Tow Bar Question

Has anyone fabricated a VW Bug tow bar to work with the low front end of the speedster? If so, what did entail to make sure it was strong and worked correctly. Any pictures that I could show my local welder?

Thanks,
-Greg

Greg, There have been lots of discussions on tow bars. There is a Search button the opening forum page. Type in towbar, and have a look.

Yuuuuup!
Note the 24" width of my tow bar was made to fit between my bumpers. You can make one wider. Measure between the bumper mounting brackets on the front beam. You'll want the towbar wide enough to situate to the inside of each bracket. If you have no bumpers or bumper mounting brackets, the towbar can be as wide as a standard beetle bar.
My bar clears the ground by only 4" max. but have had no problems with it hitting anything as I tow on the freeways mostly...wouldn't go off roading with it.

~WB

Note that most states now require safety chains secured to both the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle as Bill shows.

Before you finish with the welder, consider how you'll mount your lights at the back of your towed car. Most listers say to not monkey with your Speedster lights is a good idea. Therefore, perhaps your welder could fab up a bracket to hook onto the rear bumper brackets to which you can easily attach a light kit. My tow lights attach to my license plate bracket which is not really strong enough and I have to further lash things down with bungees etc.

My home made light bar. Designed by the recently passed David Klipfel. Thanks, Bud, RIP!

After having not one but two regular lenth tow bars bend on me and fall off I will never flat tow or tow bar a car again. I've also seen alot of guys have this exact samething....

If you have the room to put a small trailer, it is the only way to go. If not rent a u-haul unit or find a friend with one to use....
I think tow bars are illegal for sale in California for just this reason......

Good luck with whatever you do....

my .02 cents

Kevin...what bent and how did it fall off. What should I keep an eye out for? Haven't had any trouble towing so far.

~WB

Just flat towed my Speedster 1060 miles to FL from VA without incident (other than a rear brake shoes seizing up on one side before 1st I95 exit cuz they were new and adjusted too tight).

I took a standard VW tow bar and cut all the welds with a grinder to narrow the beam hook up pieces about 3-4". On a CMC the front bumper brackets interfere with normal mounting area. This raised the hitch area and it clears both the splash pan and bumper and no danger of bumper hitting on turns. I test fit and drilled and bolted together (used threaded rod thru the cross piece) before welding it.

I avoided backing up all together. Used the magnetic Harbor Freight $9.99 trailer lights on the chrome luggage rack.

p.s. Blue tape didn't work - stopped at next exit and got Harbor Freight silver tarp and bungie cords.

Never over stress a tow bar by attempting to back up or jack it into a tight turn. Utlizing the correct ball size to tow bar receiver, safety chains and properly secured to the towed vehicle, you'll never have a problem. I've towed Beetles, speedsters and Formula Vee (VW)race cars well above interstate speed limits with a VW specific tow bar over 30 years and never had a problem even

This was my solution..... I run the same Nerf bars as Wild Bill....

No problem towing with 4cyl automatic Camry even loaded down. 70-75 MPH was about as fast as I wanted to go 65 was smoothest.

Does that mean you will be driving your speedster to Carlisle this year Wolfgang? Towing it to Florida to work on over the winter?

The first one that I had a problem with was a pin that came loose towing a bug up north. I was about an hour away from my house when the clip must have fell off letting the large pin come out of the tow bar thus causing the tow bar to fall off the bottom of the beam. The bad part is when I tryed to slow down slowly so that the bug would not rear end the tow vehicle, the bug drifted to the right and tried to pass......

The second issue I had was about two years later. I was towing back into san diego from LA a different car and I think that the tow angle of the front wheels might have not been adjusted correctly. The reason I say that is because about two hours into my return home the steering started to jerk from side to side and before I could slow down it bent the hell out of the tow bar.

Please understand that I had used tow bars a large number of times. Hell why not I don't have to drag that additional weight of a trailer to go pick something up or on the way back from dropping something off. THis also means that I did not have to go the 55 mph speed limmit while not towing. But after having two major issues with tow bars I personaly desided it was simply not worth the gamble.

Tow bars are for Jeeps behind motor homes, they just are not that safe..... Good luck to any one that wants to use them, I hope you never have a problem....

Wow! Thank you all so much for the information, pictures, and the warnings. This will be quite a hike (CT to AZ) so I really need to heed the warnings as well.

I'm really thankful to all of you! I'll let you know what I decide.

Cheers,
Greg

Paul - Sure hope to have it done by then. In low 70's here so longer work time (like 22 years wasn't enough). Just tucked it in condo garage few minutes ago. I'll probably tow it up to VA and tag up with DC guys BUT I'll be there with a zoom-zoom.

I used longer bolts (pins) to connect to beam along with a nut and a slip pin.

Greg, have you fired it up yet?

Well said Mr. Bill

Kevin, sorry to hear of your troubles. But as far as the clips go, they only can come off if they aren't put on properly or worn/bent.

To all you flat towers:

For sure safety, the EMPI Tow Bar clip pins MUST be pushed PAST their little angled detent so the clip dangles from it's securing pin. Unless it breaks, it ain't coming off. Many make this mistake!

The towbar should be parallel to the ground. Raise or lower the ball to adjust.

The towed vehicle should/must be in good wheel alignment.

Tight turns should be avoided.

Backing up is prohibited. I don't commit to pulling in ANYWHERE I can't pull forward when departing. Don't put yourself in a tight spot...Look before you leap!

Happy & Safe Motoring!

~WB

Generally speaking in aircraft construction we have the head of the bolt or pin always facing forward. That way, if the nut or clip does go adrift, the bolt/pin has a better chance of staying in position. Payment for such security generally involves more skinned knuckles.

And I did have one installed the wrong way and it did come out somewhere between Los Angeles and Fresno, but fortunately, the pin stayed in. Just like david said, I had the pin head toward the front of the car.

One more recommendation that will make it easier to remove the clips when they are inserted correctly. I put a heavy duty zip tie on the ends of each clip with about a 2 inch loop to get my fingers through to pull it back out. Works great!

Or call me and I'll get you there in better shape than these are on my truck :~)

Jeeze Alan. Put a couple more bucks into a longer trailer. The last one looks like it's pushed in pretty close. The owner's gonna be pissed.

I already stretched the 51 ft. trailer to a 61.
"No brakes" on the pick up truck ( see frontal scratch) then the frig'n bike came along and you see where that ended up !