Re: Rear Bumper + Towin'

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Tom Harais wrote:
> I don't claim to be an expert, but I've read that they are usually a
> problem waiting to happen. The reason, simple physics. That long drop
> equalizer with that drop hitch. Bottom line, you might tow 1,000 lb trailer
> with  one. But, once you get up to a boat or another Scout too much weight,
> too much leverage.

Leave it to Tom to remind me of my physics n' engineering classes.. ;-) 
You're right!

I guess that means I'm using something like 6x3 and putting the hitch at
the bottom and all the way "through" the bumper and putting the hitch
pin in from behind/under the bumper.

I still might not be low enough for towing my camper trailer n' such..
*sigh*

Hmm.. been thinking about putting the little box camper-trailer back to
"springs-over" like it originally was.. to get it into more inaccessible
places.. if it gets the hitch to a level height.. even better.

For flat towing, my tow-bar has up/down and left/right motion (U-joints)
that compensated for my Scout's 5" of extra height over the stock one I
towed home (give or take).

Oh.. another comment on my TowBar thread... 

I won't be investing in an $800 braking system for my "Toad" Scout II
racer.  The Tow-bar is admittedly a temporary solution to towing another
truck around.  It'll come in handy for towing more Scouts home, towing
my friend's Scout to *his* garage to be worked on, towing my racer
around to "local" races (100 miles or so) and probably to RMIHR this
year.

But before I invest $800 in a brake system for a flat towed Scout II,
I'll buy/fab a trailer with trailer brakes instead.  it *is* the better
way to go.. particularly if I break something important racing.. like an
axle housing.

In the meantime, I was just looking to see what "little" things I could
do to make the tow-bar experience safer and easier... no "big money"
approaches... but if adding caster to the tow rig and the towed rig
helps, then I'll engineer that in.

Maybe it's time I start looking at some "Trailer Design" texts.. ;-)  I
want a drop-deck!

-Tom