor it starts to turn, kind of like a 4 wheel wagon

The owner has pulled the jeep about 40 miles with the wheels locked, very hard on the front tires, but with a 36' diesel pusher it has power and drags the front tire wherever it goes. He has also not gotten the pin in one side and it tried to pass him when he started moving

A trailer is best, but then you have to deal with the trailer.
 
We tried a tow bar once, and didn't have any luck with it. The car kept trying to go straight when we were trying to turn.

Use a trailer or half dolly...
 
I used a tow bar for all, but one of the cars, when I brought them home.

Do not use them to tow cars without engines. There is not enough weight to plant the front tires and you will start to drag the tires, the first time you try and turn.

I didn't try backing up with it at all, except to shove the cars into my rock drive behind the privacy gate, beside the house. Worked good for that short distance going straight back.

If you have an assistant managing the steering wheel and knows what to do, to follow the turning circle and mimmoc it as close as possible, you can back it up without problems.

If you are on dirt, go parking lot speeds or it will drag the tires in turns and not want to return straight. If you have a dirt road that is relatively straight, you are ok, as long as the front of the car is loaded with an engine. If you've got a short distance to go, they are great. I purchased one so I could use it to jocky cars around my property.
 
DaveBonds said:
Do not use them to tow cars without engines. There is not enough weight to plant the front tires and you will start to drag the tires, the first time you try and turn.
Click to expand...


That could have been what happened to us, no engine.... :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
 
I've used a tow bar many many times. Still have one. I've never had an issue with it.
Mine has safety chains, too. they are held short by springs that keep them off the ground, but allow the chains to stretch out while turning. Free wheeling hubs make that a little easier, as does the 5 speed.

The Jeep had welded on tow tabs for the bar. Worked great.

I've use it to tow cars and pickup's with it, too. Drop the drive shaft for auto trans cars. unlock the steering column on any vehicle, and take your time. You'll be okay.

For long distance towing, or high speed towing (interstate or rural highway) you still can't beat a trailer for safety and control.
 
Rani,
I have a Reese one hanging on the wall of my garage that I will sell / trade.
It is at least 25 years old, I bought it new.
PM me if interested.
 
I've flat towed a few cars a while back. I remember the big issue being tight turns where the towed vehicles wheels didn't want to recover fast enough. Had to get out and straighten out the front wheels to continue. If you used the clamp on (bumper) U-Haul towbar you could mess that bumper up easily.
IMO, dolly is the better way to go but the tow bar is easier to store. Be careful on rough road with an empty dolly.
 
Used one in the late 70's when my '71 skipped a tooth on the timing chain. Dead on the side of the road. Had to rent a pick up, 1 ton Ford 4 wheel drive. The push-pull wasn't too bad, mainly a straight road, US 385 in S. Dakota, very straight with only gentle sweeping turns. Had a blow out on a front tire, never was close to losing control. Maybe cause I did a lot of driving with a 5th wheel truck for the Air Force. Nice Dodge 4 door with a 440. But I digress..... LOL. Or is it rambling?
 
That was the way to the races with my old '69 340 Swinger back in the early '70s. I had tow tabs welded to the front chassis that extended out under the front bumper. My buddy flat towed my Dart from Whittier to OCIR with his '64 El Camino. Another friend custom-built the towbar for it. Never had a problem towing.
 
The only vehicle that I ended up towing on a flat bed was my Charger. My little 4.0 Cherokee pulled a valiant, the Scamp, the Duster and my 240Z.

The Scamp did push the back end of the Jeep around a little, but I did it late in the evening, like 8:30-9pm and had tow lights hooked up. I put it in 4 low and kept winding it up through gears, most of my time was spent in 5th gear at 35mph, but it did just fine.

When I was pulling the charger on a flat bed, it also gave the jeep some grief, but it did have tow brakes, so that helped a lot. Again, that was with low/ no traffic going about 3 miles in 4 low.

If you've got a good truck to pull with and want to do it enough to offer a service, like getting cars running for people, etc., the least invasive way would be to get a tow dolly for a truck. This way you can haul B bodies and other classics, no problem. Most tow dollies are set up for RV pulling drivers, like saturns and the like. I'd tow from the rear and use a safety strap on the steering wheel to lock it. Even if it dog tracks, it won't hurt anything, as long as the wheel has a redundant strap/ safe hold.

If I were you, I'd go after a tow dolly, for your dirt roads and what you're doing, Rani.
 
You hook them up between two vehicles. One pulls the other. That's how they work.
 
I'm surprised no one asked if big toe or little toebar
 
Still got my old tow bar....adjustable yellow one with chains...

Used to flat tow a 73 340 Challenger to the track with a 70 340 Duster....awh...the old days...
 
If you are in the front vehicle you are the tower.
If you are in the rear vehicle you are the ....wait for it.
 

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