Straight tow VW bug

[J.P.]

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by J.P.

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

What about an extra wire to keep your battery charged in the bug

[Chateau_Nomad]

I did a lot of seat time in my brother's '73 powder blue bug... drove it all summer in 1974 while he was out of town. Cool thing... your ears popped when closing the doors. No American car was that tightly built! Anyway... sweet ride!!

[powerboatr]

Originally Posted by J.P.

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

awesome


i had no idea 74 had locking steering

but what a cool toad

[Lt Keefer]

Cool. I towed a bug convertible across the country one time when I was in the USAF. It was easy as pie. If they drove like a modern vehicle I would have one as my dinghy.

[Pete'sMH]

Cool! I’m jealous. Only thing I’d do differently is attach the safety chains to the car instead of just to the tow bar. And I’d use a braking system for the car as well.

[Budman]

Originally Posted by J.P.

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

I recently had a 70 and towed a lot w a truck. I have a 34E Hurricane, and not sure of the overhang on a 30 Ace, but I would definitely watch that especially thru low or high places into gas stations or even ur home. With the overhang on mine I would not chance hauling my Bug w it. But, maybe the 30 Ace does not have the very high up and down of 34.
I see u have dropped ur hitch very low on ur truck and so did I. But not sure that will work so good on RV. Needs to be low, but sometimes I even drag my hitch in gutters into gas stations and places towing w a 4" drop only for an Edge. Hope it helps, Dennis.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

What about an extra wire to keep your battery charged in the bug

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1645808089

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by J.P.

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

In Oregon the law says you must have a braking system if you can't stop in 40 feet at 20 mph. When you try it wear a helmet so the pots and pans don't hit you in the back of the head when you hit the brakes. lol

[sip]

The picture is a bit tricky but the tow bar seems a bit angled up to me (I know this is just a test rig) .. the more level you can get it, the better it will tow (and stop). Also have to agree with chains going to the frame of the car. No biggie in this case since I know these tow bars clip around the bottom of the axle so chances of them coming off on that side are low ... but still ... that's why you have safety chains .. not just for the coupler.

I seem to recall the need for braking on the toad was somewhere around 1500lb in some states .. my buggy weighs less than that so I never bothered with brakes but yah not sure how much a full beetle weighs and it's been a long time since I looked at the requirements (laws).

The other thing you may have to have in some areas is a break-away device that pulls the brakes on the toad if it gets detached somehow but admittedly, I never bothered to put one on any of mine

[Al2323]

You aren't the only one out there. Seen this one last winter.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by J.P.

I am ready to tow a 74 bug with my 30 foot Thor A.C.E. I took it for a test tow with my pickup and everything seemed fine. Key in ignition -ON - to unlock the steering, kill switch ON so the battery does not drain, safety chains just in case, all lights working including turn signals. 1800 lbs and no brakes. Can anyone see something I missed?

Thanks for your insight

With that short a tow bar, just how straight does VW have to remain behind motorhome or pickup truck before they hit? I’m just curious.

You asked in another thread in December about experience towing VW or VW dune buggies. I had VW open rail that weighed probably 1,200 pounds or so (never weighed it but could lift front wheels off ground) and it towed extremely easy behind anything including a Mustang.

I towed it without brakes and it wasn’t all that noticeable behind a 3,000 pound Mustang. When towed by my dad’s F-250, around 7,000 pounds, the extra +/- 1,200 pounds was hardly noticeable.

As long as it meets legal requirements, I would not have an issue pulling a VW under 2,000 pounds with a motorhome weighing close to 20,000 pounds.

I recently towed a U-Haul trailer without brakes (much heavier than a VW) over 1,000 miles behind my van and it was fine. I just gave myself a little more stopping distance because trailer was as high as 1/3 weight of van. With motorhome weighing 10 times more than VW, it should pull even easier.