Best Place to Tow a Z

[John Coffey]

I've flat towed 240Zs using the tow hooks and I've had race cars pulled out of the mud using the front tow hook mounts and the rear bumper bracket mounts. These cars are not fragile little paper oragami sculptures.

If your'e going to do this often, remove the front tow hooks and make brackets that bolt to the tow hook mounting points using all the bolt holes. You can also add a brace to the bracket that goes from the bumper bracket mounting holes thus spreading the load out in four places and across six mounting bolt holes in the chassis.

[Brubaker]

I'm shocked with the answers I'm seeing! You guys go right ahead and pull your cars from the bumpers. Just makes my (straight) car more valuable. Jack them up on the floor pans too!

Ahhh...owner's manual has the answer - page 29.

I'm shocked to see someone advocating towing with a rope even if it is in the owners manual. You would have to have someone in the towed vehicle to hit the brakes, this may not be legal in many states. I have seen the tow with a rope method and I have seen busted front and rear bumpers and if that car starts wondering for any reason, good luck.

[FastWoman]

Hmmmm I have used U-Haul before and it was great and painless, my problem is that i will be towing quite a few trips so the price per day would be more than I want to pay.

You could buy one for $1000 from Northern Tool:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200401171_200401171

Maybe you could find one used on CraigsList if that's too much. The nice thing about buying is that you can always sell later, so it's not like it really costs you $1000 in the long run.

[26th-Z]

I'm shocked to see someone advocating towing with a rope even if it is in the owners manual. You would have to have someone in the towed vehicle to hit the brakes, this may not be legal in many states. I have seen the tow with a rope method and I have seen busted front and rear bumpers and if that car starts wondering for any reason, good luck.

We're talking about two different meanings to the word 'tow'. The owner's manual doesn't mean to flat-tow over any distance. It's pretty much assumed that no one would do anything like (that's why it's against the law) that and the tow hook is mounted on the frame for attachment. In other words, the bumper is not intended. Rope is pretty much what was used in 1970.

And everyone who has ever flat-towed deserves a spanking!

[CW240Z]

After thinking about this and considering what many of you have suggested, I'm going to build some "beefier" brackets and bolt them where the bumper brackets bolt to. Ill post pics of my final setup this weekend.

Chase

[Brubaker]

26th-z

I don't know that people would assume not to use a rope when you see the picture. You and I would only do it to pull a car that is stuck in the mud, but not all of the readers of that manual.

I've always liked your avitar, is that why the early Z's are so expensive? They tucked away one of these ladies in the back?

[Diseazd]

Here is a photo of the one from my old 510 s. I pulled it all over town ......John Coffey is right.....the existing brackets and mounting points are tough!

Edited November 24, 2011 by Diseazd

[JLPurcell]

To my house!

[Healey Z]

Hey CW, one more thought. Go buy a used to dolly for $350-$550 (there are 40 of them for sale in your Dallas Craigslist).

Use it for the time you need it, then resell it. The key will be in your negotiation skills on the buying side to get the best deal possible. If you could find a good one, buy it for $400-$450 or so, you could place an ad for $399 when you are done with it and get most or all of $ back out of it and tow your car in a safer manner for you and the car.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Healey Z
speeling

[CW240Z]

Good idea Healey, since I will be towing more than just the Z in the future, ill look into a tow dolly.

Chase