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kombisutra
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2003
Posts: 4127
Location: San Anselmo, 10 miles North Of San Francisco
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 Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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Greg, that picture is the first I've ever seen on this forum that completely defies belief. I absolutely cannot compute how that could have happened. Completely unbelievable. 
Is there any other image of that happening ever? Rumor? The noise that thing must have been making...
Maple Valley bus? |
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Clara 
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12600
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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| kombisutra wrote: |
Greg, that picture is the first I've ever seen on this forum that completely defies belief. I absolutely cannot compute how that could have happened. Completely unbelievable.
Is there any other image of that happening ever? Rumor? The noise that thing must have been making...
Maple Valley bus? |
Well, it was one of those times when we were cold and tired and been working our buns off and sometimes that might make you a little sloppy, if you know what I mean.
Yes, Maple Valley bus. There was NO OIL in that tranny. On the one hand, I did lie underneath on the damp ground and bolt the side plate back in place. On the other hand, I did not put any oil in it. That was perhaps a mistake.  
It was making a really bad noise when we pulled into the restaurant to eat, halfway home. After dinner we just dragged it the rest of the way hope and it squealed like a pig all the way. (very few cars on the road, FWIW)
The backing plate had a smile eaten into it.
Yes, there were shortcuts taken that should not have been. I plead exhaustion.
Don't take shortcuts, be careful and safe.
_________________
The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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kombisutra
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2003
Posts: 4127
Location: San Anselmo, 10 miles North Of San Francisco
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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That's the absolute CAKE!
My most fun boner move was dragging a 60 beetle out of a hillside being optimistic that the stuck drum would unstick, dragged the beetle 4 miles, laughing hysterically -with all the smoke, then sparks etc. I dragged a flat spot into that little wheel about an inch into the rim  I finally pulled over, wailed on it with the sledge hammer and finally unstuck er'. Then I dragged that pitiful thing on the rim and flat another 5 miles to my shop. Was pretty silly and moronic, but it was a completely rural area with no chance of endangering any other motorists.
We've gotta' drink a few over some of these stories, I've got others that were pretty crazy.
I just can't beleive that picture
Last edited by kombisutra on Sun Oct 09, 2011 11:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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MrBusCo
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2007
Posts: 1571
Location: stoughton, WI
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| Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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I put on another 120 trouble free miles today.
_________________
Josh The Bus Guy formerly known as JOGR
BlazeCutUSA.com MrBusCo.com |
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jeremyrockjock
Samba Towbar Builder
Joined: January 01, 2002
Posts: 5008
Location: Richmond, Verjinya
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| Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:15 am Post subject: |
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I would never flat tow a bus that I was not sure about wheel bearings, tires and brake hardware rattling inside the drum or the drum locked up. If your running gear is in good shape flat towing is the way to go IMO
_________________
Why buy what you can build.
Step away from the fiberglass and no one gets hurt!! |
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Kiwinw
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2014
Posts: 58
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:07 am Post subject: Will either of these work for a bus? |
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I am looking at a couple used tow bars to move my bus (66 deluxe) a few miles. Can anyone tell me if these will fit? The seller does not know what VW these came with.
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busboyjake
Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2002
Posts: 400
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:13 am Post subject: |
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Upper looks like mine, though I reinforced the cap out of it and swapped the cheesy pin for bolts and nylocks. Lower looks like a bumper-pull. Anyone confirm?
_________________
1960 Dove Blue Kombi
1965 Pearl White Caravelle Camper |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20800
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:26 am Post subject: |
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| busboyjake wrote: |
| Upper looks like mine, though I reinforced the cap out of it and swapped the cheesy pin for bolts and nylocks. Lower looks like a bumper-pull. Anyone confirm? |
I would concur. Some careful measurements of a bus and the top towbar would tell for sure. I replaced the through-pin setup with u-bolts that clamp the beam tightly to the towbar. takes longer to hookup, but there is absolutely no slop in the system, and therefore no highway wobble.
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You can't spell sausage without "USA"! |
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Kiwinw
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2014
Posts: 58
Location: Portland, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:53 am Post subject: |
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| thanks for the responses and info. |
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phatbus
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006
Posts: 317
Location: Hendo
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| Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2025 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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Been a while since I used a towbar for a long distance trip, and I read this whole thread to help prep.
Vegas to Huntington last weekend ~230 miles each way. Used bungee cords on the steering wheel. Not sure if they made a difference. I stayed mostly between 60-65mph. It worked well.
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pondoras box
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2004
Posts: 1563
Location: Eerie PA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 5:32 am Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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Thank God finally I see safety chains being used on tow bar.
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.
1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda). https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=563183
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1960 hardtop
1964 hardtop
1965 hardtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20800
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 7:41 am Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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| pondoras box wrote: |
| Thank God finally I see safety chains being used on tow bar. |
My towbar has safety chains. Not sure I have a picture of it here, but I've had it and used it successfully for almost 25 years now. Towed a 71 bus about 10 miles last fall with zero problems behind my 91 Chevy K1500.
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You can't spell sausage without "USA"! |
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phatbus
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006
Posts: 317
Location: Hendo
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 11:02 am Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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| pondoras box wrote: |
| Thank God finally I see safety chains being used on tow bar. |
Absolutely. It was setup for them when I got it (also nearly 25 years ago) but I’ve upgraded them in the years since. Can’t imagine not using them. |
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Clara
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12600
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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| phatbus wrote: |
Been a while since I used a towbar for a long distance trip, and I read this whole thread to help prep.
Vegas to Huntington last weekend ~230 miles each way. Used bungee cords on the steering wheel. Not sure if they made a difference. I stayed mostly between 60-65mph. It worked well.
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those pull handles aren't super strong, glad they survived. I see them broken a lot, you are bold to put the bungees on them
_________________
The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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Clara
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12600
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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| pondoras box wrote: |
| Thank God finally I see safety chains being used on tow bar. |
we always use safety chains with the towbar.
_________________
The Obsolete Air-Cooled Documentation Project http://oacdp.org/ |
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phatbus
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2006
Posts: 317
Location: Hendo
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Pulling a bus by towbar - long distance |
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| Clara wrote: |
| those pull handles aren't super strong, glad they survived. I see them broken a lot, you are bold to put the bungees on them |
Yeah, I’ve never done the bungees in the past, and not sure if they made a difference, or were needed at all (all the steering components are new). I did some test runs around town prior, with and without, and couldn’t tell a difference.
Where do your safety chains attach at the tow vehicle? I like that they go around the beam. |
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