barbjohn
Newburgh, NY, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
We wanted to repurpose a 1995 2WD manual trans Isuzu Pup that my son retired for his new car. Because it would make a good toad, we got a universal tow bar at Harbor Freight on sale for $79.99. (Normally $99.99; still a deal). This is a step by step account of my installation, with welding performed by my my son.
Universal Tow Bar
|
barbjohn
Newburgh, NY, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Here's the last 3 steps:
|
barbjohn
Newburgh, NY, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Here's the last 3 steps:
|
PapPappy
Wilmington, NC
Senior Member
Joined: 12/23/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Nice job.....
Personally, I worry about welding.....at least by myself, but I guess it probably wouldn't cost to much to have it done professionally. I'd probably want to figure a way to bolt the plates in addition to welding.....but that's me
Bill & Claudia / DD Jenn / DS Chris / GS MJ
Dogs: Sophie, Abby, Brandy, Kahlie, Annie, Maggie, Tugger & Beau
RIP: Cookie, Foxy & Gidget @ Rainbow Bridge.
2000 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C, Ford V-10
Purchased April 2008 FMCA# F407293
The Pets
|
Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2003
View Profile
 Online
|
PapPappy wrote:Nice job.....
Personally, I worry about welding.....at least by myself, but I guess it probably wouldn't cost to much to have it done professionally. I'd probably want to figure a way to bolt the plates in addition to welding.....but that's me
I agree that I would not want some guy with only second hand experience welding something as critical as a hitch to my car, I do know certified welders, and this seems to be the case in this well planned out adventure.
Still even kits bolted onto Rangers and other light trucks have had complete hitch failures due to the factory frame separating from the front of the towed vehicle. It seems that the manufactures build the front of the vehicle strong enough to hold up the bumper, not pull it down the road at 65 MPH! And the crash testing indicates that the front end should fold up on impact, not something compatible with a strong frame that can pull the car.
The tow hitch kit on my 99 Honda CRV had bars that attached under the engine about 3' rearward of the hitch mounts, and it seems more secure than the Ford Edge kit that I installed on my 2007 car. Both kits where manufactured by roadmaster in my case.
To the OP:
For braking system on both of my toads, I installed a cruise control motor, with it's cable attached to the brake pedal arm, apply vacuum to the CC motor and it pulls the cable, brake arm towards the floor, applying the brakes. I used vacuum from my RV engine, and a couple of tees, check valves so the power brakes keep working, and pneumatic valve to apply the vacuum when the RV brake lights are on.
Fred.
|
|
|
1995brave
San Antonio, TX
Senior Member
Joined: 01/24/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
barbjohn wrote:We wanted to repurpose a 1995 2WD manual trans Isuzu Pup that my son retired for his new car.
You say an Isuzu pick up, but the photos show what looks like a Chevy S-10?
|
goodcruisin
Greenwood, IN
Senior Member
Joined: 04/17/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
1995brave wrote:barbjohn wrote:We wanted to repurpose a 1995 2WD manual trans Isuzu Pup that my son retired for his new car.
You say an Isuzu pick up, but the photos show what looks like a Chevy S-10?
Look again, there may be a Chevy symbol on the grill but the body is an Isuzu.
John (USN Ret) & Debbie
Tux (APBT/Dalmation)
'96 Monaco Windsor 36' DP 8.3 Cummins
Ready Brake & Demco Excali-bar
'02 F250 V10 w/ Banks Power Pack
'03 Ford Explorer
'04 Volvo S80 AWD
'05 Acura TL
240" Dragster 540 BBC
26' trailer
14' Boat w/9.9 Merc
|
Jagtech
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
I would really want safety chains from the toad frame to the tow bar, which guard against a failed weld on a bracket, in addition to chains/cables from the toad to the MH,
|
barbjohn
Newburgh, NY, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
PapPappy wrote:Nice job.....
Personally, I worry about welding.....at least by myself, but I guess it probably wouldn't cost to much to have it done professionally. I'd probably want to figure a way to bolt the plates in addition to welding.....but that's me
Although we do not appreciate the insult provided by Golden_HVAC , we'll just write it off to ignorance. My son is a certified welder in NYS. What we do worry about is the garbage Japanese steel. This one was imported and came over on the boat. And that's everywhere on the frame. We needed to remove the bed and bolster with steel where it was cracking 2 years ago. But in typical Japanese vehicle fashion, it runs like a champ, even if it breaks in half due to poor framework.
PS, We don't use chains; We prefer cables from vehicle to vehicle; Not vehicle to bar/bar to vehicle. Much better tensile strength and much less shock if step stressed. The steel stays in the photo are used for this purpose, but we use them to thread the cable through and support the cables from dragging.
|
tatest
Oklahoma Green Country
Senior Member
Joined: 05/14/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
For the benefit of those who can't do the work themselves but are attracted to these low cost tow bars, can you put a price on the work? How much time, and hourly rate for fabrication and installation welding.
We used to buy rusted out cars in great mechanical condition for $50-100, put in a few dozen weekend hours patching and filling, a couple more weekends painting, then drive the thing until it rusted through again (Detroit, 1950's). We would brag about how the car cost only fifty bucks, but we were kidding ourselves. The work you do yourself is worth something.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
|
|
|
