The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > 47 - Current classic GM Trucks > The 1967 - 1972 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Message Board

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-19-2006, 11:29 PM   #1
Primered_69
Registered User
 
Primered_69's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fort Worth
Posts: 1,409
Would a tow bar be safe?

I am towing maybe five miles. City streets for two miles and three to five in country. Are these things relatively safe? What can I do to make them safer?
__________________
1969 Chevy LWB - with shaved handles; 3 1/2 front/ 5 1/2 rear drop; (waiting to be put back together)
Primered_69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:30 PM   #2
Primered_69
Registered User
 
Primered_69's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fort Worth
Posts: 1,409
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

I am afraid to tow by rope. This is the contraption that bolts to the bumper.
__________________
1969 Chevy LWB - with shaved handles; 3 1/2 front/ 5 1/2 rear drop; (waiting to be put back together)
Primered_69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:38 PM   #3
69-350
Oil trash and damn proud of it
 
69-350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Williston, ND
Posts: 1,993
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

I think it should be fine. It's been done safely before. There's a few tips for it, I'm sure, but it should be straight forward.
__________________
Mark

1997 K1500 Z71, 14 bolt SF 3.73 posi, Bright Blue Metallic. 6" Superlift
1972 C-10, toolbox, p/s, 350/TH350/3.73 open, black int., bronze
2008 Dodge MegaCab. H&S tuned 6.7 Cummins. Fast Four Tons

Some of my pics http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m294/69-350/
69-350 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:35 PM   #4
Longhorn Man
its all about the +6 inches
 
Longhorn Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,690
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

yes, they are safe, as long as the tow vehicle has good brakes, and the towed vehicle can roll and steer easily, and has the weight of the engine under the hood.
If they weren't safe, they wouldn't be legal.
And also, if they weren't safe, the gov wouldn't do it with all there millitary vehicles, the rail road (who is totally anal on safety) wouldn't do it, the schools wouldn't do it with busses, and grandpa and grandma wouldn't have ther ecar hooked to the RV with a tow bar.


The naysayers will say you can't or shouldn't do it becouse the towed vehicle won't have brakes... but, they don't work when on a tow truck either, and the older tow trucks didn't have upgraded brakes.

Hook up, go easy, keep your distance, and be carefull.


I have thousands of miles of tow bar towing under my belt, and the only incident was from my stupidity. (no engine in the towed vehicle, hell, no cab or front clip, just a bed full of junk and wheels locked straight forward) I was askin for it, but even then, i was able to controll the trucks with no damage other than my ego.

Last edited by Longhorn Man; 09-19-2006 at 11:38 PM.
Longhorn Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-22-2007, 02:49 AM   #5
454_72_4X4
Registered User
 
454_72_4X4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: N.E. MO
Posts: 1,749
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longhorn Man View Post
and grandpa and grandma wouldn't have ther ecar hooked to the RV with a tow bar.

Hey, hey watch your language.... I'm just over 40 and I tow a vehicle behind a 31 ft rv all summer, every summer! (My 72 in front of it all) hahaha

I'd hate to guess how many miles I've used a towbar.

Are they safe? Only as safe as the person doing the hookup and driving.
That leaves about 95% of the people on the road as unsafe for towbar use, or driving at all for that matter...
__________________
72 C20 4X4 454 4 speed
89 Trans Am (was) 305 TPI 700r4
93 C1500 2wd Extended cab 350 700r4
98 Sonoma (TPI outa the Trans Am)
03 Yamaha 660 Raptor
03/04 660 Raptor
07 700 Raptor
85 Honda Odyssey
454_72_4X4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-24-2007, 12:27 AM   #6
passthebuck
Sisyphus was my mentor!
 
passthebuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Carleton Place, Ontario CANADA
Posts: 984
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Are they safe? Damm right they are - you just gotta respect them & what they entail. Ya gotta take longer to start & stop big time.... I got mine at Princess Auto on sale for 75.00CDN & all I had to supply were the bolts to hold it to the towed vehicle & the safety chains. See my origional post on pg 1 to see where it is at. I am a little sketched out by the "clamp-on-bumper" style of towbars. The whole idea just seems unreliable.... Get a bolt-on, remove the bumper & bolt it to the frame. Add some chains from frame-to-frame & voila! Order-up one new truck in your yard!
__________________
passthebuck
#5642
-TWO 1967 GMC 910's. One with L6/3-on-the tree and the other with 355 w/435hp & a 700r4.
-a 2013 Honda Civic as my "sensible" car
passthebuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-25-2007, 11:56 AM   #7
Rod
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg
Posts: 4,369
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

The fun begins towing with a tow bar in winter snow and ice. I dragged a 3 cyl Sprint home with a 3 cyl Firefly, 40 miles when the last gas crunch came about. If the towed unit can run I leave the towed vehicle running to keep the tranny juices flowing if its an automatic trans.
I have dragged many- many trucks , suburbans, blazers and assorted chassis in various conditions home...but used bigger vehicles than the sprint to tow with
When I mention Fun..its keeping your cheeks puckered. I wouldn't recommend towing in winter with a tow bar on ice roads. It's a sure way to jack-knife into something.
Attached Images
 
__________________
Senior active founding member.
70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd.
71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350
72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane
2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer
85 FXSB Harley Lowrider
72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd
"Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

Last edited by Rod; 03-25-2007 at 12:01 PM.
Rod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2007, 12:46 AM   #8
bad_turbo
turbo enthusiast
 
bad_turbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: carmichael, ca.
Posts: 1,826
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

how about towing the 25 ft motorhome with a '98 crew cab dually? Thinking of buying one that is 75 miles from me and it doesn't run. The tow bill will be too expensive, so figured the tow bar would work with a big enough truck. Do they make tow bars that will fit without removing the front bumper?
__________________
"But daddy, I didn't hit them all with a stick"...what my 6 year old tells me when I pick him up from school early for fighting "
bad_turbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:35 PM   #9
71SWBChevy
Post Whore
 
71SWBChevy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Owensboro KY
Posts: 11,905
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

What are you towing? I know you need weight in the front end so if the motor is out I wouldn't do it without adding alot of weight up front. There are alot of guys that have towed alot farther using a tow bar, one of them will chime in sooner or later.


Dammit Andy you bet me to it!!!
__________________
Drew

'71 Chevy 350/TH350 Hugger Orange
Currently just a rolling frame, body work soon to follow!!!
Check out my Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=212927

Daily Driver: 1997 Chevrolet S-10 with more gears than pistons

Last edited by 71SWBChevy; 09-19-2006 at 11:36 PM. Reason: Andy is to damn fast!!!!
71SWBChevy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:37 PM   #10
Longhorn Man
its all about the +6 inches
 
Longhorn Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,690
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

heh heh heh I sure did. I saw tow bar in the title and I zeroed in on it.
Longhorn Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 12:44 AM   #11
71SWBChevy
Post Whore
 
71SWBChevy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Owensboro KY
Posts: 11,905
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longhorn Man View Post
heh heh heh I sure did. I saw tow bar in the title and I zeroed in on it.
Actually Andy when I said one of the experts would weigh in soon enough you were the guy I was talking about you are all over these tow bar threads!
__________________
Drew

'71 Chevy 350/TH350 Hugger Orange
Currently just a rolling frame, body work soon to follow!!!
Check out my Build Thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=212927

Daily Driver: 1997 Chevrolet S-10 with more gears than pistons
71SWBChevy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:39 PM   #12
Longhorn Man
its all about the +6 inches
 
Longhorn Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,690
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

back in the day, it was the only way to go, ask anyone over 60 yrs old.
Longhorn Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2006, 11:48 PM   #13
Primered_69
Registered User
 
Primered_69's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fort Worth
Posts: 1,409
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

I will be towing a 1972 Chevy long bed with manual steering, all steering compnents still there, 350 installed and bad clutch...using the company 1 ton truck.
__________________
1969 Chevy LWB - with shaved handles; 3 1/2 front/ 5 1/2 rear drop; (waiting to be put back together)

Last edited by Primered_69; 09-19-2006 at 11:49 PM.
Primered_69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 03:01 AM   #14
low'n slow
Too Dumb To Know Better
 
low'n slow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 882
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

I towed a 67 stepside with a riding mower in the bed from Colorado Springs through the mountains and all the way to Nampa Idaho with a 4-Runner. Take it slow, keep your distance, make sure all the connections are tight. Make sure your lights (you will need them) work.

Good luck, you should be fine.
low'n slow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 03:19 AM   #15
krue
Designated A-hole!
 
krue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: South Mississippi
Posts: 36,448
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

5 miles? I'd use a tow bar in a heart beat. Actually I'd probably call my brother and we'd grab a chain and a piece of pipe and make "redneck towbar" and snatch it to the house, but I don't recommend it to an amateur 'cuz it takes coordination and practice.
__________________
"If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is!"
Being stupid ain't illegal.

We're Still Debt Free Except for the House!!!
www.daveramsey.com

70 GMC SWB Stepside project "Green Booger" soon to be 6.0l/4l80e
93 S-10 "Poppaw's Truck"
krue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 07:42 AM   #16
passthebuck
Sisyphus was my mentor!
 
passthebuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Carleton Place, Ontario CANADA
Posts: 984
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

everybody has beat me to it, but ya it's safe. The wire in the pic is going to the tail lights on the towed truck & i installed safety chains later. Watch it on the wet though-allow plenty of stoping distance.
Attached Images
 
__________________
passthebuck
#5642
-TWO 1967 GMC 910's. One with L6/3-on-the tree and the other with 355 w/435hp & a 700r4.
-a 2013 Honda Civic as my "sensible" car
passthebuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 01:54 PM   #17
sneakysnake
It's a catastrophic success.
 
sneakysnake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,077
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by krue View Post
5 miles? I'd use a tow bar in a heart beat. Actually I'd probably call my brother and we'd grab a chain and a piece of pipe and make "redneck towbar" and snatch it to the house, but I don't recommend it to an amateur 'cuz it takes coordination and practice.
Nothing like a chain and piece of pipe for brakes and a pair of "vise grips"for a steering wheel.LoL
sneakysnake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2006, 09:45 PM   #18
Blue85
Oilfield Trash
 
Blue85's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Raymore, Sk, Canada, Earth
Posts: 3,170
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sneakysnake View Post
Nothing like a chain and piece of pipe for brakes and a pair of "vise grips"for a steering wheel.LoL

More details on this please, could be a good idea for yanked vehicles around the farm, pretty sure i'm redneck enough to do it lol!
__________________
14 Dodge 3500 Mega Cab
08 Dodge 3500 Mega Cab
87 Chev 3+3 4x4
80 GMC K10 High Sierra bone stock
70 Chevelle 350SS long term project
68 GMC 3ton Grain Truck/Garbage wagon
50 Pontiac 2 Door Coupe Project
"I've got a shotgun rifle and a 4 wheel drive and a country boy can survive" Hank Jr.
Blue85 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2006, 03:51 PM   #19
sneakysnake
It's a catastrophic success.
 
sneakysnake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,077
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue85 View Post
More details on this please, could be a good idea for yanked vehicles around the farm, pretty sure i'm redneck enough to do it lol!
Take a piece of pipe 6-8' or so run a chain inside it(take the hook off one end if need to) then chain it between the two vehicles, this keeps there from being any slack and as you slow down it stops the tow vehicle.just watch for (Z)ing of the pipe or you will kiss bumpers And vise grips on a steering shaft make for a handle to hang onto, just dont try to take a curve a 60mph.LOL
sneakysnake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 08:32 AM   #20
chevybill
Senior Member
 
chevybill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: calhoun city ms
Posts: 940
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

When using a tow bar on an older truck without a column lock, how do you guys get the wheels to stay straight?
__________________
ongoing 1970 c 10 lwb
1994 z-28 few mods.-owned since new
1978 vette silver/grey 25th anniv. paint
chevybill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 09:09 AM   #21
bw4sale
Registered User
 
bw4sale's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Hendersonville, TN
Posts: 1,528
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

I think everyones right on the money...as long as you hook it up right and are really careful it should be ok.

However, I'm still not too fond. I was pulling a little sedan once and almost lost the car (the car was junk, so i wouldn't have cared unless it hurt somebody else or messed up my truck). I think it wasn't properly attached. It was the kind that grabs the front bumper. Well, it was a plastic bumper. You see where this is going. You obviously won't have that problem.
__________________
BRENT



-'68 Stepside Project
-'98 Z71 Daily Driver
-Enough extra parts to build another truck and a half
bw4sale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 11:35 AM   #22
northerngmc
Registered User
 
northerngmc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Whitehorse YK Canada
Posts: 2,651
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Yes, it sounds like you are doing it safely by pulling a truck with a 1 ton.

I have used a tow bar a few times and put many miles on it.

First time I pulled my 59 GMC 1/2 ton 800 miles with my 98 1/2 ton Suburban. Went a reasonable speed and did not make sharp turns. All went well until the C clip came out of the rear end on the 59 and the right axle came out. Not the tow bars fault.

Second time I towed a 70 GMC 3/4 ton with my 98 Suburban 150 miles and it went well. Well maybe not 100% as the 70 GMC 3/4 ton had a flat tire half way. Again not the tow bars fault!

Third time was a disaster. I attempted to pull a 72 GMC 1/2 ton across town and this truck had no engine or tranmission. What a pain, I do not recommend this. Moving a vehicle without an engine is almost impossible without a trailer.

Go for it and be safe and I recommend having tow lights as well.
__________________
Blaine
59 GMC 9314 a.k.a. Whoopee
68 C20 50th Anniversary a.k.a. The Rat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/northerngmc/
http://www.members.tripod.com/P-wee/index_032.htm

1.61803 is one H of a lot better than 3.14159, no really it is!
northerngmc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 12:01 PM   #23
highboy_04
Registered User
 
highboy_04's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: kansas
Posts: 1,071
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

chevybill you dont want the column to be locked. the towed vehicle will just track behind the vehicle towing it.
__________________
'67 c10 350/th350
highboy_04 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 01:58 PM   #24
chevybill
Senior Member
 
chevybill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: calhoun city ms
Posts: 940
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

If no one is steering the towed vehicle, what keeps the wheels from turning then locking either to the right or to the left as you pull?

Quote:
Originally Posted by highboy_04 View Post
chevybill you dont want the column to be locked. the towed vehicle will just track behind the vehicle towing it.
__________________
ongoing 1970 c 10 lwb
1994 z-28 few mods.-owned since new
1978 vette silver/grey 25th anniv. paint
chevybill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2006, 12:54 PM   #25
Greaser
Registered User
 
Greaser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Worley, ID
Posts: 48
Re: Would a tow bar be safe?

Curious, What Happens W/o The Weight In The Front?
Greaser is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com