Thanks a lot Body. I have one for 10 years now and never use it. Did not know how. Thanks to you I think I can use it the right way. Really appreciate it.
Nice taste in cars! I have the same cars. I'm planning to tow my buddies ef hatch and that's how I found your video. Thanks for the info.now i know it can be done.
First "Smart" move to make with these is to bin off every supplied nut & replace them all with nyloc locknuts. It cost next to nothing and eliminates half the problems people run into. :-) The factory nuts WILL vibrate loose when towing.
so one recommendation is get a class rated tow hitch installed to truck that bumpers probably only rated for just over a thousand pounds if I remember correctly CRX weigh significantly more it might not break right off but you'll start seeing bending and flexing in your bumper other than that great video keep it up
One thing you didn't mention , Before you start towing , Obviously you put it on neutral , But what about the key ignition? do you half way turn the key , just to activate the power steering ? or you just leave it alone don't turn the ignition at all , just the car on neutral will be enough ?
G'day mate... nice! I'm beginning to see your like me lol...got 'em...but only because you built 'em...respect. Cool tool for towing , I agree on xtra supports... giddyup son!, one love
Sorry for maybe a dumb question but noone uses this kind of tow bar here in central Europe, how does the towed car turn? I feel like the wheels could turn randomly and make the car wobble all over the place, but it doesnr do that at all, can someone please explain? Thanks a lot :)
You leave the key in the ignition and the wheels turn naturally as it's pulled. I understand what you mean and felt the same way but I've used it over 5 times now and never once had an issue. It's pretty nice to be able to use it.
@@GarageBuiltHondas Well, it kinda makes sence because if you let go of the wheel while driving, it vants tu straigten the wheels naturally, so it probably wrks the same, it just feels unnatural and scary to me. Thank you for the explanation though.
thank you for the video... I've been trying to figure out how to use my HF tow bar since I got it. The manual references buying another part (the mounting bracket) that they do not sell. So I'm guessing if you don't have a bracket the tow bar is a waste of money.
2:26 "Perfect where I drilled them" Well I guess not, since you had to grind down the backing plate to get it to fit. I expected trouble when you didn't try to put the new hole in line with the existing two. Measure twice, cut once--and if it's too much to measure twice, at least measure once! Still the best video I've seen of the HF tow bar, if only because it shows the actual hardware of the mounting knuckle.
Wow! Didn't read your bumper tow rating did ya? But a blue ox tow bar, each side bar has a release that allows the bars to be lengthened. Release, hook to tow vehicle, back up to latch arms..... Alot less monkeying around..... But you get what you pay for
This particular kind of truck is setup to be able to pull this car and weight. U-haul confirmed if for me 7 years ago when I first rented a tow dolly to pull one of these cars 500 miles. They actually won't let you rent a tow dolly without confirmation of both vehicles. This bar has worked perfect for the 88-91 Civic/crx chassis and is only want I'm using it for. It has been used about 10 times since this video has been released and no issues. I'm good.
@@pyromaniac354 It'll keep your output shaft bearings from premature wear. My auto tech school instructor mentioned this very scenario in a lecture. I bought a 40' school bus last October and towed my car behind on my 950 mile return trip home. I left the car engine idling almost all the way. I'd say for at least 800 miles. It cost me $10 in gas for the car. Until I need to tow a lot, this is probably the way I'll deal with the issue. I'm considering adding-on an electric circulation pump and tapping into the transaxle's lubrication circuit if I end-up towing a fair amount. I don't know if such a pump is available on the market, but I would find a way to do it myself (DIM).
@@jaydak99 Good point, but I fell out of love with them in my 20's. I don't like replacing clutches, master and slave cylinders as well as the constant clutching in rush-hour traffic. If I were in the old country (northern MN) I wouldn't mind as much, but I commute through Seattle for a total of 86 miles/day. Sometimes traffic crawls all the way home.
Bet your favorite part of this is not being at 4k rpms the whole way to the track! Plus the AC, you're set man. Less stress on the civic and just in case anything happens ( knock on wood) you'll have a way home. Can't wait to get out there again!
While you can't afford the front wheel they install in trailers, to lift the front up place a wood stick that lift it enough while you're backing up to hook your trailer.
@@JUST1N888 What do you mean? If you have to back up just be careful, go easy, and have someone to spot you or get out of your vehicle, see the area and progressively back up, repeat. Repeat means "as you back up a little, get out of the vehicle, check the area for obstacles, back up more, check the area out of the vehicle until you achieve getting into the spot or area you desire". Do you understand?
@@rodolfoplasencia4953 when backing up you are using the tow bar as leverage against the tow bar bracketts and they will brake . also you are not supposed lock the wheel . Be careful cause if stuff like this breaks it can kill people !!!
Excellent video! I guess it is not possible to tow (using this towbar) without removing the vehicle's front bumper? The Harbor Freight device is almost an order of magnitude cheaper than the Roadmaster towbar (~$ 900+ with taxes!). It is no joke however to drill through 3/8th in thick steel!
Doesn't seem like it. Unless you fab up some sort of mount coming through the grill? Seems more difficulty though and it's very easy to remove the bumper.
It came on a car I purchased and fits any 88-91 Civic which are the cars I toy with. Looks custom made, I think companies make tow brackets online though. Google search it.
@@GarageBuiltHondas I was hoping you would know by now a company or some sort as it would seem like people would ask this a lot. Like affiliate links or something 😂 cool stuff. Let me know if you run across something like this. Can’t find anything myself
I love your videos! I watch regularly. And often see find myself sent to another one of your older videos when I’m looking at things to buy lol. Is there any necessary steering lock for the towed vehicle?
This might sound like a dumb question but how do you tow a vehicle with the steering column locked, or do you have to unlock it... seems like it wouldn't make turns very well
@@GarageBuiltHondas yeah I was basically asking how to leave it unlocked with the vehicle off, so it doesn't drain the battery. I figured it out though from another vehicle, how to put the key in the ignition and turn it just enough to release the column lock but not enough to switch on the electrical system. Never paid attention to that before, thought there were only 2 positions on the ignition, ON and START.
if u left the plates off and loosened the nuts that adjust the bar u can leave them loose when u back up to it so it can pivot the hitch and attach it to the ball. then just pull forwad to get the car aligned then tighten nuts down
Thanks for the tip, I like that idea. It got easier since the first install. I think just getting the hang of it, but when I re-attached the car to get it home, it was so quick lining it up that time so I think I got the hang of it now!
so how does one setup blinkers on the towed vehicle. where l live, cops seem to pay very close attention any novice pulling something. also, can I pull a small car (honda civic, nissan sentra, etc) with a small truck (nissan frontier, 2 wd, 5 speed manual transmission, 4 cylinder) using a tow bar? most people told me I could probably get by with it. but I guess my main question is how hard it would be on my truck if I had to go up hills? that's my real concern. I wouldn't want to overheat the transmission to the point that I burned it up. I would drive very slow (probably only 30 mph).
actually it looks like my truck (2001 frontier) has a tow capacity of 3500 pounds. I think most economy cars weigh less than that. so there would be no worries.
Ahh I see how it was done now. I've been wanting to adapt a tow bar to my car as well in case I need to use my Toyota as a back up tow truck, but I was thinking of making a bracket system bolt into where the OEM bumper support bolts in, would be a hell of a lot easier than getting down and taking out all those bolts for the subframe mounted brackets. Just some food for thought as a potential change to your setup later on.
+90ED6LSV seriously! I had thought about making some brackets but never got to it,then got these on the crx. I definitely wouldn't mind something less arduous for future use. Honestly when I used it last week at the track it was only tiresome because at the end of the day I was best from the racing & sun! If I had a cordless impact I'd be set. I need to buy one, just haven't done so.
Yup I know exactly what you mean lol. We recently did some major revisions to our car trailer, which included ditching our 80lb each steel ramps for hinged reinforced aluminum ramps. At the end of a track day it was such a pain in the ass to haul out/in these ramps to load the car up. The little quality of life improvements make a big difference haha
No kidding buddy!! We'll see how this goes. I might just use this as a backup and drive to the track. If I need, I'll hitch a ride home and bring the truck out and tow the sum'bitch home! haha
Sweet deal brother. The price wasnt bad for what you're going to use it for. I bet its gonna make goin to ASR a breeze now. Very efficient part for your puposes.
Helllllll yeah man. Been waiting for some more of those! Always enjoy your track vids. They always inspire me to get off my ass and work towards my goals. Maybe one day i can work my way onto a track near me. I did have a question about having the tow hitch on. Were there any worries about any rocks being kicked up onto your radiator without your front clip on? I was thinking maybe some type of skid/cover plate made out of sheet metal or something just to throw on there during tow
Thanx for the info. I just bought the same bar through Amazon and planning on installing soon. Got a question - the instructions specifically warn NOT to weld the brackets onto the towed vehicle - only bolt. 8 had planned on doing both. Any thoughts on why they don't want them welded? Thx again.
Sounds like a generic manufacturers warning since all cars have different bumper bracket steel thicknesses. Some are pretty thin and welding directly to it would be tricky unless you have commercial level welding experience. If the brackets were thick steel, I wouldn't hesitate to weld even with my limited experience.
I was wondering what it’s like to toe with one of these like what is a good speed you can tow I’m thinking about bringing a car from California to Florida with this?
Where can I find that bracket? I have the towing bar mechanism I just need the brackets to tow a sedan. And you don’t need a driver to steer the the towing car right?
Steering wheel stays unlocked so the front wheels can turn with the tow vehicle. I have used it probably 10 times and have towed as far as 150 miles home when I bought a car that didn't drive. Zero issues. I've saved so much money bringing parts cars home too.
A couple if questions, would mounting the HF tow bar to where the bumper brackets goes possible? I can fab up a small adaptor if needed, the second question is, do you strap down the steering wheel or just leave it loose? I plan tow a small car from Dallas TX to southern CA with one of these
Absolutely, I don't see why not. As long as you build something that is secure it should work fine. The steering wheel is left loose with the key in the ignition so it turns freely as the towing vehicle does.
Seriously, I just made half of the money back using it one day. When I used to tow my civic to the track renting the dolly was $60. I like the fact that I can tow random shells home now and even help my friends with their EF's.
yeah man that's what I use mine for the best part about it is that you don't need anyone else to help cuz there's alot of times you don't always have help
Hi not sure if you still respond to old videos but I'm trying to tow my dodge dart behind my rv but am having a hard time figuring out how to get it installed
When you did this I’m guessing your Honda a manual did you put it in Neutral or did you put it in 1st gear ? I need to do the same but hear many different things
This is awesome video Sir. I really want to do this. I dig your modified A frame idea. How was your truck handling when you came to a stop. Does it stress your truck frame?
A dolly is expensive to buy or rent and way harder to store and carry around. Also you can tow a bigger vehicle with the tow bar, because the dolly adds like 1250 lb to your tow load. But a dolly is better for towing a front-wheel-drive car, I think.
a little off topic, but do you have a preference for the b20b in this or the b16a1 in your si? I'm trying to decide between the two. It would be a DD if that matters. thanks For all the great vids!
The b20 has torque for days. Hitting vtec is a lot of fun though. I think my b20 would win in a race, even with the LS transmission. But as a daily? I think both are fun, the b16 just costs a lot more comparatively. You could easily get 2 b20's for the price of a b16a. If I had to choose for a daily, I'd pick the b20 and use the extra cash for parts like a nice header.
Yes. Although I don't believe the CRV has a towing weight of more than 1k lbs. You'll need to check. I've seen plenty of people do it, but it may not be recommended by Honda or you may out excessively wear on your transmission.
Perfect! I just finished using the tow bar again last week on a 140 mile trip back home. I've used it 4 times now and it has made it's money back after the first use considering how much it would have been for those 4 tows.
+Muffin Racing Nothing is disconnected at all. Car just needs to be in neutral and the key in the ignition so the wheels may turn with the vehicle towing it.
Manual or automatic 2wd or 4wd neutral is neutral. Turn on key to put the vehicle in neutral leave in the on position to keep the steering column unlocked. If you are going far and worried about draining the battery unhook the negative cable but add magnetic tow lights that connect to the trucks wire harness.
I should specify that 4wd usually needs to have the transfer case also put in neutral and you also need a vehicle that has a trans pump yo keep it lubricated.
Do you have the steering locked or unlocked? Do you feel any pulling when turning a corner, or the towed car has any trouble recovering to straight? I have a similar bar from Princess Auto here in Canada. I tried towing my sebring with my Jeep compass with the wheel unlocked, and found it wanted to keep turning while I was straightening out after a turn. Some cars are not supposed to towed this way. Check with the dealership or manual. Also there is a RV website with a search function to find if your car can be towed, or if special requirments. My Sebring is not supposed to be towed. I think it's an issue with the tranny, but I wasn't going far, and figured if I keep the engine running it will let the fluids in the tranny and power steering flow. I ended up having my son in the Sebring to assist with the turn recovery.
Nice video! I have a question though. If the tow bar isn't level, can that cause stability issues? I'm asking because I tried to pull my 04 Civic home from a friend's house with my 05 Civic and this kind of tow bar and the Civic I was pulling was pushing my car all over the road, it was difficult to keep it going straight above around 30 MPH. The odd thing is it felt perfectly fine when climbing hills, but unstable on flat roads or when going down hills. There was no way I would have been able to drive it 600 miles home that way, so I had to take it back to my friend's house. I'm thinking that the problem was the angle of my tow bar. I attached the tow bar to the crash support bar behind my 04's front bumper and the 05 I am pulling it with has been lowered about 1.5 inches, so the tow bar was pointed way down. I'm thinking that may have been the problem because I was pulling the car down instead of straight forwards and I'm thinking it was pushing down on my car because of the angle of the tow bar. Do you think the tow bar being about a foot lower on my tow car than on the one I was pulling could cause a stability issue? I'm thinking it could, but I'm not certain. Thank you very much in advance!
I don't think it's the issue. I used the bar on my dad's 2010 Toyota Tacoma pulling home a lowered hatchback and the bar wasn't straight one bit. I towed it about 175 miles home doing 60mph the entire way home and it felt perfectly fine. Your civic isn't meant for that kind of pulling though so the weight was probably forcing your car back and forth.
@@GarageBuiltHondas Thanks. That's weird because I pulled a 2500 pound U Haul trailer 500 miles no problem with this car though, so it's weird that it can pull that okay but not another car that weighs around the same amount.
@@GarageBuiltHondas The angle of the tow bar ended up being a big part of the problem. I got a taller ball mount so the tow bar was more flat and that improved the stability enough that I was able to get it home (through over 600 miles of big mountains) at around 50-55 MPH. I'm sure the rest of the wandering was because of the 04's worn out steering and tires. The 05 pulled it like a champ considering the very poor condition the 04 was in at the time. Thanks for your help!
Going to buy the set up you have, any tips or anything else i would need to buy, my civic still having issue and it stalled 20 min away from home, so rather buy kit vs getting a tow truck
Safety chains need to be crossed when towing in case that tongue pops off it won't hit the ground
+Robby Valdez Thanks for that!!
Garage Built Hondas 👍🏽
I kept meaning to google how the chains are installed but have never remembered and that makes 100% perfect sense!
Garage Built Hondas Yes sir😉
I got them on a car I bought (my yellow crx). Someone found a set online. If I can find it I'll link it.
Thanks a lot Body. I have one for 10 years now and never use it. Did not know how. Thanks to you I think I can use it the right way.
Really appreciate it.
Thank you Sir. I appreciate your time. This tow bar really opens up a lot of idea.
You're welcome
Nice video. Just got this tow bar. Get yourself a drop hitch to get the bar a little closer to level.
👍
Nice taste in cars! I have the same cars. I'm planning to tow my buddies ef hatch and that's how I found your video. Thanks for the info.now i know it can be done.
Thanks! 👍
First "Smart" move to make with these is to bin off every supplied nut & replace them all with nyloc locknuts. It cost next to nothing and eliminates half the problems people run into. :-) The factory nuts WILL vibrate loose when towing.
so one recommendation is get a class rated tow hitch installed to truck that bumpers probably only rated for just over a thousand pounds if I remember correctly CRX weigh significantly more it might not break right off but you'll start seeing bending and flexing in your bumper other than that great video keep it up
One thing you didn't mention ,
Before you start towing ,
Obviously you put it on neutral ,
But what about the key ignition?
do you half way turn the key , just to activate the power steering ?
or you just leave it alone don't turn the ignition at all , just the car on neutral will be enough ?
The key needs to be at position 1 where the steering wheel is unlocked and the car left in neutral.
Garage Built Hondas
Thank you .. 👍
G'day mate... nice! I'm beginning to see your like me lol...got 'em...but only because you built 'em...respect. Cool tool for towing , I agree on xtra supports... giddyup son!, one love
Sorry for maybe a dumb question but noone uses this kind of tow bar here in central Europe, how does the towed car turn? I feel like the wheels could turn randomly and make the car wobble all over the place, but it doesnr do that at all, can someone please explain? Thanks a lot :)
You leave the key in the ignition and the wheels turn naturally as it's pulled. I understand what you mean and felt the same way but I've used it over 5 times now and never once had an issue. It's pretty nice to be able to use it.
@@GarageBuiltHondas Well, it kinda makes sence because if you let go of the wheel while driving, it vants tu straigten the wheels naturally, so it probably wrks the same, it just feels unnatural and scary to me. Thank you for the explanation though.
You're welcome
Gotta get me a setup like this soon. Seems simple enough and not so expensive . Cool vid. thanks
It's already made me my money back using it only 3 times. Definitely a great investment!
I like that you have a bumper hitch. That's what I have and I was curious if it would work
👍
Do you know where those big brackets you were drilling on can be found?
This was really informative. I flat tow my maxima SE.
👍
thank you for the video... I've been trying to figure out how to use my HF tow bar since I got it. The manual references buying another part (the mounting bracket) that they do not sell. So I'm guessing if you don't have a bracket the tow bar is a waste of money.
Search around online. They make brackets for many vehicles. You could also find a welder/fabricator and ask them to build some for you.
I hope you didn't damage the transmission.
Still works to this day, and driven hard at the track.
Get a Blue Ox tow bar. Light and extremely fast to hook the car up. I towed my 2005 honda civic over 15k miles behind my rv. Great set up.
👍
Blue Ox $$$$$
2:26 "Perfect where I drilled them" Well I guess not, since you had to grind down the backing plate to get it to fit. I expected trouble when you didn't try to put the new hole in line with the existing two. Measure twice, cut once--and if it's too much to measure twice, at least measure once! Still the best video I've seen of the HF tow bar, if only because it shows the actual hardware of the mounting knuckle.
Lol, worked out just fine. A little grinding never hurt.
nice harbor freight tow bar towing chains ok
Sweet set up 90s car pulled by 90s truck lol jdm as fuk as the kids say
lol!
Wow! Didn't read your bumper tow rating did ya?
But a blue ox tow bar, each side bar has a release that allows the bars to be lengthened. Release, hook to tow vehicle, back up to latch arms..... Alot less monkeying around..... But you get what you pay for
This particular kind of truck is setup to be able to pull this car and weight. U-haul confirmed if for me 7 years ago when I first rented a tow dolly to pull one of these cars 500 miles. They actually won't let you rent a tow dolly without confirmation of both vehicles.
This bar has worked perfect for the 88-91 Civic/crx chassis and is only want I'm using it for. It has been used about 10 times since this video has been released and no issues. I'm good.
hi. where did u get the support bracket that connects to the tow bar. I have know where on my camera to mount my tow bar. thanks
Mine came with my car. Google towing brackets and the model of your car. You may have some hits doing that.
You might want to leave the engine idling during your tow. Otherwise your transaxle output shaft bearings/bushings wouldn't get lubrication.
How would that help?
@@pyromaniac354 It'll keep your output shaft bearings from premature wear. My auto tech school instructor mentioned this very scenario in a lecture. I bought a 40' school bus last October and towed my car behind on my 950 mile return trip home. I left the car engine idling almost all the way. I'd say for at least 800 miles. It cost me $10 in gas for the car. Until I need to tow a lot, this is probably the way I'll deal with the issue. I'm considering adding-on an electric circulation pump and tapping into the transaxle's lubrication circuit if I end-up towing a fair amount. I don't know if such a pump is available on the market, but I would find a way to do it myself (DIM).
@@KellyBtech not necessary on a manual transmission.
@@jaydak99 Good point, but I fell out of love with them in my 20's. I don't like replacing clutches, master and slave cylinders as well as the constant clutching in rush-hour traffic. If I were in the old country (northern MN) I wouldn't mind as much, but I commute through Seattle for a total of 86 miles/day. Sometimes traffic crawls all the way home.
Bet your favorite part of this is not being at 4k rpms the whole way to the track! Plus the AC, you're set man. Less stress on the civic and just in case anything happens ( knock on wood) you'll have a way home. Can't wait to get out there again!
You remember very well, and you hit it right on the head. Plus the exhaust noise is enough to make my ears ring!
when u tow a car is the towed car front wheel will keep straight wtout someone inside the car. thanks
No. The keys are in the ignition so the tires turn naturally.
While you can't afford the front wheel they install in trailers, to lift the front up place a wood stick that lift it enough while you're backing up to hook your trailer.
Your not supposed to back up with a tow you could break stuff
@@JUST1N888 What do you mean? If you have to back up just be careful, go easy, and have someone to spot you or get out of your vehicle, see the area and progressively back up, repeat. Repeat means "as you back up a little, get out of the vehicle, check the area for obstacles, back up more, check the area out of the vehicle until you achieve getting into the spot or area you desire". Do you understand?
@@rodolfoplasencia4953 when backing up you are using the tow bar as leverage against the tow bar bracketts and they will brake . also you are not supposed lock the wheel . Be careful cause if stuff like this breaks it can kill people !!!
How does the vehicle being towed "steer"? I can't imagine it would be very easily to turn on its own
It turns like nothing. Very easy to use.
Excellent video! I guess it is not possible to tow (using this towbar) without removing the vehicle's front bumper? The Harbor Freight device is almost an order of magnitude cheaper than the Roadmaster towbar (~$ 900+ with taxes!). It is no joke however to drill through 3/8th in thick steel!
Doesn't seem like it. Unless you fab up some sort of mount coming through the grill? Seems more difficulty though and it's very easy to remove the bumper.
what make/where did you get the bumper/frame mounting brackets ?
It came on a car I purchased and fits any 88-91 Civic which are the cars I toy with. Looks custom made, I think companies make tow brackets online though. Google search it.
@@GarageBuiltHondas I was hoping you would know by now a company or some sort as it would seem like people would ask this a lot. Like affiliate links or something 😂 cool stuff. Let me know if you run across something like this. Can’t find anything myself
Sorry, there hasn't been a need for me to look so I haven't searched.
I love your videos! I watch regularly. And often see find myself sent to another one of your older videos when I’m looking at things to buy lol.
Is there any necessary steering lock for the towed vehicle?
That may be a stupid question. I imagine it doesn’t need anything just curious I’m new to towing.
Thanks, I appreciate the support!!
The key is left in the ignition with the steering wheel left to spin freely.
Garage Built Hondas and it will follow the tow vehicle? I can’t help but imagine the front wheels cutting one way and and locking.
@@ShiftersAndLifters It follows the tow vehicle
Really good tutorial, thanks.
Keep up to great work on the videos
Thank you!
This might sound like a dumb question but how do you tow a vehicle with the steering column locked, or do you have to unlock it... seems like it wouldn't make turns very well
You leave it unlocked and the wheels turn naturally following the tow vehicle.
@@GarageBuiltHondas yeah I was basically asking how to leave it unlocked with the vehicle off, so it doesn't drain the battery. I figured it out though from another vehicle, how to put the key in the ignition and turn it just enough to release the column lock but not enough to switch on the electrical system. Never paid attention to that before, thought there were only 2 positions on the ignition, ON and START.
Well, now you know. 👍
Yo that tacoma is BADASS.
+Rass Buddaye thanks man!
Garage Built Yotas
Silly question but does the steering wheel of the towed vehicle move freely or do someone need to steer it while turning
+Pedro Carvajal You'll put the key in the ignition to leave it free. The wheels will naturally turn as it's pulled around corners.
What is the proper distance for mounting bracket with out the vehicle swaying left to rite
if u left the plates off and loosened the nuts that adjust the bar u can leave them loose when u back up to it so it can pivot the hitch and attach it to the ball. then just pull forwad to get the car aligned then tighten nuts down
Thanks for the tip, I like that idea. It got easier since the first install. I think just getting the hang of it, but when I re-attached the car to get it home, it was so quick lining it up that time so I think I got the hang of it now!
so how does one setup blinkers on the towed vehicle. where l live, cops seem to pay very close attention any novice pulling something. also, can I pull a small car (honda civic, nissan sentra, etc) with a small truck (nissan frontier, 2 wd, 5 speed manual transmission, 4 cylinder) using a tow bar? most people told me I could probably get by with it. but I guess my main question is how hard it would be on my truck if I had to go up hills? that's my real concern. I wouldn't want to overheat the transmission to the point that I burned it up. I would drive very slow (probably only 30 mph).
actually it looks like my truck (2001 frontier) has a tow capacity of 3500 pounds. I think most economy cars weigh less than that. so there would be no worries.
I'm using this. amzn.to/3K1wi9n
Ahh I see how it was done now. I've been wanting to adapt a tow bar to my car as well in case I need to use my Toyota as a back up tow truck, but I was thinking of making a bracket system bolt into where the OEM bumper support bolts in, would be a hell of a lot easier than getting down and taking out all those bolts for the subframe mounted brackets. Just some food for thought as a potential change to your setup later on.
+90ED6LSV seriously! I had thought about making some brackets but never got to it,then got these on the crx. I definitely wouldn't mind something less arduous for future use. Honestly when I used it last week at the track it was only tiresome because at the end of the day I was best from the racing & sun! If I had a cordless impact I'd be set. I need to buy one, just haven't done so.
Yup I know exactly what you mean lol. We recently did some major revisions to our car trailer, which included ditching our 80lb each steel ramps for hinged reinforced aluminum ramps. At the end of a track day it was such a pain in the ass to haul out/in these ramps to load the car up. The little quality of life improvements make a big difference haha
No kidding buddy!! We'll see how this goes. I might just use this as a backup and drive to the track. If I need, I'll hitch a ride home and bring the truck out and tow the sum'bitch home! haha
hell yeah Jon awesome Video no more struggling without ac lol keep up the good work
You know this heat man!
Garage Built Hondas Hell yeah struggle is Life
You think this would probably pull a 1977 dodge d100 single cab ?
Sweet deal brother. The price wasnt bad for what you're going to use it for. I bet its gonna make goin to ASR a breeze now. Very efficient part for your puposes.
Anthony, it worked so well last Saturday!! I loved it! Track videos up next!
Helllllll yeah man. Been waiting for some more of those! Always enjoy your track vids. They always inspire me to get off my ass and work towards my goals. Maybe one day i can work my way onto a track near me. I did have a question about having the tow hitch on. Were there any worries about any rocks being kicked up onto your radiator without your front clip on? I was thinking maybe some type of skid/cover plate made out of sheet metal or something just to throw on there during tow
Thanx for the info. I just bought the same bar through Amazon and planning on installing soon. Got a question - the instructions specifically warn NOT to weld the brackets onto the towed vehicle - only bolt. 8 had planned on doing both. Any thoughts on why they don't want them welded?
Thx again.
Maybe just not welded only is what they meant, maybe welds just aren't strong enough over time and would potentially crack.
@@GarageBuiltHondas thx!! Good luck
Sounds like a generic manufacturers warning since all cars have different bumper bracket steel thicknesses. Some are pretty thin and welding directly to it would be tricky unless you have commercial level welding experience. If the brackets were thick steel, I wouldn't hesitate to weld even with my limited experience.
I was wondering what it’s like to toe with one of these like what is a good speed you can tow I’m thinking about bringing a car from California to Florida with this?
You can only travel 55-60 tops. If you're towing vehicle can pull a trailer, you're better off. This will extend your trip dramatically.
Where can I find that bracket?
I have the towing bar mechanism I just need the brackets to tow a sedan.
And you don’t need a driver to steer the the towing car right?
Not sure. Mine came on a car I bought.
No.
Sweet video nice truck now I'm shopping for one of those trucks as a toy
It was a good truck, never had an issue.
I'm thinking about doing this for me e36 drift car. Do you have to lock the steering wheel? How well has this worked for you so far?
Steering wheel stays unlocked so the front wheels can turn with the tow vehicle. I have used it probably 10 times and have towed as far as 150 miles home when I bought a car that didn't drive. Zero issues. I've saved so much money bringing parts cars home too.
Awesome thanks for the fast reply
You're welcome!
Good 👍 video brother thanks 🙏
👍
A couple if questions, would mounting the HF tow bar to where the bumper brackets goes possible? I can fab up a small adaptor if needed, the second question is, do you strap down the steering wheel or just leave it loose? I plan tow a small car from Dallas TX to southern CA with one of these
Absolutely, I don't see why not. As long as you build something that is secure it should work fine.
The steering wheel is left loose with the key in the ignition so it turns freely as the towing vehicle does.
Nice tow bar setup. Just wondering does the civics steering wheel turn while being towed?
Yes, you leave the key in the ignition so it doesn't lock. They turn naturally with the truck as you turn.
Garage Built Hondas Ahh thanks I was wondering about that.👍🏻
I have that same one...it's paid for it self already not needing anyone else to tow a car home
Seriously, I just made half of the money back using it one day. When I used to tow my civic to the track renting the dolly was $60. I like the fact that I can tow random shells home now and even help my friends with their EF's.
yeah man that's what I use mine for the best part about it is that you don't need anyone else to help cuz there's alot of times you don't always have help
Hi not sure if you still respond to old videos but I'm trying to tow my dodge dart behind my rv but am having a hard time figuring out how to get it installed
Which part?
Stupid question but you're supposed to put the car in neutral right and do you unlock your steeringwheel or leave it locked
No stupid questions at all. 👍. Neutral and unlocked.
Is this ok for a longer trip? I guess there is no break activation mechanism?
It is. As long as you're not exceeding weight limits you'll be fine.
I don't have the tow bar brackets, as shown in that video,, do I have to have them brackets in order to tow a vehicle?
You'll need a way to mount it to your car securely.
When you did this I’m guessing your Honda a manual did you put it in Neutral or did you put it in 1st gear ? I need to do the same but hear many different things
It's a manual transmission. You leave it in neutral when towing. Max speed is 55mph safely.
Thanks for the video I was curious about that exact brand super ups on the video
William Fullman Thanks buddy!
Thanks man I really appreciate your video
Hope it helps
Is that a 4 cylinder 22R Toyota engine on that truck?
That means you can also tow a Honda fit as well?
Can you tell me please?
This had the 22RE engine.
@@GarageBuiltHondas
Thank you.
This is awesome video Sir. I really want to do this. I dig your modified A frame idea. How was your truck handling when you came to a stop. Does it stress your truck frame?
I had zero issues. It worked well for as long as I owned the truck.
I say a tow dolly would be the best !
A dolly is expensive to buy or rent and way harder to store and carry around. Also you can tow a bigger vehicle with the tow bar, because the dolly adds like 1250 lb to your tow load. But a dolly is better for towing a front-wheel-drive car, I think.
Cool video thanks bud.
👍
Possible fix it or install it on toyota camry 07 to 2011 ?
Where did you even get those tow brackets? I have never seen anything like those for sale
I got so lucky. They were on my yellow crx when I bought it. I think they were custom built.
a little off topic, but do you have a preference for the b20b in this or the b16a1 in your si? I'm trying to decide between the two. It would be a DD if that matters. thanks For all the great vids!
The b20 has torque for days. Hitting vtec is a lot of fun though. I think my b20 would win in a race, even with the LS transmission. But as a daily? I think both are fun, the b16 just costs a lot more comparatively. You could easily get 2 b20's for the price of a b16a. If I had to choose for a daily, I'd pick the b20 and use the extra cash for parts like a nice header.
Garage Built Hondas thanks!
Do you have to remove trans pin or would it be ok as long as you keep it under 50? About 110 mi. Trip
Trans pin?
Do the car that being tow should the engine be running or no?
No. It's off in neutral and the key to the steering wheel unlock position.
I’m curious how the car turns? Do you have to put a seatbelt through the steering wheel so it doesn’t move?
You leave the keys in so the steering wheel naturally turns with the towing vehicles.
I'm a complete noob when it comes to towing. You think I could do this to tow my dc2 with my 2018 2.4l n/a CRV fwd?
Yes. Although I don't believe the CRV has a towing weight of more than 1k lbs. You'll need to check. I've seen plenty of people do it, but it may not be recommended by Honda or you may out excessively wear on your transmission.
Do I have to put my little Toyota Tercel in neutral to tow it? My car is automatic transmission.
Correct
That's a clean ass little tacoma...👌👌👌👌
Thanks!
Where do I get the brackets that go to the frame the tow bar bracket s
Would it be better if you turn the vehicle on and leave it in neutra when toming long distances?
It has to be in neutral, and not necessary to have it on.
Does every car have this hookup to be able to use this tow bar or do you have to screw holes into the car?
You'll need to have some way to mount the bar to your car (brackets or directly mounted to the car safely).
you should've used a drop hitch
hello, excellent video. what distance is left between the cars?
Maybe 4 feet.
Say I wanna tow any kind of vehicle could I just use a D ring instead of adapting a tow bar for the car
I don't necessarily think it'd be safe unless it specifically says that it can be used for that kind of application.
Can this tow bar be attached to the front of an '05 Honda Pilot?
You'll just need to find some mounts that'll work on your vehicle.
I wouldn't trust harbor freight to open a pickle jar..... but this is a good video for how to use this.
Lol
I bougt the tow bar and used. It for a trip of 1500 miles. Pulled great was going. 70mph
Love to hear it!
Did you have to buy extra brackets? If so, from where?
You'll need a way to mount it to you vehicle you're towing somehow. My brackets were specific to my car.
@@GarageBuiltHondas I have a 96 Camaro - stick shift - what do you think?
What do you mean, what do I think about what?
Good video.
Do you have to make those brackets yourself or they come with the tow bar?
You'll need to find some brackets to fit your car. These are custom made for 88-91 Civic & crx
@@GarageBuiltHondas
I guess you can weld them at home, is that right?
I wanted to see who's steering or is there another attachment that goes on the steering wheel?
Wheel remains unlocked
dope truck dude
Thanks Legacy!
Does the wagon require the same tow brackets? Have you ever installed a hitch on a wagon?
Yes, and no.
Looking to do this for my miata to flat tow from FL to GA (it’s stick) you think it’ll be okay? Car is lighter than most. Could I go 60-70 in it?
Yes.
No. Is unsafe at that speed.
you towing with the steering wheel locked or unlocked on the honda?
Unlocked
Ah man you need a tow hitch bar in the rear of the Toyota
Where you have it hook up is gonna go flying.
Sick video bro.... Now i now how to get a car to my spot with my pick up... Got same one as you...
Perfect! I just finished using the tow bar again last week on a 140 mile trip back home. I've used it 4 times now and it has made it's money back after the first use considering how much it would have been for those 4 tows.
Do you disconnect the CV's from the transmission or anything? How does it handle turns, or do you unlock the steering column?
+Muffin Racing Nothing is disconnected at all. Car just needs to be in neutral and the key in the ignition so the wheels may turn with the vehicle towing it.
Garage Built Hondas what about the driveshaft?
+SantaOMG The car is left in neutral. It's a FWD car I'm pulling. Not sure on an AWD, you may have to disconnect the driveshaft.
Manual or automatic 2wd or 4wd neutral is neutral. Turn on key to put the vehicle in neutral leave in the on position to keep the steering column unlocked. If you are going far and worried about draining the battery unhook the negative cable but add magnetic tow lights that connect to the trucks wire harness.
I should specify that 4wd usually needs to have the transfer case also put in neutral and you also need a vehicle that has a trans pump yo keep it lubricated.
So you would need them brackets to install it on the car ?
You'll need to be able to connect it to you vehicle somehow.
The front wheels stay locked from swinging to the sides on neutral?
No. The key is in the ignition so they turn as the towing vehicle turns.
Do you have the steering locked or unlocked? Do you feel any pulling when turning a corner, or the towed car has any trouble recovering to straight? I have a similar bar
from Princess Auto here in Canada. I tried towing my sebring with my Jeep compass with the wheel unlocked, and found it wanted to keep turning while I was straightening out after a turn. Some cars are not supposed to towed this way. Check with the dealership or manual. Also there is a RV website with a search function to find if your car can be towed, or if special requirments. My Sebring is not supposed to be towed. I think it's an issue with the tranny, but I wasn't going far, and figured if I keep the engine running it will let the fluids in the tranny and power steering flow. I ended up having my son in the Sebring to assist with the turn recovery.
The wheel is unlocked. I have used it 5 times in the last 2 years and have never once had an issue and each trip was at least 40 miles.
How fast can you drive with a tow bar. Can you take it to 60mph freeway speed if I tow a Honda sedan or Toyota sedan??
60 tops. And yes.
a question to tow the car do you have to put it in neutral or how do you move it?
Neutral with the keys in the ignition leaving the wheel unlocked.
Been having for awhile. Haven't used yet
👍
Is there anywhere to buy the tow bar mounts that bolt to the subframe like yours? I have a 1989 Toyota Supra. Thanks!
Google it. There are companies that make them. I don't know how specific it will be though.
Thank you buddy.... it really HELPS....
You're welcome
Nice video! I have a question though. If the tow bar isn't level, can that cause stability issues? I'm asking because I tried to pull my 04 Civic home from a friend's house with my 05 Civic and this kind of tow bar and the Civic I was pulling was pushing my car all over the road, it was difficult to keep it going straight above around 30 MPH. The odd thing is it felt perfectly fine when climbing hills, but unstable on flat roads or when going down hills. There was no way I would have been able to drive it 600 miles home that way, so I had to take it back to my friend's house. I'm thinking that the problem was the angle of my tow bar. I attached the tow bar to the crash support bar behind my 04's front bumper and the 05 I am pulling it with has been lowered about 1.5 inches, so the tow bar was pointed way down. I'm thinking that may have been the problem because I was pulling the car down instead of straight forwards and I'm thinking it was pushing down on my car because of the angle of the tow bar. Do you think the tow bar being about a foot lower on my tow car than on the one I was pulling could cause a stability issue? I'm thinking it could, but I'm not certain. Thank you very much in advance!
I don't think it's the issue. I used the bar on my dad's 2010 Toyota Tacoma pulling home a lowered hatchback and the bar wasn't straight one bit. I towed it about 175 miles home doing 60mph the entire way home and it felt perfectly fine. Your civic isn't meant for that kind of pulling though so the weight was probably forcing your car back and forth.
@@GarageBuiltHondas Thanks. That's weird because I pulled a 2500 pound U Haul trailer 500 miles no problem with this car though, so it's weird that it can pull that okay but not another car that weighs around the same amount.
@@GarageBuiltHondas The angle of the tow bar ended up being a big part of the problem. I got a taller ball mount so the tow bar was more flat and that improved the stability enough that I was able to get it home (through over 600 miles of big mountains) at around 50-55 MPH. I'm sure the rest of the wandering was because of the 04's worn out steering and tires. The 05 pulled it like a champ considering the very poor condition the 04 was in at the time. Thanks for your help!
Nice, glad to hear it worked out!
I have a push button, will the wheels turn if I put it in neutral?
I'm not sure how push button cars work. You may want to read inside your owners manual, it should have towing instructions in there.
Going to buy the set up you have, any tips or anything else i would need to buy, my civic still having issue and it stalled 20 min away from home, so rather buy kit vs getting a tow truck
+r0mulyni2 You need some sort of bracket setup to mount to your car and the safety chains. Other than that it's very easy to use.
Garage Built Hondas cool cool thank you brother