How do you tow with a towbar?

bitternut · August 12, 2006, 06:56:01 PM

I am junking my old S15 4 x 4 and plan on making a tow bar to tow it to the junk yard with my newer truck. I have some scrap metal to construct the tow bar but I am wondering what you do about the front wheels. The truck is an automatic so the key has to be in the on position to put the tranny in neutral which unlocks the steering. Do I need to have some one steer the old truck or do you just rope off the steering with the wheels straight? Never towed with a tow bar. Always did it the scary way with a rope or chain and two drivers. Figure there should be some one in this group that has used a tow bar before and could give me some good advice.

Radar67 · August 12, 2006, 07:10:35 PM

I've always took the driveshaft out before towing with a tow bar.

Stew

sprucebunny · August 12, 2006, 08:11:06 PM

Just leave the key on and give 'er a try. Some vehicles will follow right along and some the caster or something is different and the wheels will get stuck in the turned position when you go around a hard cornor

If yours is like that you could tie the wheel to limit the turning....maybe.....

A friend and I towed a 53 GMC pickup to Colo. from NH.... every time we had to maneuver, I had to get in the GMC with the St.Bernard and steer :

On the trip home i towed a 53 Chev pickup ( with a 50 Chev ;D )and it followed fine.

thecfarm · August 12, 2006, 08:15:25 PM

I never made a tow bar but have hauled many with a rented tow bar.Do not rope off the steering wheel.The steering wheel has to turn so the truck will fellow you.No one needs to be in the truck,the front wheels will turn which ever way you are.You don't have to worry.In this state it is against the law to have someone in a car that is being towed.

Mooseherder · August 12, 2006, 08:21:35 PM

Most Junkyards will tow it for free just to get it, some may give you 50 dollars or more. ;)

bitternut · August 12, 2006, 09:30:36 PM

Thanks for the info guys ( and gals ). I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine that has towed with a tow bar for years and he told me the same thing as thecfarm. He also offered to let me use his towbar so now I won't even have to make one.

Mooseherder the junk yards close to me won't come get them. They are paying $70 a ton for anything that you can drag or drive in. They also will deduct $2 for every tire that you leave with the vehicle. My tires are good so I am going to take the wheels and tires off and keep them when I get there. The wheels are aluminum and are worth at least $10 apiece for scrap. Will probably keep them and use them for trailer wheels on the bandmill I hope to make some day.

gary · August 13, 2006, 04:25:51 AM

A couple of tips for when you take it to the junk yard. Soak the inside with as much water as you can this will add alot of weight. Load it up with as much as you can old stoves, washing machines ,dryers any old metal for more weight.

SwampDonkey · August 13, 2006, 06:25:43 AM

As TheCfarm said, you can rent them at the garage. An S15 was my first vehicle I ever bought. Had it 10 years and sold it, then it was used for another 4 years as far as I know. They had a good motor, but it wasn't very strong. The body would rust bad around the fenders and cab corners. I don't see any old ones left on the road anymore, at one time they were very popular around here.

bitternut · August 13, 2006, 08:20:16 AM

This truck is a 91 4x4 extended cab with the 4.3 vortec v6 and there is at least 300k miles on it. It has the electronic dash and the odometer quit working a couple of years ago when it was close to clicking over the 300k. The odometer would flicker for a while and then once in a while it would start working properly. The dash lights would also take a break on you every once in a while and you would be flying blind.

The body on this truck has rusted real bad and I am afraid that if I put any old iron into the box that it would fall through before I got to the scales. I have been getting ribbed about it for several years but as far as running it was a great truck ( but rusty ). I only put brakes on the back once and the front rotors lasted well over 200k miles. That is why I am so disappointed in my 2002 2500HD which has been the worst vehicle I ever owned. Rear brakes twice and front brakes once in 47K miles. Anyways I told myself I would drive the S15 till it died but it never really did. It has just gotten so rusted that the body is falling off around it and it really is not safe. If you ever hit anything with it you would probably just have a large pile of flaky rust.

SwampDonkey · August 13, 2006, 09:43:18 AM

Mine was a 1987 4x4 2.8 litre V6. A four cylender Toyota Tacoma had more power. But, I did manage to achieve 120 km/hr with a uhaul in toe. Had oversized tires, so 100 km/hr, was actually 120 km/hr. Officer, get in, I'll show ya it's only 100 km/hr. ;D Dash lights were always burning out on mine (well replaced a few a couple times), so ya had to dismantle and install new bulbs. My father's 1990 GMC lost it's odometer at about 200,000 km and that was years ago. Still running it.

scsmith42 · August 13, 2006, 11:49:47 AM

Ditto TheCFarm and your buddy's advice.

Also, you need to either disconnect the drive shaft or have the motor running and idling. The reason is that the oil pump in the automatic transmission is operated off of the motor, and if you tow anything other than a very short distance the spinning rear shaft on the tranny will overheat and not only burn up the tranny, it can start a fire.

Good luck.

Scott

sawguy21 · August 13, 2006, 12:07:25 PM

He is probably not worried about cooking the transmission on the way to the junkyard ;D The risk of fire would be low on a short haul. I once towed a car close to 800 miles, half of that through the mountains. The rented towbar butted to the bumper and two chains ran under the front to hook to the frame. One of the chain adjusting bolts, a low grade replacement, stretched and jammed the nut so I was unable to keep it tight which made left turns interesting to say the least. Don't recommend that type for anything but a short low speed haul.
Actually, that is illegal here because the car would be considered a two axle trailer which requires brakes operated from the tow vehicle although the RV guys do it all the time.

rebocardo · August 13, 2006, 02:37:40 PM

> The truck is an automatic so the key has to be in the on position to
> put the tranny in neutral which unlocks the steering.

Put it in N, crawl under and disconnect the linkage, which is easy on a GM.

Tow trucks use X crossed bungie cords to return the wheel to center when left in the on position.

Myself, I usually just drop the driveshaft on a truck.

When using a tow bar, run a piece of 5/16 chain around the rear bumper and front bumper in case the towed vehicle tries to escape.

VA-Sawyer · August 13, 2006, 08:57:59 PM

It's a 4X4 ! Put the transfer case in neutral, tow it where you want without any transmission issues. Read the Owners Manual for conformation. Turning the key on unlocks the steering wheel on the S-10. It doesn't need the tranny in neutral for steering!
VA-Sawyer

bitternut · August 13, 2006, 10:06:39 PM

Well I read the owners manual as VA-Sawyer suggested and they say to align the wheels straight with the transmission in park and the ignition to the off position. Then use a clamping device on the steering wheel to keep the wheels straight. Then shift the transfer case to neutral. They say it can then be towed up to 50 miles at speeds under 35mph with out any damage to the transmission ( not really worried about that ). Hard to believe I have owned this thing for 15 years and never knew how to tow it. I only have to travel about 20 miles with it so I should be able to get it there without incident.