See a flaw in my plan? Tow Bar Mod...

[Missourian]

Going to use four small rachet straps instead of the two pictured.

Then those #5 eyebolts will go to the frame and yellow 3000 lbs WLL straps will run from the the eyebolts to the u-bolts closest to the hitch...

Like this...

What do ya think?

 

[Sunsettommy]

The wood is the flaw, there is a reason why you never see wood on commercially made tow bars.

 

[Missourian]

The wood is the flaw, there is a reason why you never see wood on commercially made tow bars.

Thanks for the reply.

Not too worried about the wood. It's all hardwood... Not pine. That piece of wood held up an 8000 lbs trailer. In this application it will carry very little load... The straps and the steel do all the work.

 

[Sunsettommy]

Thanks for the reply.

Not too worried about the wood. That piece of wood held up an 8000 lbs trailer. In this application it will carry very little load... The straps and the steel do all the work.

Oakay.

 

[Missourian]

Oakay.

Next time you see a 46,000 lb load of rebar... Take a look at what's holding it up. Wood is a lot stronger than most people think.

And it won't scratch the bumper.

 

[KissMy]

I think it could slide side to side & cut the straps in the back side of the bumper. Might want to protect the straps & put some rubber between wood & bumper. Also safety chain if it fails.

Better yet why not bolt it to the truck like it was designed to be? Because if your design fails & injures or kills someone a good lawyer will take everything you will ever have. Is that junk truck worth it?

 

[Sunsettommy]

Next time you see a 46,000 lb load of rebar... Take a look at what's holding it up. Wood is a lot stronger than most people think.

View attachment 520336

Now you indicate that you don't understand why 2" thick wood on trailer beds can handle heavy loads, which is SPREAD out through the entire trailer bed.

The wood for your trailer will eventually fail because the stress points are focused on two small areas.

I drove large trailers with TWO 15' Park grade mowers on them using my 1 Ton Utility truck, BALANCE is critical on such a set up!

Have driven other trailer set up for years as well, I am well aware of how trailer hitches works, had training on them over 25 years ago.

 

[Dekster]

Might be fine for a short hop to the junkyard early in the morning but I wouldn't set out across a long distance on the highway with that set up. More importantly, I would hate to be the car behind you.

 

[Missourian]

I think it could slide side to side & cut the straps in the back side of the bumper.

Good points.

I thought about using the conveyor belting... But I think I'm going to use four rachets and straps.. That way I can use all hook ends.

Better yet why not bolt it to the truck like it was designed to be? Because if your design fails & injures or kills someone a good lawyer will take everything you will ever have.

I'd like too... That's what I originally bought it for.

If I was towing that truck... That's what I would do.

I'm actually going to look at a different truck... And I was thinking about using this to pull it home. I rented one once very similar to this design and had no trouble flat towing with it. But... like you say... Now that I've built it... I'm having some second thoughts.

 

[Missourian]

Might be fine for a short hop to the junkyard early in the morning but I wouldn't set out across a long distance on the highway with that set up. More importantly, I would hate to be the car behind you.

Won't be going too far with it...all back road.



They used to make a tow bar like this... but it only works on steel bumpers. Not too many of them around any more. I think that's why I can't find one.

 

[Missourian]

Now you indicate that you don't understand why 2" thick wood on trailer beds can handle heavy loads, which is SPREAD out through the entire trailer bed.

The wood for your trailer will eventually fail because the stress points are focused on two small areas.

I drove large trailers with TWO 15' Park grade mowers on them using my 1 Ton Utility truck, BALANCE is critical on such a set up!

Have driven other trailer set up for years as well, I am well aware of how trailer hitches works, had training on them over 25 years ago.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Thanks for the reply.

Not too worried about the wood. It's all hardwood... Not pine. That piece of wood held up an 8000 lbs trailer. In this application it will carry very little load... The straps and the steel do all the work.

If anything happens like as in a failure and it kills someone you're gonna be in deep Kimchi.
There was a case here in Houston 25 or so years ago when a guys trailer ball failed hauling a load of firewood and it ended up killing three people.
Turned out he'd welded the ball back on the neck on the ball after it had broken previously.
Cant remember how many years he got but went to prison for a long time.

 

[Missourian]

If anything happens like as in a failure and it kills someone you're gonna be in deep Kimchi.

Yeah... That's the rub isn't it...

Think I might have to scrap this plan.