Towing in the pits

[Guido]

Just wondering if anyone uses a push bar with a golf cart instead of towing back with a strap? We have had a couple incadents with a strap and was thinking about making a push bar instead.

[racerken]

Never had an issue towing.  We use a strap to tow back to the pits after a run.  However, we do use a push bar and golf cart to push to the staging lanes. Just because that is the way they did it back then.

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

Lots of fast "Shootout" door cars around here use a bar about six feet long from the rear of race car to front of tow vehicle, be it golf cart, ATV, etc. I don't know if by "pushbar" you mean that or the rear bumper type found on old drag cars, when one used to be mandated.
One suggestion - if you do push, make sure there is still a towing socket device on the front of the car. That way if you have some sort of on-track incident the car can be towed off the track quickly by track personnel. Sometimes track workers are more concerned with keeping a green track than not doing damage to your disabled race car.

[tony1966]

I started with a strap but made a push bar that pins to the car and my atv on the other end. I like it alot. I can control the atv driver with the brake if needed and no more dragging strap or jerky starts. Don’t count on backing up around corners though.

Tony

[noslin]

great question, im debating both myself.  as mentioned the fast door car crowd likes the push bar setup.  i like the idea of smooth starts versus getting jerked etc. also, you dont have those blind people in staging lanes trippin over the tow strap.

[GlennLever]

I use a strap, for the soft start up. No jerks.

[Guido]

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking of like a 6' bar between the digger and cart, I just wasn't sure how good it works or if there becomes any binding issues where it hooks to the dragster or if there would be to much movement with heim joints on both ends that could cause problems

[noslin]

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking of like a 6' bar between the digger and cart, I just wasn't sure how good it works or if there becomes any binding issues where it hooks to the dragster or if there would be to much movement with heim joints on both ends that could cause problems

From what I have seen the his are 90 def from each other.  One goes vertical and the other horizontal.  So on the digger it would be horizontal. I'm gonna see where I can do this on mine. 

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

I use a strap, for the soft start up. No jerks.

Except one time my wife was towing me back and got delayed by the e.t. shack. She forgot the fact that she was towing me and took off in the tow vehicle (Econoline van) so quickly that the tow strap (7000# test strength) stretched out so much it snapped off at the hitch. It came back at me with the speed of a rifle shot, glanced off the front wing and put a huge dent in the fuel tank that is still there today. Good that it didn't hit my face shield or I may be blind today.

[gregm784]

While i like the push bar idea, with my digger, and a pushbar, the tow veh will be 25 feet behind the front tires.  When you tow out of rows, you won't know whats coming until 15 feet of car is out in the road.  Not something i want to experience. i'll stick with a strap.  We have 1 person that tows, and that person is trailed so we don't get jerky starts

[wideopen231]

I am looking for away to tow to line,leave tow vehicle)probably 4 wheeler) and retrieve after run since I am gearing towards one man crew,figuring the case most of the time. Looking at using pull bar with a quick pin to front spindles so car turns when I turn. Anyone have any such thing PM please.

[JrFuel Hayden]

We have had a couple of issues in the 15 years we have been racing JF with tow straps, but only two, and that was the dragster driver was not paying attention.  It helps when we have crew members on the tailgate of the tow truck to watch the strap.
Back in 1969 I used a tow bar that attacked to the front axle , lifting up the front end and a trailer hitch coupler on the other end and just towed it back, even at the US Nationals when we won the event. We also just had 1 or 2 crew. Wide-open you might want to build such a tow bar, you don't even need a driver in the race car with the tow bar. Just have to design the bar to work around a nose piece. You could tow to the staging lanes, take the bar off , leave it on the tow truck, race and come back to pick it up, alto if you have just one crew guy, he can drive to pick you up at the turn off.
Here is a photo of the dolly we use now for  just moving the race car around in the pits and by lifting the front end up we can load the car into the trailer and then lower the car down onto the chasis support in the trailer.

Cheers, Jon

[noslin]

 we can load the car into the trailer and then lower the car down onto the chasis support in the trailer.

Cheers, Jon

Jon,
for chassis support, do you use a bladder or something else?

ty
dean

[JrFuel Hayden]

Just wood located on the rear motor plate, and double tie-downs on the slicks, since 1997. No chassis damage.
Another JrFueler had his bladder blow out and it broke his lower frame rails, towing home.

[Tance]

I had the same problem as Frenchtown Flyer (tow vehicle driver with no experience) so I rigged a push bar for my alcohol altered.  Got a 6 foot pipe from plumbing supply, two "top link" ends from Tractor Supply and welded them into the pipe.  On the front of my 4-wheeler I have a standard receiver so I used a 2" trailer hitch and welded a pin on it (Tractor Supply), the push bar drops down over that pin.  On the altered I have a plate on my wheelie bar with a hole in it, the other end of the push bar pins through that.  The top link ends have moving knuckles that flex/rotate in all directions so I can literally push the altered up into my trailer without binding.  It eliminates the bad tow vehicle driver, all they have to do is drive the 4-wheeler and watch in front of them.  Works great.  Just make it beefy because of all the weight and angles.  I think Summit sells push bar kits but they're more expensive, I built mine for about $50.