Towing a 1971 - base plate

[Tarbs]

I would like to tow my 1971 Bronco behind my motorhome. I was not able to find a base plate online (BlueOx, Roadmaster, etc). Anyone have a lead on where I can find a base plate or suggestions on how to find brackets - and where to install them?

My Bronco has a 2.5 lift with stock flat bumper.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey Tarbs, welcome to classicbroncos.
You likely won't find them through the normal channels. Although, with the popularity growing for these as weekender rigs, you might see them soon. Or I suppose if we look in the right place at the right time, someone's got a set they're making.
I just don't know who that might be at this point.

Easy enough to come up with I would think though, at a local trailer hitch installation center with custom hitch capability. Then just fit the appropriate tow bar on to the brackets and you're good. Even the simple but robust Smittybilt tow-bar was a great setup for Broncos. Don't know if they still make them, but they never had brackets anyway. Just the bar in our case.

But something you should know about EB's too, if you don't already, is that they are not the friendliest of "towees" out there. Unless you come up with some slick trick, or a quick disconnect setup, you will need to disconnect the rear driveshaft for towing.
There was a great discussion here about a month ago though with several methods where members thought they could be flat towed with the shaft still connected. So check that out if you can. Sorry I don't have a link to the discussion.

The other issue is front alignment related. A would assume it's always the caster at fault, but not sure that's 100% of the story. A big part most likely though.
Is your Bronco stock height and small tires? Or is it lifted with larger tires? (sorry, I reread and saw the 2.5" comment) The latter is going to need more testing and trickery to make into a good towed vehicle. What size tires on there now?
It's all doable. Just some take more work to get there than others.

Good luck though! Hopefully others will have more helpful hints than I could come up with.

Paul

 

[LouisT]

I went down the very same road a couple of years ago. Back in the early 80's I had a '67 and we towed it 1000 miles every year for hunting purposes for about 3 or 4 years. Sold it and about 2 years ago found a stock '70 and the idea was to do what you're wanting to do. Got to reading about the issue of the transfer case being clocked up and when pulled in neutral the final drive bearing was not being lubricated. On my '67, I was just damn lucky I guess but the common knowledge was just throw into double neutral and off you went. The Jeep guys get away with it on the same Dana 20 case I think because the case is clocked down more than on Broncos and the gear oil can get to the output bearing. I wasn't about to crawl under and bolt/unbolt the drive shaft every time. So, I built a custom trailer but you could probably find a useable stock production utility/flatbed/lowboy that would work for less that a couple grand. Materials for me ran about $1500 but I did all the work. Then you'd have a utility trailer and a Bronco trailer all in one.

 

[Toddpole]

Google "driveshaft disconnect for towing". I know a man that used them for years towing a dinghy behind his motorhome. He was wealthy and could afford to do it anyway necessary. He chose the disconnect.

 

[Nothing Special]

You are always safe removing the rear driveshaft and unlocking the front hubs to flat tow. That's what I do for tows of any distance.

The option that people say they've used with success is to leave the driveshaft in, LOCK the front hubs, and put the transfer case in neutral. The front driveline spinning the front output in the t.case should splash-lube the t.case pretty much the same as the input shaft does in normal use, so this should work fine. Putting the t.case in neutral then protects the transmission.

As I said, that SHOULD work, and others have said that it works for them. I haven't tried it and will not accept any liability if you try it and fry your t.case.

As far as DirtDonk's comments on the steering, I fought with that in my lifted Bronco on 33s. When flat towing around a corner the steering would go to full opposite lock. Kind of brings the whole thing to a screeching halt, literally! My short term solution was to tie the steering wheel pointed straight ahead. That always dragged the tires sideways when turning, but at least they always rolled when going straight. Then eventually I put drop radius arm brackets on and corrected my caster. Now it works just like my Jeep used to. But again, there are subtleties involved and I don't guarantee it will always work for you.

 

[miikee73]

If your flat towing how are you adressing braking? I flat towed mine behind my motorhome without brakes on the Bronco and it wouldn't stop quick in an emergency. I trailer it now.

 

[Ol'Blue]

If you find a good tow bar the company will give you the bracket mounting locations/dimensions and you can have them fabricated. In California any towed vehicle over 1500 lbs requires its own braking. You may want to check your location. I use Roadmasters Brake Buddy and always disconnect the rear DS. As suggested do a search on flat towing on here and a lot will come up. Good luck.

 

[Nothing Special]

If your flat towing how are you adressing braking? I flat towed mine behind my motorhome without brakes on the Bronco and it wouldn't stop quick in an emergency. I trailer it now.

I bought an "I to P converter". It's a proportional solenoid air valve that gives more oressure when you give it more amperage (or voltage). The trailer brake controller in the truck provides the variable voltage.

I fabbed up a mounting point under the driver's seat and a plate to clamp to the brake pedal. An air cylinder goes between them.

A 12V air compressor and tank fill out the package, so when I hit the brakes in the truck the air cylinder pushes the brake pedal in the Bronco.

You can buy complete systems for this in the motorhome market. They call them "toad brakes" (for the vehicle being towed = toad). But I wasn't thrilled with any that I found, and my system gives me on-board air as well.

 

[rekoj71]

As far as a base plate for an old Bronco, they aren't really required. Baseplates are more for cars with airbags that have sensors in the bumper that could deploy the airbag. Our towbars can be bolted right to the bumper without much problem so you probably won't find a baseplate specifically for a Bronco, although a generic one could be used. I am just using the economy smittybuilt one mentioned in an earlier post. Came with brackets like most towbar do and the brackets are just bolted to the bumper mounting bolts.

My Bronco with a 3.5 lift and 33's tows fine and will caster ok, but does scuff the tires sideways a bit before they turn to follow the rv. I've had it to 75mph with no shaking.

I know you didn't ask about brakes but since others chimed in I'll throw mine in too. I use the Ready Brake from NSA Products. It's probably the cheapest brake system out there and it works fine. It was easy for me to install and a light on my dash tells me it's working. It's kind of a surge brake system and it's quick to hook up.

 

[bronco t]

For the above reasons I tow my EB on a 20ft flatbed trailer with four beefy ratchet straps on the corners. Unloading is a breeze, and beats attaching the DS in the rain, cold, or at night. The trailer has electric brakes and came in handy when my MH brakes failed coming back from Yellowstone. Long story, but I applied the trailer brakes to slow down until the MH brakes came back. I can only guess that the toad brakes would not have saved our bacon. The way I look at - the hitches, wiring, and toad brakes would cost as much as the trailer did new, and I have a trailer for others to use.

Pro - spouse has bought big trinkets and put them on the trailer. Hence, the giant carved redwood bear in our front yard from the redwoods.
Con - I have a giant redwood bear in my front yard, and the family and friends use my trailer and don't maintain it.

 

[Skiddy]

For the above reasons I tow my EB on a 20ft flatbed trailer with four beefy ratchet straps on the corners. Unloading is a breeze, and beats attaching the DS in the rain, cold, or at night. The trailer has electric brakes and came in handy when my MH brakes failed coming back from Yellowstone. Long story, but I applied the trailer brakes to slow down until the MH brakes came back. I can only guess that the toad brakes would not have saved our bacon. The way I look at - the hitches, wiring, and toad brakes would cost as much as the trailer did new, and I have a trailer for others to use.

Pro - spouse has bought big trinkets and put them on the trailer. Hence, the giant carved redwood bear in our front yard from the redwoods.
Con - I have a giant redwood bear in my front yard, and the family and friends use my trailer and don't maintain it.

lol, I like the trailer better as well and you can actually back it up.
for some reason every time someone wants to borrow my trailer, the tires are always flat;D

 

[ntsqd]

Short-Circuiting the Borrowed Trailer Syndrome

Take the coupler off the trailer and add a section of 2" Receiver tube to the tongue. Attach the coupler to a piece of 2" tube. Then Install a 7 pin light receptacle on the tongue. Make up a jumper to go from that receptacle to the tow rig. Add a locking box to the tongue of the trailer that is big enough to store these items. When the trailer is not in use put the coupler and the jumper(s) in the box and lock it. MISF & I built a utility trailer with these features. If you know the combo to the lock box then you can borrow the trailer. If your tow rig has a different light receptacle than any of the existing jumpers then the cost of borrowing the trailer is to build a suitable jumper. Any abuse and the combo gets changed.

 

[half cab]

lol, I like the trailer better as well and you can actually back it up.
for some reason every time someone wants to borrow my trailer, the tires are always flat;D

I use that trick alot too on a trailered smoker I had once I couldn't keep air in the tires