Tow bar on a traveller.

Post by **rob.hardy1** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:37 pm

I have a fancy to put a towbar on my traveller. Does anyone have plans for making such a thing?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:38 pm

Basic design uses the two bumper bracket mounts to take a sturdy length of angle across the car in place of the normal bumper mount bar, then forward runners of angle bolt to the sides of the rear 'chassis' members and through the floor. Obviously - the floor and chassis has to be in tip-top condition, and number plate will usually need to be repositioned. Chrome bumpers can usually be refitted to the tow bar instead of the bumper bar.

Post by **simmitc** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:37 pm

Watling Engineers sell a complete kit ready to fit.

Post by **rob.hardy1** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:55 pm

That is true but i was hoping to make one myself for less than £113. the price from Watling

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:03 pm

2 x 2 angle , hacksaw, leccy drill and stick welder !

Post by **rob.hardy1** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:10 pm

Thats more my style although i have a MIG rather than stick. I am hoping someone has a sketch or plans or even pictures of they way others have done it.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 11:17 pm

For angle - you need stick - MIG will not give the penetration. But a wee cheapy will do - and they are fun to use!

Post by **Dru** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:39 am

Here are some pics showing the set-up on my Trav's towbar

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere/3873071287/" title="DSC_8243 by Dru Marland, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/387 ... 33eb_m.jpg" width="240" height="164" alt="DSC_8243" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere/3873858028/" title="DSC_8246 by Dru Marland, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/387 ... 4c17_m.jpg" width="240" height="208" alt="DSC_8246" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere/3873859294/" title="DSC_8242 by Dru Marland, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3422/387 ... 1dd642.jpg" width="500" height="341" alt="DSC_8242" /></a>

...if you go over to the Flickr page you can big them up for a better look, if you like. Good luck!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere/3873859294/

Post by **paulk** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:00 am

Cheers Dru I've been after pics of the towbar for ages.

Don't worry about Mig for Angle its fine, just practice first to make sure your set is turned up enough.
We MIG angle every day no problem (also with a little 240volt set as well as a 3 phase unit)

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:56 am

The thing that worries me a bit on the Traveller is the propensity to obscure the number plate, so I have been toying with an easy removable ball hitch, especially as my requirement would be occasional use, and I would like to keep the rear standardish.
As I am also contemplating rear tele dampers, I was going to see if the floor strengthening framework required for that could be triangulated into the proposed towbar mounts, to enhance both features!
Stick welder for me- I wouldn't trust my 130 amp MIG to weld much more than 16swg! Stick is very satisfying on thicker sections, you can play with pools of metal while thinking about life in general!

Dru, not wanting to critcise a lovely piece of work, but I think in previous threads the suggestion has been to throw the force much further forward into the car structure to lessen possible rocking fractures. The OP may do well to read through some of what has been previously discussed before cutting any metal.

Obviously, anyone considering such a job needs to be fully aware of the forces involved, and how to control/contain them as a runaway trailer could be rather messy!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:30 pm

Yes -i'm sure on my old saloon Minor r the tow bar went much further forward, and was a lot more 'solid' looking. It towed sail boats - and racing Minis without any problem. I certainly wouldn't try welding load bearing thick angle with a 'home' MIG!! Industrial unit - yes of course, but for home welding of angle - can't beat stick.

Post by **Dru** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:41 am

about the number plate... those pics don't show the tow hitch arrangement, so here's a further pic which may help...
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/belvedere/1458396609/" title="Trav by Dru Marland, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/145 ... 573fd3.jpg" width="500" height="466" alt="Trav" /></a>

yes, the bracing piece that goes forward doesn't seem very long, does it? -still, I've towed my Mirror dinghy across Wales with it, with no ill-effects... so far *cue ominous music*

Post by **bmcecosse** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:29 am

Often the rear plate is moved up and changed to 'square' shape - and mounted on a rear door panel.

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:31 am

bmcecosse wrote:Often the rear plate is moved up and changed to 'square' shape - and mounted on a rear door panel.

Where's your sense of aesthetics, man?
Having a split bumper to draw your attention to......a tow bar? yuk!

Think of the poor cars' feelings!

Dru, the motor gestapo in our area could quite conceivably object to your tow hitch obstructing the number "7"!

Don't know why I'm grizzling, I have a 3 number, 3 letter plate, so the hitch would clear the characters anyway, dohhh.

Post by **mike.perry** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:33 am

Some photos of my towbar

To keep the indicators legal replace the standard flasher unit with a heavy duty towing unit. If the car is fitted with a blocked oil filter terminal warning light remove the cable from the filter and connect it to the appropriate terminal on the flasher unit. The orange warning light at 15mph on the speedo will act as a trailer indicator warning light

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:41 pm

rob.hardy1 wrote:That is true but i was hoping to make one myself for less than £113. the price from Watling

But at least their's are engineered properly.

Post by **d_harris** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:19 pm

Just to show an alternative no plate arrangement

Forgive the pic quality, taken on my mobile, in the rain!

Post by **MarkyB** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:37 pm

But at least theirs are engineered properly.

Don't forget the Titanic was built by professionals and the Ark by amateurs.
People have been making tow-bars for Minors for many years with no ill effects that I'm aware of.
Minors are strong, angle iron is strong, and decent welds with an arc welder are strong.

I made a tow-bar from some box section that had come off the side of a lorry that hammered into the end of the van chassis lovely.
I never towed with it (it was more to stop tailgaters) but I'm happy that it would have coped with anything the van could manage to pull.

Post by **rob.hardy1** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:14 pm

Kevin wrote:
rob.hardy1 wrote:That is true but i was hoping to make one myself for less than £113. the price from Watling
But at least their's are engineered properly.

Why, Sir, are you suggesting i wont do it properly

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:36 pm

rob.hardy1 wrote:
Kevin wrote:
rob.hardy1 wrote:That is true but i was hoping to make one myself for less than £113. the price from Watling
But at least their's are engineered properly.
Why, Sir, are you suggesting i wont do it properly

Exactly!

Anyone who doesn't manufacture towbars as a profession is obviously incapable of doing the job safely!
It's true- the State Nanny told me so!