Harbor Freight tow bar attachment

[Ombibulous]

Hello. I don't have a Festiva, but I'm looking for one. Rust-free (or nearly rust-free) examples are hard to come by here in Ohio, so I'm expanding my search. This will likely require that I fetch a Festy (ha!) solo and tow it home behind my Chevy Astro van. I'm looking at the Harbor Freight tow bar (http://goo.gl/FEt4cX), which can be had for about $60 on sale with 20% off coupon.

I'm wondering how difficult it would be to hook the tow bar up to a Festiva. If the front bumper cover were removed, would it be a simple matter of drilling mating holes in the sub-bumper and using double-nutted grade 8 bolts? Also, can the bumper covered be easily removed with basic tools?

Thanks. Hoping to "join the club" before too much longer.

[Hot_Wheels]

WWhere are you located? I might know of a rust free roller.

[zoom zoom]

Yes yes yes and yes! Do it!!

Sounds like you have it all planned out, Karl safety guy and I flat towed an aspire just like you describe just be sure to get long enough bolts and thick fender wooshers!


What part of ohio are you from? I've bought "rust free" festies and aspires from every corner of the state and highly recommend you look elsewhere lol, because they weren't. Aren't. Yea..

[rickbz28]

Why not just rent a tow dolly one-way froim U-Haul ?Just a suggestion as I have gone that route many times myself.

[sketchman]

I have flat towed before too. As the last guy mentioned, I like the idea of a dolly now that I've flat towed a few times. Especially if your tow vehicle is higher than the Festiva/Aspire. I destroyed a tow bar once that way. Ford Ranger was too high and the angle was insane, so every time the Ranger braked the Aspire dug the tow bar into the asphalt. Not fun.

Just somethings to think about.

[Ombibulous]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Northeast Ohio, in the snow belt east of Cleveland. (Ha ha. For those of you who know what this means, don't laugh. It's not funny. Arrrg.) I'm going to get an adjustable height drawbar so the tow bar will hook up level.

I like this route instead of the dolly. My schedule is tight, so I don't want to have to sweat the logistics of picking up a dolly and whatnot. I'll be able to jump in the van and go fetch.

Zoom Zoom, did you use the HF bar or something similar? How did you hook up? Any special tools or difficulties in removing the front bumper cover? For washers I'll probably fab up some in a couple sizes out of 1/8" steel.

[Ombibulous]

WWhere are you located? I might know of a rust free roller.

I'm in the Cleveland area. By roller, do you mean sans motive power?

[Ombibulous]

I ought to be more specific about the bumper. When removing the cover, are there any special tools or techniques recommended to avoid damaging the cover or some hard to replace clips or fasteners? Is it easy to damage something that would be regretted later?

Or is there a way to hook up the tow bar w/o removing the bumper cover at all?

[Pu241]

You don't need to remove the bumper or cover at all if you use the front tow points on the festiva to attach the tow bar.
Where in Cleveland, I'm in Avon Lake, OH.
Please at least add Cleveland to your profile.
"Location: United States" does exactly invite people to assist you!

[Ombibulous]

Fixed the location. I'm actually out in Lake County, right next to Chardon, where all the snow falls.

Regarding your sig...I always thought "The Prince of Darkness" referred to Joseph Lucas, founder of Lucas Electrics. :-)

[Movin]

In the picture of that tow bar do you see the long bolt closest to the u bolt? Remove that bolt and discard for now the flange attachment they provide. It helps to get two grade 8 bolts a little longer. This bolt will then go through the same long hole in the tow bar and also through the two tie down tabs behind your front bumper and they are low enough you do not have to remove the plastic skin. Just bolt and go. Also get the magnetic tow truck style lights to stick on your new car for the trip home.

Depending on the year there are various styles of festiva front tie down tabs. Various sized washers are needed to put on the bolt to space the bar a little and to accommodate the hole in the tab. As mentioned fender washers are big enough to sandwich a spacer washer in the hole. I keep a coffee can of washers bolts and nuts just for this. Never had one come loose or even loosen. I tow all kinds of trailers with my festivas and towing another festiva with a festiva over the mountains here is no problem.

I didn't have a trailer in tow..

[Pu241]

Regarding your sig...I always thought "The Prince of Darkness" referred to Joseph Lucas, founder of Lucas Electrics. :-)

It might at that! LOL

[Pu241]

Fixed the location. I'm actually out in Lake County, right next to Chardon, where all the snow falls.

You are in luck, we have an Admin out in Thompson, not too far from you!

[zoom zoom]

Hf toe bar. I fabd some 1/8" metal washer plates beforehand too I want to say 6" bolts?

I didn't trust the tow hooks they set too low for most tow vehicles and the installation of the tow bar to them was iffy at best when I was trying to think on the fly. That was my first thought but when I got there I changed my mind and took off the cover and drilled the bumper.

[runner406]

Anyone got pics where to put the toe bar on the front of the festiva ? picture exsample ? I wanna do the same thing to one of mine but use it as a mini camper trailer

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