Third Major Blue Ox Casualty

Lobstah wrote:

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

This is exactly the truth. Steel supplier tolerances and hardness specifications would shock you if you new anything about automotive components. Example, we are talking about a auto in one case here where the frame tore.Now the manufacture knows this vehicle in a lot of cases will be towed ( let's call it a Jeep). As a matter of fact many set up the power-train to allow for TOAD situations. They even specify the procedure in the owners manual on how to properly do it. Yet according to some here any repercussion to the frame due to a towing failure shouldn't apply to them. The easiest answer is it's a improperly installed or bad design from the base plate mfg.

As the previous poster mentioned you can probably find base plates for autos that shouldn't be towed. That is a huge problem. A lot of people don't give a second thought about setting up their TOAD to tow 4 down. They get tow bars and a base plate and that is the last thought in their mind, nothing else is considered after that point. 99% of people wouldn't know if it was installed correctly if their life depended on it.

Why do you think the auto manufactures don't offer a integrated front tow bar & base plate option designed into the manufacturing process for those of us who tow four down?
LIABILITY & cost. There are situations associated with this beyond their control and the cost involved with reinforcing the mounting areas. This would add additional costs to vehicles were most car buyers wouldn't need it. Not to mention it probably changes the crash characteristics designed into the vehicle.

Honestly, if you that concerned about towing 4 down you need to consider other options. Like a tow dolly or flat bed trailer or covered trailer.