Tow bar Towing with 2007 Tundra

1973Guppie · 06-12-07, 11:25 PM

So, I have decided to get a new Tundra and want to tow my FJ40 with it. Tundra has the 5.7 and setup for towing. I have searched and read alot about tow bar vs. trailer and it is clear that a trailer is a better option BUT, I don't have storage or $ to get a fullsize trailer. I wanted to get a tow bar for the local trails here in san diego (300 miles or less away) and then just plan to rent a trailer if I am going far away (moab or dusy). From what I have read the tundra should handle it fine but there are different opinions on how safe it is to flat tow the FJ40? So, my questions are basically:

Do you feel it is safe to flat tow an fj40 going 70mph on the freeway behind a new Tundra? I know it is not going to be as good as a trailer but is it really as dangerous as people say? My FJ40 tracks very well and the SOA setup was done well. I plan to pull the rear driveshaft and tie it up as others have reccomended. Is it necessary to pull the front shaft? Don't plan to tie the steering wheel, transfer and tranny in Neutral.

What are the reccomended tow bars out there? seems there are a full range of types, from el cheapo on ebay to ones with shocks. I don't want to spend a fortune but would rather spend an extra benjamin and have something decent and safer. The ebay el cheapo's make me wonder. I am hoping to find one that will hook directly to my front bumper where the drings are hanging now.

I plan to get some trailer lights as well for the rear of the FJ40. It would be nice if I could just tow using a tow bar as I don't have the room for a trailer and the tow bar can get thrown in the side yard. I have read about having the towbar level with the tow vehicle. I know the SOA FJ40 is somewhat high, do others think that the tow bar will be level? I guess I will have to get the truck and see, I would think though that the tow bar would be angled down quite a bit from the FJ40 to the hitch. Is it possible to compensate for this by getting a different tow hitch where the ball sits higher up on the back of the tow vehicle?

Thanks for the help and appreciate the opinions.

1973Guppie · 06-12-07, 11:49 PM

saw these on ebay, looks like I could get one of these to increase the height of the tow hitch and level the tow bar out? Is this safe to use?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Recei...QQcmdZViewItem

e rock · 06-13-07, 12:18 AM

My mom and her husband flat tow their ridiculously overloaded-with-tools-and-spare-parts CJ7 all over the place. Originally it was behind a 98-ish Dodge 1/2T, but now behind a newer F250. No problems whatsoever. I think most of the horror stories you hear are because of poorly-prepared vehicles or operator error. Of course, a trailer removes a lot of those variables, so it's less likely to pose a problem.

IMO, the biggest downfall to flat towing is the eventual trail breakage that precludes flat towing.

Regarding the hitches... Maybe somebody knows better, but I'm really nervous about heavy loads behind a hitch tongue with a lot of drop/rise. Those ones you linked do a decent job of alleviating the bending concern I have with most 'normal' drop hitches, but the amount of torque being applied at the receiver is still enormous. If it were mine, I'd get a flat tongue. Then I would study the design of some reliable tow bars and build one to suit; make it fit your clevis mounts, and such that the bar is level when on the hitch. The 'level-ness' is mostly to ensure that loads under braking don't cause a mechanical failure of the latch and let the towbar pop off the top of the ball.

Oh, and I think magnet-mount tralier lights are only $35 or so at the U-haul store.

Just my $0.02

1973Guppie · 06-13-07, 12:44 AM

erock, thanks, that makes sense about the tow ball/angle/latch, I see how it could pop if there are extreme angles.

Weedhopper · 06-13-07, 06:01 AM

A different thought for you. Do you really want to put all those extra miles on the 40? Wear and tear on the diffs, tires, etc, not to mention bumps in the road and general road crap. (dead squirrels, etc)

I put mine on a 16' International trailer with a box on the front and it tows like a dream. When it comes time for the panic stop (and you will) it's really nice to have brakes back there (on a trailer) What are the cost differences between a good towbar and a good used trailer? And yes, flat hitch. I have a landscape business and we tow every day.

DaveWest5150 · 06-13-07, 07:40 AM

In answer to your question...yea the tundra will pull it just fine.
I had an 02 tundra and it towed (flat or trailer) my 40 just fine. The diff is in the driving.... you just have to drive a little more carfully while flat towing. other than that It'll be good.

JasonH · 06-13-07, 08:23 AM

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...9053_200329053

A little pricey, but not much harder to store than a tow bar if you're just leaning it against the house. You can tow anything on it and it has brakes. (There's a cheaper one with no brakes.)

TemeculaTim · 06-13-07, 09:25 AM

Noah,

I have flat towed my 40 behind my 03 Tundra with no problems. I also have a 16 ft. single axle tilt trailer for my tractor that I have used in the past as well but it's a bitch to center the load properly.

For me, it all depends on how far I have to go. The farthest I have flat towed was to the panamints. The previous comment about driving habits is good advice. I had to hit the brakes hard once and almost swapped ends with the 40. Scared the crap out of me and I was damn lucky I was able to avoid wrecking both of my vehicles in one shot.

I also did the transfer shifter mod to give a neutral position in 2wd and wired a trailer connector to the front to use my existing lights ( warning creative work with diodes is required to use stop and turn signals).

Good luck, the new Tundra's kick ass

1973Guppie · 06-13-07, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weedhopper

A different thought for you. Do you really want to put all those extra miles on the 40? Wear and tear on the diffs, tires, etc, not to mention bumps in the road and general road crap. (dead squirrels, etc)

I put mine on a 16' International trailer with a box on the front and it tows like a dream. When it comes time for the panic stop (and you will) it's really nice to have brakes back there (on a trailer) What are the cost differences between a good towbar and a good used trailer? And yes, flat hitch. I have a landscape business and we tow every day.

weedhoper, yes I completely agree with you, eventually there will be a trailer back there, but for now, I am completely tapped out and have no storage, hoa doesn't allow trailers, etc. No arguing trailering is a better solution all together, FWIW, I plan to rent a uhaul trailer if I go anywhere over a couple hundred miles or so.

Noah

1973Guppie · 06-13-07, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TemeculaTim

Noah,

I have flat towed my 40 behind my 03 Tundra with no problems. I also have a 16 ft. single axle tilt trailer for my tractor that I have used in the past as well but it's a bitch to center the load properly.

For me, it all depends on how far I have to go. The farthest I have flat towed was to the panamints. The previous comment about driving habits is good advice. I had to hit the brakes hard once and almost swapped ends with the 40. Scared the crap out of me and I was damn lucky I was able to avoid wrecking both of my vehicles in one shot.

I also did the transfer shifter mod to give a neutral position in 2wd and wired a trailer connector to the front to use my existing lights ( warning creative work with diodes is required to use stop and turn signals).

Good luck, the new Tundra's kick ass

Jim, thanks, this is what I wanted to know. You are in Temecula?, I am right down the road from you in Fallbrook, let me know if you are ever down this way. what type of tbar do you use?

Any insights reccomendations on towbars to purchase, are the ebay ones OK, they are like 50 bucks shipped and look like all the others, seems like they are all fairly standard until you start getting into the RV ones.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-A...26927386QQrdZ1

these come with brackets, my drings won't fit as the width is 24 min and the dring brackets are like 20' wide, I am thinking I can take the brackets, bolt and weld them to bumper and then get an extra set of chains and double up.

Noah

Noah

1973Guppie · 06-13-07, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TemeculaTim

Noah,

I also did the transfer shifter mod to give a neutral position in 2wd

not sure what you mean by this, are you speaking of the mod to cut out the shift gate so you can do 2h/2L, 4h/4l ? Can't I just put the TC in Neutral and be done with it?

Weedhopper · 06-13-07, 05:00 PM

We were talking about flat hitch ball assemblies and I was scratching my brain to remember what we use (I see it every day) I am brain dead. CURT is the brand. Flat tongue, heavy duty, strong... and more money, but worth it.

Fast Eddy · 06-13-07, 05:03 PM

I haven't owned up to this yet in public. Here goes.

I agree, the tundra will pull the fj40 just fine.

The problem will come under braking on a wet or other low-traction surface. If you are guaranteed to avoid this situation, no problem.

A 3500+ lbs trailer with no brakes is no fun!

We flat towed our stock-height '40 with my wife's 2wd 1/2 ton Suburban 2000 miles from San Jose to Sedona and almost all the way back with no problems. It was a bit hairy going back into Phoenix down those big 65+ mph hills, but still no problem.

Getting off I-5 to Hwy 152 in Los Banos, it had rained just a bit. It was not raining, but the pavement was wet. I was specifically trying to get good mileage, so I coasted about 1/2 mile. I was going less than 30 and I just touched the brakes.

The whole 40' gravy train went around in a super slow-mo pirouette. The '40's bumper kissed the Suburban somewhere on the way, pressing it's crappy bumper into the paint on one side. We came to rest with the suburban's driver door against a light pole.

We didn't get to see it, but the folks behind us surely did. The '40, with 2 bikes on a hitch rack, slammed up against a low curb and judging by the damage to the tow bar and one very-bent rear rim, must've rolled about 40 degrees. It was only saved from going over by the hitch. The receiver plug-in was twisted and a 1/2" brace weld broken. One bike was tossed about 50'.

We ended up facing backwards, but not blocking the offramp. We reloaded the bikes and got the hell outta dodge. I didn't need an accident on my record.

The cruiser faired ok. I had a spare wheel. The rear shackles are bent and the rearend is pushed right about an inch. It's drivable and we've been wheeling since. The tow bar is a bit twisted, but still works fine. It's a Beefmaster 2000 (tm).

The Suburban didn't fare so well. It got a new wheel and tire, driver door, rear bumper, running board and two large spots of paint to the tune of almost $5000. It was in the shop for more than two weeks.

We were about 5 miles from a steep, wet four-lane downhill where we would have been going at least 55. We could have easily totalled both rigs. Did I mention I had my three kids in the car?

The worst thing is that now my wife won't let me tow with it any more.

I am quite sure that the rear end of our Suburban, loaded with two weeks of gear and four people is way heavier than your Tundra, and the M&S street tires it has are likely stickier than whatever you're running.

If you're going 40 miles on a sunny day, I'd say go for it. If you're going to Moab, I'd say wait for a trailer or just drive the '40.

Fast Eddy · 06-13-07, 05:12 PM

My other tow rig is a '93 Chevy TDI dually. Now I'm pretty paranoid, but I still flat tow with it for the same reasons you're considering it. Even the dead-weight '40 can't push four Michelin's sideways.

The biggest PITA is that when you turn sharp or go up a driveway the '40's wheels will turn to opposite lock and you have to stop and fix it. Make sure you fill up both rigs before you tow and bring enough food so you don't have to stop.

1973Guppie · 06-14-07, 12:35 AM

thanks for all the comments, I think I will try the tow bar route, will post back with my findings/opinions, I only plan to use the towbar for local trails, 2/3 hours away, anything further I plan to rent a uhaul trailer, cheaper and easier than having to pay for storage for a trailer.

Noah

cruisernica · 06-14-07, 12:34 PM

hey noah have you consider a tow dolly is smller than a trailer and easy to store check this i found at www.Rvtoyoutlet.com is less than 1000 but if you look you may be able to find something sheapper good luck

1973Guppie · 06-15-07, 01:07 AM

yes but for a G I would just go buy a used trailer, thanks for the help, do appreciate it!

1973Guppie · 06-18-07, 12:30 PM

quick question, I know that some pull the rear driveshaft when flat towing, from what I have read I have decided that I will for sure do this when flat towing.

Is it ok to just pull the bolts on the diff side and ratchet strap the driveshaft up and out of the way? Also, is it reccomended to pull the front shaft? I would think the front shaft would be optional as the real danger is that the tranny drops into gear and spins the rear driveshaft, correct? not much danger of the front shaft dropping into gear?

thanks,

Noah

yuurei · 06-18-07, 05:11 PM

FWIW,

I found out (the hard way) U-haul will not rent a flat trailer or a dolly to tow a 40 with a 2002 Tundra - it doesn't meet their combination criteria (and because of lawsuits they are not flexible about it).

The 2002 Tundra (and I think up to 2006) is only a 1/2 ton - U-haul say 3/4 ton minimum to tow a 40. I had to use a 2003 Yukon before they would rent me either a trailer or a dolly.

I don't know if the 2007 Tundra is 1/2 or 3/4 ton, but you may want to check with U-haul.

Fast Eddy · 06-19-07, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1973Guppie

quick question, I know that some pull the rear driveshaft when flat towing, from what I have read I have decided that I will for sure do this when flat towing.

Is it ok to just pull the bolts on the diff side and ratchet strap the driveshaft up and out of the way? Also, is it reccomended to pull the front shaft? I would think the front shaft would be optional as the real danger is that the tranny drops into gear and spins the rear driveshaft, correct? not much danger of the front shaft dropping into gear?

You want to take the drive shaft out. I shudder to think of the ratchet strap failing and it hitting the road.

I pull the back half of the drive shaft and let the tranny end dangle. It's short. For the price of four more nuts you can pull the transfer case end of the shaft and then engage fwd and pull it into the driveway/garage when you get home and deal with putting it back together later. The floppy little shaft will prevent that. I've driven around on the street in fwd for quite a few miles. I suppose it's not great on the birfs...

Make sure the shaft is aligned when you put it back together.

If you make sure your hubs are unlocked it doesn't matter how the transfer case is shifted. I still put mine in 2wd neutral neutral just to be sure, but it doesn't matter.