Adding Tow Bar Baseplates

I have one of those super-cheap generic brand tow bars from amazon.com. Initially I attached the brackets to the steel bumper but that only lasted around 190 miles before the bumper was pretty bent out of shape and one of the brackets basically ripped out (although that bracket was at a disadvantage from the start because just before the tow I hit the bracket with another vehicle so it was at a slightly bent angle).

I'm getting ready to do another tow. This one will be much shorter but I'd still like to fasten the brackets very securely. This tow bar doesn't have a corresponding baseplate kit, so my options are to fabricate one, find a secure place on the truck where I can fasten the brackets (might remove the grill, bumper and/or fascia just for the tow), or reinforce the bumper and bumper brackets.

Has anyone added a tow bar to their b-series and could share a tested solution? I have several ideas but it's hard to know what will hold up on the interstate. I found a post on an RV forum from someone who said they built their own baseplate out of 3/16" angle steel. That doesn't sound strong enough but I guess it really depends on how it's built and what's being towed.

From looking at my original bumper it appears there are multiple problems. The steel of the bumper is too thin so the bracket hardware was able to pull thru after a while. I can solve that just by adding bearing plates inside the bumper I think. However the fasteners that hold the bumper to the supports attached to the frame are in bad shape. Some are missing and most of the others are loose. I suspect it was the towing that did that, so to make the tow bar brackets work on the bumper I'd also have to strengthen the connection between the bumper and bumper supports. I haven't thought of a good way to do that yet.

I did find an old post by gilligansdingy that included this photo:


That was an emergency setup after the brackets ripped off the steel bumper. It's hard to see the bracket connections in the photo but his post stated that they just punched holes in the core support and attached the brackets there. I have no idea if that's a good idea or not. He was buying this truck as a donor truck for a rebuild, so it may be that those connections aren't good for very many miles.

Please advise what you think the best approach would be. I'll test it for you

I built one myself, used 2x2 angle iron. What i did was unbolt my bumper from the frame horns, then built 2 brackets that mounted to the bumper frame horns, using the bumper bolts, and had the quick disconnect plates that came with with my tow bar bolted to the mounts i made. I'll see if i can find a picture

I'm still looking for better/close up pictures

I really like the idea of using those frame horns to fasten the brackets to. I am a little concerned about the welds coming apart but I guess they didn't come apart previously when the brackets were on the bumper. How many miles have you put on yours and would you trust them on the highway?

I was also thinking the easiest thing to do might be to add a crosspiece between the frame horns but behind the bumper and then fasten my brackets thru the bumper to that crosspiece, that way I can just leave them installed. I was considering 3/16" angle iron, probably 2x2" like you used. it might also work to insert a pipe in the holes of the frame horns so that it goes thru both and add clamps to hold it in place. That might be easier but I'm not sure how the strength of a pipe compares to 2x2 angle steel. Especially because the pipe would probably be limited to 1" diameter. I suppose it could be thick walled pipe and even filled with a smaller pipe or concrete tho.

I looked at a lot of manufacturer's baseplates to see where they were connecting to the truck and they all used the bolt holes from the tow eyes under the truck, as well as the forward facing bolt that holds the frame horn to the frame. I think they had to do that because their customers don't want to have to swap the baseplate and bumper when they switch between towing and driving, but since I only do this once a year or so and I am willing to switch them I think I could get away with just using angle iron bolted to the frame at both of the frame horn bolt holes. This would essentially be just like your setup except my custom bracket goes on the frame instead of the horns.

What do you think? just trying to figure out the easiest way altho if I can make them permanently installed without too much effort I probably will.

thanks for your ideas and for looking for those pics.

i towed with them halfway cross country with the towed truck fully loaded for my move, plus had my ferret riding shotgun in the towed truck. I've used it a couple time since the move and trust them for use at any time. I basically built mine to mimic the factory bumper brackets, in that they used the top slip bolt like the bumper does, then had a small bracket welded and reinforced that had a hole in it that allowed for the front bolts to go thru like the stock bumper brackets. In reality it only takes about 6 minutes to pull the bumper on the 86-93 trucks, and i didn't need mine to be permanently mounted, i wanted the ability to be able to use it on any Mazda truck, not just the one i initially intended to tow. And i used 3/16 2x2 angle iron.

I found one of the ones i built, here are a couple shots for you. The other one is identical, but mirrored, which had to be done for them to slide on the frame horns without interfering with the core support.

very nicely done. I decided to just go the overkill route for mine and got some 1/4x2x2" angle steel and a piece of 3/8x2" bar. I did some of the cutting but unfortunately as I was setting up my new drill press so I could use it to drill the holes I found that the chuck is defective and I need to track down a new one (harbor freight garbage and I bought it too long ago to return or exchange). I know from past mistakes that I simply can't drill straight holes by hand so this project is on hold and I'm swamped with other tasks right now.

I will get back to it eventually and be sure to post pics. The main difference between my concept and what you built is that mine is assembled with bolts so it can be built with just a saw and drill

I use regularly a Harbor Freight benchtop drill press that I bought about 15 years ago for $50. It has a 1/2 inch keyed chuck, has been fine. The only issue is that it's a very weird/obsolete Jacobs chuck key size, and no longer available (apparently anywhere).