Ronnie Day wrote:
> Still, for
> general use and the occasional long tow it sounds like a 1/2 ton, set up
> right, will do the job.
Probably so. The key is how often you will be doing this. A bigger truck will
certainly handle it more easily, and suffer less wear and tear. Case in point:
My wife's grandfather bought a mini motor home built on a Ford van chassis.
His buddy bought the same rig. Grandpa got the 460, his buddy
got the 351. They took a trip together and got identical gas mileage, but the
buddy had to keep the throttle stomped to the floor for any upgrades or head
winds. Grandpa had to hold back for him. It's a muscle thing.
>
> As far as using a dolly is concerned, I'd never use one. On the way back
> through New Mexico after Shasta '98 we watched a driver in a cab over
> mini motorhome towing a 280 ZX on a dolly almost lose it, twice. Granted
> he was towing it too fast (70 plus)
IDIOT!!!
>, but I can't see much difference
> between a dolly and just flat towing the car.
Two wheels get no wear, for one. The motor home crowd likes them becasue they
are easy to use.
> We flat towed the '73 510
> from SoCal to Texas in '85 and then to and from DC using a custom built
> tow bar that attached to brackets bolted to the front bumper mounting
> holes.
Not bad, but don't EVER tow long distance with a rental yard
clamp-on-the-bumper tow bar. You are asking for disaster. Been the, done
that, was stupid. Colorado Springs to Orange, California, and a nightmare
trip. Had to jury rig and limp halfway, ended up with the bumper in the trunk.
Ripped
off the mounts by persistent vibrations. No horseplay, no stupid hard
cornering, just time and distance. (Towing behind a 65 Mustang. 289, 4 speed,
all original, cherry, I was the third owner, had the paperwork to prove it.
Didn't know what I had, sold it for $1200 in '79. AAAARRRRRGGG!!!!!)
The Roadster bumper mounts are just not very strong.
--
Mark van der Hoek
Houston, for now
"They that can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin
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