Jeep XJ Tow Bar

My truck is in the shop for it's 30K service and I will need to go
pick it up in a day or so... I don't like to impose on people to give
me a lift up there and I'm not really wanting to ride a bicycle along
the streets between here and there... I had been meaning to design a
tow bar for my XJ so that I could tow it behind my pickup when
necessary... Anyone know of any plans for homemade tow bars out
there... They don't look that difficult, but I thought I would ask
before I start experimenting...

You will need to verify what you have holding on the front bumper
because it isn't structural in a stock form. If you have the front tow
hook kit on it, then a beam has been added from the frame to the bumper
to make the bumper mount structural and to hold the tow hooks.

Other than that, they are pretty simple.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Grumman-581 wrote:
> My truck is in the shop for it's 30K service and I will need to go
> pick it up in a day or so... I don't like to impose on people to give
> me a lift up there and I'm not really wanting to ride a bicycle along
> the streets between here and there... I had been meaning to design a
> tow bar for my XJ so that I could tow it behind my pickup when
> necessary... Anyone know of any plans for homemade tow bars out
> there... They don't look that difficult, but I thought I would ask
> before I start experimenting...

On Tue, 15 May 2007 10:12:18 -0400, Mike Romain >
wrote:

> You will need to verify what you have holding on the front bumper
> because it isn't structural in a stock form. If you have the front tow
> hook kit on it, then a beam has been added from the frame to the bumper
> to make the bumper mount structural and to hold the tow hooks.
>
> Other than that, they are pretty simple.

I have a winch bumper on my XJ (Custom 4x4 Fabrication)... Similar to
this photo, but without the shackle mounts...

http://www.custom4x4fabrication.com/cherokeefront2.jpg

I'm thinking that I can weld up a pair of brackets for the front of
the XJ with a backing plate instead of washers on the inside of the
bumper so as to better distribute the load... A pair of half inch
diameter bolts per bracket... A hole drilled in the bracket tab for
installing a double nutted bolt to act as a pin between the bar
mechanism and the brackets... The bracket tab would be oriented
vertically so that the angle between the tow bar and the XJ can change
so that it won't put undue stress on the metal when I'm encountering
changing road angles like when driving from the street into an
inclined driveway...

Right now, I'm debating whether to make it a fixed A-frame design or
something without a cross piece so that it can be folded up for when
not in use... I have a Lincoln AC-225 "Tombstone" welder, so welding
thick metal will not be a problem...

You may see what others have made via Google:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...Images&gbv =2
You want it at least five feet long, to keep if from pushing you sideways
around turns, and a quick release to get out of the way for Jeepin'. I have
one bent from roll bar material, that acts like a brush guard, up:
http://www.billhughes.com/68jeep.jpg and:
http://www.billhughes.com/jeep68sand.jpg But have to bolt an extension on it
to tow anywhere safely: http://www.billhughes.com/pismo.jpg
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O



"Grumman-581" > wrote in message
...
> My truck is in the shop for it's 30K service and I will need to go
> pick it up in a day or so... I don't like to impose on people to give
> me a lift up there and I'm not really wanting to ride a bicycle along
> the streets between here and there... I had been meaning to design a
> tow bar for my XJ so that I could tow it behind my pickup when
> necessary... Anyone know of any plans for homemade tow bars out
> there... They don't look that difficult, but I thought I would ask
> before I start experimenting...



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Too bad you don't have the shackle mounts, they make a perfect spot to
hook up the tow bar.

Grumman-581 wrote:
> On Tue, 15 May 2007 10:12:18 -0400, Mike Romain >
> wrote:
>
>
>>You will need to verify what you have holding on the front bumper
>>because it isn't structural in a stock form. If you have the front tow
>>hook kit on it, then a beam has been added from the frame to the bumper
>>to make the bumper mount structural and to hold the tow hooks.
>>
>>Other than that, they are pretty simple.
>
>
> I have a winch bumper on my XJ (Custom 4x4 Fabrication)... Similar to
> this photo, but without the shackle mounts...
>
> http://www.custom4x4fabrication.com/cherokeefront2.jpg
>
> I'm thinking that I can weld up a pair of brackets for the front of
> the XJ with a backing plate instead of washers on the inside of the
> bumper so as to better distribute the load... A pair of half inch
> diameter bolts per bracket... A hole drilled in the bracket tab for
> installing a double nutted bolt to act as a pin between the bar
> mechanism and the brackets... The bracket tab would be oriented
> vertically so that the angle between the tow bar and the XJ can change
> so that it won't put undue stress on the metal when I'm encountering
> changing road angles like when driving from the street into an
> inclined driveway...
>
> Right now, I'm debating whether to make it a fixed A-frame design or
> something without a cross piece so that it can be folded up for when
> not in use... I have a Lincoln AC-225 "Tombstone" welder, so welding
> thick metal will not be a problem...

RoyJ wrote:
> Too bad you don't have the shackle mounts, they make a perfect spot to
> hook up the tow bar.

I looked underneath it this afternoon... Turns out that there are two
holes for tow hooks / shackle mounts / whatever... Looks like I won't
need to be drilling holes in the front of the bumper...

You may see what others have made via Google:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...Images&gbv =2
You want it at least five feet long, to keep if from pushing you sideways
around turns, and a quick release to get out of the way for Jeepin'. I have
one bent from roll bar material, that acts like a brush guard, up:
http://www.billhughes.com/68jeep.jpg and:
http://www.billhughes.com/jeep68sand.jpg But have to bolt an extension on it
to tow anywhere safely: http://www.billhughes.com/pismo.jpg
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/


"Grumman-581" > wrote in message
...
> My truck is in the shop for it's 30K service and I will need to go
> pick it up in a day or so... I don't like to impose on people to give
> me a lift up there and I'm not really wanting to ride a bicycle along
> the streets between here and there... I had been meaning to design a
> tow bar for my XJ so that I could tow it behind my pickup when
> necessary... Anyone know of any plans for homemade tow bars out
> there... They don't look that difficult, but I thought I would ask
> before I start experimenting...



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Wed, 16 May 2007 12:54:37 -0700, "L.W. \(Bill\) Hughes III"
> wrote:

> You may see what others have made via Google:
> http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...Images&gbv =2

Interesting that "tow bars" are something different over in the UK...

> You want it at least five feet long, to keep if from pushing you sideways
> around turns, and a quick release to get out of the way for Jeepin'. I have
> one bent from roll bar material, that acts like a brush guard

What wall thickness metal and diameter would you suggest? The 5000 lb
rated hitches have a 2.5" channel for bolting things to underneath
them...