Stiff Hitch

B

baba

Member
Is there a good design for a stiff hitch for a model A? I plan to run mine locally for short excursion and wonder if it breaks down I could retrieve it (a few miles from home at the most) with a stiff hitch. Trying to avoid the purchase of a trailer.
 
The ones I remember from years ago just clamped onto the front bumper.
AKA tow bar
 
A word of warning and voice of experience with this method of flat towing a car.

Be sure that you do not have cheap bumper clamps holding the bumper on the car.

I am not talking about the clamps on the towbar. I am talking about the clamps which hold your bumper to the car.

https://modelastore.com/bumpers?product_id=4788

Original clamps were backed up with FORGED steel parts to hold bumper on securely.

There are thousands of diecast bumper clamps with no steel parts which fall part under the stress of towing a car with this method.

Then suddenly the car separates from the towing vehicle and if no one is inside the Model A it goes where ever it wants to.

We always replaced the two clamps with bolts, lock washers and nuts if a trailer was not available.
 
Last edited:
Old VW Beetle towbar. You just have to twist the ends just a hair to match the slight angle of the front axle.
 
Benson said:
A word of warning and voice of experience with this method of flat towing a car.

Be sure that you do not have cheap bumper clamps holding the bumper on the car.

I am not talking about the clamps on the towbar. I am talking about the clamps which hold your bumper to the car.

https://modelastore.com/bumpers?product_id=4788

Original clamps were backed up with steel parts to hold bumper on securely.

There are thousands of diecast bumper clamps with no steel parts which fall part under the stress of towing a car with this method.

Then suddenly the car separates from the towing vehicle and if no one is inside the Model A it goes where ever it wants to.

We always replaced the two clamps with bolts, lock washers and nuts if a trailer was not available.
Click to expand...

This actually happened to me! Not pretty.
 
I have one that bolts to bumper braces, it has towed many cars, some need the steering tied, some will follow faithfully, I wouldn't trust one clamped to the bumper
 
Back in the early 1960's I purchased a '29 Model A coach that had been sitting for a few years, it was about 80 miles away. One day after work a friend and myself went in his 3/4 ton Chevy pickup w/a tow bar to fetch the Model A home. It was dark by the time we got there and the A connected to his truck w/the tow bar. We weren't sure how it was going to work out so we decided that I would ride in the A while he towed it. There was a stop sign about 10 miles away where we would compare notes. Off we went. If there was a problem I would apply the brakes signalling him to pull over and stop. After a few miles things were proceeding nicely, no problems , this was a back road at night w/no traffic at that time, so I decided to join him in his truck. I climbed out of the A, onto the running board, over the front fender, across the bumper and tow bar and into the box of his truck. Then onto the passengers side running board and opened the door to get in. He looked at me and said: "Where in the heck did you come from?" I got in and told him "It was pulling good and I got bored sitting there all by myself in the dark." He just shook his head.
At the stop sign we got out, checked the hitch, shook the wheels to make sure none had come loose, everything was good so we proceeded the rest of the way home, no problems.
 
Another time I bought a VW bus that I planned to use as a 4 wheel enclosed trailer. It ran but the engine was just plain worn out. I fabricated a custom bolt-on tow bar and decided to tow it around the block for a trial run. Pulled out of the driveway and turned right onto the street. Oh oh, something wrong! Better stop and check things out. The VW had turned nicely to the right but then the front wheels didn't return to straight ahead. Checking things out I found that the steering box had been overtightened by a PO. I slacked it off and pulled that VW for many, many miles after that w/no problems.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benson
A word of warning and voice of experience with this method of flat towing a car.

Be sure that you do not have cheap bumper clamps holding the bumper on the car.

I am not talking about the clamps on the towbar. I am talking about the clamps which hold your bumper to the car.

https://modelastore.com/bumpers?product_id=4788

Original clamps were backed up with steel parts to hold bumper on securely.

There are thousands of diecast bumper clamps with no steel parts which fall part under the stress of towing a car with this method.

Then suddenly the car separates from the towing vehicle and if no one is inside the Model A it goes where ever it wants to.

We always replaced the two clamps with bolts, lock washers and nuts if a trailer was not available.

This actually happened to me! Not pretty.
Click to expand...


A rollback ride sounds like a pretty good deal...:)


TOB
 
baba said:
Is there a good design for a stiff hitch for a model A? I plan to run mine locally for short excursion and wonder if it breaks down I could retrieve it (a few miles from home at the most) with a stiff hitch. Trying to avoid the purchase of a trailer.
Click to expand...

If you are anticipating needing a tow
then you should first check your auto
insurance policy to see what your coverage is.

Depending on that coverage - you might want
to supplement it with AAA or some other
roadside assistance add on membership.

Flat towing any vehicle is not a good idea.

That is why there are rollback tow trucks.


Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top