Third Major Blue Ox Casualty

Daveinet wrote:
I can not for the life of me understand how any sane person can blame the automotive manufacturer. GM does not design tow bars, neither does Ford or Chrysler. No automotive manufacturer designs or specifies specific tow points. (Chrysler actually specifies a do not use point) Cars are design to drive down the road. They are designed to absorb energy in a crash. They are designed to be lightweight for mileage. The baseplate manufacturer is 100% responsible for choosing adequate attachment points. No one else makes that choice. If a baseplate manufacturer can not determine the capability of the steel at the attachment point, they should not be in business.

Yes...that's true. But all manufacturers are susceptible to using inferior steel/materials in their products.

A few years ago, Toyota quietly ran around buying back a certain range of Tacoma pickups, because the frames were rusting out from underneath the truck. Don't think they ever did a recall, but a friend of mine with the problem was offered an unbelievable deal on a new Tacoma, taking his truck in trade. Essentially Toyota gave him about $20k for a truck that was worth $5k.

So that happens. And if there's a weak point in the steel that rolls out of the plant, then all kinds of things can happen.

It still seems to me, as I posted a long time ago on this thread, that there had to have been an unusual amount of force being applied to the base plate above and beyond normal towing, in order to rip the frame apart on a Jeep. The force exerted on the frame while towing should be in a forward direction, not side to side, even when the rig is turning, if the slides of the tow bar are functioning properly.

Jim