[T3] Tow Bar

Gary Forsmo gbforsmo at gmail.com
Thu Feb 9 14:11:10 PST 2012


I looked at the Blue Ox installation instruction pdf, and Figure 5
shows a  "Baseplate" which appears to be specific to the towed car.
It's not called out in their parts list, but it must be something
that's bought separately. They won't have one for Type 3s, but
perhaps one for another car could be adapted. The biggest problem
that I see is that they insist that the tow eyes on the towed vehicle
be no lower than 4" below the receiver on the towing vehicle. That
probably means that the Blue Ox can't reach the front axle beam on
your square.
****************************************
*(long read about towing my T3)*
*
*
*Yes ... Jim, EVERY baseplate is unique to a specific brand & model of
(towable) car.  The baseplate IS purchased separately.  And not all cars
are towable, as a stock, off-the-showroom-floor vehicle.  *
*
*
*Some need an Battery Powered  Auxiliary Transmission Oil Pump; some need
an Axle Disconnect; some (rear-wheel-drive) vehicles need a Drive-shaft
Disconnect.  On many cars, you must pull one or more fuses, so the battery
is not drained while towing.*
*
*
*One of OUR requirements when we bought our 2000 Honda Accord, EX V-6 to
tow behind our motor home was, the car HAD TO BE "out-of-the-box" towable,
by just adding  a*

   - *baseplate, *
   - *wiring harness from the motor home to the car tail (running), stop,
   and turn signal lights and *
   - *tow bar.  *

*Honda's practice of building cars on a 5-year cycle, meant that the 1998
to 2002 series of transmissions were able to be towed at 65 mph for 500
miles (virtually, all day) by doing only 1 thing.  *
*
*
*Start the car, and "run" through the gears.  (OK, that's two things.)*
* *
*(P/N/D4/D3/D2/D1/D2/D3/D4 and back to N) for 30 seconds in each gear.  *
*
*
*BUT the last shift MUST to be from D4 to N ... NOT, Reverse to Neutral.
 Something about making the internal valving to be in the correct position.
  We've towed our Honda for almost 11 years (over 50,000 miles) with "not a
lick" of problems.*
*
*
*But back to my '69 T3 and build a Towing System suitable to tow the car to
the 2012 Invasion in Colorado Springs, CO.*
*
*
*Re:  The Tow Eyes.*
*  *
*All I would need to do is buy a "Drop Hitch Mount" (with the correct
inches of drop) to keep the tow bar level, and have a 2" receiver welded to
it, so my existing Blue Ox Tow Bar could be used.  Reese and others make
Mounts with a variety of "drop".*
*
*
*The round, tubular Front Bumper Reinforcement (and Front Bumper) are NOT
on the car now, and probably won't be by Invasion time.   So, as you
suggest, using those "holes" may be a possibility for making an attachment
device., too.  Good thought, Jim.*
*
*
*But back to my original concern.*
*Jim, do you think there's enough "meat"/metal, under my car, to SAFELY
attach a tow bar, of some sort?  *
*
*
*You've been under the front end of my car, several times ... albeit to fix
other things:  *

   - *replacing front wheel brake pads, *
   - *checking the master cylinder,*
   - *changing from DOT 3 to DOT 5 brake fluid,*
   - *"bleeding" the brake system, *
   - *replacing brake switches, *
   - *replacing the "cobbled up" brake wiring harness, (remember that?)*
   - *greasing the axle beam zerks, *
   - *etc.*

*I trust I haven't been too focused on MY "towing" problem, that I've bored
other members.  I'm trying to do everything I can to get my car ready to
attend the 2012 Invasion.*

Gary "Frito" - '69 Variant, FI, MT
Rockport, TX (winter)
Lake Geneva, WI (summer)
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