Bug towing advice please

Here's one, DON'T BACK UP!

I'm no expert by any means having completed my first bug-tow this last week and only on a short distance, but here's some of the advice I picked up before hand:

1. Make sure the car is out of gear.
2. Make sure the steering wheel is unlocked.
3. Tow lights connected and working. (sign in the back window helps out other drivers too)
4. Anticipate turns. Turn wide.
5. Make sure your vehicle is rated to tow the bug.
6. An extra chain and lock is added security along with that bar.

It was much easier than I had thought, even though the "extra" noises made just about caused a heart attack ;-)

Susan

Tim,

Definitely: DON'T BACK UP! I tried backing ('just a foot or two'), rather than unhooking, while trying to turn out of a sharply angled driveway onto the road. It didn't work.The tubing of the stiff hitch only works in tension, not compression; in other words, it bent. I was lucky that I was close to home and able to borrow a friend's hitch to get the car home. I was able to straighten out the hitch, but it took oxyacetylene heat and a hydraulic jack, neither of which I had with me on the road!

Al Adams

Bring at least two spare tires "just in case" a hydralic jack would be a goodidea too. Jim Schield

I suggest the spare wheels and tires, A full set if at all available, if nothing else , but to cover your but. I also recommend that you take the time and check the tires for wear, heat, and air. These are the general "kick test" type things that you should do every time you stop for gas and a break.

Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply MUADIB®

It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News

some others to add:

should have a good alignment on the bug. check the wheel bearings every now and again on the road when you do the other "rest stop" checks that someone else had mentioned in this thread. Mark Detro Englewood, FL

Tim, I recently towed a 73 Ghia 2200 miles with a tow bar, I was going to rent a trailer but used the money to buy new tires, wheel bearings and seals, tow bar and hitch instead. I used a 2002 chevy S10 4x4 truck to tow with, although the bumper ball is rated to tow 5000 lbs, the hitch was way too high so I installed a receiver hitch and used an adjustable ball platform. Of course safety chains are a must, I used two chains about 5 feet long attached to the tortion bar tower on each side and the hitch with padlocks, very easy to hook up and keeps someone from stealing your ride when you're holed un in a motel during a long trip. Since I had brand new tires I only took one spare tire (and a jack and lug wrench) I picked up a set of magnetic lights from a local Uhaul shop ($24.99) I already had a trailer light recepticle to hook them up to. The first 100 miles or so I stopped several times to check the hubs for overheating and the rigging for loose connections. I baby'd it for a while but when I saw it was tracking well I set the cruise for 75.

things to remember: On flat ground, the horizontal bars on the tow bar should be parallel with the ground to allow clearance for uphill and down hill. If you have a lowered fron end, you might want to think about raising it up Make sure you put the key in the ignition and turn it to unlock the steering wheel Make sure that the transmission is in neutral Make sure that the emergency brake is off Take off the ground strap from the battery DON'T BACK UP DON'T BACK UP DON'T BACK UP

I disconnected the axles from the rear hubs just to cut down on the moving parts in the transmission because it was such a long tow. Lots of people will tell you that it's not necassary and they're probably right, I did it for my own peace of mind.

Today I towed a second Ghia 200 miles today using the same methods except I left the axles in place.

Good luck and have fun! Tracy

73Ghia 71Ghia

On Sun, 1 Aug 2004 02:16:50 -0700, "tracy" scribbled this interesting note:

Good to meet you and I'm very glad you made it home with no troubles.

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

wow...another match made in "ramva"?...sweet....glad you got to send your ghia to another "loving" home....

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

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