Tow Bar Invaluable For Four Wheeling

We were on a trail called Jackpot, on the outskirts of Death Valley. A friend of mine was behind me in a used Grand Cherokee he had purchased recently. About halfway up the trail his entire steering mechanism suddenly fell apart.

The steering box came right off the side of the frame. The power steering lines were snapped as well. It was a real mess.

My buddy was unable to steer the vehicle. And with the steering totally destroyed, there was no point in attaching a tow strap. The Jeep wouldn’t – couldn’t – steer.

The solution? Towing. I brought along a tow bar, which is pretty typical for me. Within minutes I had it attached to the other vehicle, and started towing him back to camp. We were unable to fix his vehicle, so the next day another driver towed the vehicle and its owner home.

This incident went from a complete disaster to something manageable.

Flat towing is very common

Flat towing involves towing a vehicle with all its wheels on the ground. The process is more common than you think.

For example, owners of motor homes often tow a small car behind. Once in the RV park, they drive that car, referred to as a dinghy, locally. Sometimes that “dingy” is actually a Jeep.

I sometimes flat tow another Jeep to my classes or excursions. I loan that to a client who doesn’t have a vehicle.

I’ve discovered that towing comes in handy when a vehicle needs repair or maintenance. I drop off the vehicle that needs maintenance, and drive the other one home.

Make sure you’re familiar with your state’s regulations regarding towing. A quick internet search or phone call should tell you what you need to know.

A-frame tow bar is ideal

Which brings us to the tow bars themselves. Tow bars come in two styles: straight bar and the A-frame. I prefer the A-frame.

It’s lightweight yet sturdy and inexpensive. The bar features a trailer hitch on one end, and the proper mechanisms on the other ends to attach to the bumper on the recovery vehicle. (Some drilling is needed.)

Mine is a mere 34” long (from the trailer ball to the bumper) when fully deployed. When not in use, the A-frame of the tow bar collapses to two long bars, and I store it in the back of my vehicle. When I was a kid, everyone drove around with an A-frame tow bar attached to the front of their bumper.

It’s important to buy a bar suited to your vehicle. Harbor Freight offers a Haul Master tow bar rated at 5,000 pounds for about $85.00.

Prepare the vehicle for flat towing

It’s important that you know how to flat tow with your vehicle. Consult the owner’s manual for your vehicle.

Attach the tow bar to the recovery vehicle. Once it’s hooked up, put the automatic transmission in neutral and shift the transfer case to neutral. This allows all four wheels to rotate freely.

Shift the transmission to reverse and see if the vehicle moves. Use reverse to ensure that no helper between the vehicles is injured and confirms the transfer case is in neutral. You can’t tow a vehicle unless the transfer case is in neutral.

Then shut the off the engine, and move the transmission in park. This prevents the transmission from turning backwards, which could burn it out. At this stage, the steering wheel is unlocked. An added benefit is that the odometer won’t advance while the vehicle is being towed.

Because the tow bar is attached to the other vehicle’s bumper, that vehicle will follow along nicely; it has no choice. The front wheels will straighten out. The vehicle will turn the corner right behind you as well.

Use flat towing for breakdowns off-road

The tow bar is most commonly used during breakdowns. Often, we have the ability to repair on the trail. If not, the tow bar provides several options.

We can tow that vehicle out to the street or highway, and call for roadside service. (This is where AAA’s 200-mile service comes in handy.)

We can tow the vehicle back to camp where we have time to work on it.

Or just tow it home to our regular repair guy. That was the case with breakdown discussed above.

Modified Tow Bar

I have a tow bar modified to attach to recovery eyes. It required turning the attachment end to go outside the eye instead of inside a bracket. In addition, a buddy machined a few different sized inserts to bring the eye down to 1/2 inch for a bolt.

Here is a comercialy designed modification to use the recovery eyes from LOD OffRoad.

https://lodoffroad.com/products/roadmaster-tow-bar-adaptor-kit/JTB0730

Wireless trailer lights are the way to go

Remember that you’ll need to attach trailer lights. I recently discovered magnetic tail lights. Each has a magnetic base, which allows you to place them where needed.

The set includes a transmitter that plugs into either the 9 pin or the flat 4 pin, depending on what kind of trailer lights connections you have on your vehicle. Because the system operates on RF, you don’t have to run wires from your vehicle to the lights. It’s a really cool system.

Due to the difficulty of trails and the constant abuse that vehicles endure, breakdowns occur pretty regularly. Some issues can be fixed while off-road. But when a tow is necessary, a tow bar can be a game changer. The A-frame tow bar is the perfect solution in those situations. I suggest purchasing one and packing it for every four-wheeling excursion.

Whether towing to the campsite or to the highway – even all the way home – it’s crucial to have that capability.

# # #

Did you miss the previous articles?

2025

2025-07-18 Valuable Hacks for Tent Camping
2025-06-10 8 Valuable Hacks For Four-Wheeling And Camping
2025-05-26 10 Concepts For Responsible Four-Wheeling
2025-04-15 Trail Leader Safety
2025-03-22 Wheel Cheat: What It Is and How to Avoid It
2025-02-09 How to Quickly Escape a Natural Disaster
2025-01-14 Be A Hit At Camp With A Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie

Some Upcoming Events (click on the link for details)

The 2025 schedule of clinics and adventures trips has been posted on the web site.

73 KI6FHA
I hope to see you on the trails!
Tom Severin, President Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc.
4-Wheel Drive School
310-613-5473
www.4x4training.com
Make it Fun. Keep it Safe.

If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. You can forward them the email. If you received a forwarded copy of this newsletter and would like to subscribe for yourself, go to: www.4x4training.com/w/contact-us.html and follow the instructions to join our mail list.

Want to Use This Article in Your Magazine, E-Zine, Club Newsletter or Web Site? You are welcome to use it anytime, just be sure to include the following author/copyright information: Tom Severin, 4×4 Coach, teaches 4WD owners how to confidently and safely use their vehicles to the fullest extent in difficult terrain and adverse driving conditions. Visit www.4x4training.com to develop or improve your driving skill.

Tow Bar Invaluable For Four Wheeling

August 2025

September 2025

October 2025

November 2025

Related posts:

Valuable Hacks for Tent Camping

8 Valuable Hacks For Four-Wheeling And Camping

10 Concepts For Responsible Four-Wheeling

Trail Leader Safety

Wheel Cheat: What It Is and How to Avoid It

How to Quickly Escape a Natural Disaster

Like this:

Shopping Cart

Article Categories

Tow Bar Invaluable For Four Wheeling

August 2025

September 2025

October 2025

November 2025

Related posts:

Valuable Hacks for Tent Camping

8 Valuable Hacks For Four-Wheeling And Camping

10 Concepts For Responsible Four-Wheeling

Trail Leader Safety

Wheel Cheat: What It Is and How to Avoid It

How to Quickly Escape a Natural Disaster

Share this:

Like this:

Shopping Cart

Article Categories