I'm trying to find a place to mount my tow bar but a normal location near my frame rails puts it way too high.

My truck is an 88 with 4" SAS on 35's and my tow vehicle is an 06 Double Cab, Long Bed Tacoma. It looks like the tow bar will be level if I mount it directly to my 85 SFA.

The passenger side spring perch has another perch type bracket on the bottom. If I welded a plate between them it would be pretty stout. I would just have to mount a spring perch on the bottom of the driver side and do the same.

This would put the tow bar 18" off the ground and the exact height of my receiver hitch on my Tacoma.

If I mounted it in the normal frame rail location, I'd have to invert about a 12" drop hitch and have the ball as high as the middle of my tailgate.

So my question......anybody done this? Anybody see a problem with doing it?

 

If you look at my avatar, they would be centered on my front axle between the spring U-bolts.

 

First off just how will your tow bar end up mounting??

Build a mount across your frame rails drop it down to the height you need it.

Be kinda like a rear receiver hitch in the front.

You can make it quick to remove if clearance would be an issue.

I like being able to swap things from one vehicle to the other.

The real downside with your plan although I see no real issues.

Is if you ever have the housing fail your back to square one.

 

My plane was to fab two mounting points that would weld directly to the front of the axle between the spring perches so I could pin the tow bar on. A top and bottom mounted perch wraps completely around the axle tube so there will be plenty to weld to. Simple, easy to unpin the tow bar, will not affect clearance or approach angle.

My searching only found street rodders that do this axle attachment method for tow bars. Seems to work for them.

I could do like suggested and make a receiver type hitch but would be more work and would have to be removed when I'm done towing. There is such a height mismatch between my stock Tacoma and my crawler. I'm trying to avoid compensating for an extreme tow bar angle. 4" is max allowed.

I'm planning on a Moab trip in the spring with a bunch of friends and they will be using their trailers so I have none to borrow. I have nowhere to keep one or I would own one. I trust my truck to make the drive but worry I may not be able to drive it back if I screw up. As long as it rolls I could tow it.

I traded a V6 diff for a really nice tow bar. Long trips may be the only time I use it. I drive it everywhere else. Who knows, I may hate towing with it and get a trailer.

I'll consider some other options and post up some pics whatever I decide to do.

 

They use to do a similar thing with VW bugs and VW sand rails. It was a simple pin in place with nothing welded to the spring tube. It might be an idea to look in too. Google "empi towbar"

 

So you are planning on removing the rear driveshaft every time you flat tow correct?

 

Thanks for the Empi pics. I think this will work.

I was going to lock in my front hubs, both t-cases in 4 low and trans in 1st to keep my power train lubed while towing. Should blow the dust off my clutch too.

(I'm) Just being a wise ass dropzone. I realize I have to disconnect my drive shaft. Thanks for lookin out for me!

I'm going to try this. I'll post pics and let you know how it works either way. Thanks for the input.

 

Having always used a Dolly or a trailer.

looking at this one can never back up ??

Is this correct because the tow bar would just push up till it hit the bumper and bent .

which is why I never really explored this option.

 

No not being a wiseass. I was lazy once because it was raining, didn't want to crawl in the mud to remove my rear d/s and destroyed a transmission and set of duals 4 years ago when my trans dropped into gear.

so based on the destruction to the drive train I caused how is having your front hubs locked, cases in double low and trans in 1st gear going to keep your stuff lubed? Sure the t/c bearing will be lubed but Aren't you going to be pulling against the engine compression... Pulling the rear d/s won't do squat in your scenario.

 

He was being a wise ass when he made that comment

Did you read both cases in low trans in first gear !!

Now think what would happen?? No coffee this morning rough night!!

a normal tow vehicle would drag all 4 wheels or try to

 

I was being a TOTAL wise ass. There's no way in hell I would ever do something like that. I actually DO appreciate you mentioning to pull the drive shaft.

Years ago when I was a Toyota newb I would have assumed I could have put the t-case in neutral and be ok.

I have read enough of these forums to know better now.

 

wyoming9, You're right about not being able to back up with a tow bar. I can see where you would think that Empi tow bar would rotate up and hit the bumper but the way I am going to TRY and mount mine will not allow that to happen.

Any tow bar setup I have seen has the potential of pivoting up or down under really bad circumstances. I think that is why manufacturers recommend a max of 4" difference in height between the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle. Ideal is a level tow bar.

If I can find a trailer when I do my trip I will use the trailer. I want to have the tow bar tested and ready in case I don't. Just an emergency back up plan.

It's hard to rent a trailer for a lifted 4x4 on 35's.

 

I'm planning a trip next week from S. Alabama up to N. Carolina to tow an 89 4runner back, I've always had V-dubs and a tow-bar, I know for a fact on a Datsun/Nissan I can use 2-2" hitch balls bolted to the tow loops and my tow bar fits right on them, I towed a 78 truck all the way to Miami with no issues, and later, my son's 87 hard-body.
But I digress;
Looking at my 89, I'm going to remove the tow hooks and fab a mount/bracket that will bolt there and drop down enough for a 2" steel pipe just wide enough to accommodate my vw tow bar. I was going to use my truck to tow with, nut my buddy said I could use his F250 (7.3 full Banks, super-chipped!!) save me some wear and tear anyway. I'll post some pictures when I'm done.
I love the idea of a front receiver, could be used for so many things, new ideas keep coming, removable winch, canoe rack, bike rack, spare tire rack... removable tow bar mount, hmmm might have to explore this further.

 

I had 25-30 bugs, ghias, notchbacks and vans over the years...I would not use a bug towbar to tow a toyota that is twice the weight of a bug...if it fails your insurance may not cover you..

cool..this is what happens when I don't sleep for 30-36 hours sometimes...

 

Picking up my buddy's F250 today. I found a Reese tow bar for $25, just finished drilling and painting my homemade brackets, made them to bolt up where the bumper is supposed to bolt, donor vehicle is missing it's bumper. I have to hurry, seems like the longer it stays in NC, the less truck I'm going to end up with. The last news I got put me on the fence about even heading that way.