Tow Bar Brackets

[mhbell]

Posted June 28, 2008 02:30 PM
I am looking for Base plate brackets to tow my 2003 Ford Ranger Edge 2WD Pickup behind my class A motor home. I have a Roadmaster Sterling Towbar and have found roadmaster brackets for my vehicle. But with a warning.

Vehicle Specific:2 & 4 Wheel Drive. No Skidplate, No tremor. Must have tow hooks.
Product No: T477-1

My Ranger does not have a Skidplate so am OK there. I don't know what Tremor means and I have no Tow Hooks. Has anyone put brackets on a vehicle such as this without having to do extensive modification. Will the above roadmaster base plate brackets fit? Is there another brand that would work? Any help would be appreciated.
Mel

 

[Will]

Never tried it. I made hookups for my generic towbar on my older truck--but it's nothing like yours in the front.

I would compare the instructions for the kit (this is the link on their site). Maybe the hooks are only used to connect the saftey cabes too. Or maybe the hooks were a required option because the valvnce is different for them and you wouldn't have to cut yours.

The dealer can get the tow hooks--about $25 each. They might require trimming of something to get them onto a 2wd. A Tremor was a Ranger addition with some audio gear from the factory. It must have had a front valence that would interfere with the tow bar.

You need to have a plan for disconnecting the driveline from the rear axle. Unless you have a manual-shift 4x4 t-case in there, you cannot turn either a manual or automatic transmission from the tailshaft except for slow speed, limited distance emergencies. There is no lubrication to the tranny unless the input shaft is turning.

 

[AllanD]

I believe the roadmaster Tow bar baseplate for the towed behicle
mounts between the frame and the tow hooks.

a Tremor was the truck with the absolutely top sound system
but I don't lnow how or why that would affect a tow bar baseplate.

I have a roadmaster base plate on my '87 supercab, but that has
a different frame from your truck...

AD

 

[lakotamama]

I have a question, I recently acquired an RV, 27 Ft. Class C Motorhome, and I also have an 89 Ford Ranger (extended cab, manual transmission). Do I need a base plate mounted to tow this, or will it be ok with a tow bar as is? I have been told both by 2 different mechanics, I want to know if anyone actually tows their manual ranger with just a tow bar?
thanks

 

[AllanD]

It would be far preferable for you to have a towbar baseplate and an RV style towbar
than a "generic" (U-haul type) strap-on (or chain on) towbar.

a purpose made RV-style towbar is MUCH more securely fastened and once attached
doesn't really need to be checked every 50 miles to make sure it isn't falling off

The roadmaster towbar baseplate on my truck is bolted to the lower lip of
the frame rail like a receiver hitch and the towbar is normally attached by
two 1/2" diameter pins (or bolts)

I also trimmed the bottom of my steel push bar to facilitate welding
it to the baseplate so that effectively the baseplate is held to the
truck with TEN 1/2" fine-thread bolts instead of the six 1/2" coarse
thread bolts that Roadmaster intended.

I also replaced the bolts that hold the shackel blocks (for want of a better description)
with 5/8" fine thread bolts (Road master supplied 1/2" diameter bolts)

there is enough "meat" on those blocks where the towbar attaches that I feel confident in slightly enlarging the holes to accept a 5/8" bolt (actually a receiver pin)

On the factory ends of the roadmaster towbar I'm not sure I'd try this,
but I fabricated my own towbar out of a 2-5/16" "A-frame" Hitch coupler
and 2" 3/8" wall square tubing.
Yes, this tubing is Grotesquely Rediculous overkill, if I had BOUGHT tubing
for making my towbar I'd have bought thinner, lighter tubing, but I used
tubing I already had.

The 3/8" Series-80 alloy chain I used as safety chains were similarly
"rediculously grotesque overkill"

"rediculously grotesque overkill" is very comforting on a desert washboard
road 2000miles from home when towing a 4x4 truck that you essentially
spent a year building it from parts.... and is your ONLY way home...




AD

 

[Will]

I bought a generic Wal-Mart towbar to haul my B2 home with back in about 2003. It needs holes drilled on a 24" center on a bumper. Guess what? Your year of RBV has bumper bolts already there. When I picked up my '89 B2 (I had already confirmed the fit on my '91 Ranger which I used to tow it with) I just took out the two bolts and bolted the towbar to it. The tag is damaged, but I think my towbar is Reese 74942 part number. It uses just one bolt per side. If you can find one, you're in luck.