TOW BAR FOR A SPYDER ?

Planning on making one for mine but, yeah. Getting to the beam a la a Beetle is kinda tough. And once you get to it, how to attach? You'd have to jack the car up and crawl under, every time, hooking it up and taking it off. 

I plan to build mine to integrate with the frame extensions I welded on the front. I welded nuts in the top for bolts to come through from the bottom, which are just reachable from the front of the car if you lay down, and the jack points work now so they can be enlisted as guide points for the tow bar. 

It's gonna be a one-off but I'll post in case the design might inspire anyone else.

I think Danny has a tow bar.

I haven't fabbed up a tow bar yet, but here is what I came up with to secure it to the car. https://www.speedsterowners.co...nt-spyder-tow-points I use them as jack points, tie downs and my spoiler mounting points. I had a few more ideas, but this one was the easiest for me to fab up.

Yes there isn't much clearance and I've bottomed out a couple of times on our rough roads in an extreme dip or bump. I haven't hit them since I installed the rubber bumpers on my shocks though. If I drove like an old lady then it wouldn't be a problem, but I just can't do that.

I've fabbed up two of these using Danny's bar as an example.....   used a standard type 1 bar that I lengthened about 18 to 20 inches, then installed an "X" cross brace......  Depending on your car's construction, you may have to narrow it some.....(I did not)

Try to keep the bar parallel to the tarmac when it is installed on the car and hitch.....

I'm sure Danny will add pointers to this post....

Danny ??

Sent a PM. Buy or build a small single axle trailer. Mine weighs 700 pounds.

If you build a bar, you'll need your car to have a front suspension first to know any attachment points. I would do short distances only, I don't think it's particularly good for the transmission. But I like to tow at 70-75. 

Danny...I know it's just not good to tow a car very far anyway but after looking at a VW transaxle and the power path thru it, I can't see where  anything would lack lubrication in a "Flat tow" position. Years ago we used to remove the driveshaft when towing a car (with a tow truck) because the front of the car being up high the oil in the trans would flow back away from the front gears/mechanism's and cause extreme wear due to no lubrication. It was recommended then that "flat towing" without removing the drive shaft was OK for for short distances. We had a policy limit of 50 miles for this. 

When you had your transaxle apart did you find anything that you would attribute to the long distance flat towing you did Danny ?

I would love to have a flat trailer but I don't have anyplace to put it when not in use. Installing my tow bar was a P-I-A and I could never back up when towing either. Installing a set of towing lights did a barely adequate job, safety wise as well. Yup, a trailer is the way to go, if feasible !

I'm still going to fab up a tow bar for my car at some point. Not that I'll use it for any long distance towing, but for any local breakdowns.

But, the tow bar being as low as it needs to be and the steep approaches to some hills and my driveway, I don't think it'll be feasible for this area.

I've been flat towing speedster projects with a beetle tow bar for decades, local and long distance with no known issues, Check the wheel lugs, fasten the two pins to secure the bar to the axle beam , secure a safety chain, four prong trailer plug in for rear lights and you can tow 70 mph plus with zero concern.

Bruce, I'll let you know, I'm about to tear into the trans again. Apparently, it's more than just a failed pressure plate. Something in the 3-4 section. 1-2 and reverse are ok. Dumped the oil after Carlisle and no metal so I'm a little puzzled.

Alan, not to be contrite, but exactly how many of those transmissions have you had apart?