by OK, Donivan gave me this idea...
Later,
Rip
Later,
Rip
+6
Kakster
DanTheVanMan
benwah
itruns
donivan65
RipVanArkie
10 posters
Early Towing??
RipVanArkie- Moderator
- Number of posts : 987
Location : Central Arkansas
Registration date : 2008-05-13
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Tell us about the engine, trans and brakes on your van. That Van is my twin, I only know of 3 of them,,,,,don't mess it up, I might need it someday if one of my adventures don't turn out too nicely,,,,,,
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
It may be a sore subject, but just so it doesn't happen to someone else, how did your van get an smacked by the CrashVan?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
My Van has always been my work truck,,and thats how I use it,,,,But I do hate when coolant or 90W gear oil spills all over the carpet when I am hauling stuff. As for the CrashVan, a guy tells Vanish that he has an old van up in the hills so Vanish tells me lets go get a van! So when I get up there, Vanish says his Dually is in the shop so we take my van to get it. But it is WAY UP in the mountains, all the roads are rutted, curvy and full of loose sand. And the elevation is over 4000 feet, so my van aint too happy up there. I brought 4 spare tires with me because the van is sunk to its axles and all tires are flat. So we dig it out, put tires on it and I start to tow it. It has no brakes. Vanish is riding in it and I start towing it back. There are a lot of hills to go up and I almost get stuck a couple of times trying to pull that van up the hills slowly. So I speed it up going down hill, I make it to the top and slow down but the van and Vanish are pushing me. And then the excitement starts, we must of hit a rut because the van does a pit maneuver to me, its going straight down the hill and my front end spins 90 degrees to the right and suddenly I look out my side window and I am going down the hill sideways and Vanish and his van are pushing me. And through my front window I see we are getting ready to hit the hillside off to the right side of the road. It seemed like the van would never stop sliding but it does. If the hill was bigger, I think I would of tipped over onto my left side. But my left tires stopped us when they dug into the ground. I get out expecting BAD Things, But Vanish got the worst of it,,,,he was only inches away from my van. He kept saying we wrecked your van over a $50 piece of junk. And I was stuck, in the sand, the towbar wrapped under my rear bumper and right rear corner, lifting up my right rear wheel. So I jacked my van up and unhooked the towbar and got my van out from under there. So I hooked up again and started again. But we came to the end of the dirt road where it goes down another hill and bumps up to the asphalt road. So that would be a serious crash if something would go wrong. So Vanish calls his wife to bring a neighbors truck to pull the down the last hill and over by his place. Then I towed it again into his yard. I didn't get too much damage because I have wide tires and the CrashVans bumper was pushing me on my right rear sidewall.
I got a scratch on my wheelwell and a scuff mark that rubbed out where the right headligt ring hit my quarterpanel. And my lower panel got dented underneath and it broke my right work light under the bumper. And it bent the center pins in my springs. But I am ready to go again.
I got a scratch on my wheelwell and a scuff mark that rubbed out where the right headligt ring hit my quarterpanel. And my lower panel got dented underneath and it broke my right work light under the bumper. And it bent the center pins in my springs. But I am ready to go again.
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
Awesome story. I take it Vanish was in the other van to steer it? Parking Brake?
Which way do you steer the CrashVan when you're in a panic situation like that?
I take it a car trailer w/ brakes would have been too much for your van too pull up there?
Which way do you steer the CrashVan when you're in a panic situation like that?
I take it a car trailer w/ brakes would have been too much for your van too pull up there?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
No Brakes at all on that van,,,,and you don't want to touch the steering wheel when its being towed,,,just let it follow. I didn't expect to tow it,,,,but Vanishes truck was in the shop. And I SURELY didnt expect it to be stuck in the ground, 5 miles down a old mountain dirt road. But since we were out there, we might as well make an adventure out of it. I was ready to put the flat tires back on and drag it down the last hill if Vanish could not get someone to come up with a bigger truck and pull the van down to the steet. A trailer with brakes is really the way to go when towing with an early,,,,
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Plan B was give Vanish a push and let him roll down the hill and catch up with him when he stops rolling or sinks in the Pacific Ocean,,,,
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
Do they make tow dollies with brakes? A trailer would add more weight for you to get up the hills.
What engine and gearing do you have? I guess my father's '62 Econoline (small 6) had a hard time pulling 2 men and their tools/equipment around town.
What engine and gearing do you have? I guess my father's '62 Econoline (small 6) had a hard time pulling 2 men and their tools/equipment around town.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
My tow dolly is made from,,,,OH NO!!,,,, OMNI drums and spindles,,,, I built it to come apart and sit in my van. When I haul something 2500 miles to Chicago, I don't want to drag that dolly bouncing all the way back to California, so it comes apart. My van has a 250 cu in engine, 3 speed manual , 3:36 rear end,, 155 HP engine. it has tons of torque,,,,easily can take off in 2nd gear. But I also have a towbar and a hook up kit to bolt on to Chevy Vans.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
And I got a 2" square tubing frame with gratings that I can bolt onto the Dolly and haul motorcycles,,,,,
benwah- Number of posts : 1135
Location : the land of broken dreams and shattered hopes CT
Registration date : 2008-07-05
wow thats a neat dolly you made Donivan! do you have a diagram? i tow with my 69 ih 1300 car carrier-early enough 
total weight is 11000 she a heavy ol girl 7500 mt . she gets the job done. i was in the market for a car trailer and stumbled across this while in Pa at the A-100 nats in 2000 for 2500$ it was a good deal. allthough id like something a little bigger the dovetail deck is 16 ' i can fit any early on it. i can squeeze a 3/4 ton powerwagon as long as it dont have a plow frame on it. my 2000 econoline 250 has too long of a wheelbase to put on the truck.
total weight is 11000 she a heavy ol girl 7500 mt . she gets the job done. i was in the market for a car trailer and stumbled across this while in Pa at the A-100 nats in 2000 for 2500$ it was a good deal. allthough id like something a little bigger the dovetail deck is 16 ' i can fit any early on it. i can squeeze a 3/4 ton powerwagon as long as it dont have a plow frame on it. my 2000 econoline 250 has too long of a wheelbase to put on the truck.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
Its all bolted together by mostly 1/2" nuts and bolts. The cross pipes are 2" square,,,the tongue is probably 3" square. Maybe 1"x1/4" struts. The wheel chocks are big angle iron and slide to fit the wheel tracks. The hubs are bolted to another big piece angle iron on each end. And believe it or not, I took one look at how simple an Omni spindle just mounts with 4 bolts and you can use the drums, backing plates, wheel cylinders and parking brakes with it, that I built this trailer just for them. I would like to have a swivel plate for those wheel chocks someday and even add surge brakes or even a cable to the parking brakes. But I never got around to it. I use it more like a trailer now than a Dolly. But I just like to be ready for everything,,,,,,I got lots of inventions that nobody will ever figure out what was I thinking when I built it.
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
You can pick-up a new actuator for around $100.
When are you starting production? lol
When are you starting production? lol
benwah- Number of posts : 1135
Location : the land of broken dreams and shattered hopes CT
Registration date : 2008-07-05
a tow dolly that breaks down so you can store it in your van is an exlent idia- you dont have it bouncing around behind you doin 70 down the turnpike. ive used a towbar and rented dollys before i baught my I.H. but im not sure how legal a towbar is when the vehicle you are towing is unregestered, or even a tow dolly for that matter. i imagine the laws vary from state to state.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
I guess it depends on what you are into,,,,,and how much you need a trailer and what type. I got to pay like $10 for a 5 year sticker for my Dolly. My towbar has been getting a lot of action right now with all these Chevy Vans hanging around here.
RipVanArkie- Moderator
- Number of posts : 987
Location : Central Arkansas
Registration date : 2008-05-13
64 Chevy Van 90, 250 engine, 350TH trans, power assisted 4-wheel disc brakes. Love it, prefer it over anything else I have!
Not skeered to tow with it either.
Just got back from a 200+ mile trip to Bro. Williams house delivering some parts and bringing home two trailers (stacked).
Replaced a U-joint in a McD's parking lot on the way home.
Later,
Rip
Not skeered to tow with it either.
Just got back from a 200+ mile trip to Bro. Williams house delivering some parts and bringing home two trailers (stacked).
Replaced a U-joint in a McD's parking lot on the way home.
Later,
Rip
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
so whats the story on that hitch? How does it mount?
RipVanArkie- Moderator
- Number of posts : 987
Location : Central Arkansas
Registration date : 2008-05-13
I'll have to take some pics, but it mounts to the bottom of the rails and at the rear it bolts to the same structure as the rear spring mount. No need to pull the gas tank to install, only the bumper.
Heaviest load to date on that hitch was the Econo pickup on a 16'hauler.
Heaviest load to date on that hitch was the Econo pickup on a 16'hauler.
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12220
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
,,,does the trailer have brakes????
RipVanArkie- Moderator
- Number of posts : 987
Location : Central Arkansas
Registration date : 2008-05-13
nope, I haven't hauled anything on that trailer since! It was just too much for my short wheelbase. Might be different if I used my weight dist hitch, but I didn't that time. Haul was about 80 miles... William was with me and he was having a fit, I don't have any oh shat bars in my van and hea was ready to jump out! 
DanTheVanMan- Commissioner
- Number of posts : 7900
Location : Escanaba, Michigan
Age : 62
Registration date : 2008-10-08
Hey Rip,
Would love to see some pic's as well. Since I am starting on a hitch for my 66.
Would love to see some pic's as well. Since I am starting on a hitch for my 66.
_________________
DanTheVanMan
1965 Chevy G10 Sportvan Custom
1984 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo, Restored
2004 Kawasaki KLR650
1997 Jeep TJ Sport
My Mini Gallery
itruns- Number of posts : 1605
Location : Chicago, IL
Registration date : 2008-07-03
Okay, so a 16' loaded car trailer w/o brakes or distribution hitch is out. What are you guys comfortable with? Has anyone towed with a 108" wb?
BTW Rip - What's a 'shat bar'?
BTW Rip - What's a 'shat bar'?
RipVanArkie- Moderator
- Number of posts : 987
Location : Central Arkansas
Registration date : 2008-05-13
itruns wrote:Okay, so a 16' loaded car trailer w/o brakes or distribution hitch is out. What are you guys comfortable with? Has anyone towed with a 108" wb?
BTW Rip - What's a 'shat bar'?
It's an 'oh sh*t bar'
Towing with a 108 would be easier, you would have more stability. These vans are 1/2T rated, so with good brakes and safe driving, trailering is an option. Just remember that a swb Chevrolet truck has a wheelbase of like 112" - 115".
Later,
Rip
Guest- Guest
this was the heaviest thing i ever tried to tow with an early
it was a 19' bayliner boat with an 8cyl in it...
towed it 20 miles north, launched it, went boating for the afternoon and reloaded and road home OK... the boat launch was a little scary lol
don't think i would attempt anything heavier without trailer brakes
was kinda strange towing a boat that had a bigger motor than my van hehe
but it still did it with the 250 and a th350
the following week i picked up a 900 lbs + hobart tig welder and had it fork trucked inside
used a lift leg at my shop to hoist it out when i got home
damn i miss that van lol
it was a 19' bayliner boat with an 8cyl in it...
towed it 20 miles north, launched it, went boating for the afternoon and reloaded and road home OK... the boat launch was a little scary lol
don't think i would attempt anything heavier without trailer brakes
was kinda strange towing a boat that had a bigger motor than my van hehe
but it still did it with the 250 and a th350
the following week i picked up a 900 lbs + hobart tig welder and had it fork trucked inside
used a lift leg at my shop to hoist it out when i got home
damn i miss that van lol
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