Towing the Truck by the Front Receiver

[TBora]

I have a Draw-Tite 9000# front end receiver on my truck. Any idea whether I can use it to tow my truck behind my motor home just using a 2 inch square tube "tow bar"?



1. Will the truck track correctly without the typical A-frame tow bar?



2. Any ideas on how to make a strong enough 2X2 tube to handle to side loads.



3. Can the trucks' receiver handle the side loads all concentrated at the receiver tube attach point



I think I would use a pintle ring on the motor home end of the tube.



What do you guys think?

 

[Darrenf]

As I recall, a friend of mine towed his Forerunner like that ... I don't think he liked it. Thinking about the amount of slop that exists in the reciever and ball mount and multiply that by 2 (motorhome end and truck end), Then add the 3 or four foot bar between and it feels like that would equate into a lot of wigglin around back there. I think I'd go with a standard tow bar.

 

[TBora]

I was thinking of NOT using a ball on the truck end... . rather just inserting the tubing right into the female receiver. the only ball (or U-joint like on Aladdin tow bars) would be on the motorhome side.



Also, I don't plan on towing truck that much... just maybe a once a year, 400 mile trip.



Thanks for your reply.

 

[rweis]

I have been towing for over 40 years and do not remember seeing a "square tube receiver / square tube / square tube receiver" combination. Maybe I have your idea wrong, but if I have it right, I sure do not remember ever seeing it.



What would happen at at speed bump? Rear end of the tow vehicle starts verticle up, 2" square bar is going to want to lift the entire truck up (ie no flex).



I'm a little leary on this one.



Bob Weis

 

[JFlagg]

I think he means to insert a bar in the front reciever of the towed vehicle, and on the other end of the bar have a loop for a pintle mount, or ball coupler. I would think it might work better with some sort of hinge/joint right at the receiver on the tow vehicle. Would make it impossible to back-up, but I don't think you would be backing it up much with a regular towbar either.

 

[klenger]

I would think that the lateral loads applied to the hitch when turning would tend to tear the receiver off the truck. A proper tow bar is attached at least 3 feet appart at the ends, creating much less lateral loading on the attach points.

 

[DBentley]

buy a factory setup. If you make your own and it fails the insurance co. will shaft you big time. And if the truck breaks off and kills someone its all on you for making it yourself.

Too much risk in my opionion.