From:
mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Scott & Lise Scheuermann
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007
3:28 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: Towing a 69
LeBaron
The only problem with getting a trailer from U-Haul, is that
they require you to tell them what will be on it, and what you are going to tow
it with. It is my experience that they will not rent you the trailer for a car
as heavy as ours. If you choose to lie to them and are in an accident don't
count on the insurance you can purchase from them to cover either your car or
their trailer if you put your Imperial on it!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, February
05, 2007 2:14 PM
Subject: RE: IML: Towing a
69 LeBaron
Fred,
I think the trailer rental companies
intentionally underrate their trailer capacities. This is probably to
keep inexperienced people from getting in over their heads when towing.
If it is a tandem axle trailer with a 16’ to 18’ deck it
should be rated by the manufacturer around 7000 lbs.
Personally, I would prefer the car be on a
trailer for that many miles.
If you go the trailer route, always make
sure you collapse the vehicle suspension as much as possible when chaining it
down. Don’t chain to the axle, chain to the frame. This will
help keep the cargo and trailer as one. If you have the vehicle
suspension and the trailer suspension working at the same time it can feel like
you’re towing a 5000 lb water bed.
Just my .02 on the subject.
Ken
From:
mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Frederick Joslin
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007
9:56 AM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: IML: Towing a 69 LeBaron
I wish to consult the enormous wisdom of this mailing list about towing
a 1969 Lebaron.
I may need to move my cars across country and towing the vehicle behind
a large moving truck seems to be the most feasible method at this time.
The tow trailers available top out at about 4000 lbs weight limit.
I used one of these trailers very successfully with a 66 Newport at about 4500 lbs,
but even with the generous allowances due to the litigious nature of our
society, I think a 5000 lb car is pushing the limit. Also, the Newport was almost too
long for the trailer and the LeBaron certainly would be!
Tow bars are available for towing vehicles behind motor homes. U-Haul
has a generic version rated at 5000 lbs in which two brackets bolt to the
vehicle by some means. They suggested bolting these brackets to the bumper.
I do not like this approach for two reasons. First I do not want to
drill holes in the bumper and secondly I am not sure that the bumper is the
best (strongest/safest) way to tow a vehicle. I could certainly very easily
mount the brackets to the bumper low and then put nice chrome plated bolts in
the resultant holes afterwards which would cosmetically hide the holes very
well.
Has anyone towed a similar car using brackets bolted to the bumper?
I am interested in mounting some form of an adaptor
plate(s) to the "frame" and then mounting the tow bar
brackets to the adaptor plates(s). I was looking at the vehicle and there are
two very sturdy bumper mounting points more or less at each end of the
radiator. The mounting face is verticle and runs across the width of the car.
There appear to be 2 x 1/2" (or bigger) bolts at each location. Directly
below this there is a slot in the bumper on each side. I was thinking of
fabricating a piece of 1/2" steel plate probably about 4" wide
which would attach to the car by the two bolts and then come down through the
slot in the bumper where I could attach the brackets from the tow dolly. I
believe that the steel plates would require a slight bend forward to actually
go through the slots.
Other options are larger plates which attach to the "frame"
farther back from the bumper.
Also, there are modifications to the vehicle.
1) I would have to remove the drive shaft. What do I need
to do to the end of the transmission to protect it?
2) I assume that I need to lock the steering wheel. I was thinking of
fabricating an A-frame out of 2x2 wood which would clamp to the steering wheel
and rest against the floor. Does this sound adequate?
I do not know if this will happen yet, but it certainly does not hurt
to be
prepared.
Thanks in advance for all of the help.
