How would you attach a tow bar to your hot rod's axle?

They were usually attached to the frame horns.

 

I used a VW tow bar once attached om straight axle used cut up radiartor hose to keep from scratching axle. Cheap price at any bug store

 

OK, Plan B. I bought some large Eyebolts to go in holes I was going to drill in the axle. I ground the edges of the eye flat on both sides to mount the bars to them. If it's a beam axle I would suggest machining a spacer to fit the indent of the axle and give you a flat surface to mount a lock washer and nut to. It would be removable then if you wanted to. The eyebolts were grade 8. I wish I could tell you where I bought them, but that was a long time ago. I never did use the system though. I think the shank was 3/4in. - They were big mothers with a 1/4in collar below the eye. I think they were used to lift heavy machinery.

 

The tow bar from VW attaches from bottom to top look at this link maybe it can help you visualize it better
http://store.bajasandrails.com/3126.html

 

Mild Mitch flat tows his mod all the time.

I think he has tabs welded on the axle, then the towbar pins to that.

Hopefully he will chime in here.

The Model A wishbone towbar is a must. My brothers flat-fendered Jeep came with one on it.

Neal

 

i split and welded old shoebox rear shock brackets to my frame...my brackets are up just on top of the front crossmember..then built my own towbar with some 3/4 by 2 1/2in flatplate and a hitch piece from a tsc type place here in town...it tows very well..

 

I made a bracket that gets bolted on by the bolt that goes through the wishbone and the axle. I'll get a pic tomorrow.
My next one I think I'mm gonna use a wishbone that has the front mount spring. Mount the spring behind the axle and use the original spring mounts for a towbar.
Clark

 

Eyebolts are made for straight up pulling loads.
I wouldn't use them anywhere there would be side loads.

One thing I've thought of doing to my own car - if you have access - is to make up a couple of 7/16-NF threaded weld bungs and weld them to the underside of the frame.
A .120 doubler plate inside the frame on the lower part of the frame rail would be a good idea as well.
(This setup will keep the paint from getting torn up if your threaded weld bungs extend down and out a touch so the tab mounting plate rests on the weld bungs and not the frame paint. Trick here would be to make the threaded weld bungs with a step that's wider than the OD of the bung part that goes in the drilled hole. Even easier, flush threaded weld bungs and a thin stainless washer to help the tab mount plate stand off away from the paint.)

Then a flat piece of .187 with a couple of holes to match the frames threaded weld bung spacing, weld a sturdy tab (1/4") to the flat piece and bolt it in place under the frame. The tow bar bolts to that. Use nylocks and drill the bolts out near the end for a cotter pin or one of the trailer hitch safety pins. A pair of flat washers inside and out both sides, draw the nylocks up almost snug so the tow bar can pivot up and down.

Since you have a bobbed frame front, you may be able to extend the 1/4" tab out in front of the axle - taking into account suspension travel - and reinforce the long tab for side stresses.

If you simply drill the axle for looks and weight savings, no reason you couldn't make an aluminum block for both sides of one hole - 4 blocks in all - so it would hold a welded together tab and base with two 1/2" bolts per side through the lightening holes and bolt the towbar directly to that.
Keep in mind that the wishbone/radius rods will be stressed with towing loads, but it shouldn't be too bad.
Probably less in most cases than a firm stop with the cars own brakes.

 

Grimlok-could you use those square U bolts the sell to bolt a trailer axle to the leafs? and use a flat plate[like a shock plate] under the axle with a 1/2"thick vertical tab welded at 90 degrees, with a hole for the corresponding vertical 1/2"thick tab on tow bar at the "car" end/........coupled by grade 8- 5/8" bolts.....do I make any sense?

 

C9 - That's why I looked for the ones with the collar to spread the load. We used to pick up some very heavy loads with unspread slings in the Navy, and used the collared eyebolts. The collars spread the stress off of the shank. But the holes the shank goes though have to be tight fitting.
But I agree that your last suggestion is much better stresswise.

Dan

 

I'd think about something like this...

Use a long angle that will wrap behind the axle (so it pulls). Make it long enough to put the load out toward the ends. Weld a tab on for a pivot. Do the same for the tierod. U-bolt 'em on and tow away. This way the front wheels turn. You'd want to put stops on it, so when the wheels stop you don't bend the tierod, though.

JOE

 

When get ready to tow, be sure to add CHAINS as a backup connection in case a part of your towbar fails! A chain from towing vehicle frame to towed vehicles front axle.

 

what manyolcars said is a law in a lot of states.in Texas im sure and i believe in Ohio.

 

I had a tow bar many years ago made for solid axle cars. It had a "U" bolt on the end of each of the arms that extended out (forming a "V") from the hitch. The arms were bolted to the hitch so you could vary the distance between the "U" bolts to match where you wanted to connect to the axle. I flat towed many a Model A around that way.

 

While you are on this subject don't forget the rearend. If you are going for any distance take the driveshaft out. Or make some towing hubs for the rear. Easy to do. Find a car with same bolt pattern and remove the front spindles and hubs. Weld the spindle to a flat piece with your bolt circle and you've got towing hubs. You can use the same rear wheels, they just stick out a bit. Back in the day (50s-60s before trailers we flat towed everything to race tracks. Also might think about covering front of towed car with something to keep rocks and such from messing up the radiator and headlites.

 

yep, and between 65 and 75 mph. Way more miles than the poor Mod has ever been driven.
If you'll email me, I'll send off photos of the set up. It's pretty simple, but could be accomplished in a variety of ways.
Sorry, I haven't taken the time to figure out how to post pics on here.
mildmitch@hotmail.com

 

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Use a long angle that will wrap behind the axle (so it pulls). Make it long enough to put the load out toward the ends. Weld a tab on for a pivot. Do the same for the tierod. U-bolt 'em on and tow away. This way the front wheels turn. You'd want to put stops on it, so when the wheels stop you don't bend the tierod, though.


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The "steering" tow bar is interesting, but it looks to have some built in flaws.

Due to the ackerman effected by the steering arms, the tie rod comes forward on one side and back on the other when the steering is cranked full over. Granted, more to the front and less toward the back, but it still moves both ways.
The pivoting connection points shown in the drawing are the same distance apart as the kingpin/tie rod distance and that's good.
What's not good is the steering arms are describing a different arc than is the tow bar.
Even if the steering arms were straight back with no ackerman, the differing arcs would be trying to bend the tie rod.

Another problem is, when engaging in a sharp turn - to the right for example, the rear of the tow car goes left which would input a steering force to the left on the towed car.

Not trying to be a smart**** here and I thought it was a clever idea at first, but after thinking about it a bit I would be worried about low speed handling and damage to the tie rod.

 

Grim, had one further thought on this tow bar thing.
I don't think it's been touched on in this post, but you want to have the tow bar pretty close to level.
Granted, most times you can't help having the tow bar run uphill from the towed car to the tow car and a little bit doesn't hurt.
If you end up with a fairly steep angle on the tow bar, slamming on the brakes of the tow car will many times have the towed car pushing the rear end of the tow car up and creating your own little version of the "rear-ender."

Saw the results of one of those a few weeks back.
Looking at the two cars and the angle of the tow bar it was easy to see what had happened.
Not to mention the paint swapping....

 

Agree with C9 (Damn, if he ever left we would only have half a HAMB, wish he was my neighbor). Nix the tie rod connection. Also, manyoldcars & kartbreaker are right. Last year or so landscape guy in Bryan/College Station area towing lowboy trailer, no safety chains, came loose hit a lady jogger, killed her. He went to prison.

 

I agree, too C9. I'm sure there's alot of geometric trial and error to get the thing right. I bought a '34 Ford frame that had been made into a farm wagon. It had a set-up like that, and it functioned very well. Maybe the farmer just got lucky. However, I never did tow it at speed.

JOE

 

How about "something" like this?
Again, the geometry would have to be*****ed with, but I think this type of thing might help with the torque and bind on the tierod.
Watcha think?

JOE

 

[ QUOTE ]
but I think this type of thing might help with the torque and bind on the tierod.
Watcha think?


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Interesting - and this is a good discussion - but I think there's still some bind present.
When the tie rod comes forward on one side and goes back a lesser amount on the other side, the articulation links would have to swing a differing arc which would create bind.

If a guy could get a deal like this all figured out with no bind etc., it would probably take so much time to hook it up that no-one would want to bother.

Kinda hard to beat the two bolts and you're hooked up bit.

Sometimes even less.
My little brother used to flat-tow his 54 Ford two door to the races and his tow bar was set up to take a 1" or so bar through the tow bar and through some tow bar brackets that remained on the car - chrome plated even - and then popping a couple of safety pin gadgets on each end of the bar.
It was quick and easy.

 

Alright... I'll just stick to cuttin' firewood

 

If the front is in line and geometry is correct -it will turn and correct itself when straightened up [as the car towin] does the same.....Right?

 

Grimlock, I've got brackets on the front of my 32five W banger car and they look cool. Even though you have no frame hornes you can put these brackets streaght out from the ends of the frame. Mine bolt on the sides of the horns but you can bolt to the frame sides .Don't come streight out, make them out of 1/4 steel plate and give them some style,come off the frame and drop them down and back forward and finnish them anyway you want.Mine are chrome and I leave them on all the time,gives the car a wicked look,Just my thoughts you can do whatever you like,but I think your car would look cool and look like an old racer.--TV

 

Interesting discussion here, but a lot of over complication going on too.
Keep it simple, strong and SAFE above all.
As long as the car is set up to drive and handle properly it'll tow properly.
I don't have any front horns on my Modified so I fabbed up some mounts to the front axle. Works just fine. Only I can't back up with it very far or the front tires go to full lock, due to the angle of the axle as set up in the car. Make sense?
I'll try and post some photos soon, don't have any with the draw bar attached to the car (yet).
The VW style tow bar is an easy deal if you can fiure a good attachment.