Flat towing

[brushhippie]

SO how bout backwards on a tow dolly? 5 speed...should be fine no?

[william]

Yes you'll be fine. But it may not pull the best will all the weight off the dolly also I would lock the wheel forward.
I would only do this if the rear was damaged and wouldn't roll.

[brushhippie]

The rear is damaged...rusted loose from the sub-frame....gonna be tricky to lash to the dolly I am thinking...would rather trailer it...BUT...one must adapt.

[scitzz]

Normally, when you flat tow, you tow from the front and unlock the steering wheel so they follow you. It wouldn't harm the trans to do that, but I wouldn't recommend it, seems like it would get pretty squirrely. Not sure about that though.

[brushhippie]

I actually did a similar trip towing a Samurai in the same fashion..it did have lock outs though......Sorry not trying to jack your thread.

[festyxfi]

I towed a festiva with another festiva from Maryland to Minnesota with one of those simple tow bars tied into the hooks below the bumper. I used the magnetic lights and went slow. Absolutely no trouble, but watch your turning…too fast and the rare end of the tow festiva will slide out.

[scitzz]

Yeah, sharp turns are not to be taken quickly. Only time I had trouble was when I took a hard right at too high a speed. Can do 85 on I85 though

[Hatch]

looks like the tie down points are actually kinda low and far back for mounting directly to - custom fabrication would be required to make that work. Looks like getting the bumper off would be a pain too, and there's foam in front of the steel so a bumper mounted bracket is out as well...

[Hatch]

Wonder if Uhaul or someone makes a tow bar setup that installs like a bullbar...?

...like this

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/which-vehicle-to-live-in/vandwelling-survivalist-towing-economy-car-behind-van-rv/

[rickbz28]

Roadmaster makes a bolt on bracket but they generally sell for about 325 and you still have to buy a tow bar.
http://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdfinst/404-1.pdf

[Hatch]

thanks for the link! That might be good enuff to go off of to make my own. Interesting that they use both the tie down plate bolts and the torsion bar bolts.

[Hatch]

found it

http://www.etrailer.com/Base-Plates/Ford/Festiva/1991/404-1.html?vehicleid=19911005643

[Hatch]

Found an even better one

https://www.etrailer.com/Base-Plates/Ford/Festiva/1991/BX2106.html?vehicleid=1991955860

Might even give the front end a little more rigidity...

[ericsmith32]

Good timing on this.. My dad decided upgraded one of his Festiva's to a Spark ie the extremely rusty one. He told me I could have it if I wanted it. Well I was going to buy a tow dolly but already have a tow bar so why not! Was just going to bolt it to the bumper support if it won't align with the tow hooks. Just going to cut the bumper cover and call it good. Sounds like you have a decent one.. this Festiva probably won't make it 5 years so not to worried.

[Hatch]

Word of caution on both models - you must have the matching tow bar that goes to the bracket. It's almost $600 no matter which way you go. Freakin rv industry knows how to nickle and dime retirees out of everything they can.