towing with formal
- Thread starter Bruce311
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Wile E Coyote
Super Genius
Make sure your camera is fully charged...
As long as you are not going to pull any serious hills, it should be ok. Keep in mind the Caddie weighs as much as your NYB and it is not going to have any brakes, so take it easy. I would probably stop and let the transmission oil cool about halfway home. The other concern is that the bumpers on your NYB should be the crash resistant type with energy absorbers on them. This type of bumper is NOT tow rated for anything as heavy as a Caddie. You should have a frame mounted trailer hitch to be moving something as heavy as a Caddie around. (The bumpers on the Caddie are not tow rated either, but so long as you are using a tow dolly attached to the Caddie frame it should not be an issue).
Dave
Dave
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commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Bumper mount??
I remember what the U-Haul clamp-on bumper mounts used to do to my cars.
Unless you don't care about your vintage classic bumper...
I remember what the U-Haul clamp-on bumper mounts used to do to my cars.
Unless you don't care about your vintage classic bumper...
Commando is right, those U-Haul clamp mounts will trash your bumpers. I fear I see a detached NYB bumper and a free roaming Caddie somewhere in this story.
Dave
Rapidtrans777
Well-Known Member
A 20 mile tow shouldn't run more than $75. You know anybody that would loan you a pickup for a couple hours?
MarPar
Meat Man with a Hat
Or rent a pickup and dolly at U-haul?
To do it right, it has to be drilled or welded. Rent the U-Haul Pickup at $19.95 a day plus mileage.
Dave
Just shop around for a good flatbed price or find a friend with a truck and trailer and don't risk your car or your life.
I wouldn't use a Formal.
Rent a truck and get a trailer from U-haul.
Formal bumpers are not cheap!
Rent a truck and get a trailer from U-haul.
Formal bumpers are not cheap!
Of everyone here... I've actually towed a race car and trailer with a coupe different C-bodies and did it on a regular basis... and I'm going to tell you not to do it.
To do it... even a "short" distance of 20 miles... and a LOT can happen in 20 miles... You need a good frame mount minimum Class III hitch. You aren't going to find a bolt on hitch on the shelf either and you either have to bolt it (preferred) or weld it on. Cost is going to be much more than the cost of having it towed by a pro.
Then there's brakes... and you are towing a fairly heavy car with a dolly, which isn't a great idea either.. and I don't think there are going to be brakes on a tow dolly... But assuming there were, spend another $100 on setting up the lights and brake controls on the tow vehicle.
We're not even talking about wear and tear on the 40 year old trans, yes even in just 20 miles.
My C-bodies were set up to do the towing... and I had very few problems, but that was a long time ago.
In other words... Don't just don't... Either rent the equipment or hire it out... You'll be money and time ahead.
To do it... even a "short" distance of 20 miles... and a LOT can happen in 20 miles... You need a good frame mount minimum Class III hitch. You aren't going to find a bolt on hitch on the shelf either and you either have to bolt it (preferred) or weld it on. Cost is going to be much more than the cost of having it towed by a pro.
Then there's brakes... and you are towing a fairly heavy car with a dolly, which isn't a great idea either.. and I don't think there are going to be brakes on a tow dolly... But assuming there were, spend another $100 on setting up the lights and brake controls on the tow vehicle.
We're not even talking about wear and tear on the 40 year old trans, yes even in just 20 miles.
My C-bodies were set up to do the towing... and I had very few problems, but that was a long time ago.
In other words... Don't just don't... Either rent the equipment or hire it out... You'll be money and time ahead.
mrfury68
Senior Member
What is the cost of a basic AAA membership? Using it just that one time will pay for itself.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Does U-Haul even rent those things anymore??
I'm sure they still have them someplace in the deepest, darkest back room. They did not all have the chain mounts, some of them clamped on with adjustable jaws.
Dave
Although that '79 Cadillac is after GM downsized their full-size cars in '77, it's still a 4300lb car. You might have it secured to the tow dolly, but it can still be "interesting". IF you can find a universal bumper-mount hitch, remember too that the energy absorbers on the bumper mounts (between the bumper and the frame) will probably compress and release some as you slow down or stop. That "stroking" of the absorbers will allow the bumper to move too, which can affect the integrity of the bumper fillers (which are flexible) as they're now about 40 years old and probably still in pristine condition.
The other thing is that bumpers are considered to be very stout. After all, they are "bumpers". But they can still flex and bend! Which can compromise the durability of the chrome plating! There's a reason that bumper-mount temporary hitches went the way of the rented overhead roof-mount cargo bin! U-Haul didn't like paying to fix customers' vehicles from the damage those things generally caused to them.
For towing anything heavier than a red wagon, the Class III receiver hitch (usually welded, sometimes bolted-on) is the best way to do things -- period. The old Class I bolt-on hitches were rated at 1000lbs tow weight.
End result, you could end up doing some expensive damage to your car in that 20 mile distance. Damage that would cost much more to fix than the cost of a roll-back wrecker! Plus, it'll usually decrease your anxiety level, too.
Call a AAA-service tow truck and pay the price. It'll probably be more reasonable than you might suspect, by observation. It'll be done quicker and easier.
CBODY67
The other thing is that bumpers are considered to be very stout. After all, they are "bumpers". But they can still flex and bend! Which can compromise the durability of the chrome plating! There's a reason that bumper-mount temporary hitches went the way of the rented overhead roof-mount cargo bin! U-Haul didn't like paying to fix customers' vehicles from the damage those things generally caused to them.
For towing anything heavier than a red wagon, the Class III receiver hitch (usually welded, sometimes bolted-on) is the best way to do things -- period. The old Class I bolt-on hitches were rated at 1000lbs tow weight.
End result, you could end up doing some expensive damage to your car in that 20 mile distance. Damage that would cost much more to fix than the cost of a roll-back wrecker! Plus, it'll usually decrease your anxiety level, too.
Call a AAA-service tow truck and pay the price. It'll probably be more reasonable than you might suspect, by observation. It'll be done quicker and easier.
CBODY67
No, next time your at walmart, look around for a car with a bumper you could even consider this thing on. AFAIK, they scraped them all along with the tow bars. And I used to love those tow bars...
Bruce, think this one through for a moment. I think the tow truck is a better idea and likely no more expensive that close to home. Your bumper hitch isn't rated for more than 2k LBS (educated guess) so it could become a big tragedy... a proper hitch would be a custom job, and the tow truck will then seem cheap and easy. Flat towing a big car can be really fun... somewhere in past I told about a 75 Impala I had start to jackknife my PU on a downhill left turn... somebody's curb and mailbox saved me as I downshifted and punched it slinging big clumps of their lawn everywhere.
I survived... the mailbox was eventually replaced... I didn't stop, I wasn't drinking age yet and my ego was not prepared to deal with the explanation (not too sure how my shorts were doing at the moment either).
twostick
Senior Member
If your formal has a proper frame mount hitch on it, I wouldn't hesitate to haul that 20 miles on a good dolly.
Obviously with no brakes to slow the extra 4000+ lbs, concessions to the laws of physics need to be made re speed and stopping distance but the drive train is more than up to the task. It is after all a 440 with a 727 behind it just like thousands of D350 dually trucks pulling trailers weighing 3 or 4 times that weight did before they put 5.9 Cummins diesels in front of those 727's.
All THAT being said, if you don't already have a hitch, a rollback will be cheaper and more convenient.
Kevin
Obviously with no brakes to slow the extra 4000+ lbs, concessions to the laws of physics need to be made re speed and stopping distance but the drive train is more than up to the task. It is after all a 440 with a 727 behind it just like thousands of D350 dually trucks pulling trailers weighing 3 or 4 times that weight did before they put 5.9 Cummins diesels in front of those 727's.
All THAT being said, if you don't already have a hitch, a rollback will be cheaper and more convenient.
Kevin
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