still looking for info

[WilltheThrill]

Has anyone had any experience towing one of these ford trucks with a tow bar?
is it at simple as pulling the driveline and hooking up bar or are there issues with tracking?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Has anyone had any experience towing one of these ford trucks with a tow bar?
is it at simple as pulling the driveline and hooking up bar or are there issues with tracking?

I want to know also.


I picked up a very heavy-duty cable-braking tow-bar at a swap-meet.

My intentions are to install brackets and braking cables on every truck on our place.

Thus, when one of them lays down away from home, yet is still rolling on all fours, I can drag it back home with one of the other trucks.

It would also be nice sometimes to be able to relocate a truck when it is un-handy to involve someone to drive the other truck.



I intend to fabricate a locking bracket to carry this heavy tow-bar always on my personal F-350.

Equipped thus, were it to quit along-side the road, I could hire someone to tow me/it to the next exit, much more safely than the old log-chain method.

 

[rjjp]

...much more safely than the old log-chain method.

Not to mention that it's illegal in some states to tow with a chain.

 

[bike-maker]

Towing a truck with a C6 in neutral is a bad idea. Guess how I found that one out

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> WHAT TO WITH THE STEERING WHEEL <<<

What is the best procedure with the steering-wheel of the towed vehicle ??

Should the key just be turned to the OFF/COLUMN-LOCKED position and that be that ??

Or, should the steering be un-locked and free to go ever which way ??

Or, should the column be un-locked, but have the steering-wheel tied with ropes ??

I have seen it done all three ways at one time or another.

Thanks.

 

[racer30]

Dude the truck will track just fine if the front end is in good shape. and the tow bar is just a bit higher at the hitch ball end. finding a tow bar with a big enuff rating will be a little hard and it will be spendy. the drive line will need to removed if it is a 2wd auto. If the truck is 4x4 just put the t case in Nuetral. standard 2wd can be towed in nuetral. most states require brakes in the towed now but there are several types of portable brake pedal pushing brake systems for towed vehicles now. lights are easy you can use a set of mag mount lights or wire diodes in for pigtail system. the ignition will need to be turned one click to release the wheel lock. the rest is cake....one more thing dont back up with a tow bar it will not be pretty. 27 years of setting up RV's to tow everything from VW's to Hummers. been there done that.

 

[rhkcommander]

Towing a truck with a C6 in neutral is a bad idea. Guess how I found that one out

What happens (I run a stick..)?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

What happens (I run a stick..)?

The drive-shaft "drives" the tail-shaft and important parts that pump the lube are not turning, thus stuff gets hot, runs dry, and siezes up.


Most of the GOOD older pre-1980s manual transmissions could be towed indefinitely in neutral.

Many of the later ones cannot, including transfer-cases.

If you are towing more than a mile or so, and do not know for certain that it is okay for your manual transmission, better dis-connect the drive-shaft, secure the U-joint cups, and grass-string it up out of the way.

I have known of those with manuals that tow them a lot to install a re-circulating pump that draws the lubricant from the drain-hole, through a filter, a cooler, and then squirting it back into the gear-box, with the in-coming nozzle aimed at whichever bearing needs it the most, thus negating the time-consuming requirement of dis-connecting the shaft.

 

[grog85]

As far as the steering goes, have the key in the off-unlocked position so that the wheels can still turn to follow the tow truck.

 

[bike-maker]

If you are towing more than a mile or so, and do not know for certain that it is okay for your manual transmission, better dis-connect the drive-shaft, secure the U-joint cups, and grass-string it up out of the way.

Agreed; but I'd go for some bailing wire instead of the grass string. No well equipped IDI should travel without it

 

[idi traveler]

Several years ago I towed a 1959 chevy Apache 3200 from Colorado to the tide water of Virginia. I went to a trailer fab shop and asked them to build me a tongue with a piece of 4" angle across the back of it. When I got home I welded eyes on it that matched up to holes in the frame with the bumper removed. I used 5/8" grade 5 bolts. Ran a tie strap from the seat frame throw the steering wheel so the wheel could still turn but not get away from me while maneuvering at a gas station and the such. I checked the bolts at every stop and had to replace them 3 times in about 1600 miles!