School me on tow bars...

[GoSlowGetStuck]

Picked up a little Toyota Tercel and occasionally I'd like to flat tow it. I've seen used tow bars going on Craigslist for cheap, and it would save me a lot of hassle when I need to take my truck in for service. I could just drag the Tercel with me and then have a car to get home with, then I don't have to have a someone else follow me there, drop me off, etc.

Are all tow bar set-ups the same? Does every car need base plates or are some vehicles "ready" to hook up to a tow bar? The reason I ask is that my Tercel has these slotted holes on each side of the frame, right below the front bumper:

(yes I'm aware that there is no engine or tires in this picture, I'm working on that )

I searched and found that there are baseplates available for a Tercel, so presumably I need them. But for $300+ I'll just say forget it. Since I've seen the tow bars going for $50 or so I was hoping it would be quick and cheap to make this happen. I've never actually seen a tow bar setup up close nor do I know anyone who has one, so I figured I'd pick the brain of .

 

[FlexdXJ]

Just make one out of lumber, we all know you can work with that! Maybe carve a motor out of an oak tree stump while you're at it..........

There's no universal towbar kit out there? Check etrailer.com they should have towbars.

 

[GoSlowGetStuck]

Just make one out of lumber, we all know you can work with that! Maybe carve a motor out of an oak tree stump while you're at it..........

Hey I think I had a pretty good argument with the bumpers; wood is pretty strong in compression. Tension, not so much...

I guess I could throw a 4x4 on the front of it and then hook it up with log chain to my safety chain loops. Then when I brake and it slams into my truck, the wood will absorb all the impact. Thoughts?

 

[macgyvr]

i have a tow bar you can have for a case of beer (or 1/5 of jack)...its just the bars and the coupler...the mounts to the car are lost.

i bought it to flat tow my chevy luv...thirteen years ago i did not have any sort of fab skillz (some may argue I still dont, nevertheless), i couldn't ever figure out a way to make it work on the luv truck...i ended up with a tow dolly and then ended up buying the jeep and driving it back and forth before finally buying a trailer. the tow bar i have was never once used. its pretty chintzy looking but, i wouldn't be scared to tow a small car with it.

unfortunately...that doesn't answer your question about hooking it to the car...

mac 'used the trailer and baby jeep to get truck dropped off at a shop before' gyvr

 

[GoSlowGetStuck]

mac 'used the trailer and baby jeep to get truck dropped off at a shop before' gyvr

I actually considered that. I wouldn't sweat pulling my 1600# trailer with a small SUV, but it'd worry me a bit to tug it around with a Tercel. That's a lot of weight for a 2000# car.

I'd take your tow bar setup. I'm not in a real rush to get anything figured out. My fab skillz are probably where yours were a decade ago. I can't weld anything up but I could probably make some baseplates out of some wide flat stock to adapt the slots in the car frame to the tow bar.

I dunno if I'll be out for the next TREC race, but I'll definitely be out for the Oct 2nd run. I'll get you your poison of choice in exchange.

GoSlow 'Jack Daniels - the original anesthetic' GetStuck

 

[macgyvr]

I actually considered that. I wouldn't sweat pulling my 1600# trailer with a small SUV, but it'd worry me a bit to tug it around with a Tercel. That's a lot of weight for a 2000# car.

I'd take your tow bar setup. I'm not in a real rush to get anything figured out. My fab skillz are probably where yours were a decade ago. I can't weld anything up but I could probably make some baseplates out of some wide flat stock to adapt the slots in the car frame to the tow bar.

I dunno if I'll be out for the next TREC race, but I'll definitely be out for the Oct 2nd run. I'll get you your poison of choice in exchange.

GoSlow 'Jack Daniels - the original anesthetic' GetStuck

i'll dig it out...

i'll be there sept 11th and oct 2nd we'll get it traded then.

mac 'now i hope i can find it 'gyvr

 

[macgyvr]

i'll dig it out...

i'll be there sept 11th and oct 2nd we'll get it traded then.

mac 'now i hope i can find it 'gyvr

I dug it out yesterday, the tow bar. Let me know if your coming over Sept 11th. If not I'll bring it the Oct 2nd.

mac 'it was accidently found too' gyvr

 

[GoSlowGetStuck]

I dug it out yesterday, the tow bar. Let me know if your coming over Sept 11th. If not I'll bring it the Oct 2nd.

mac 'it was accidently found too' gyvr

Let's wait till Oct 2nd if you don't mind. I'll definitely be out for that one, things are kind of up in the air for this weekend. It's not real urgent so I don't mind waiting until then.

 

[XJumpmaster]

I'm thinking for a tercel, you would need a base. Unfortunately, they are not cheap.

 

[WebDog]

Going to a RV shop would be expensive, I ended up getting one for my old jeep for $200 made at a 4X4 shop before I knew how to weld. They really are not that difficult to make.

 

[GoSlowGetStuck]

Going to a RV shop would be expensive, I ended up getting one for my old jeep for $200 made at a 4X4 shop before I knew how to weld. They really are not that difficult to make.

That is what I am thinking, once I get a tow bar and can hold it up to the vehicle, I'll plan something out and get someone to weld it up for me. And of course, if I can't do it safely, I won't do it at all.

 

[macgyvr]

Let's wait till Oct 2nd if you don't mind. I'll definitely be out for that one, things are kind of up in the air for this weekend. It's not real urgent so I don't mind waiting until then.

That works for me. I just wanted you to know that I found it...

mac 'i knew it was somewhere' gyvr

 

[macgyvr]

Tow bar is loaded up!

mac '1/5th of jack for the weekend 'gyvr

 

[GoSlowGetStuck]

Tow bar is loaded up!

mac '1/5th of jack for the weekend 'gyvr

Picked it up tonight! See you on Saturday.

GoSlow 'don't spend it all in one place' GetStuck