Cheap Towbar for Emergency.....

leo

leo

Well-known member
I've got a Ford F-150 pickup and I wanted to buy an inexpensive tow bar like a Haul-Master from Harbor Freight to have just in case I break down. What do I need? My truck has a square receiver. My Model A coupe is nicely restored so I want to know how to hook up the bar to the car without scratching or damaging the front bumper. I can see there are a lot of posts on towing. Maybe something like this has been asked before?
 
Get AAA plus and save yourself some heartbreak, or ck with your ins company for towing coverage(Hagerty offers specialty towing for a few bucks). If adamant about using tow bar, remove the front bumper and attach to where the bumper arms mount or fabricate attaching points to the frame. JMO
Paul in CT
Paul in CT
 
1931 flamingo said:
Get AAA plus and save yourself some heartbreak, or ck with your ins company for towing coverage(Hagerty offers specialty towing for a few bucks). If adamant about using tow bar, remove the front bumper and attach to where the bumper arms mount or fabricate attaching points to the frame. JMO
Paul in CT
Paul in CT
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BINGO .... ;)



Jim
 
Paul, I do have towing with my J.C.Taylor policy but being a little OCD about being self reliant I wanted to know how to be prepared.......
 
Your pride-n-joy... 'Cheap' towbar ?? Are you sure ???
To your question - I've got a towbar made by Doly Mfg Co, professional grade, nothing cheap about it. If we were closer, I'd let you use it, or sell it to you 'cheap'. Maybe there is someone close to you with the same offer ??
 
While I have Hagerty and AAA 100 mile towing, plus I own a trailer, my tow bar requires a steep tow ball drop from my Expedition's hitch to go under the bumper to the axle. My tow bar is Model A specific-designed, though the Harbor Freight and Pep Boy ones look comparable.
 
I understand about being OCD but usually if you will find a shady spot to think once you have encountered mechanical difficulty, a solution to get home is usually not that difficult. AAA is by far the easiest and safest. A tow bar connected to bumper brackets is marginal at best IMO. An early VW Beetle tow bar that clamps around the front axle is best however you must be careful not to get one that is too short which limits the turning radius.
 
Sounds like I need to forget this real quick and call my insurer if I have a problem. Now the question is will they send someone who actually knows what a Model A Ford is or someone who does not.....
 
leo said:
Sounds like I need to forget this real quick and call my insurer if I have a problem. Now the question is will they send someone who actually knows what a Model A Ford is or someone who does not.....
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most likely they will send out a AAA monkey just be sure you keep an eye on things.
another thing not mentioned is pick up a cheap 2 wheel dolly to tow it back a short distance.
 
Leo,

I remember 20+ years ago a friend of mine was towing a recently purchased rolling unrestored car with a tow bar hook to the bumper. The car had some poor reproduction bumper clamps.. and going down the the major interstate here one of the bumper clamps let go... It wasn't a pretty site.... kind of like a rear hub/drum/wheel coming off and passing you up! Preventable and potentially deadly!

Be safe, be smart....
Larry Shepard
 
Mitch, kinda tough to get the Model A onto the tow dolly if it doesn't run....
 
This is a Reese adjustable that I've been using on Jeeps and Model A's for twenty years. An early VW tow bar is usually the best choice. There are a number of practical reasons for having a good tow bar beside mechanical failures. When I have to take a car in for service, I use the tow bar and eliminate the need to be picked up or taken to the dealership. I DO NOT TIE DOWN THE STEERING WHEEL!!!!. There will be several posts warning about drastic problems using a tow bar. Use common sense and you'll be just fine.
 

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I keep my A's mechanically reliable as much as possible. If I did need help, my cell phone will summon three different Model A friends who have trailers. Model A guys stick together and will normally respond to another's emergency pronto. I would never tow a Model A on the ground, only a trailer or tilting flat bed truck.
 
Mitch//pa said:
another thing not mentioned is pick up a cheap 2 wheel dolly to tow it back a short distance.
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If it is a short distance and you keep the speed down, you could be ok.

If it is a long distance and you are at highway speeds beware.

Over the past 50+ years I have been in the hobby I recall several instances where a Model A being towed on the road at highway speeds with a tow bar or dolly and for some inadvertent reason the transmission slipped onto gear.

The results of a long tow at highway speed were not pretty!!
 
I've used the early style VW tow bar and it worked flawlessly. Only problem is it attaches to the front axle and movement can damage the finish. On the otherhand I tried the Harbor Freight tow bar and I could never get the front wheels to track properly. They were always turning and draging the wheel so the tire almost was rolled off the rim. These were for very short trips to the fixit shop so no long distance was involved. I now have a tow dolly and the other "things" are in the scrap heap.
 
leo said:
Sounds like I need to forget this real quick and call my insurer if I have a problem. Now the question is will they send someone who actually knows what a Model A Ford is or someone who does not.....
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I have Haggerty and for some reason I believe they guarantee a flatbed will come out.
 
1931 flamingo said:
Get AAA plus and save yourself some heartbreak, or ck with your ins company for towing coverage(Hagerty offers specialty towing for a few bucks). If adamant about using tow bar, remove the front bumper and attach to where the bumper arms mount or fabricate attaching points to the frame. JMO
Paul in CT
Paul in CT
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That's exactly how I would connect the tow bar, and wouldn't be affraid to tow coast to coast with it. Also buy a pair of magnetic trailer lights to stick on the towed car. I also hang a sign or use tape to spell out: "CAR IN TOW"

I've towed several cars from Texas to Minnesota and never had a problem.
Also, don't forget even a tow bar needs safety chains.:eek:

Sometimes when turning too sharp or turning on loose gravel, you need to walk back and turn the steering to get the wheels to track without cocking to the wrong driection.
 
mccsix said:
Can I assume there is no potential driveline damage towing long distance?
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I've never had any, but if the driveshaft was open and not too much work I would disconnect it. On the Model A or other closed shaft, I'd stick the ****** in high or second gear about every 300 miles and pull it a hundred feet to throw oil on the bearings, then be sure to shift back to neutral.
 
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