How to Flat tow your 80 series... safely. (2 Viewers)

[80t0ylc]

Just found this thread today. Good reading and thanks for keeping it updated. Wish I'd seen it earlier. Started flat towing my 80 with my RV setup, F250 with slide in camper. Had my local welding shop fab a tow bar and mounts for my ARB. Believing I needed to disco drive shafts, I've made one 600 mile+ round trip doing just that. Re-attach them at destination to use the 80, then disco for the tow home and re-attach again at home. The T/C neutral trick will save a bunch of inconvenience. Just for grins here's some pics of my ARB tow bar mount. It's made so I can just push up the tow bar and tie it to ARB for convenience if wanted. They look kind of awkward IMO, but I realized that they provide some protection for the winch fairlead Not to mention, an excellent point to use my Hi-Lift jack, if necessary on the trail.

 

[Land Speeder]

flat-towed my latest 80 tonight! The trick is making sure castor is dialed in...

 

[LittleRock80]

flat-towed my latest 80 tonight! The trick is making sure castor is dialed in... http://s153.photobucket.com/user/er...999811412421_936838164_n_zpsdbed4fb5.jpg.html

Show Me Your Boggers!

Congrats!

 

[Mikesta]

Migrated from the lexus to a 97 40th anniversary with a slee bumper. Stay tuned, gotta make it towable.

 

[Mikesta]

Just found this thread today. Good reading and thanks for keeping it updated. Wish I'd seen it earlier. Started flat towing my 80 with my RV setup, F250 with slide in camper. Had my local welding shop fab a tow bar and mounts for my ARB. Believing I needed to disco drive shafts, I've made one 600 mile+ round trip doing just that. Re-attach them at destination to use the 80, then disco for the tow home and re-attach again at home. The T/C neutral trick will save a bunch of inconvenience. Just for grins here's some pics of my ARB tow bar mount. It's made so I can just push up the tow bar and tie it to ARB for convenience if wanted. They look kind of awkward IMO, but I realized that they provide some protection for the winch fairlead And, of course, a pic of the rear of my tow rig.

Where is your hitch? is the Base Plate location on your 80 lower than the hitch or higher. If Higher, you risk the 80 launching up into your camper if you hit something or brake really hard. Also what are you using to assist with braking?

I'd like to see it hooked up.

 

[Mikesta]

Called Blue Ox today. They now sell 4x4 aftermarket bumper tow bar end piece parts that have 2 tabs instead of 3. I'm working with a guy I met at blue ox to make the SLEE bumper a suitable tow base. Christo, are you interested in working with BlueOx with schematics?

 

[oilbrnr]

Called Blue Ox today. They now sell 4x4 aftermarket bumper tow bar end piece parts that have 2 tabs instead of 3. I'm working with a guy I met at blue ox to make the SLEE bumper a suitable tow base. Christo, are you interested in working with BlueOx with schematics?

Just had this done a couple of weeks ago here in Phoenix. Also Air Force One installed. Tows great.

The shop that did it has an extensive history making all sorts of custom towing configuration and is a Blue Ox dealer. One the installer looked at the Short Bus, he said it was an easy fab. The wiring and brake system took way more time than the baseplate.

I was worried about a possible height issue between the coach and the plate. I have a 2.5" OME and 315's, but as luck would have it, things where perfect.

The baseplate would be easy to reproduce for the Slee SB and would only need three new holes in the underside leading edge. The remaining four bolts utilize the factory frame rail holes that the SB uses.

I've got it up on my lift now for a re-gear/locker install so I will post up some pics from underneath.

As a side note, the SMI Air Force One brake system is pretty impressive. The coach already had the components installed so after reading great reviews I went ahead and ordered the TOAD side kit. Mounted the control unit in front of the DS battery. One airline connection between the coach and TOAD and your done. Full proportional braking.

 

[80t0ylc]

Where is your hitch? is the Base Plate location on your 80 lower than the hitch or higher. If Higher, you risk the 80 launching up into your camper if you hit something or brake really hard. Also what are you using to assist with braking?

I'd like to see it hooked up.

Sorry, I just saw your post! I'm on my way to CM checking mud at Green River, UT Shady Acres CG. The 80 tow bar is almost perfectly level when hooked up. I'm using a Brake Buddy to assist with braking. Works rather well, however you'll want an aux battery to run it (I'm glad I have one for my winch & Nat. Luna reefer/freezer). The BB works with an air compressor and uses the "juice" to do the braking. Hope to see you at CM!

 

[Mikesta]

Thats great, can you take more pictures of your setup, thats where I was thinking of putting mine as well. It would be a great contribution to this thread!

Just had this done a couple of weeks ago here in Phoenix. Also Air Force One installed. Tows great.

The shop that did it has an extensive history making all sorts of custom towing configuration and is a Blue Ox dealer. One the installer looked at the Short Bus, he said it was an easy fab. The wiring and brake system took way more time than the baseplate.

I was worried about a possible height issue between the coach and the plate. I have a 2.5" OME and 315's, but as luck would have it, things where perfect.

The baseplate would be easy to reproduce for the Slee SB and would only need three new holes in the underside leading edge. The remaining four bolts utilize the factory frame rail holes that the SB uses.

I've got it up on my lift now for a re-gear/locker install so I will post up some pics from underneath.

As a side note, the SMI Air Force One brake system is pretty impressive. The coach already had the components installed so after reading great reviews I went ahead and ordered the TOAD side kit. Mounted the control unit in front of the DS battery. One airline connection between the coach and TOAD and your done. Full proportional braking.

 

[Mikesta]

Thx Oilbrnr for the additional pictures. I like your bolt on configuration.

It cost quite a bit more to get the 10,000lb baseplates. I took them down to the local hitch place here and they welded a piece of angle to the bumper, then welded the base plates to that. It really came out pretty good. Going to test it out here in a week. We are moving 2000 miles away from Seattle and will flat tow the 80 (loaded full of boxes).

 

[Mikesta]

Towed the lifted 80 2000 miles to my new house without issue! Love being able to flat tow these bad boys. Video coming soon!

 

[Mikesta]

as promised

 

[Mikesta]

pictures of the 10,000lb base plates (overkill)

 

[yodaTEQ]

as promised

Looking good Mikesta!!!
Tow baby Tow!!!!

I will post pictures of my modified ARB bumper when I get home

 

[Mikesta]

I'm looking forward to those pictures! Nice setup there man. what do they call those again? (the rv)

 

[yodaTEQ]

I'm looking forward to those pictures! Nice setup there man. what do they call those again? (the rv)

They call them Super Cs
I was alerted that this post was updated and remembered my daughter who is designing the yodaTEQ.com website used this photo for the slide show

I will post up more photos later in between the trick-or-treaters this evening

 

[Mikesta]

Mine is a Super C. I think they specifically call your style a ToterHome. Semi Truck cab right. Beautiful rig man!

 

[yodaTEQ]

I just noticed you @Mikesta are the one that started this thread...
So I guess I owe you a thank you and Señor Christo (I called him, I need to hear it for myself especially how everyone was telling me it couldn't be done) and then the search was on for parts. I was lucky and found a RoadMaster Blackhawk 10,000LBS towbar on Craigslist ($170) complete with draw bars. After that it was time to get out the plasma and start cutting. As you can see by the photos I made 2 cut outs in the front and welded square tubing to the bumper. Since I use synthetic winch line I cut off the supports used for the roller fairlead and had the bumper re-powder coated in my black wrinkle finish.

Super happy with the setup, Thanks again

FYI They call it a Super C in this article featuring SHAQ

 

[Mikesta]

Very nice and different, I'm used to seeing blueox stuff, good to see some other base plate creations! Thanks for sharing your setup. Pretty quick to detach? It takes me 1 minute to detach and about 2 minutes to attach. When I bought a Suburban, I brought the truck there (2 hours away) and brought the towbar with me. In 5 minutes I had the towbar in the suburban and hooked up the the 80. The people at the car dealership were astounded and all I could see were dropped jaws. Its nice in these scenarios too. Don't need 2 people.

No thanks needed, I spoke with one guy on the forum here that towed using the two loops on the bottom of the stock bumper (for 14,000 miles) and Christo was a huge help in the hard wiring.... team effort for sure.

 

[FXJ 96]

Sorry for the delayed bump. Selling the car I currently flat tow and am interested in setting up the 1996 80 for the same.

My motorhome has a 6000 LB rated hitch. My tow bar is rated to 7000 LB. My LC probably weighs in 5500-5700 for towing. I see you guys getting 15K lb hitches and 10K lb towbars - I get overkill for safety, but is it really unsafe to tow with my current equipment given I am below their ratings? Trying to weigh nice to have vs need to have and the associated costs. I definitely need a custom baseplate setup on the ARB bumper, and aux braking (didn't have for 3200 lb car), but I'd like to limit the expenses to that and not get new hitch and towbar unless necessary.