Fourtrak rear towing eye (lack of)

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My 94 4Trak TDS has two eyes at the front & nowt at the rear! -- Sure there are two holes on the support rails for the towing bracket but you cant attach a rigid towing bar to them as the surround is too thick.

Found out this to my cost when I went to the rescue of a dead car. the only way I could tow it home was to attach a rigid bar to the front of the 4 Trak & reverse!! - Or use a rope. no thxs.

Not seen another 4Trak to check so does anyone have a towing eye at the back of theirs,or is mine normal? - I thought eyes were a legal requirement anyway??

As I am assuming your truck

As I am assuming your truck doesn't have a tow bar? There is usually a larg loop of steel sticking out the middle of the rear bumper, above where the tow bar would go. If you had this you would know. As for underneeth, nothing springs to mind.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Thxs guys. It does have a

Thxs guys. It does have a tow bar (I've never seen a fourtrak without one!).

Assasin, I'm learning everyday as I did think towing eyes were a requirement to assist recovery crews...cars down embankments etc.

Happy New Year guys

Eyes Down

The reason they were fitted was to stop damage to vehicles transported by ship, in rough or open seas, vehicles bounce considerably on their suspension, particularly 4x4's. The result of this continual bouncing would be contact with other vehicles, as they are packed in like sardines, and the bouncing effect of many vehicles could make a ship unstable in heavy seas. The lashing systems are to compress the suspension while travelling, thus minimising suspension bounce, it is in fact a legal requirement on many car transportation ships.

Eyes Down

Most vehicles are fitted with what are assumed to be towing eyes, these are not actually towing eyes, but lashing points for then they are lashed down on ships. These eyes on most vehicles are not strong enough for towing, and are not legally required to be fitted to any vehicle, they are merely for convenience of ships crews loading and securing vehicles.

It is possible for some vehicles to be fitted with these eyes, as some models often were, but not all were. It is possible to manufacture your own and fit them to the tow bar mounting points.

towbar

Why didnt you just rope it round the neck of the tow ball? (i know what ya gonna say illegal or unsafe unless you have a rigid tow bar with the adaptor for a tow ball) anyway if i was you id go and buy one that is a multiple jaw and tow ball - best of both worlds then.

Full of ideas but no time to do them!!

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