Front tow bars
Submitted: Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:18
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Plasnart
Hi all,
I'm after some first-hand advice on front towbars. I need one so i can manouver my boat into my back yard as it is a tight squeeze through gates, around buildings, etc and it just isn't possible when hooked to the back of the car (Nissan Patrol). I have checked and it will go if i have it hooked onto the front.
So any advice from those who have used front-mounted towbars would be greatly appreciated.
- Did you make your own? If so, how did you make it?
- Did you buy one and have it fitted? If so, who/where?
- What costs were involved?
- Did it help you with manouvering, etc?
Thanks for any advice,
Rohan.
Reply By: _gmd_pps - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:49
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 13:49
Learn how to drive ! .. lol
I have a front receiver integrated in my bull bar. I have a large boat and a tight
turn and narrow door. My truck is a lot longer than the Patrol and sometimes I use our Patrol when it is really narrow but never needed the front receiver to push the boat no matter how tight.
In case it is soo tight that even the best driving skills wouldnt work I'd get one of these trailer mates (electrical wheels) to push the trailer.. lots less effort I guess.
good luck
gmd
AnswerID:
406151
Reply By: Member - mazcan - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:37
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:37
hi
yes i made one out of scrap metal for the brudda- inlaw 'cause he could'nt back a horse in a race lol !!
he had a boat anchor (1993 landrover) lol with the big wide bumper bar so it was an easy task to drill & bolt the hitch onto it but had to offset his to the left as he had a winch in the middle
all it needs is --- back plate that bolts to the vehicle bar and a -- t /bar/tongue protruding to the front and a strut each side to give it strenght and avoid it sagging under weight a hole top and bottom of back plate at least 19mm to attach it to the vehicle bar and a hole to suit the towball the bar material was 75mm wide x 12 mm thick and lenght to suit
i cut my holes with the oxy/acetylene and cut the metal also but a 9inch disc can do the cutting if you have an engineering company near by they would happily drill the holes or knock up a simple hitch as described you dont need to be a genuise to make one
but your welding needs to be good as it has to stand upto the forces you will put on it
really not anything major all up about an hour
it helped him but beware it also completely changes the way you have to steer/position and manuouver your drive vehicle as you will find out
sorry but i prefer to reverse everything into place and have never had a problem
and getting the vehicle back out has caused i couple of blokes i know to have dents where there were none before
cheers hope that helps you
AnswerID:
406153
Follow Up By: Member - mazcan - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 19:29
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 19:29
hi
installation and/or removal of above is>
just undo the two 19mm bolts
yes there is technical stuff involved with airbaged vehicles as mentioned
depends what the vehicle is???
FollowupID:
676091
Reply By: bbuzz - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:51
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 14:51
Look up Thread no 75969. Some pics from a 100 series there. I did
mine on a Prado off the chassis. Works.
AnswerID:
406159
Reply By: Member - Warwick D (SA) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 16:59
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 16:59
Greetings, I put one on the front of my vehicle to help get it back in my narrow driveway from my narrow road. Cost $260-00 from a commercial towbar business on
Richmond Rd
Adelaide. All the usual warnings of no rapid impact to set off airbags, which I recall, are set to go off at 30kph ( I think). MUCH greater than I every consider backing my van into my narrow driveway.
I hope this helps. Kindest Regards,
Warwick
AnswerID:
406174
Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 18:51
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 18:51
Probably Ok on a non airbag car but
check legality on an Airbag car.
Remember it is illegal to have anything poking out further than bullbar or bumper bar so perhaps consider a removeable version
AnswerID:
406193
Follow Up By: Angler - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 20:57
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 20:57
I made my own for my GU patrol and it works fine. I can put my van exactly where I want it. I mounted it on the left hand side so I could see better down the right hand side of the van. (actually the left hand side going forwards).
If you want some pics just mail me and I will send some.
Had one on a rollux some years ago to move the boat around. Worked fine.
Pooley
FollowupID:
675902
Follow Up By: D200Dug- Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:47
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:47
Can you email me some pics please !!
I am about to have a long narrow driveway between our new house and fence
I think this option may save future arguments ;-)
silverimage@powerup.com.au
cheers doug
FollowupID:
675906
Follow Up By: Member - GeeTee (NT) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 10:00
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 10:00
I would appreciate some pics too.
graydonn at ozemail.com.au
FollowupID:
675984
Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:09
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:09
I had one back in the 90's on my Ford maverick. I just used a tongue I bought for a couple of bucks at a trash and treasure market. It was just a flat bit of steel with a slight goose-neck and 3 holes (2 mounting holes and the one at the other end for the tow ball.
I had a aluminium bullbar and i just drilled 2 holes in the top rail/bumper of the bar. It was offset towards the passenger's side, so I could see down the side of the trailer when I had it hooked up.
When I finished mounting it, I took the trailer (it was a 7x5 tandem) down to a local car park on a Sunday. Hooked the trailer to the front and I could EASILY manouvre that damn trailer onto a sixpence without raising a sweat, and around a 90 degree sharp bend. This is what I had to be able to do in
the block of flats I was living in at the time.
These days, as others have said, you'd have to be able to remove the tongue, so I would recommend going to an engineering place and getting them to mount a box-section type receiver, flush with the front of the bar.
AnswerID:
406211
Reply By: Member - Barnesy - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:35
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:35
A tow bar on the front. Does this mean it's called a push bar? Or you could tow it whilst reversing.
AnswerID:
406216
Reply By: Member - Duncs - Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:38
Friday, Feb 26, 2010 at 21:38
Maybe I should have practiced more.
I had one on the old MQ. I had a pretty tight spot to get the trailer into down the end of the driveway and thought it might be the go.
Even with a trailer that could I could not see when it was on the back of the car I found it easier to back it in.
Duncs
AnswerID:
406217