Tow Vehicle time
Posted by Rallyho
krisdahl Kris Dahl Professional Moderator Location: Issaquah, WA Join Date: 02/13/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 282 Rally Car: Integra, Civic |
Here are my thoughts:
We have towed with a 2002 F150 all over. We've had transmission issues, and even with trailer brakes towing can be tough on the truck's brakes. I'd consider a half-ton like this to be the smallest one can safely tow a rally car and spares with. I've towed with smaller rigs, and it is just not safe, even with a load-equalizing hitch. Bought a house and am looking for a truck of my own that will be good for home improvement stuff, hauling race cars, hunting, etc. I'm mostly looking at Ford Super Duty trucks, F250, F350, F450, etc. You can get a early 2000s Super Duty work truck with around 100-200k miles for around $3-5k on Craigslist. I like the trucks with the service body or service box--and because nobody wants these for a pickup truck, they go pretty cheap. But for a rally rig, they are pretty sweet. Good towing, place to store tools and spares security. What's not to like? For a long time I thought we'd want a box truck, maybe even set it up with ramps so we can tow to events without a trailer. I wanted something that would have a sleeper cab or convert the first 6 feet of the box into a living area/bunks. The idea would be on the overnight tows you wouldn't have to get a hotel, and the costs would help pay for the truck. I'd still get a hotel on Friday or Saturday nights for rallies, but for the night before recce, or the night after the rally on the way home it is nice to be able to camp in the truck. The problem is that the truck becomes a race-only vehicle, which actually is pretty much fine because of this: The worst compromise you can make it trying to buy a tow rig that is going to be your daily driver. You'll end up with either a great tow rig and a shitty driver, or a great driver and a shitty tow rig. A daily driver tow rig is an oxymoron. If you're on a budget, get a cheap truck and a cheap daily driver and you'll be much happier. I found a couple of good deals lately, but maybe they sold because I can't find 'em. But something like this only newer and for less money: http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/ctd/1742863501.html http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/ctd/1735545238.html http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/1739477578.html http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/1744898132.html |
fiasco Andrew Steere Mega Moderator Location: South Central Nude Hamster Join Date: 12/29/2005 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 2,008 Rally Car: too rich for my blood, share a LeMons car |
tedm Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Here's a real Tedneck Night of Horror's support > vehicle. > > > > Tell Suzanne it was my idea. She'll be dying to > go for a ride! > > Can I run course opening in it? How about Fast > Sweep? > > Ted Mendham > www.rensport.net There IS a civilian version of that ride (Pontiac woody) for sale just a few miles up the street. With a Volvo 240 parked beside it for $1,700. Service old skool! Didn't JV once propose limiting service vehicles to the size of Vista Cruiser or something like that? Andrew Steere Lyndeborough, NH KB1PJY |
BillyElliot Billy Elliot Mann Infallible Moderator Location: Royal Oak, MI Join Date: 08/11/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 557 Rally Car: 1996 Honda Civic with VTEC YO! |
Well there's plenty of ways to fudge details on finish positions to boost your social media status.
I like when someone claims a class win/podium in a field of cars that barely fills the podium. Or a G5 class win, from a class filled with a couple entries but not mentioning their terrible overall finish or being beat by a G2 car. The split between Naional/Regional is hype towards potential or current sponsors... or for getting into the pants of fans. All the racers know that a driver can claim a class win/podium in national 2WD which had a total of entries you could count on one, stretching to two, hands. Sure, all the competitors know who the real winners are but what the average rally driver sees is the fancy champagne spray. /end rant |
Dazed_Driver Banned Senior Moderator Location: John and Skyes Magic Love liar Join Date: 08/24/2007 Posts: 2,154 |
"and be famous, on youtube" (or something VERY CLOSE to that)
It's actually not that bad being youtube famous. Youtube is the new television. Welcome to viral marketing and whatnot. There are people who get record deals, and REALLY good market (being the face of sort of gigs) via their youtube channels. It's like TV, but its online. Don't knock the youtube, lol. If someone wanted to be famous, youtube is a very decent way of actually going about it. Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned. |
BillyElliot Billy Elliot Mann Infallible Moderator Location: Royal Oak, MI Join Date: 08/11/2008 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 557 Rally Car: 1996 Honda Civic with VTEC YO! |
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eyesoreracing Dave Coleman Ultra Moderator Location: Long Beach, CA Join Date: 05/13/2007 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 448 Rally Car: Mazda3, SE-R Spec-V, 510 |
MrToad Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Someone > in PA was using a minivan to tow. Plentiful, cheap > and roomy once you scrape out the old cheerios and > fruit loops. May need tranny cooler and helper > springs and electric brakes for the trailer are a > given. Baby on board sticker is optional. > JT > Minivan? Go postal! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Windstar-Windstar-1998-Ford-Windstar-Cargo-Van-/300427313023?cmd=ViewItem&pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item45f2dcff7f#ht_500wt_1165 -Dave |
fiasco Andrew Steere Mega Moderator Location: South Central Nude Hamster Join Date: 12/29/2005 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 2,008 Rally Car: too rich for my blood, share a LeMons car |
> > Minivan? > > Go postal! > > > > -Dave E-350 looks much more appropriate. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-E-Series-Van-E-Series-1989-Ford-Econoline-350-Cargo-Van-/300427361009?cmd=ViewItem&pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item45f2ddbaf1#ht_500wt_1182 Andrew Steere Lyndeborough, NH KB1PJY |
heymagic Banned Infallible Moderator Location: La la land Join Date: 01/25/2006 Age: Fossilized Posts: 3,740 Rally Car: Not a Volvo |
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MikeColangelo Michael Colangelo Junior Moderator Location: California Join Date: 10/21/2009 Posts: 209 Rally Car: Spec Miata |
My two cents on this topic:
Everybody wants to buy an affordable (meaning used) tow vehicle and understandably so. But don't be too cheap and buy some beat up truck. Your tow vehicle will live a hard life of being parked outside and driven in all kinds of weather while pulling 4500-7000 lbs plus whatever you have in the bed and in the cab. The last thing you want is for the truck to break down enroute to an event in the middle of nowhere. I learned this the hard way with an older Dodge Ram 2500. My current tow/service vehicle (for a road racecar) is a well-maintained 2004 F-150 Extracab with a 5.4L V-8 and tow package. Gas mileage isn't too bad when not pulling anything and it's a decent, comfortable daily driver. The most important thing is that the truck tows my race car with ease and it has been very reliable. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2010 06:51PM by MikeColangelo. |
KTurner Kevin Turner Professional Moderator Location: Newark, DE Join Date: 01/27/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 364 Rally Car: 2wd Impreza... dude you should do an sti swap |
I got a diesel ford e350 a couple years ago in running shape, put a little bit of $$ into it and it just turned 190k, really like it. good mileage, lots of parts available and towing a car doesn't really put the big hurt on the trans that most people gripe about (my fingers are still crossed).
and there's always that purple colored ambulance at the body shop on water street in ellsworth. it's only been there since I was in high school. -KTurner Stomp down on the exhilarator and hold on to the wheel. |
tedm Ted Mendham Professional Moderator Location: NH Join Date: 02/17/2006 Age: Ancient Posts: 697 Rally Car: once upon a time drove WRX, Sentra, SAAB 99 |
"My two cents on this topic:
Everybody wants to buy an affordable (meaning used) tow vehicle and understandably so. But don't be too cheap and buy some beat up truck. Your tow vehicle will live a hard life of being parked outside and driven in all kinds of weather while pulling 4500-7000 lbs plus whatever you have in the bed and in the cab. The last thing you want is for the truck to break down enroute to an event in the middle of nowhere. I learned this the hard way with an older Dodge Ram 2500. My current tow/service vehicle (for a road racecar) is a well-maintained 2004 F-150 Extracab with a 5.4L V-8 and tow package. Gas mileage isn't too bad when not pulling anything and it's a decent, comfortable daily driver. The most important thing is that the truck tows my race car with ease and it has been very reliable." Although he speak good logic, yer preachin' to a Mainiac who is building his second SAAB rally car and stil don't own a garage. What makes you think there is evah gonna be any lernin' goin' on. ;-) Ask rallywhoe about the bitchin' plow truck he stole to plow his driveway in Dublin. Maybe werkin' on support vehicles is a vacation from werkin' on SAABs. ;-) Ted Mendham www.rensport.net |
alkun Albert Kun Mega Moderator Location: SF Ca. Join Date: 01/07/2008 Age: Possibly Wise Posts: 1,732 Rally Car: volvo 242 |
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NoCoast Grant Hughes Godlike Moderator Location: Whitefish, MT Join Date: 01/11/2006 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 6,818 Rally Car: BMW |
I list tow vehicles as the one thing I hate most. They're expensive to own, maintain, insure, etc. Bigger you get, the bigger the maintenance bill. Only way to go in my opinion is just to store the rally car in Portland and drive to events. Make sure you have AAA. If you wreck, the single towing cost will still likely be less than the cost of a single payment on a truck. Let's say you finance a $10K truck on a 48 month term. That's around $200 per month car payment. Okay, since it's financed you also have to have full coverage so count on at least another $100 per month probably. It's probably newer so registration could be in the 300-1000 range per year. Well you have the truck so you may as well use it now as your daily driver costing you hundreds more per year. Blah, blah and more blah. Oh yeah, don't forget to get your $2000-10000 trailer to put the car in.
I don't have any desire or care to get sponsors to support my rallying. I would love to get support from company that will provide me with a tow vehicle to use for events. Grant Hughes |
tedm Ted Mendham Professional Moderator Location: NH Join Date: 02/17/2006 Age: Ancient Posts: 697 Rally Car: once upon a time drove WRX, Sentra, SAAB 99 |
And tow vehicles are great for getting into a big wreck with, too. Buy some old POS van, from the car donation scam lot, with bald retreaded Firestone 500 tires on it, blown shocks, rusty brake lines, then load it to the gills with 3 tons of broken SAAB parts, 10 full fuel cans (gas costs more up there), lot's of beer, your friends and family (NO, they don't need real bolted-down seats or seat belts, they can sit on the totes full of broken parts), put a sketchy 4000 pound trailer with even worse tires and non-functioning brakes on the back, to help steady things out, then head down the Interstate with a brick on the gas pedal, looking for moose to play chicken with and black ice.
Better yet, let those young stoners that wanna service for you drive it to Canada. "yeah...well....I meant to call my ins. agent to amend my police and fax me a binder, but I ran out of time". Only a real rallyist would think it's a good idea. ;-) Ted Mendham www.rensport.net |
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