Flat towing....... TOWBAR

[61 Bubble]

Has anyone have any experience with towing with a tow bar? I want to do it for my '61 with a 4 gear, like the old time racers did.

What do I need to know? Mostly worried about the steering NOT looking and therefore the car might want to wander around under braking?

Any info would be a help.

Thanks John

 

[Don Jacks]

It's been years since I used one John,but I dont remember having any problems,other than having to be careful when braking.Of course,we were all using drum brakes back then too.:eek

 

[61 Bubble]

Don, thanks. I will be using my crew cab Dodge 1500 so I don't see a problem with the truck brakes. I want this more for looks and period correct, so looking at making some tow bar mounts. But the 3 tracks are anywhere from 40 mins to 2 1/4 hours from here, so might just try it!

Think I might just "bungy cord" the steering wheel to the brake peddle to take up the play?????

 

[Ishiftem]

I don't think it would be a problem if the car has a good alignment. A trailer doesn't wander under braking. Just need to hook the brake lights from the tow vehicle to the car or have those magnetic ones.

 

[Fathead Racing]

Seems like it would be a good idea to remove the drive shaft.

 

[Ishiftem]

He has a 4 gear so no problem there.

 

[k9hotrodder409]

Before I got my 64 Chevy C-30 ramp back I flat towed with my 64 Impala SS. I didn't experience any problems and I lived about 25 miles from National Speedway.Here on Long Island.

 

[Ishiftem]

^^ perfection^^

 

[Don Jacks]

:eekJohn,If you're going to flat tow that car DO NOT restrict the steering wheel in any way. That car will need to "float" along behind the tow vehicle! If you restrict the steering action,what do you think will happen when you go around a turn? The towed car will try to go straight because that's the way the wheels are pointed.

 

[61 Bubble]

:eekJohn,If you're going to flat tow that car DO NOT restrict the steering wheel in any way. That car will need to "float" along behind the tow vehicle! If you restrict the steering action,what do you think will happen when you go around a turn? The towed car will try to go straight because that's the way the wheels are pointed.

Ya never thought of that

 

[CDNpontiac409guy]

John, just for entertainment,
Below is a picture of your car, how I found it in a wrecking yard in May, 1995.



Here, below, is a picture of your car in September 2001, being flat-towed.


I built a tow bar that bolted to the frame horns on the car. Driveshaft was removed. Reason being, while yes, the input shaft isn't spinning.... well, neither is the counter gear, which throws the oil around inside the transmission. I'm not confident that the 1-2 gears on the main shaft get lubricated properly, which also limits the oil that gets to the rear bearing and driveshaft yoke bushing in the tail housing.

 

[poison ivy]

remove drive shaft,plug trans, towing with driveline intact harms trans...

 

[Bub6le 2op]

Back in the day my dad used a tow bar, the only thing we did was put the car in neutral (4 Speed) and DO NOT TIE the steering wheel, drive normal and be careful when turning, but drive normal, I can remember sometimes the wheels would not follow on
the turns and it wasn't good we would have to get out and straighten everything up. All in All it went pretty good we were about 25 miles from the track

 

[jim_ss409]

I can remember sometimes the wheels would not follow on the turns and it wasn't good we would have to get out and straighten everything up.

Yeah, I've flat towed a 64 Impala and had the same problem. On a hard turn sometimes the wheels would steer hard over to one side and then not return. It only happened to me at very low speeds .
These X frame cars have very little caster so that may be the reason they don't tend to flat tow as well as some cars do. I have flat towed other cars and not had that problem.
I think it's a big help if the car or truck you're driving is bigger than the car you're towing. Sometimes the car you're towing tends to hunt around a bit and you can feel it in the car you're driving.

 

[CDNpontiac409guy]

Good pint, Jim. The empty back end of a half ton ( old Dodge ?? ) may not be enough to make this comfortable.

oh... K9's combination pictured above, appears to be absolutely perfect

 

[1958 delivery]

Don, thanks. I will be using my crew cab Dodge 1500 so I don't see a problem with the truck brakes. I want this more for looks and period correct, so looking at making some tow bar mounts. But the 3 tracks are anywhere from 40 mins to 2 1/4 hours from here, so might just try it!

Think I might just "bungy cord" the steering wheel to the brake peddle to take up the play?????

You want this for "looks and period correct" then you need a period correct tow vehicle not a modern Dodge crew cab otherwise you just look like someone that can't afford a trailer

 

[Don Jacks]

or too cheap to buy a trailer.

 

[61 Bubble]

Thanks Aubrey, I have the "found" picture already of the web/you site. I will try to set it up and maybe look at the frame horns like you did????

I have a 28 foot enclosed, but on Friday night racing, might be nice to just flat to the Ol' Girl. Or by a '59 El Camino to do the job. But these old "racecars" usually had tow TABS on the front.

 

[Don Jacks]

Does anybody besides me remember those old "Towing hubs"that they used to make?

 

[1958 delivery]

A 59 El Co would be sweet