To flat tow or now to flat tow?

DubStyle · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:56 pm Post subject: To flat tow or now to flat tow?

So I'm moving from South Dakota to Missouri in a couple weeks 790 miles. I was think since I'm not haulling balls in the RV, why not flat tow. Or is it really that unsafe that I should trailer it? Trailer is $370 for the trip or I can buy my own tow bar for future use. Either way I have to get my bus there. LOL

Inputs please!
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smitty24 · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:07 pm Post subject:

Are you pulling it with the RV, or something else? Are you going to be encountering snow/ice along the way? You will be fine in most instances with the tow bar. They do fine as long as you are not hauling...and the tow vehicle is bigger than the bus or bug. You may need to mod the thing if your bus is real low. My stock one would work. On the '64 with 4" narrow beam, it wouldnt fit. Also was too close to ground that we couldnt get a drop hitch to go that far. Is this the nice green/white one you have? If my memory is correct, we had to remove the drag link as well.

DubStyle · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject:

I'll be pulling it with my 34' RV. Which will be the norm once I'm settled in. Can't go RVing without the bus. Wink

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bugcollections · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 4:29 am Post subject: Tow

It is safer to trailer. It's cheaper to tow. There are about 10 things that can happen when you flat tow; 9 of them are bad. There are about 10 things that can happen when you trailer; 4 of them are bad. Point being; probabilites are on the side of trailering. In either case; if it is a big RV and you cannot see what you are towing/trailering I would get me a rear camera so you can keep your eye on it while moving.

DubStyle · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:21 am Post subject:

I'd rather have 4 bad options over 9. LOL
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pyrOman · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:33 am Post subject:

My old bus never was a trailer queen (or my current one either!) but when I moved myself from Floriduh back to San Diego, it went on a trailer! Cool

Not to mention that it was my very first time towing anything on a trailer and the very first day I got myself into a jam in which I had to reverse out of... UPHILL!!! Shocked

Talk about learning the hard way! Rolling Eyes

Nowadays I flat tow just about anything but only within reasonable distance or where it is a must in the inmediate moment and there's no option for trailering. "Piggy back" is the way to go for long distance. Razz

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jeremyrockjock · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:30 am Post subject:

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DubStyle · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:35 am Post subject:

WOW, look at that weld in the last picture. Flippin blind Monkey must of done that.
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peaceful warrior · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 11:04 am Post subject:

Something else to consider is you cannot back up with a tow bar or with a tow dolly, unless someone know something I don't.
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cru62 · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:34 pm Post subject:

If you do end up using a trailer, use one with actual, working trailer brakes. Otherwise, you will only be compounding your chances for calamity.
I flat towed my '62 DC once, behind a 2000 GMC Safari. I tested it on the first downgrade which is about 3 miles from my house. I didn't stomp on the brakes, merely tested them. The result almost sent me into the right side guardrail and came as close as I ever want to get to jack-knifing. I had to punch it to regain control on a 7 mile long 7-8% grade. I was going 100 mph at the bottom because ANY braking action caused the same result. On flat ground there was really no trouble and I made it to Bug-o-rama in one piece.
So, my recommendation would be to use a big, heavy, long tow vehicle and a proper trailer. Don't be the guy in front of me on that same grade towing an enormous ski-boat with a Ford Bronco II. Someone cut him off and he jumped on the brakes. The boat shoved him sideways into the guardrail just before it passed him in the adjacent lane.
FWIW-My GMC had a complete tow package, including uprated brakes.
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mrlimbo · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:35 pm Post subject:

I tow my 67 everywhere with my old class C RV. Never had an issue.. thousands of miles. I've got one of the tow bars made and sold here. I picked it up at the Litchfield Bug In years ago. Couple of issues, the pins holding the bar to the beam were a bit small. They bent on me. Drilled them out to 3/8 pins and never looked back. Also, the bar rubs on the sway bar. You also have to remove the stabilizer shock to mount to bar to the beam.

When I first started towing the bus, it didn't like to turn with the RV in tighter corners. It sometimes dragged the wheels in a real tight corner. I thought it was the large over hang past the back wheels on the RV. Come to find out, the lower trailing arm was bent in and the camber was way off. Replaced the arm and it turns like a dream. It probably also caused the pins to bend. I load it was parts, DJ equipment, camping gear, whatever I'll need for the trip I'm taking. Never a problem.

I put chains on everything. Beam to bar, bar to RV. Here is what it looks like...

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mrlimbo · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:41 pm Post subject:

Low Bräu · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:00 pm Post subject:

A few years back maybe (4-5) there was what was left of a solid 21 or 23 window deluxe for sale on eBay that had been wrecked and rolled over. If I remember it was sealing wax red and beige grey and was just a badly damaged shell without any parts. The ad simply said the vehicle was being flat towed and there was an accident. It went on to say "Never flat tow a bus" and "please don't ask for more details". I think the seller just wanted to forget about the whole ordeal.

Does anyone here know further details about that bus or what happened? I think it was in Michigan or somewhere up north and there were numerous bidders. Someone here must remember something about it.

Josh
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widehatch · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject:

i've flat towed buses tons of times and for hundreds of miles. mainly because i didn't have a big truck or tailer. flat towing is safe just use common sense. 2 wheel dolly, now those things are sketchy. if i had the big truck and funds to rent a trailer id go ahead a rent the trailer for the 700+ mile journey just for the piece of mind a trailer would offer.
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feastbeast · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject:

Uhaul all day long. Insure it with them too. Best of luck. Moving sucks.


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