a car trailer is a great tool to have but many of us in the car hobby, don,t have the room to store one, the cash to tie up in the purchase, or a dedicated truck to pull one , so a tow dolly is the next best option, it allows you to move a car that can,t be driven on the street to a buddies house or the track safely at minimal expense, but its not as good as a trailer for long distance travel.
If you use a tow dolly or tow bar ,in some cases for longer distances, the drive shaft on the towed car must be removed or transmission damage can occur. now that varies with the application and its mostly in automatic transmission cars, but do some research, and if your car is one that doesn,t take towing well,rather than being driven,removing the drive shaft is usually a good idea if the cars to be towed for more than 30 miles, but your then going to be faced with the transmission fluid leak when the spline, drive shaft is removed
you may want to read these links also
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=25&p=5753&hilit=trailer#p5753
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=845&p=9228&hilit=trailer#p9228
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-should-have-tow-rings-or-hooks.592/#post-778
tow dolly's are far cheaper than trailers in most cases and easier to store when not used, but they also have several dis-advantages, compared to trailers, a tow dolly generally allows the cars differential and rear tires to spin and that can cause problems, most tow dolly,s don,t have brakes and they add hundreds of pounds to the car being towed and result in longer stopping distances that a car on a trailer with decent electric brakes
a tow bar is the least expensive option that allows a single person to safely transport a second car, but be aware that many require you bolt or weld on MATCHING mounting brackets to the cars frame that's to be towed, (AND THOSE ARE NOT UNIVERSAL, MANY BARS ONLY WORK WITH THE UNIQUE BRACKETS THEY REQUIRE) and while that's not a big deal on a race car or most 4x4 trucks it can be a real p.i.t.a. on some cars
and keep in mind your going to need an adjustable tow ball to connect to on the tow car/truck
http://www.hitchcorner.com/trailer-hitc ... sories.htm
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... sku=578510
Tow Bar FAQ's
Why should I use a tow bar over a trailer or tow dolly ?
Ease of use, low cost, and practicality are the most common answers. Tow bars allow conveience in set up and use, along with a minumal amount of equipment. Cost is often less than a trailer or dolly set up and concerns over storage is never an issue, as the tow bar is attached to the coach and the base plate is attached to the vehicle.
What types or tow bars are available ?
There are 3 basic types, the self aligning receiver mount, the self aligning vehicle mount, and the basic rigid, or commonly known as A Frame tow bar.
Whats the right one for me ?
Self aligning tow bars are the most common due to their ease of use. A rigid or A Frame bar requires exact positioning and usually 2 people, a driver and a spotter, to make the hook up.
Why should I consider a coach mount tow bar over a car mount ?
The car mount tow bar adds weight to the front of your tow car, often reducing ground clearance, affecting suspension compliance and increasing wear to the suspension, brakes and tires.
When choosing a tow bar what Class should I use ?
There are 4 classes of towing equipment based on the weight of the towed vehicle. Class I is up to 2000 pounds in weight, Class II is from 2001 and up to 3500 pounds in weight, Class III is from 3501 and up to 5000 pounds in weight and Class IV is from 5001 to 10,000 pounds in weight. When choosing a Class be sure to determine the weight of the vehicle being towed along with any items also attached and being stored inside the tow vehicle. If close in weight to the maximum of the class limit go to the next class.
What if the Class of hitch is different than the Class of tow bar ?
Always adhear to the weight ratings of the lowest Class . It is best to match Classes to avoid confusion.
What kind of vehicle can I Flat Tow ?
There are the ever popular Saturns, the new Honda CR-V and 1997 and newer Chevy Malibus that can be flat towed even with a automatic transmission ! There are other various models available, but be sure to check with the vehicle manufacturer about the ability to flat tow and if any modifications are necessary before flat towing.
OK, I'm convinced about using a self aligning tow bar that will mount to my coach, What will I need ?
You'll need a receiver hitch, a tow bar, safety cables, a wiring kit, and a base plate kit for the towed vehicle. Aside from these necessary items there are various add ons and towing accessories also available.
How hard is this to install ?
Its best left to a professional.
What information will I need to order the right equipment ?
The make and model of your coach, the height of the receiver hitch from the ground, the make and model of your tow vehicle, and a brief consultation with on of our specialists to determine what the right equipment is for yor and your vehicles.
Now that I have the equipment mounted and I'm ready to hook up, how is it done ?
First you should practice hooking and unhooking. You want to familiarize yourself with the equipment, the range of distance and angle to hook up and make a routine to follow that suits you.
I'm hooked up and it only takes a couple of minutes ! I'm ready to pull away, any last to do ?
After making sure of all connections, make sure the steering is centered and UNLOCKED, tha parking brake is OFF, and check all lamp operation to be sure signals, lamps and stoplights are working. Make a final check of tire condition and that the tow vehicle is completely closed with all windows up. You're ready to go !
Now that I'm on the road any tips ?
Just a few, remember that you now have additional weight behind you and stopping will take longer, so keep a safe following distance, also you've got additional length, so leave lots of room for lane changes and turning. Practice turning and parking in a large parking area or lot to get familiar with your set up.
A word for the wise, never ever back up with the tow vehicle hooked up, it can damage the tow bar.
TOW DOLLYS
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/towingt ... wdolly.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2076763_use-tow-dolly.html
http://www.pensketruckrental.com/moving ... dolly.html
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... ollies.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... llies4.htm
remember your going to need , a good quality set of quick connect temporary ,magnetic tow lights on that car so the brakes and signals indicate behind the towed car
http://www.truckstuffusa.com/magneticto ... alley.html
http://www.jcwhitney.com/auxiliary-magn ... ?TID=100DF
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/towing4 ... 601a_3.htm
http://www.jcwhitney.com/tow-bars/c12393j1s17.jcwx
http://www.amazon.com/D-Ring-Adapter-Br ... 15&sr=1-13
http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Vehicl ... 15&sr=1-10
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Armor-Vertic ... 15&sr=1-19
http://www.amazon.com/Currie-Enterprise ... 15&sr=1-21
if your looking for a tow dolly or tow bar shop CRAIG,S LIST CAREFULLY theres usually a WIDE SELECTION,in various conditions, but be aware some states REQUIRE LICENSING
http://miami.craigslist.org/search/?are ... catAbb=sss
If you use a tow dolly or tow bar ,in some cases for longer distances, the drive shaft on the towed car must be removed or transmission damage can occur. now that varies with the application and its mostly in automatic transmission cars, but do some research, and if your car is one that doesn,t take towing well,rather than being driven,removing the drive shaft is usually a good idea if the cars to be towed for more than 30 miles, but your then going to be faced with the transmission fluid leak when the spline, drive shaft is removed
you may want to read these links also
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=25&p=5753&hilit=trailer#p5753
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=845&p=9228&hilit=trailer#p9228
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-should-have-tow-rings-or-hooks.592/#post-778
tow dolly's are far cheaper than trailers in most cases and easier to store when not used, but they also have several dis-advantages, compared to trailers, a tow dolly generally allows the cars differential and rear tires to spin and that can cause problems, most tow dolly,s don,t have brakes and they add hundreds of pounds to the car being towed and result in longer stopping distances that a car on a trailer with decent electric brakes
a tow bar is the least expensive option that allows a single person to safely transport a second car, but be aware that many require you bolt or weld on MATCHING mounting brackets to the cars frame that's to be towed, (AND THOSE ARE NOT UNIVERSAL, MANY BARS ONLY WORK WITH THE UNIQUE BRACKETS THEY REQUIRE) and while that's not a big deal on a race car or most 4x4 trucks it can be a real p.i.t.a. on some cars
and keep in mind your going to need an adjustable tow ball to connect to on the tow car/truck
http://www.hitchcorner.com/trailer-hitc ... sories.htm
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... sku=578510
Tow Bar FAQ's
Why should I use a tow bar over a trailer or tow dolly ?
Ease of use, low cost, and practicality are the most common answers. Tow bars allow conveience in set up and use, along with a minumal amount of equipment. Cost is often less than a trailer or dolly set up and concerns over storage is never an issue, as the tow bar is attached to the coach and the base plate is attached to the vehicle.
What types or tow bars are available ?
There are 3 basic types, the self aligning receiver mount, the self aligning vehicle mount, and the basic rigid, or commonly known as A Frame tow bar.
Whats the right one for me ?
Self aligning tow bars are the most common due to their ease of use. A rigid or A Frame bar requires exact positioning and usually 2 people, a driver and a spotter, to make the hook up.
Why should I consider a coach mount tow bar over a car mount ?
The car mount tow bar adds weight to the front of your tow car, often reducing ground clearance, affecting suspension compliance and increasing wear to the suspension, brakes and tires.
When choosing a tow bar what Class should I use ?
There are 4 classes of towing equipment based on the weight of the towed vehicle. Class I is up to 2000 pounds in weight, Class II is from 2001 and up to 3500 pounds in weight, Class III is from 3501 and up to 5000 pounds in weight and Class IV is from 5001 to 10,000 pounds in weight. When choosing a Class be sure to determine the weight of the vehicle being towed along with any items also attached and being stored inside the tow vehicle. If close in weight to the maximum of the class limit go to the next class.
What if the Class of hitch is different than the Class of tow bar ?
Always adhear to the weight ratings of the lowest Class . It is best to match Classes to avoid confusion.
What kind of vehicle can I Flat Tow ?
There are the ever popular Saturns, the new Honda CR-V and 1997 and newer Chevy Malibus that can be flat towed even with a automatic transmission ! There are other various models available, but be sure to check with the vehicle manufacturer about the ability to flat tow and if any modifications are necessary before flat towing.
OK, I'm convinced about using a self aligning tow bar that will mount to my coach, What will I need ?
You'll need a receiver hitch, a tow bar, safety cables, a wiring kit, and a base plate kit for the towed vehicle. Aside from these necessary items there are various add ons and towing accessories also available.
How hard is this to install ?
Its best left to a professional.
What information will I need to order the right equipment ?
The make and model of your coach, the height of the receiver hitch from the ground, the make and model of your tow vehicle, and a brief consultation with on of our specialists to determine what the right equipment is for yor and your vehicles.
Now that I have the equipment mounted and I'm ready to hook up, how is it done ?
First you should practice hooking and unhooking. You want to familiarize yourself with the equipment, the range of distance and angle to hook up and make a routine to follow that suits you.
I'm hooked up and it only takes a couple of minutes ! I'm ready to pull away, any last to do ?
After making sure of all connections, make sure the steering is centered and UNLOCKED, tha parking brake is OFF, and check all lamp operation to be sure signals, lamps and stoplights are working. Make a final check of tire condition and that the tow vehicle is completely closed with all windows up. You're ready to go !
Now that I'm on the road any tips ?
Just a few, remember that you now have additional weight behind you and stopping will take longer, so keep a safe following distance, also you've got additional length, so leave lots of room for lane changes and turning. Practice turning and parking in a large parking area or lot to get familiar with your set up.
A word for the wise, never ever back up with the tow vehicle hooked up, it can damage the tow bar.
TOW DOLLYS
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/towingt ... wdolly.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2076763_use-tow-dolly.html
http://www.pensketruckrental.com/moving ... dolly.html
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... ollies.htm
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... llies4.htm
remember your going to need , a good quality set of quick connect temporary ,magnetic tow lights on that car so the brakes and signals indicate behind the towed car
http://www.truckstuffusa.com/magneticto ... alley.html
http://www.jcwhitney.com/auxiliary-magn ... ?TID=100DF
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/towing4 ... 601a_3.htm
http://www.jcwhitney.com/tow-bars/c12393j1s17.jcwx
http://www.amazon.com/D-Ring-Adapter-Br ... 15&sr=1-13
http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Vehicl ... 15&sr=1-10
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Armor-Vertic ... 15&sr=1-19
http://www.amazon.com/Currie-Enterprise ... 15&sr=1-21
if your looking for a tow dolly or tow bar shop CRAIG,S LIST CAREFULLY theres usually a WIDE SELECTION,in various conditions, but be aware some states REQUIRE LICENSING
http://miami.craigslist.org/search/?are ... catAbb=sss
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