macspite Posted December 21, 2008 Share Posted December 21, 2008 Does anyone have any plans / recommendations for a rigid tow bar for use with a NATO hitched vehicle. I can get stuff fabricated by a proper engineering firm with decent MIG, arc and gas welding facilities. Use will be on a Disco and also 3 and 5 ton trucks (as detailed in my sig.) So maybe two designs, one scaled up from the other to cope with the additional forces. I remember when I were a lad (Hovis theme, rosetinted glasses, vaseline filter on lens) and working part time in a garage that one of the mechanics made up a tow pole using a scaffold tube and some scrap. He invited me to join in on a breakdown so that he could try it out. Hitched it to the Series 1 we were using, to the broken motor and set off. Pole immediately snapped in the middle. Hence my request for a proper and safe design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a jackson Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 A scaffold bar should do fine I cannot think what would snap a good piece like that as I've been using one for years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Does anyone have any plans / recommendations for a rigid tow bar for use with a NATO hitched vehicle. I can get stuff fabricated by a proper engineering firm with decent MIG, arc and gas welding facilities.Use will be on a Disco and also 3 and 5 ton trucks (as detailed in my sig.) So maybe two designs, one scaled up from the other to cope with the additional forces. I remember when I were a lad (Hovis theme, rosetinted glasses, vaseline filter on lens) and working part time in a garage that one of the mechanics made up a tow pole using a scaffold tube and some scrap. He invited me to join in on a breakdown so that he could try it out. Hitched it to the Series 1 we were using, to the broken motor and set off. Pole immediately snapped in the middle. Hence my request for a proper and safe design. I would ring around the ex-military dealers for a NATO tow pole, they are definately up to the job. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macspite Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 A scaffold bar should do fine I cannot think what would snap a good piece like that as I've been using one for years I think that the scaffold pole was probably very second hand, perhaps even thrown out as unsafe by the scaffolders. Hence very thin in the middle due to corrosion and easy to snap. I have access to new steel stock so shouldn't have same problem. I'm just being lazy and hoping that someone had already put together a design! Best regards for Chrsitmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macspite Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 I would ring around the ex-military dealers for a NATO tow pole, they are definately up to the job.Paul. Good idea, think I must have had my brain in neutral, especially as I went into Colonel Chimps on my way home today to drop off 1000 leaflets for our show. Though I must say that most of the recovery kit I've seen in recent years tends to come as a package with a Foden or an AEC Militant attached! Best wishes for Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nino Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 bringing this back up as im goin to be making one myself i have a 40mm pin couplin for the end but not too sure in what to do the other end, seen on ebay people use D shackles but surley this will have a lot of movement if you need to add another for the horizontal or vertical eyes?? maybe a ratchet strap arrangement? also i will be using 60mm external dia gas pipe with a wall thickness of 4mm so this shud be ok any of you got a pic of what you use so i can get a idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 bringing this back up as im goin to be making one myself i have a 40mm pin couplin for the end but not too sure in what to do the other end, seen on ebay people use D shackles but surley this will have a lot of movement if you need to add another for the horizontal or vertical eyes?? maybe a ratchet strap arrangement? also i will be using 60mm external dia gas pipe with a wall thickness of 4mm so this shud be ok any of you got a pic of what you use so i can get a idea I have a ex-RAC one of these http://intertradeuk.co.uk/catalogue_php/product_info.php?cPath=21_25&products_id=32 with 2 different end fittings at the towed vehicle end & a 50mm ball coupling at the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nino Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 not cheap is it lol dont surpose you can take a pic of the end where it goes onto the towing car so i can see how thats arranged, i had a idea on how to do it with a bit that slides over the end and use a ratchet strap to hold it on tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 The ones I've seen have a long J shaped hook at the tail end that can be pulled tight into a notch at the end of the tow bar with a ratchet strap. Here's the MachineMart version. http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/tb-2-towing-bar http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/tb-2s-towing-bar-with-spring-damper Also it depends on what it is you want to tow as to what the end need to be like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveturnbull Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Warning: Machine mart tow poles are manufactured by cadbury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Warning: Machine mart tow poles are manufactured by cadbury. Surely you mean Kraft! But it is only to indicate the fitting on the end. The one I uesd to have was 4" diameter tube with enormous rings on the end and came off a Scammell sized recover truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 not cheap is it lol dont surpose you can take a pic of the end where it goes onto the towing car so i can see how thats arranged, i had a idea on how to do it with a bit that slides over the end and use a ratchet strap to hold it on tight just read this, bit late now, but will add pictures tomorrow, when in from work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 further & as promised, these are the 2 dead vehicle attachments for my towbar. one is held closed by a spring loaded sleeve [shown open ready to arttach to vehicle] 2nd is a sliding shackle type, held locked by the ratchet strap as seen on the weblink pictures. hth ;d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nino Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 ok cool thanks for that peeps i think i need to go down a size in pole thickness or just the end bit as 2" maybe too big to make a slide over hook i can go smaller as i have a ball couplin with a smaller tube adaptor but dont have a ball hitch on the car i could use wot we have at work a 76mm nato eye at either end but that means having to bolt a nato hitch on a 110 im goin to be towing soon lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 We made one from a long bit of sturdy box section, cut out sleeves in the ends, drilled it for a bolt (M10 or so), and a shackle on each end. Works very well for pulling and pushing cars around the shop. Only broke it once, and that was due to bad initial design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Or you could just buy one..... mill spec they often come up on the bay of e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nino Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 we got one a bit like that at work, the problem is the nato eyes at the end, on for towing car but mite not be ok for car that being towed lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew McIntyre Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 'Possibly at a minimal charge by the Vehicle Dismantler, old prop-shafts of unequal diameter could be provide a sturdy and ready-made 'end' ie by passing stout bolts through the eyed yokes. IN USE holes drilled close to their opposite ends could be used to bolt the halves in an extended position. Not in use, the two shafts could be 'telescoped' together for compact storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.