Pulling open car trailer and 67 beetle with step bumper?

[chevymotocross]

Just curious, I have an 87 swb 2wd with the step bumper and tow ball. I am purchasing a 67 vw beetle and need to transport it home about 20 miles. I have access to a buddies open car trailer. Will a step bumper safely pull the bug and trailer? Or should I pass and have AAA service tow it home?

[Srubydo1986]

yea it will a vw doesnt weigh a whole lot and the trailer dependon its weight ur truck should be ok

[old Rusty C10]

i towed a 85 t bird on a uhaul tow dolly about 35-40 miles without a hitch ( literally)

[streetstar]

shouldnt be a problem -- that sounds like a 4500-5000 lb load at most(assuming 2000 for the bug)

well within a bumper pull's capabilities ---- just be careful and dont exceed the speed limits, most 1/2 tons are not set up for trailer brakes and stopping distances will be greatly increased

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

You shouldn't have any problem just be sure you use a hitch ball with at least a 1" bolt shank those are rated at 5000lbs.

[boxrodz]

The step bumper is probably rated somewhere with a maximum tongue weight of 800 lbs. and a towing capacity of 8,000 lbs.

[87 STEPPER]

I personally would'nt do it but your only going 20 mi's so you should be able to make it that far.

Id'e check every bolt on that bumper to be sure they are grade 8 and that none of them are lose and replace any that may be missing.

[wolfewerx]

It sounds like you are new to trailering. On the surface what you are proposing is a no-brainer but I would suggest you get someone who is experienced in trailering to go with you. Lots of things to consider in trailering such as what kind of brakes(surge, electric, none!), trailer length, tongue weight, balancing the load, 4 job rated tiedowns, wiring, who put the bumper on and is it in good condition, is the trailer safe, size of ball,etc.
Around here you need to make sure your trailer registration inspection matches the pull vehicles. You can't pull a commercially inspected trailer behind a private vehicle or vice versa.
I usually flatpull my Bugs on a towbar behind pretty much anything with a hitch even though I have a dolly and a car trailer(the dollie is too noisey when empty and the trailer weighs 2400 lbs empty).
BTW- I would never put some of my friends trailers behind my vehicles as they seldom service them and have no idea of the brakes condition and often have broken welds or cracks.
Be careful!

[chevymotocross]

I put this step bumper on myself, actually, this bumper was pcmcobra's bumper, a member here. Almost every weekend I tow a 5x10 utility trailer with this truck no problems. The open car trailer, which belongs to a friend, is used almost every weekend for his race car. It's serviced (wheel bearings etc), regularly. He seems to think I shall have no issues. There are no trailer brakes..... I think.

[84lwb]

my landlord has a 74 and an open car trailer that he has towed a fullsize van with.no hitch,just a step bumper.I never would have done it or recomend anyone to it but he made it.(anytime that truck leaves my house and comes back with everything in one piece I,m surprised!)

in my avatar,next to my truck is his

[chev74]

i have a 74 step that i pulled a 7500 lb mini-excavator (prolly 9000 lbs total) on the trailer about 30 miles... LOT of weight for a little truck but she handled it like a champ!

a couple weeks after that i pulled a bobcat on a trailer... when i backed the bobcat off it almost made my rear tires come off the ground! lots of weight like champ! i even had to buy a 2 5/16" ball to pull that stuff with so you know it was a lotta weight

[jimfulco]

Know anybody in the VW business near you? If so, see if they have a VW towbar you can rent or borrow. It mounts to the lower torsion bar tube on the VW front end, and requires a 1-7/8" ball. They sell for $100 new, but used ones go for half that. I pulled a VW from Seattle to Billings behind a '88 T-bird, and I could hardly tell it was back there, even when an 18-wheeler ran me into the median at ~70mph.

[Duro5341]

The step bumper on my 86K10, is good for 400lbs tougue weight, and 4000lbs towing.....so do the math.

Seriously if this is going to be a regular thing, then I would invest in a proper Class III, or Class IV hitch. I picked up a putnam class IV hitch for $250 canadian its good for 800lbs/8000lbs

Just my 2 cents
Duro