Practically Classics Forum

An unplanned usage of mothers car, so I took the main part
of the tow bar bracket down to Foster Laws Fabrication Co.

I caught them just as they were tidying up for the day. They
are going to square it up then weld it, and then add brace in
the corners. Just to make it a little stronger there, just in
case! And I will pick up some metal plate to cut the other bits.

They are going to call me tomorrow to let me know when it's
done, and ready for collection.

I am thinking of adding something like this dual type pin and
ball arrangement rather than the standard ball one.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Tow ... 2eb9e30e57

Well I have just purchased a dual ball and pin tow bar off ebay,
it's a new Farmpower Tow bar which is 3000kg gross towing.

Pictures taken from the ebay listing.





I think that it should be more than high enough towing rating for
my requirements don't you think

I just need to go and get it!

Pin? What on earth are you planning to tow with it? :p

3000Kg? Would that not require the brackets to be attached to something thicker than the underside of the Neon?

Then there's the fact that the car's maximum towing weight is 85% of the car's weight of 1170Kg....

When you look at most cars they have a loop or point to fix a screw in
loop for towing rope etc on the front and back, this had nothing on the
rear.

The las time I had to pull something prior to the tow bar I had to use
the box section which the suspension used which was under the spare
wheel well.

And as I said at the beginning of the thread, the engine and transmission
even on it's last legs dragged my dad's Landrover Discovery off the drive
and up to the street to the recovery truck. And the discovery's brakes
were seized on, just to make it harder it was all done in reverse.

So I'd rather be prepared for the worsted and pray it never happens.
(dib dib dib!)
Should I get a winch next?

Yes to the winch, please fit a row of spotlamps along the leading edge of the roof while you're about it.


(It's a FWD car, so I'm not surprised to learn that it found pulling the broken Disco easy in reverse. Forwards though, that I'd love to see).

I popped down to Foster Laws Fabrication in Hartlepool on the off chance
the tow bar bracket might be done, as it was on my way to collect the
ball and pin tow bar.

Poor Paul was there by himself so had not had the chance to touch the
tow bar bracket, he will try tomorrow.

The ball & pin tow bar was at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, and the
seller was a chap called Danny. Getting there was okay as I had turned
off the Prat-Nav (Sat-Nav) before I got off the drive!

When I was getting out of the car arround the corner from Danny's house
he popped out his gate to meet me. He got me the ball and pin towbar
but I had to wait for mothers car to cool down a bit before adding water.
(I am waiting on a guy getting back to me about a radiator for her's)



He then asked if I wanted the other one which he was just going to give
the rag and bone man the next time he came around. I said why not and
he popped into his garage and pulled out this!





It is another ball and pin type tow bar but of a different arrangement with
a bracket he had custom made for it .





There is an Alloy cover which goes over the plate, then he said it had a large
CB ariel which used compressed air to raise it to it's fill hight of 30+ feet.



So the question is do I use the other one and mount the one which has the
plate to turn into a flag pole for the car club or do I fit the one with a plate to
one of the parent's vehicles?

For dad's it could be used as a step for getting in and out of the discovery or
on mother's it could be the basis for a decent bicycle rack.

Plan 'B' arrived by Parcel Force this morning at the same time Foster
Laws Fabrication called to tell me they had done the welding on the
tow bar bracket after getting it squared up.

Needs a little cleaning!



Considering that the Dodge Intrepid used the same 3.3L V6 engine,
but longitudinally and rear wheel drive. So I went for this as it is
from a vehicle as near to the same year as mine as I could get it!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140599314107? ... 1439.l2649

Yes I know there might be differences with the emissions, but it
should be what I need to get it started as I asked the seller if it
came from a car with or without the chipped keys(skim) before I
put in an offer.

I got the idea that it might be able to be used after I remembered
previously looking at an intake and other stuff off a dodge intrepid
after a conversations with Jimbo on Neons.org about his V6 engine.

I took the rear cover off, as it will need to be changed anyway.




Then a quick whizz over with the wire brush attachment on the drill.







After collecting the tow bar bracket and some more metal plate.
I marked up the plate for the fixing the tow bar to the bracket,
there was enough to make to incase I screwed one up.






The after drilling the holes to take 16mm bolts, another quick check
this time to make sure I will get a spanner in to tighten the nuts up
later.






Out came the grinder to trim the plate and round the edges.




That part is ready to be welded to the main bracket, mind you
considering that my dad had got the angles out when he welded the
bracket before, but his welds were, more substantial, robust and
completely around the seems/joins.




Foster Laws Fabrication have squared it up, they have welded a small
bit in each corner for a bit more strength. But thet haven't gone around
all the joins and seem welded it!

So dad said he will do that hen he puts it all together!
Another reason I think dad screwed up the angles when he did it, it
wasn't on a bench, it was done outside on the floor and his back and
shoulder had gone and he hadn't said anything, mother told me later.

Okay I made a slight error on something I stated in a previous
post on this thread and none of you guys said anything.



I called it a back fire valve and it's an idle air control valve.
Thanks for not telling and making me now feel like aright idiot!

Make sure that the IAC valve (Idle Air Control) is nice and clean when you put it back in. When dirty they can get sticky and cause uneven idling.