Front Tow Ball for all not just 4X4s

[fred bolton]

check out www.pushbars.co.uk. They sell a front tow ball device that simply screws into the front bumper towing eye it seems a bit on the expensive side but appears to be quick and easy to both fit and remove.

[codprawn]

What are the advantages of a front tow ball - apart from maiming predestrians that is? Never have used one but seen loads of them fitted to Land Rovers.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by fred bolton

check out www.pushbars.co.uk. They sell a front tow ball device that simply screws into the front bumper towing eye it seems a bit on the expensive side but appears to be quick and easy to both fit and remove.

I would be very careful about this product, these front and rear towing/lash down eyes are not very strong at all and anything other than a straight pull will result in them failing.

You may have notice cars driving around with the tow eye still sticking out of the bumper this is because they have jammed.

Typically a tow bar has a D value of 7- 8 KN, I hate to think what this thing could achieve, maybe 0.5 -1 ? It might work ok on the flat but on a slip

[Mark Halliday]

Originally Posted by codprawn

What are the advantages of a front tow ball - apart from maiming predestrians that is? Never have used one but seen loads of them fitted to Land Rovers.

CP
Front hitches make it much easier to reverse a trailer.
You dont get a crick in your neck.
It is posible to see all of the trailer, when there is no boat on it.
You can see where the trailer is as it goes over the top of a steep slip.
It puts the vehicles steering wheels close to the trailer hitch which gives you far more control.
It takes a bit of getting used to, everything still goes the wrong way.
They are a God send when the whole rig is 37 ft long. (Rangy, 6.5m boat and long draw bar.)

[codprawn]

Sounds just what I need for one slip I have in mind............

[chrisallse]

Originally Posted by codprawn

What are the advantages of a front tow ball - apart from maiming predestrians that is? Never have used one but seen loads of them fitted to Land Rovers.

I first fitted one years ago when i had a very large twin axle caravan that i parked at the end of a drive. the drive was 65' long with a fence on one side and the house on the other. there was about 100mm clear each side at best plus the drive sloped up and sideways. it would have been impossible to reverse the Caravan and a Landrover 110 up this drive so i fitted a front tow ball and pushed it up the drive and that was very easy. I have one fitted to my latest Landy, it makes moving the boat around in crowded areas very easy, in fact i cant park my trailer into my drive when its on the back of the landrover because the road is not wide enough. if its on the front the steering wheels are very close to the tow hitch so it turns in a tighter ark. this product seems like a good idea to me.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by chrisallse

.............. this product seems like a good idea to me.

Yes, but you have a Landy which is built to do this sort of thing, fit this product to a Focus (car on website, I think) and you will have problems especially on a incline

Des

[Mark Halliday]

Only problem I can see with this pushbar thingy is that it will be to one side of the car, so you will have the boat width + a bit of car.
Oh yeah, and a screw in tow point, so it wont work with a car over 3 or 4 years old.

I would think the tow point would be strong enough for slow manouvering. Not many towable ribs weigh more than a car, and the tow point is designed to pull the car up and down hills.
Probably not a good idea to do 70 down the motorway with the boat in front.


Mind you, big tank of water to cool the engine and tilt it and leave it running. Mmmmmmmmmmmm............

Dear Mr Clarkson,
I have had an idea, with regard to destroying yet another caravan..

[Manos]

Been looking for one of those for my Old Range

Thanks for that info people. Have inquired to order a couple.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Manos

Been looking for one of those for my Old Range

Thanks for that info people. Have inquired to order a couple.

Manos
All you need for a Range is a 50mm ball tow for £3.95(http://www.towsure.co.uk/default.asp?d=40&t=109&p=0&op=) and a sharp drill. Your range will not have one of these tow eyes on it.

Don't fit it in the middle of the bumper without some additional support from behind.
Des