Tow truck

good2bea9 · Post by **good2bea9** » June 14, 2010, 8:34 am

So my plan is now to tow my 66 F250 4x4 from Phoenix to San Antonio. Do any of you know where I can get a tow bar for the front bumper of the truck? And what are your thoughts about towing it with a Saturn Outlook? It is rated at 4500 pounds, so tow dolly or just the tow bar? Thanks to you all in advance!

Tech · Post by **Tech** » June 14, 2010, 10:40 am

I would do some reading to see how strong the transmission in the Saturn is before I put a chunk of iron like that behind it. Most modern transmissions aren't capable of pushing two fat guys up a steep hill regardless of what the bumper is rated for. At a minimum you should have the tranny fluid changed when you get there and possibly before you leave. It will be toast. Does it have a good auxiliary transmission cooler? Are you planning on traveling at night when it is cooler. $2500 for the new transmission goes a long ways on a slick project is why I am asking!!
Disconnect the rear drive line and put the front on a dolly would be my best guess for a successful trip. Don't forget to add the aux transmission cooler. Transmission temperature and life expectancy are an exponential curve.
Tech

douglloyd · Post by **douglloyd** » June 14, 2010, 11:08 am

I would not tow or pull a slick with anything smaller than a full size truck. And forget the bumper hitch unless the tires are good and wheel alignment is dead on.

Back in th 90's I tried towing my '66 longbed half ton with a Mazda MPV van. It was rear wheel drive and a V6, rated for 4200lbs. The truck tires were not good enough to use a bumper hitch, so I rented a U-haul dolly. The slick is a lot wider than the cars these are designed for, so it was a tight fit. I made it about 1/2 way from Texas through Mississippi back to TN. Once I started in the hilly country I gave up and parked the truck. Came back for it the next weekend with a 1/2 ton pickup and a trailer - still a little small but much safer.

You will torque off all the drivers trying to go the speed limit or above with your tow rig running at 50 or below. You will not have brakes to stop safely. All it will take is some dipstick to pop their brakes in front of you and you will cream them.

Check around and find someone with a car hauler & truck. You risk too much sometimes trying to save money. Been there, done that and sure feel stupid now.

Doug

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » June 14, 2010, 11:17 am

It is a good idea to never tow a vehicle that is heavier than the tow vehicle, if the tow vehicle is lighter it will be hard to stop the two. Also if the vehicle being towed starts to wonder it can wreck you because it will over power the lighter vehicle. My brother tried towing his 61 Dodge passenger car with a 75 Chevy passenger car. They were about equal in weight. He was cruising along about sixty and came to four way stop, when he tried to stop, he locked the brakes up on the Chevy and it pushed him right through the intersection. Lucky for him there were no cars in the intersection. He took it a little slower on home from there. I was also witness to a S 10 pulling a horse trailer with a horse in it when it started to sway. The trailer and horse were too much weight for the S 10 and it wrecked him turning the horse trailer over. The horse had a couple of minor cuts but was otherwise unhurt. I bet the next time they tried to put the horse in a trailer they had a hard time doing it.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 14, 2010, 11:50 am

not a good plan.

Gnant · Post by **Gnant** » June 14, 2010, 3:44 pm

You really need to be pulling your Saturn with the F-250. My vote is don't do it. Way to much weight. I was towing an older Camero with a Jeep Grand Cherokee once when the trailer decide to try and pass me. Literally yanked my Jeep into the on coming lane. I was lucky no one was going the other direction. If I had Iceman (who plows and tows) and Michelle (who trailers loads) tell me don't do it. I wouldn't do it. Just my two cents.

good2bea9 · Post by **good2bea9** » June 14, 2010, 4:30 pm

Thanks to you all for the replies. Not too sure what I was thinking; I guess I will stick with the plan to have a transport company move it! Guess I could always wait until I take leave and tow it with my 2500 Ram. Thanks for the stories, I do believe in safety first especially with my family with me!

ronk16 · Post by **ronk16** » June 14, 2010, 4:50 pm

I towed my 66 step with my 08 jeep wrangler and a tow dolly. 400 miles plus. remove the drive shaft and haul away. my jeep is only rated for 3800 lbs and pulled the old beast with no effort and no problems. all i did was remove the drive shaft and put a pair of 195 75 15 skinnys on the rear of the slick for less rolling resistance. I really like this site alot and get great info from everyone but the negative vibe some of you put out is a real downer. work out the problem before you shoot it down.....

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » June 14, 2010, 4:59 pm

I haven't tried to pull a slick with my wife's Saturn Outlook, but I have pulled a pretty good sized U-Haul trailer loaded down with engines and parts through the Arkansas mountains with it before I got my 04 F150.
I think you guys are underestimating the Saturn. This isn't your grandmas Saturn.
The info I have is that the towing capacity is 5200 lbs and the gross weight is 6400 lbs and the curb weight is 4700 lbs. Think a slick weighs in at about 4,000 lbs. The V-6 has 281 HP and puts out 266 ft. lbs of torque. It's really a nice vehicle and important to us (as we have a teenager), it holds 8 passengers.
I think a few of the examples of "why not's" are examples of a lack of intelligence or "attention paying": i.e. pulling a loaded horse trailer with an S-10 or approaching a four-way stop at 60 MPH. Just my 2 cents worth.

semotrucker · Post by **semotrucker** » June 14, 2010, 5:12 pm

Just have to add my two cents after the last (added...couple)comments. Being a trucker w/ a couple million miles under the wheel, I see overloaded vehicles pulling much more than they were designed for all the time. I see a lot of them in the median/ditch/flipped in the road. Saw two such vehicles on my way back from Laredo this last trip. Just because you did it and made it doesnt make it safe...that being said, if youre renting a trailer(and I am assuming a tow dolly) that uhaul and other places wont rent to you if the vehicle you are towing w/ doesnt at least outweigh the vehicle you are towing by 1000 lbs. This I know from personal experience when I tried renting a trailer to go pick up an F250 frame and running gear and was going to use the 07 silverado 1500. Response was a firm no. My advice...wait until you can use the 2500 Ram.

Cam

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » June 14, 2010, 5:26 pm

Not to belabor the point, but I've also seen a lot of 18 wheelers in the median, and turned over on the side of the road. Lots of things happen for lots of reasons.
I think the OP probably posted the incorrect information on his Saturn and then others automatically jumped on the negative bandwagon because it's a Saturn.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » June 14, 2010, 5:37 pm

i have seen/worked enough accidents with overloaded vehicles too. Cam is right on.

Tow truck

Tow truck

BTDT, won't do it again