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Towing A-Frame for Bus & Beetle & Type 3
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 8:14 pm
by Klaus
Towing A-Frame for Bus & Beetle & Type 3
Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:26 pm
by Klaus
BUYP

Re: Towing A-Frame for Bus & Beetle & Type 3
Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:55 pm
by retrovan
Klaus wrote:BUYP

Sorry Klaus,
The a-frame is complete, has been galvanised, but due to my incompetence, has not been photographed or costed.....
Will do a urgent effort to do this as you have now reminded me, SORRY
Herman
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 7:11 pm
by retrovan
Well finaly, I got all my Ducks in a row, and got the photos, worked out the price to manufacture this A-Frame, and also looked at making it a "fold-up"
The truth be told, I think it would be unwise to make it a "Fold-up" but Hey, that's just Me.
Will be easy enough, all you do is cut it in the centre, fit smaller pipes into the one side, and plug weld, and make two bolt plates for the centre cross.
The Price as follows, Supply of pipes and bending.....R 430
Galvanising .........R 200
Welder time ........R 450
Hitch and chain .........R 220
Profit ........R 50
Total cost if you guys want one ..................R 1350.00 excluding transport and shipping.
Best I can do guys, Sorry.
Herman
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:10 pm
by CooP
Seems very reasonable to me
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:19 pm
by retrovan
CooP wrote:Seems very reasonable to me
Thank you, as the main pipe that takes all the twisting forces, when things go wroung, is made of 3mm wall thickness, the machine to bend this pipe, is a monster.
Will never make them out of thiner steel, and sell them with my name on it, like the beetle bars, on the Samba. for $150.
Will be placing the drawings on this thread, then each and every Volks, can make his own.
herman
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 8:52 am
by Bushpig
Herman,
Frame looks cool and no doubt you have looked into this but how about making the thing to fold. eg a pivot at the hitch end and the hitch plate to bolt when legs are open and the cross members that can be just bolted. We could leave this folded in the car when going for treasure hunts.

Just part the legs drop on the cross members and away you go.
Just a thought

Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:02 am
by Bushpig
Herman, sorry

just found the post about the folding - when would you test one that folds?
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 6:53 pm
by retrovan
Bushpig wrote:Herman, sorry

just found the post about the folding - when would you test one that folds?
Going to use the spare one I made, turn it into a fold up, and test it, will let you know.
Herman
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:29 am
by Bushpig
Great thanks Dude, can't wait

Re: Towing A-Frame for Bus & Beetle & Type 3
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:03 pm
by Darth
Ron&Gill wrote:retrovan wrote:Hi Ron,
Did look at the fold up type, but found that they all have weak spots on these joints.
Still say, because towing is so dangerous, the best thing you can do is to make sure that the link between the two cars is as strong as possible, You can tow a car with a section of wire, but when things go wrong, you need the connection to be solid, so you can pull out of danger.
my design was tested with this in mind, and to the point of lost control, without it deflecting.
If you need to transport it, use a roof carrier like me......
sorry, best I can come up with.....

Yes, I agree, but whenever I mention a fold up one, what springs to mind is one that you take out folded, give it a shake and "Presto! A fully functional-Inspector-Gadget-A frame." Well, I know that is a bit Hollywood, and that is indeed the one I saw, so I was thinking more in line of spending 15 minutes bolting it together with M15's or something like that. So maybe my terminology was bad. Not a fold-away, but one that can be disassembled... Is that better? It also has it's advantages when storing the thing, which is the condition it is usually in, stored.

I'm thinking along the lines of one that slides out from under the car, bolts together and when you are done gets disasembuilded, slide back and secured. Until you need it again.
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:54 pm
by oldschool75
@retrovan @ retrovan
Still building these Herman?
Re: Towing A-Frame for Split Bus & Beetle
Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 4:15 pm
by retrovan
NO sorry, was too costly for resale
Herman