Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

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Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

June 27, 2014, 01:37:27 am

I may have just opened up a real can with this topic but here goes-
We just picked up an old beater 1997 jeep wrangler mainly because we would like to have a little more freedom when going to see my folks in Tennessee and Ft. Myers, Fla. We've kicked around the idea of a towing package like most of you run, whether its the same brand or just similar concept. I really don't want to make the investment for a nice tow package and braking device. We've also talked about a tow dolly as I've seen some that are really fairly priced, however it would be setting around for months and months at a time until we left ( maybe ) for a couple weeks once or twice a year...maybe.
So here's the deal.....I've pictured the sort of jeep we now have for some time and it just happened to present itself to us. Now I know there are going to be many reading this who are going to cringe but I have to ask anyways. I've also always pictured the jeep with one of the old school triangle towing gizmo's that hook to the jeep bumper and then have a regular ball hitch like a trailer would have. Now there's not the investment, especially if I'm not even sure that I really want to pull a toad. There isn't some contraption laying around taking up space and letting people know we are not there and although perhaps not being considered the safest method of towing, it would certainly have the look and if I had safety chains, proper ball size, lights properly functioning and kept 2-3 sets of the pins that connect the apparatus to the jeep bumper AND checked it frequently........I just don't see what could be the problem with it.
Seriously we only have been known to travel to Tennessee and Florida once to each and sometimes less over the last 4-5 years.
Who knows, maybe after a short stint towing this way for a short time, I may decide that I do like it and I do want to step up to a big boy system, but am I way out of line looking at this method of towing if I'm really not sure I'll like it or want to do it anyways?

I'd appreciate your thoughts, comments and ideas.

Thanks in advance

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #1 – June 27, 2014, 02:33:43 am

We tow our 1999 Wrangler TJ with a $79 Harbor Freight towbar that does fine. We have a Brake Buddy but have not yet put it in service. We use HF's LED tailights but only the turn signals and brake lights work. If we tow at night (rarely) we simply turn the TJ's parking lights on.

I had a local welder weld and bolt the towbar connections to our custom bumper.

Craig

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #2 – June 27, 2014, 03:47:36 am

I used to tow a Suzuki Samuri behind my old motorhome. I used a simple Blue OX triangle tow bar and a detachable light bar that sat on the rear of the Suzuki. I had a base plate bolted to the Suzuki.
No aux. brake system.
VERY simple, NEVER a problem. Then again the Samuri was very light. A perfect TOAD.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #3 – June 27, 2014, 05:54:04 am

I also towed an S-10 pick-up for years behind my Sportscoach. The bumper was reinforced and if I remember correctly, grade 8 or 6 bolts replaced the original with a few more added. It was the same triangle one piece tow bar plus the plate on the bumper. A set of tail/brake lights were purchased at a local U-haul. (magnetic)

Never had a problem over 50 thousand miles towing. Many commented how simple and fool proof it was.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #4 – June 27, 2014, 07:10:14 am

A sturdy A frame tow bar will work fine. Brakes may be required in states you drive through based on weight of the towed vehicle. Your coach may also be limited in its ability to provide braking for the gross combined weight without toad brakes.

We use a Readybrake system for brakes because is is simple and one of the lower cost options. We bought our towbar used for about 1/4 of new.

Safe is good.

Roger

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #5 – June 27, 2014, 07:28:45 am

"Brakes may be required in states you drive through based on weight of the towed vehicle."

Is this true? Or is it the case that brake requirements are based on the state your MH/Toad is licensed in?

best, paul

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #6 – June 27, 2014, 07:31:27 am

Hhmmm, well these are all very pleasent comments to have woken up to this morning. I was half expecting to be chastised for asking such a question. By golly, its going to be a pretty good day, lol!

Thank you, thank you, thank you :]

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #7 – June 27, 2014, 07:58:04 am

Hard to get ball aligned when booking up, but worked fine for lots of folks lots of years.

Or rent dolly from uhaul - has surge brakes- 1-2 times a year

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #8 – June 27, 2014, 08:52:48 am

I tow my '86 diesel Blazer and a '95 GM 2500 pickup frequently using the old school setup. Bought 30' of trailer light electrical cable & built a hang-on light bar for the tail end, regular RV plug on the other. Works fine.

TOM

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #9 – June 27, 2014, 09:32:03 am

Tom,

We just tow our RAV4 with a set of HF LED magnetic lights. Also works fine. HF has a 7 blade round to flat 4 three foot adapter for $9.99. Gives a little extra length if needed.

Pierce

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #10 – June 27, 2014, 10:32:29 am

This is all very helpful & appreciated information, thanks all.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #11 – June 27, 2014, 11:00:11 am

Do not tow your Wrangler on a tow dolly! According to many sources, a Wrangler must be towed 4-down or you risk damage to the drive train.

We tow our Kia Optima on a tow dolly on the few times we take that vehicle rather than the Wrangler. You can buy tow dollies second hand for about $700. No alterations to the vehicle... just drive it up and strap the wheels down.

Craig

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #12 – June 27, 2014, 11:28:23 am

Having a toad brake system may be a good idea for lots of reasons. You can make your own for a few bucks with an air cylinder fastened to the Jeep floor in front of driver's seat, and a homemade bracket over brake pedal. Find a place to connect an air line from coach to a 12-volt 3-way valve that can flow air to cylinder when brake lights come on. No need to tap into motorhome braking system, just use the same type of connection you could use to fill tires.

You will have to have an electric tow cable to turn on brake, turn & parking lights behind Jeep and this cable can also hold the air line with quick disconnects.

Rigid 3-point tow bars that stay on Jeep are just as safe as collapsible tow bars that stay on motorhome, just not as convenient. Wranglers probably have strong frame mounting points for tow bar swivel.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #13 – June 27, 2014, 11:45:06 am

Here are the toad brake laws, state by state. Looks like Nevada has a 1500 lb limit for toad before brakes are required.

Toad Brake Requirements

Pierce

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #14 – June 27, 2014, 01:39:13 pm

Something to consider in all of this is that whatever set-up you use and are comfortable with should have the capability of having your wife be able to connect and disconnect the toad. We feel that this is an absolute in our case and we have a set-up that Kathy is able to connect and disconnect by herself. Have a great day ---- Fritz

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #15 – June 27, 2014, 06:03:26 pm

Looks like there are lots of summaries for towed vehicle brake requirements.

Trailer Brakes | AAA/CAA Digest of Motor Laws

A towed car is not an insignificant weight. Better safe than sorry.

Roger

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #16 – June 27, 2014, 10:32:36 pm

We have towed a 2000 jeep wrangler behind our 36' 1990 Grand Villa for the last 2 years using the Harbor Freight $79 rigid tow bar and HF magnetic aux lights. We have had absolutely no issues. You can't even tell it's back there. Only mod I made to the jeep was removing the steering wheel locking pin from the ignition key bracket which allows me to leave the key off with the wheel unlocked.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #17 – June 27, 2014, 10:32:54 pm

Here's a question kinda, sorta, maybe related.

We have a dolly we are initially using to tow a Hyundai Elantra (while we roam the country looking for a good Jeep). The dolly has electric brakes and lights but I also would like to have a light bar to mount on the back of the Elantra. Off-the-shelf bars are amazingly expensive. Is there any problem making a decent one with a 2-by-4, some good old Harbor Freight (or other recommended) lights and a couple of good sized suction cups? Any better ideas?

Don

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #18 – June 28, 2014, 12:52:44 am

Suction cups can come loose. We use HF LED magnetic but you could easily make a light bar using a couple of HF welding magnets with a thin layer of vinyl/plastic so they don't scratch the paint. The magnets are super strong.Search results for: 'welding magnets'

Pierce

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #19 – June 29, 2014, 10:07:28 am

For towed vehicles lights, I ended up using the generic TowDaddy setup for about $150.

They make some of the wiring harnesses specifically for certain popular towed vehicles which look incredibly simple to install since they plug into existing harnesses. My Nissan Frontier was not one of these vehicles and required splicing into the wiring. Not terribly difficult and I used bullet connectors to quickly be able to remove the TowDaddy controller if needed. Seems to work well and is discreet.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #20 – September 04, 2014, 03:42:43 pm

I have the generic A frame tow bar for my 97 Geo Tracker. I don't know the actual weight of the car with the removable hard top & tow bar but I know it is under 3000 lbs. I have a set of lights welded to the spare tire carrier and wired through the vehicle and engine compartment to a connector on the front bumper. I have a quick disconnect on the battery so as to leave the key in - ignition on and steering wheel unlocked. I don't really notice it back there or increased distance on stopping but I assume there is a difference. I picked the Tracker as it is light and my U240 underpowered as it is. I have no aux braking. Hook up is a little bit of a PIA and I do need the wife to hold the tow bar up for final placement over the ball. I could rig it upright with bungee cords and do it without her help if necessary but there is no way she is connecting it herself. She could probably get it disconnected if I were incapacitated though. The real trick was getting a long enough drop hitch to line up with the base plate on the Tracker which is welded to the frame and is very low. The tow bar is probably a foot off the ground.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #21 – September 04, 2014, 04:02:40 pm

Sounds like the perfect rig except for the old school tow bar. Â Love the combination and I know it is under 3K so no braking required in most states.

Lots of parts available for these neat little machines.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #22 – September 04, 2014, 04:31:52 pm

That's how a gazillion travel trailers are dragged around so why not the Jeep?

Keith

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #23 – September 04, 2014, 04:49:08 pm

no issue, had one (old school tow bar) on first toad, but like a few other things, NEVER go back. Â Blue OX and Sterling both make bars that are SOOOOO easy for one person to hook up, no precision needed.

Re: Old School Towing, Thoughts Please

Reply #24 – September 04, 2014, 05:53:41 pm

We have a Blue Ox for our U320-- it's in the storage bay. We use the old school A frame tow bar for the Jeep wrangler. It stays attached to the Jeep front bumper and folds up against it when not in use. We hold it up with a couple of bungie cords. Works great, takes less tha 2 minutes to hook it up and be gone. Nothing simpler or less expensive. Good for 5K pounds

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