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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 11:40 am Post subject: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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I'm trying to move an engine-less super beetle parts car 30 miles without spending any money. I'm trying to use an old bumper tow bar my dad gave me. (It was not made specifically for a vw.)
We mounted the tow bar brackets on a 4X4 with the idea that I'd also bolt the 4x4 on one bumper bracket mount per side.
When I brought the tow bar and 4x4 home (and held it up to our super beetle) I discovered that the bracket hardware is mounted right where I'd planned to drill the holes for the two bolts I'd planned to used to attach the 4X4 to the bumper brackets.
The easiest solution would be to simply offset the bolts that connect the 4X4 to the bumper brackets. My question is if having the tow bar a few inches off center is likely to result in towing problems. |
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Eskamobob1 Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2016 Posts: 541 Location: South OC SoCal
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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I would not try and tow with a 4x4 as your linkage. Honestly man, just go rent a flat bed from uhaul for the day. They are like $20 flat rate, and then you dont have to worry about potentialy thousands in damages when the 4x4 breaks and your car rolls off somewhere _________________ '74 - front disks/lots more work to do |
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oc92 Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2005 Posts: 521 Location: NC
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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-that 2x4 is already cracked... scrap metal maybe but never wood please
-any tow bar design should include a safety chain _________________ " ... he walked the pavement of the city- a beggar and a king. Has it been otherwise with any man?" WOLFE
72 bus
70 bug
96 mx5 |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Hi Eskamobob1,
I'm sure that's good advice, but I haven't had any success with local Uhaul in the past. Their tow dolly rental starts at $44.95 and their transport trailers at $54.95, but they'll hassle me that the tow dolly's no good for the beetle (even though it has no motor) and that my Honda Odyssey isn't rated for the transport. There are so many companies (like Gerson) I'd rather send my limited funds to!
I plan to add safety chains and move slow.
Any thoughts on the off-center aspect? |
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Lingwendil Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009 Posts: 3987 Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Center it.
Use safety chains.
Personally some scrap iron piping or steel conduit would probably be a better choice than the (already cracked) wood.
If you run on back roads, and have someone in the towed car to hit the brakes as necessary you might be okay, but the whole thing would make me very nervous without at least steel for the main bar, and real bolts holding it all together, not to mention that the bumper brackets may deform, or even the quarter panels around the bumper bracket mounting points, I've fixed a beetle that was towed by the bumper, it tends to warp the panels pretty bad...[/i] _________________ 73 super beetle thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=649622 Back on the Road!
Modify your Kadrons for SVDA http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8115884#8115884
Cast iron VJU4BR8 SVDA reference thread- https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
Need replacement filters for original Kadron aircleaners? WIX #42087 is a perfect fit, as is Napa Gold #2087! |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12815 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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get a 10' section of schedule 40 pipe, cut it in half, get a 12' piece of chain that will pass through the pipe, bolt one end of the chain to the bracket on one side, thread the chain through both pieces of pipe then form a triangle & bolt the other end of the chain to the other bumper bracket so that there is 5-6 links in between (kinda like a pair of nunchaku or bisectional staff), loop it over your tow ball & pass a bolt through the links to tighten down on the tow ball. Then reposition the chains to take up any slack. It's ugly, it's redneck as all hell, but it works. _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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windfish Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2012 Posts: 1126 Location: NC
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FeelthySanchez Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2011 Posts: 1349 Location: Now is that a real poncho, or a Sears poncho?
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 5:52 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Longmont1302 wrote: |
My question is if having the tow bar a few inches off center is likely to result in towing problems. |
Yep: when cornering, it will develop a mind of its own. Chain-up & drive painfully slow or rent the tow dolly - which works great.
If it tickles ya, maybe shoot me a PM re a 1x used SuperBeetle-pattern towbar & mount - don't need it anymore & will beat the heck outta ACN's price. _________________
modok wrote: |
I would like if you had enough clue to communicate what you are doing. |
Ryan Tucker wrote: |
Enough clue..Whats that mean? |
OldIronSpine wrote: |
I'm not sure how compression works.
Turbos don't produce torque, they produce HP. Instead of torque.
The real problem with NA engines is you don't hear the nice whine of the turbo as it spools up.
Before I commit, I'm going to do more research because I don't really know what piston rings are. |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Anyone near Longmont, CO have a Super Beetle tow bar they'd like to rent or sell? |
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boundstaffpress Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 161 Location: Southeast Colorado
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Thank you for posting this.
I was researching this exact question with weekend plans to move a '73 Super from Ft. Collins to La Junta. I have a collapsible tow boar that I've use several times, but always on something with a frame. My plan was to use a piece of flat steel stock instead of the 2x4 you have. The comments about deforming the body around the bumper mounts make me believe that a U-haul is the way to go.
Short notice, but like you I would be interested in a Super Beetle tow bar in that part of the state. The u-haul one way costs a little less than a tow bar, but I'd rather have the bar to do more moving.
Justin _________________ Justin
Building a 73 Super Beetle with my kids. |
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TDCTDI Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013 Posts: 12815 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:37 am Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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FeelthySanchez wrote: |
maybe shoot me a PM re a 1x used SuperBeetle-pattern towbar & mount - don't need it anymore & will beat the heck outta ACN's price. |
Did you guys miss this a couple of posts back? _________________ Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Thanks, TDCTDI, I did PM FeelthySanchez. |
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doregan Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2017 Posts: 30 Location: Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 12:17 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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You can always run some high quality carriage bolts through the brackets and into the bumper mounts. If you made up the metal brackets for the tow bar, I would add one or two more on the inside. You could also add long carriage bolts to the outer sides of each bumper mount and have 4 points of attachment instead of 2.
All the other advice you have been given is good and appropriate. But I towed a 61 beetle about the same distance from NYC (into NJ through the Holland Tunnel) about 45 years ago and I had a 2 by 4 as a bumper on the beetle. Had no problems. Suggest you rig flashers on the beetle or use something portable.
Good luck. |
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FeelthySanchez Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2011 Posts: 1349 Location: Now is that a real poncho, or a Sears poncho?
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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You guys ROCK. Check PM ..........
Longmont1302 wrote: |
Thanks, TDCTDI, I did PM FeelthySanchez. |
_________________
modok wrote: |
I would like if you had enough clue to communicate what you are doing. |
Ryan Tucker wrote: |
Enough clue..Whats that mean? |
OldIronSpine wrote: |
I'm not sure how compression works.
Turbos don't produce torque, they produce HP. Instead of torque.
The real problem with NA engines is you don't hear the nice whine of the turbo as it spools up.
Before I commit, I'm going to do more research because I don't really know what piston rings are. |
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Longmont1302 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2015 Posts: 324 Location: Longmont, CO
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2018 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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I thought I'd offer this follow-up for others who may find themselves in a similar situation. In the end, I followed the advice offered here and didn't put others at risk by trying to save a few bucks. I rented the Uhaul tow dolly for $45 and it was easy to use and worked well. I may get a purpose-made tow bar in the future, but this got the job done this time.
What didn't work well was the trailer wiring harness on my Honda Odyssey. It used to work fine, but doesn't do anything anymore, even after replacing the fuse and wiggling the connections. There's no wear or damage to it, and there's power where it plugs in, so I may have to replace the harness, too.
In the end a friend loaned me his diesel Ford pickup (with +390,000 plus miles on it - you gotta love that) and I got the Super Beetle parts car home safely. Check out the groovy flames:
The advice that I have to share is to test your trailer wiring harness BEFORE you arrive at Uhaul at 8:00 am with high expectations. |
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boundstaffpress Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2013 Posts: 161 Location: Southeast Colorado
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:51 pm Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Glad you got everything sorted. Like you I chose the uhaul route. The price is good if you only have to do it once. I think a tow bar is in my future. I also spent an hour trying to get lights to work. I had already rented the trailer, and was changing tow vehicles to a Ford.
Make it a great day. _________________ Justin
Building a 73 Super Beetle with my kids. |
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gt1953 Samba Member
Joined: May 08, 2002 Posts: 13843 Location: White Mountains Arizona
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Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2018 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Towing a Super Beetle parts car on the cheap |
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Safety is free just have to practice it. _________________ Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.
72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold}) |
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